Seagate has announced that it will bring out a brand new line of external hard drives that have been designed to suit the Mac OS X operating system (or “Mac-compatible”, which we find is a bit misleading), and to allow users to connect this to Time Machine in order to backup or share digital content.
The new drives will use Time Machine-compatible HFS+ file system out of the box while also trying to meet compatibility for Windows, via a HFS+ driver to allow full read and write access to the drive. What’s also interesting is that it will use FireWire, rather than USB natively – and if you want to use USB, there is an included adaptor.
The series features four drives: GoFlex for Mac, the GoFlex for Mac Limited Edition, the GoFlex Pro and the GoFlex Drive. The GoFlex will retail for $199.99 for 1TB and $249.99 for 1.5TB; while the Limited Edition will come out only in a 1TB version for $199.95. The GoFlex Pro will sell for $149.99 for 500GB and $179.99 for 750GB, while the GoFlex Drive – the one meant for the desktop – will retail for $219.99 for 2TB, and $279.99 for 3TB.
Full press release is after the jump.
Seagate Introduces GoFlex for Mac External Drives
New Collection of FreeAgent® GoFlex™ for Mac External Drives Are Designed for Mac Enthusiasts While Maintaining Cross-Platform Compatibility
LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–2011 International CES — Addressing the personal preferences of the Mac community, Seagate (NASDAQ: STX) today introduced a new collection of GoFlex™ for Mac external drives designed to make it easy for those who use Mac OS X and Time Machine to backup, shuttle, or share their digital content.
These new portable and desktop solutions are HFS+ formatted out-of-the-box, making them fully compatible with Apple Time Machine® backup software, while maintaining the ability to work across both Microsoft® Windows® and Mac OS X computers. A truly unique feature, GoFlex for Mac drives can also be used with computers running Windows by simply downloading an HFS+ driver for Windows from Seagate.com, which will provide full read-write access to the drive from a Windows computer.
Each GoFlex for Mac product comes bundled with FireWire® 800 and USB 2.0 adapters and cables—the most popular interfaces for Apple computers — but also delivers the flexibility to change the drive’s interface to USB 3.0 or powered eSATA for use with Windows computers. The GoFlex™ interface cables help deliver the speed, performance and connectivity people need, as well as to help safe guard their investments against changing technology. To deliver a fresh look that fits seamlessly with today’s Apple product line, each 2.5-inch, ultra-portable drive in the family features a durable, soft-touch, metallic finish, which is also designed to withstand scratches, fingerprints or other marks incurred from travel.
The new line-up of GoFlex™ for Mac external drives include:
- GoFlexTM for Mac ultra-portable drive — This 2.5-inch portable drive is now designed specifically for use with Apple’s Time Machine right out-of-the-box, easily go back in time to access changes or file updates were before they were made. MSRP $199.99 for 1TB, and $249.99 for 1.5TB.
- GoFlexTM for Mac Limited Edition ultra-portable drive — The GoFlex™ for Mac Limited Edition ultra-portable drive packs 1TB of storage into the standardized 2.5-inch form factor, making it the slimmest high-cap drive available on the market today. With a depth of 12.5mm and shorter in length than an iPhone, the GoFlexTM for Mac Limited Edition is perfect for use with GoFlex TV or GoFlex Net. MSRP $199.95 for 1TB.
- GoFlexTM Pro for Mac ultra portable — This 7200RPM, 2.5-inch drive delivers advanced performance for those professionals who place high demands on their storage, such as graphic artists, musicians, videographers or photographers. Using the included FireWire 800 cable to achieve transfer speeds up to three times faster than USB 2.0. MSRP $149.99 for 500GB; $179.99 for 750GB.
- GoFlexTM Desk for Mac drive — This 3.5-inch high-capacity external drive includes a flexible design that can sit horizontally or vertically to fit your workspace. Back up files using Apple’s Time Machine. Optional software displays the drive’s real-time capacity with lights on the dock and includes other useful tools. MSRP $219.99 for 2TB; $279.99 for 3TB.
In addition, each GoFlex for Mac drive can be used with other devices in the GoFlex™ Storage System such as the GoFlex™ Net media sharing device and the GoFlex™ TV HD media player1. These solutions provide the flexibility to enjoy content on a TV or a mobile device, such as an iPad or smart phone. There is also an option to download additional software for use with all GoFlex for Mac drives that will provide helpful utilities such as a control to turn the activity lights off and a tool to verify that the drive is functioning properly. Each drive in the family also comes backed by a Seagate three-year warranty, helping to protect your investment and providing peace of mind.
“With over 10 billion songs downloaded from the iTunes® store and Apple’s market share continuing to grow year-over-year, the growing audience for Mac OS X will need external storage to backup all their digital content,” said Darcy Clarkson, vice president of Global Retail Sales and Marketing for Seagate. “Today’s product introduction addresses these current market trends and underscores Seagate’s commitment to delivering flexible, easy-to-use solutions that meet varying customer needs.”