| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
admin
Site Admin
Joined: 21 Jan 2005
Posts: 2048
Location: U.S.A
|
 Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:01 am Post subject: WD Intros My Passport Studio Portable Drives |
 |
|
WD Intros My Passport Studio Portable Drives
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Posted by: Charles
WD today introduced its new My Passport Studio Portable Drives in capacities of 250GB and 320GB. According to the company, the newest members of the My Passport family are designed for Mac users and are equipped with both FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces, a capacity gauge, and include a soft drawstring-carrying bag for protection from scratches and dirt.
Read more...
http://www.123macmini.com/news/story/955.html |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
JohnnyBoy
Veteran Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2007
Posts: 3954
Location: West Sussex, South-East England
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
Wow! A Firewire Passport drive!  If they're as quiet as the existing Passport drives, they're going to be a real favourite with Mini owners.
_________________
Intel Mini 2.0GHz C2D (4GB/120GB/SuperDrive/10.5.8 ), 120GB WD Passport, Logitech ergo k/b
iPod Touch (32GB, 3rd gen), iPod Shuffle (512MB, 1st gen) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ben Tex
Veteran Member
Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 1418
Location: Texas
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 3:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I bought a USB Passport for swapping out the drive in my Mac mini, but decided to keep it intact. I use it for TM backups now. Like JB said, they are really quiet. My only complaint about them would be the quality of the enclosure itself. They do feel kind of cheap. I don't think they would be very rugged out on the road. That being said, these new ones are styled a little different from mine. They might be more rugged now. Plus, they come with FW!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bandit Bill
Veteran Member
Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 5793
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 3:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I'm impressed with the look of this drive. I hope it comes in black as well. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dungeon92
Veteran Member
Joined: 01 Mar 2006
Posts: 2403
Location: St. Louis/Rolla, MO
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 4:36 pm Post subject: hold the praise |
|
|
One issue that I have, if you see the photos on WD's site it's a FW400 4-pin port, which means that the FW can't supply power to the drive.
_________________
"You must control your future by taking command of your present, and fixing and learning from your past."
"When history is forgotten people don't realize when it repeats."
Going to Missouri S&T!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ben Tex
Veteran Member
Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 1418
Location: Texas
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 4:48 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Bandit Bill wrote: | | I'm impressed with the look of this drive. I hope it comes in black as well. |
All of the Studio edition drives for Macs seem to be coming in silver. I kind of doubt that you'll see one in black. They do have the USB-only in black. I've seen them at Besy Buy a couple times. They also have them in a ton of colors.
| dungeon92 wrote: | | One issue that I have, if you see the photos on WD's site it's a FW400 4-pin port, which means that the FW can't supply power to the drive. |
Yep, looks like it's getting the old power from USB. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
JohnnyBoy
Veteran Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2007
Posts: 3954
Location: West Sussex, South-East England
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 5:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Ben_tex wrote: | | Yep, looks like it's getting the old power from USB. |
That seems to be confirmed by this web page: "USB-powered"
_________________
Intel Mini 2.0GHz C2D (4GB/120GB/SuperDrive/10.5.8 ), 120GB WD Passport, Logitech ergo k/b
iPod Touch (32GB, 3rd gen), iPod Shuffle (512MB, 1st gen) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Fox
Veteran Member
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 2630
Location: Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
So then, if you want to use it in FW mode you have to plug it into a usb port as well?
_________________
Mini 1: 2.3 ghz Core i5; 8 gb RAM, Corsair 240gb SSD, 500 gb Seagate XT
Mini 2: 2.26 ghz Core 2 duo, 8 gb RAM, 500 gb Seagate
Also a Cube, 13" MacBook Air, 20" 2.66 ghz iMac & 11.6" Acer 1810TZ running Ubuntu, Mint & openSuse |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ben Tex
Veteran Member
Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 1418
Location: Texas
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 5:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Fox wrote: | | So then, if you want to use it in FW mode you have to plug it into a usb port as well? |
Yep. It's also on the product page under system requirements.
| Quote: | | FireWire interface requires use of the USB port on the drive for power. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Chris..S
Veteran Member
Joined: 25 Feb 2007
Posts: 704
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 7:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Its a single cable with a 6pin firewire at the computer end and two connectors, presumably 4 pin firewire and usb at the disk end, at least according to the pictures in the quick install guide (pdf) and User Manual (pdf) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bandit Bill
Veteran Member
Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 5793
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 7:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Chris..S wrote: | | Its a single cable with a 6pin firewire at the computer end and two connectors, presumably 4 pin firewire and usb at the disk end, at least according to the pictures in the quick install guide (pdf) and User Manual (pdf) |
Yup it sure looks that way. That's alright then.
Just don't lose that cable  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
aquaman
Veteran Member
Joined: 18 Apr 2005
Posts: 807
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 8:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I've seen a Y-cable like that with two USB connectors for bus-powering an enclosure with a 7200rpm drive, but never one like that with FW. Interesting. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ESUNintel
Senior Member
Joined: 18 May 2008
Posts: 481
Location: Colorado
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 9:37 pm Post subject: Looks Nice |
|
|
| This drive rocks!! The little indicator to let you know how full it is is really nice. I really wish WD made a hard drive with a hidden a USB cable already built in (like Lacie or the Icy Dock enclosure); in this case it be a hidden firewire cable as well. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
WheelSpinners
Veteran Member
Joined: 25 May 2007
Posts: 743
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: Looks Nice |
|
|
| ESUNintel wrote: | | This drive rocks!! The little indicator to let you know how full it is is really nice. I really wish WD made a hard drive with a hidden a USB cable already built in (like Lacie or the Icy Dock enclosure); in this case it be a hidden firewire cable as well. |
As long as the capacity gauge works. I didn't have much luck with the one on my MyBook. I've never seen the Icy Dock drives like that. I'll have to Google them up. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ESUNintel
Senior Member
Joined: 18 May 2008
Posts: 481
Location: Colorado
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject: Re: Looks Nice |
|
|
| WheelSpinners wrote: | | ESUNintel wrote: | | This drive rocks!! The little indicator to let you know how full it is is really nice. I really wish WD made a hard drive with a hidden a USB cable already built in (like Lacie or the Icy Dock enclosure); in this case it be a hidden firewire cable as well. |
As long as the capacity gauge works. I didn't have much luck with the one on my MyBook. I've never seen the Icy Dock drives like that. I'll have to Google them up. |
It's an enclosure, you buy the drive seperatly. Here's the link:
http://www.icydock.com/product/mb663ub-1s.html
I really like the way the USB cable hides in the back, it really helps when you want portability and don't want to carry around an extra cable. It matches Mac's in color too  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ 
Search 
Memberlist 
Photo Gallery
Register
Profile 
Log in to check your private messages 
Log in 
