This week, Seagate revealed an external storage device called the Seagate Duet. It’s the result of a collaboration between Seagate and Amazon to provide a portable storage solution specifically for Amazon Drive customers. Even more, the external drive includes a free year of Amazon Drive Unlimited Storage for new Amazon Drive customers in the United States, a service that typically costs $60 per year.
Amazon is taking pre-orders for the Seagate Duet external drive now for $100. Slated to be released on December 10, it provides 1TB of storage that automatically syncs to the Amazon Drive cloud storage service. Keep in mind that the free version of Amazon Drive only provides 5GB of online space, so users will need the yearly subscription to take full advantage of the Seagate Duet’s full syncing potential.
There’s little to go by in regard to the actual hardware details of the new drive in Amazon’s product listing. However, it appears to be a rebranded version of Seagate’s Backup Plus Slim portable hard drive, which connects via a USB 3.0 port (USB 2.0 too), and works with both Windows PCs and Macs, the latter of which need the included NTFS driver.
Here are the specs we managed to scrape up:
| Model number: | STFX1000400 |
| Capacity: | 1TB |
| Interface: | USB 3.0 |
| Number of hard drive platters: | 2 |
| Speed: | 5,400 RPM |
| Size: | 4.47”(L) x 2.99”(W) x 0,38”(D) |
| Weight: | 0.33 pounds |
| Transfer rate: | Up to 220MB per second |
The drive uses perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology to store data on its two spinning magnetic discs (platters). This type of data recording provides more storage density than the traditional “longitudinal” recording. Imagine each magnetic disc as an optical disc or a vinyl record with thousands of invisible tracks storing millions of bits on each track. The perpendicular recording method places data bits pointed up or down perpendicular to the disk surface whereas the longitudinal method places the bits “circumferentially” along the track direct.
Once customers connect the new Seagate Duet drive to their Windows PC or Mac, the device automatically pulls up their Amazon account. After the login process, it will then begin syncing photos, music, pictures, and other personal data the user already has stored in Amazon’s cloud. At the same time, all files saved/moved to the external drive are automatically copied to Amazon Drive as well. What’s great with this solution is that media and files placed into the Amazon Drive app for smartphones and tablets will end up on the external drive too.
“Accessing stored files, photos, and videos while away from the Seagate Duet drive is also easy using the Amazon Drive mobile app,” Seagate said. “This phone and tablet app gives access to photos and videos saved on the Seagate Duet drive and in the cloud. This way, it’s possible to relive the best moments with loved ones wherever and whenever.”
Customers who pre-order the Seagate Duet drive now from Amazon will receive free shipping. Gift-wrapping is also available for those who want to throw it under the Christmas tree later this month.