Storage manufacturer Seagate has expanded its GoFlex line of hard drives with the new GoFlex Home network storage system, which offers backup for WIndows PCs and Macs along with capacities up to 2 TB. In addition, the GoFlex home can connect up to SeaGate’s Seagate Share Pro to remotely access content stored on the device from things like iPhones and BlackBerry devices, as well as push images and files to services like Facebook and Flickr.
“With broadband and home networks reaching higher levels of penetration and operating at higher speeds, consumers are increasingly downloading and streaming content into their home and wanting to access that content from anywhere,” said Seagate marketing VP Darcy Clarkson, in a statement. “We spent a lot of time focusing on simplicity with this product and believe people will find it very intuitive to set-up and get started.”
The GoFlex drive enables users of PCs, Macs, and netbooks to back up their systems with ease: owners can connect it to a home network using gigabit Ethernet—users can just pop the drive into an open port on their Wi-Fi router to offer wireless backup services. The drive can handle backups for up to three PCs or Macs in a household; the GoFlex home drive also works with Apple Time Machine software in Mac OS X 10.5 and newer, so Mac users don’t have to install any additional software. Users can also stream movies, music, photos, and more to DLNA-compatible devices (like PCs, game consoles, and home media systems).
If the built-in 1 TB or 2 TB drive isn’t large enough, users can connect more storage via a USB port, or swap out the unit’s internal drive for a new, larger one: no tools required.
The Seagate GoFlex Home network storage system should be available now; the 1 TB version carries a suggested retail price of $159,99, while the 2 TB version carries a $229.99 suggested price.
