May 12, 2010

Iomega hard disk drives recently got a technology boost in the form of the Iomega v.Clone, a software developed by EMC utilizing VMware technologies that enables users to create clones of their PCs onto an Iomega HDD. By using this software, a user can take everything he needs from his primary computer practically anywhere he goes, allowing him to use all the files and apps he needs in another PC as if he were working on his primary system. Iomega v.Clone copies the operating system, files, settings, and applications in the user’s primary computer and stores them in his Iomega portable HDD.

It also allows the user to edit and save files to his Iomega hard drive. When he plugs the Iomega drive into his primary computer, he simply needs to sync the data. Iomega v.Clone keeps files secure because even as the user runs his files on another computer, his data stays on the drive, leaving nothing on the secondary computer. The software likewise provides quick access to the user’s PC in case of an emergency or a system crash.

Iomega is distributed in the country by MSI-ECS.

February 8, 2010

WD Caviar Black and WD RE4 2TB
www.wdc.com

Western Digital announced that it is now shipping desktop 7200 RPM 2TB hard drives and is qualifying with OEMs enterprise-class hard drives based on WD’s 500 gigabytes-per-platter technology. The popular family of WD Caviar Black drives, now led by the new 2TB capacity, is perfect for gaming, high-performance desktop systems and workstations; while the WD RE4 2TB is suited for servers, network attached storage and storage networks.

High-performance hard drives by an industry leader in performance, WD Caviar Black and WD RE4 2TB drives combine 7200 RPM spin speed, 64MB cache, dual stage actuator technology, SATA 3 gigabits per second (Gb/s) interface, and an integrated dual processor to deliver ultimate performance in a maximum-capacity drive.

“WD Caviar Black 2TB hard drives maximize the features and functionality of power computing applications such as gaming, photo editing, user generated multimedia and video,” said Jim Morris, senior vice president and general manager of WD’s client storage systems. “With the selection of WD Caviar Black hard drives, WD desktop customers receive the best possible mix of capacity, performance and reliability that is required for intense desktop computing.”

“Specifically designed for enterprise-class applications, WD’s RE4 2TB drives incorporate the best combination of features, optimum performance, and superior reliability that customers have come to expect from WD,” said Tom McDorman, vice president and general manager of enterprise storage solutions for WD. “Our enterprise products are directly aimed at customers who require additional features and extensive testing that are necessary for high-end enterprise environments.”

WD Caviar Black 2 TB and WD RE4 2TB hard drives feature the following:

Dual processor- Twice the processing power to maximize performance.

Dual actuator technology- A head positioning system with two actuators that improves positional accuracy over the data track(s). The primary actuator provides coarse displacement using conventional electromagnetic actuator principles. The secondary actuator uses piezoelectric motion to fine tune the head positioning to a higher degree of accuracy.

IntelliSeek- Calculates optimum seek speeds to lower power consumption, noise, and vibration.

StableTrac- The motor shaft is secured at both ends to reduce system-induced vibration and stabilize platters for accurate tracking, during read and write operations.

NoTouch ramp load technology- The recording head never touches the disk media ensuring significantly less wear to the recording head and media as well as better drive protection in transit.

Additional Features for WD RE4 2TB Enterprise Hard Drives
WD RE4 drives feature 1.2 million hours MTBF, Active Power Save, enhanced RAFF technology, multi-axis shock sensor, native command queuing (NCQ), pressure sensors, third generation dynamic fly height, time limited error recovery (TLER), and an extensive and enhanced testing process to ensure long-term reliability for demanding enterprise applications.

Price and Availability
The WD Caviar Black 2TB (model WD2001FASS) hard drives and WD RE4 2TB (model WD2003FYYS) hard drives are distributed by Axis Global Technologies and ATP Peripherals (Phils) and are available through select resellers. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the WD Caviar Black 2TB drive are P 15,650 for WD2001FASS model and P20,800 for WD2003FYYS. Both drives are covered by a five-year limited warranty.

July 1, 2009

Western Digital Debuts First 2TB HD

By Melissa J. Perenson

Published in the May 2009 print edition of PC World Philippines

Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB

$299

www.wdc.com

The  Caviar Green 2TB WD20EADS hard drive from Western Digital boosts the capacity game to a whole new level. This $299 disk can hold two terabytes– it’s the first to do so, and a boon to anyone with a large data archive or media library. Previously, Seagate’s Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB drive led in capacity.

This internal unit provides an areal density of 400 gigabits per squar inch on four 500GB platters. And WD bills it as environmentally friendly for its lower power use.

In our PC World Test Center trials, it came in fifth among all hard drives tested, one place better than the 1.5TB Seagate unit. It lagged our performance leaders (the WD RE3 Enterprise 500GB and the WD Velociraptor) on some results– notably, write-intensive disk imaging in WorldBench 6. But on other core metrics, the 2TB drive was competitive. It finished our test for writing files and folders in 112 seconds and handled our test for writing large files in 92 seconds, placing behind the performace leaders by 12 seconds or less.

The drive comes with several WD technologies that, the company says, allow the model to achieve its baance of price and preformance and optimize its inner workings. For example, StableTrac reduces vibrations but securing the motor shaft at both ends, permitting accurate head tracking during read and write operations.

The $299 orice tag may seem high, but at 15 cents per gigabyte, it is fairly competitive with that of other drives. The cost of recovering a ginormous 2TB drive that is dead or damaged, however, could be huge.

That the drive isn’t quite top-of-the-heap performer should not deter people with large data libraries. Nor should it put off digital media enthusiasts. Those users will rightly crave this drive.