Remember the “Pocket PC”?
The thought of having a device that fits in your pocket that can check email, surf the web, organize your calendar, and contacts. How cutting edge it was only 8 short years ago, and pricey. According to Wikipedia, “Prices in 2003 ranged from around $800 USD for the high-end models, some of which are combined with cell phones, to $200 for low-end models.”
Fast forward to today, and the “Pocket PC” has evolved, or maybe been replaced with what we have come to embrace as smartphones and tablets like the iPhone and iPad. Steve Jobs has even uttered the words that tablets will mark “the end of the PC era,” still, the one thing laptops and desktops have over smartphones and tablets is the local storage capacity, and thus local access to all of your digital content…
until now.
Today Seagate announced GoFlex® Satellite™…the world’s first mobile wireless storage device for smartphones and tablets allowing you to carry your media library with you and wirelessly stream movies, photos, music and documents to your iPad® or any device with web browser and Wi-Fi connectivity. Think about it…with GoFlex Satellite, you no longer have to choose which files to sync, or which files to remove in order to make room. To get started, download the FREE GoFlex Satellite app for Apple iOS off of iTunes (Android app coming summer 2011).
What you get…
- A 500GB 2.5-inch 22mm GoFlex external hard drive with Wi-Fi b/g/n (150 ft. Range), and a USB 3.0 /USB 2.0 via USM (GoFlex SATA connector) interface.
- A Lithium Polymer battery supporting up to 5 hours of video streaming and 25 hours of standby
- A compact wall charger and compact car charger (both can charge your USB mobile devices as well)
- Support for streaming content to up-to 3 iPads simultaneously
- Compatible with Apple iOS and any device with web browser and Wi-Fi connectivity
- Includes HTTP web interface Media sync software for PC and Mac iPad/iPhone/iPod touch specific app and Paragon NTFS driver for Mac
- Boasts a 3- year limited warranty
How it works…(on iPad & iPhone)
- Be sure to download the free iPhone or iPad app called GoFlex Media on iTunes.
- Turn the GoFlex Satellite on by holding down the power button.
- Once you see both LEDs illuminated green, go to your wifi settings on your iPhone or iPad and select the GoFlex Satellite network
- Open up the Safari browser and type in any URL, the device will automatically connect to the GoFlex Satellite and display the GoFlex Satellite browser interface.
- Tap any media to begin streaming to your iPhone or iPad.
Load content to you GoFlex Satellite by connecting it to your PC or Mac via the USB adapter that ships with the drive. You can also use the GoFlex Satellite drive with Android and Windows phones…all you need is wifi connectivity and the Satellite will stream any file type supported by your device applications.
What it costs…
- $199 US MSRP (combine this with a $499 iPad, and you’re still under that $800 high end Pocket PC price point in 2003…with an additional 500GB of storage
What it means…
Steve Jobs predicted, tablets will “mark the end of the PC era”… I think products like GoFlex Satellite could mark the beginning of a new PC era…perhaps this time it’s an entirely new Pocket PC experience.
What do you think?
Related Links:
Seagate GoFlex Satellite Press Release
Seagate GoFlex Satellite Product Page
Can I get a 1 TB Hard Disk of this type???
@Rajan The drive is only available in 500GB at this time.
This is exactly what I have been waiting for! I travel a fair bit and have the original iPad 32GB which never seems to have enough space for my movies and music.
I live in Australia. Where can I get one and when?
@Matt Global general availability is scheduled for this summer, your winter I assume 🙂 July, August timeframe and you should be able to find it at your local retailers, or online. Thanks – Mark
Will this be available for the BB Playbook?
@SanDiegan Good question….as far as I know, there is not an app planned for the Blackberry Playbook, but since the Playbook has a wifi connection and a browser built in, you will be able to connect to the GoFlex Satellite without the use of an app. The same holds true for any laptop, tablet, phone, etc. I will double check on the availability of a BB app though, just in case. Thanks – Mark
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I have an Apple USB connector/adaptor for my iPad2, Can I connect the GoFlex Satellite to my iPad with the Seagate supplied USB cable ?
I ask because I would like to watch a video on my GoFlex while on a flight but I am sure that WiFi is prohibited.
@Steve M The Satellite drive will act as a standard USB drive when connected to a host system, so you should be good to go. I have never tried the Apple USB connector/adapter so I don’t have first hand experience. You may want to test it out before your flight just to be sure. Thanks – Mark
I just bought the GoFlex Home. Is there an App for the Playbook yet?? thanks!
I don’t see the capability of saving a doc (or any file) from iPad to GoFlex. – Only streaming from GoFlex to iPad. ????