New Gear: Western Digital My Passport Wireless Hard Drive With Built-In SD Card Slot
WD's new drive is built for backing up in the field
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›
When it comes to data storage, photographers are some of the biggest consumers around, and WD’s latest My Passport drive adds some features that make it appealing to the camera-obsessed.
The My Passport Wireless comes in 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB configurations. Each model has a built-in battery allowing it to power itself when you’re on the road. Using a dedicated app, the drive can connect wirelessly to a smartphone or tablet and you can beam files directly to the drive. Beyond that, it has built-in FTP capability, so you can even use it to store images from a high-end DSLR if you have the proper adapter.
In addition to its wireless connectivity, there’s also an SD card slot built directly into the drive, so you can stick your card in and it will dump your photos to the drive automatically. That could be extremely handy if you’re working in the field and want to be sure you have an extra backup of all your photos. Of course, there’s also a USB 3.0 port if you prefer the traditional wired connection for transferring data.
Beyond the purely practical utilities, you can also use the app to consume your media. It can stream six hours of HD movies to a mobile device and you can even have multiple devices (including a computer using a web browser) connected at the same time, so you can entertain a family on a long trip.
The drive is available today, starting at $129 for the 500 GB version, and climbing to $179 for the 1 TB version and $219 for the 2 TB version. Considering all the functionality, the pricing actually seems pretty aggressive. Look for a full review in the coming weeks.
