More storage solutions at CES 2018, this time from WD and by extension, SanDisk. The two flash-based products are being geared towards mobility and for use with drones, which means durability and speed are the main factors to consider. With Internet access being common too, private clouds are also a focus with the My Cloud range as well.
The My Passport Wireless SSD has a couple features on it that have started to crop up on a number of other devices, and that’s an integrated SD card reader so you can backup files quickly just by popping the card in. The wireless (802.11ac/n) aspect means you can edit, delete, and manage files from any mobile device, through something like a mobile app, or integrate directly with other apps that can access wireless storage devices for live editing in the field.
The trend though is that having access to storage is one thing, but power is another. Accessing a full SSD from a mobile is one problem, but powering the SSD is another. Since there is wireless access to consider, the SSD needs a battery too, but it goes further than this by also offering up the internal battery as a power bank for mobile devices, so you can access files while also charging your phone – useful again if you are editing in the field. The batter is 6700mAh, and can provide 1.5 amps as is, or 0.9 amps when the SSD is switched on (SSD in use and wireless enabled).
The My Passport Wireless SSD is also covered in thick rubber, as well as shock resistance inside. Capacities are available from 250GB up to 2TB, with prices starting from $230 for low capacity, up to $800 for the 2TB drive. One distinction that’s worth pointing out is that the drive is branded under WD, and not SanDisk.
If you need storage and want it in the smallest form factor possible, then SanDisk has the smallest 256GB flash drive on the market. It’s fitted in one of those tiny little BT or WiFi dongles you often have lying around. The Ultra Fit is now slouch in speed either, with 130MB/s read speeds over USB3.1 gen 1. If you want something faster and a higher density, but also resilient, then there is also the SanDisk Extreme. With capacities from 250GB to 2TB, this compact drive has a tough exterior that’s IP55 rated (splash/rain resistant), but can transfer data at upto 550MB/s (read, no word on write).
The My Cloud Home, WD NAS range for home storage, will soon get voice activated media streaming features, as it rolls out support for Amazon Alexa. The Cloud Home also links to Chromecast. Does that mean you can get Alexa support over Chromecast? Who knows, but should be fun to test.