Western Digital Corp. Press Release 08/01/04

Western Digital’s Media Center combines external hard drive with media readers

Western Digital Corp., Lake Forrest, Calif., USA, introduced its Media Center storage peripheral, combining a 250 GB WD Caviar SE hard drive, an 8-in-1 memory card reader, USB 2.0 hub and the company’s Dual-option Backup feature in one external storage device. Western Digital says its Media Center is the only storage peripheral that provides consumers with all-in-one functionality and an easier way to download and store files from a variety of digital accessories.

Western Digital’s Dual-option Backup system gives consumers the option to back up data either automatically or on-demand. Using an easy set-up wizard, users can schedule a recurring backup; a button glows blue to confirm that files will be backed up automatically. The Media Center and new external drives with Dual-option Backup are also capable of backing up data from multiple sources for consumers who have a number of drives and/or PCs and notebooks.

Combining external storage with a built-in card reader for space-saving convenience and easier downloading at the touch of a button, the Media Center is compatible with 8 major media card formats, including CompactFlash Type I and II, IBM Microdrive, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, MultiMedia Card and SD Card.

  Western Digital’s Media Center and new USB/FireWire external hard drives with Dual-option Backup are expected to be available this month through Western Digital’s retailers, distributors and the company’s online store. Suggested retail price for Western Digital’s Media Center 250 GB is US$399; suggested retail price for external USB 2.0/FireWire hard drives with Dual-option Backup 250 GB is US$349.