Freecom Intros Sleek, Stylish Mobile Drive Mg 2.5" HDD

Looks like the big dogs, namely LaCie, Seagate and Western Digital, have some extra competition. The HDD space has always been crowded, and it seems to be a market with ultra-thin margins. But the good ones are staying in it, and hanging in there. Freecom has been dishing out storage options for quite some time, but rarely gets the kind of recognition enjoyed by those other guys. This new drive, however, might just be stylish enough to grab the mainstream attention we believe that it deserves.

The new Mobile Drive Mg is described as an "elegant mobile hard drive designed specifically for the Mac market." We're guessing it's aimed at the Mac market due to the all-magnesium enclosure, but there's nothing stopping you from formatting this for use on a Windows or Linux-based machine. It measures just 10mm thick, and Freecom assumes that it's the thinnest mobile HDD in the world.

It also uses USB 3.0, which makes it even more suitable of PCs given that there's no native USB 3.0 driver available for the Mac. It's backwards compatible with USB 2.0 machines, and it's powered entirely over USB. The unit will be available later in the month for $69.95 to $119.95, with sizes ranging from 320GB to 750GB. Also of note, the high-end model ships with USB 3.0 and FireWire, the best of both worlds from a connectivity standpoint.

Freecom Launches World's Thinnest Mobile Hard Drive Exclusively for Macs

LONDON, January 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Lightweight and Durable Magnesium Enclosure Complements Apple's Popular MacBook

Freecom, a Mitsubishi Kagaku Media company, today unveiled the Mobile Drive Mg - an elegant mobile hard drive designed specifically for the Mac market. Encased in an ultra-lightweight and strong magnesium enclosure, the Mobile Drive Mg is an ideal match for the Apple MacBook - perfect for those style-conscious Mac users and at just 10mm is also the thinnest mobile hard drive available in the world, allowing users to reliably expand their storage capacity with a complementary product that is elegant, portable and easy to use.

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The drive also features the latest USB 3.0 interface standard, which offers rapid data transfer speeds of approximately 130 MB/s. Ideal for both home and professional users who want to transfer large files quickly and carry their data on the move, the Mobile Drive Mg is significantly faster than traditional USB 2.0 solutions, enabling users to back up and upload information in a matter of seconds. The drive is backwards-compatible and will work with all USB 2.0 enabled computers and notebooks, as well as forthcoming USB 3.0 models.

"The Mobile Drive Mg's magnesium enclosure has the desirable combination of sleek aesthetics and functionality that many Mac customers look for in a product," said Jelle Stalpers, Apple Business Development Manager for Freecom. "Visually, the colour and wafer-thin profile of the drive make it the perfect complement to the Apple MacBook, and what's more, it is really easy to use - by simply plugging the hard drive into a USB port on a computer or notebook, users can quickly back up important data and share office work, digital photos, music and movies with colleagues, family and friends. From a more practical point of view, the incorporation of USB 3.0 technology makes it possible to transfer filesin the blink of an eye."

The Mobile Drive Mg will only be available through Apple Premium Resellers in a range of three different models, all of which are future ready and are an exact colour match with Apple's popular MacBook. The first - the world's thinnest mobile hard drive - has a height of just 10mm, while Freecom's other models are both standard-sized mobile hard drives; the difference between them being that one comes with the added benefit of FireWire 800 technology.

In addition to being incredibly strong and durable, the magnesium casing can easily be recycled - making it both practical and environmentally-friendly. The drives are also Mac formatted, making them ready for immediate use with a Macbook and 100 percent Time Machine compatible. All Mobile Drive Mg products come with a two year warranty and unlimited helpdesk support.

Pricing and availability

The Mobile Drive Mg will be available from mid-January in the following capacities, with higher capacities to follow at a later date:

    - 320GB (10mm in height with a slim line 7mm hard drive inside, USB 3.0).
      RRP EUR 79,95/GBP 69.95

    - 750GB (with USB 3.0, 12mm in height). RRP EUR 119,95/GBP 109.95

    - 750GB (with USB 3.0 & FireWire, 12mm in height). RRP EUR 129,95/GBP
      119.95