Looking at a device like Seagate’s FreeAgent Go 160 GB makes the average user yawn. Storage? 160GB? Feh. Boring.
But Seagate has some tricks up its sleeve. In affect, the FreeAgent Go is your computer’s environment and personality in the palm of your hand. It’s a storage product that’s focused on always traveling, location-moving, iPod-toting, digital-camera-snapping, video-taping folks. Generally, it’s a device made just for us geeks.
But really it’s a just portable storage unit, right? Yes, busted, but it’s a storage device with major props. The idea here is to take your PC with you. That’s it, the whole computing environment including web favorites, online passwords, settings, software programs, your IM, email contacts, digital music and picture files, any type of data on your PC. Think about this; everywhere we go there is usually a computer so why carry yours around? Bring it half way around the world or across the street to your friend’s house and plug the fully synchronized FreeAgent Go into any Windows USB 2.0 and voila you have your PC. You heard me, the entire contents of your computer, on the drive. .
Understood, you say. And I would do that because…? This not an application to access your PC through the web — this is your PC. So instead of carrying around your laptop you carry the Free Agent Go. Which, becomes in effect your laptop (or desktop) and then you can use any computer and Internet connection as your own, securely. It’s small and weighs only 6 ounces.
So what do you get in the box? You get the nice looking FreeAgent GO mover drive with software and electronic documentation pre-loaded. It even comes with a proprietary USB cable, and the quick start guide (just pictures, really). System requirements are Windows XP Home or Professional edition, or Windows 2000 Pro and you need two open USB ports. It supports OS X, but none of the FreeAgent software works on Macs.
This product has a five year limited warranty which is outstanding and online tech support.
So now, lets test drive this puppy. I unpacked the FreeAgent Go data mover (the main unit) and the USB plug. Note that the USB is a Y type of plug with 2 USB plugs for the computer’s side and one out to the FreeAgent Go data mover. OK, I make that connection and the data mover indicator light goes on, telling me that the handshake is complete. The next thing that happens is the FreeAgent GO page pops up on the computer screen. Very intuitive, in a moment I install the FreeAgent tools and at that point I’m good to go it’s as easy as using an iPod. Now, can I please use your computer?
A few minutes later I am a data carrying data moving free agent. Desk bound no more; I am free to roam the world annoying other people by constantly asking to use their computer. The good news for me is that it’s a big world, leaving me plenty of people to annoy err… ask. By the way, does anyone out there want to buy my laptop?