Data Backup Digest

Seagate has always been known for pushing the boundaries of computer storage technology, and they've started 2014 off right with the introduction of their new Backup Plus Slim of external hard drives, which happen to be the thinnest portable drives manufactured by the company to date. The predecessor to the original line of Backup Plus drives, the Backup Plus Slim is available in various storage capacities, as well as different case colors, to cater to the needs of nearly every home computer or laptop user.

Connectivity

Like many of Seagate's previous external hard drives, the products featured in the newest line of slim drives utilize USB 3.0 technology for lightning fast speeds. Moreover, the drives also draw their power from the USB connection itself, thereby eliminating the need for an external power supply.

Software

Proprietary Seagate hard drive software comes preinstalled on each hard drive, which was one of the biggest successes of their past drives. Seagate's Dashboard software gives you the option of performing easy, one-click backups and scheduled backups. The software can even be setup to automatically backup files you receive through Facebook or Flickr accounts.

Mobile Access

Also included with the new line of Seagate Backup Plus Slim external hard drives is a dedicated mobile backup program, which lets user backup media either to the drive itself, to a cloud-based server, between PC and Mac systems or anywhere within your computer network, all from a smartphone or other mobile device.

Chris Chute, research director at the IDC Worldwide Digital Imaging practice, explained the need for mobile accessibility in Seagate's original press release. He stated: “Mobile devices account for the largest amount of captured video and photos today. Seven out of every ten pictures captured in 2013 were taken with a smartphone. As a greater portion of our memories are captured by the handheld devices, it becomes increasingly more important that these files be backed up either to a cloud service or locally.”

Options

As mentioned, the Seagate Backup Plus Slim is available in various storage capacities and case colors, which gives you a multitude of options to choose from. Their entry-level model, a 500 GB capacity drive, is available for around $99.99, while a 1 TB drive can be picked up for around $119.99. Also available is a 2 TB drive for $179.99 and a 4 TB drive priced around $299.99.

All of these models feature the brand new, streamlined hard drive case, which is resistant to both fingerprints and scratches. For those with a color preference, the drives featured in the Seagate Back Plus Slim line are available in a metallic hue of either black, silver, blue or red.

Finally, each brand new purchase of a Seagate Back Plus Slim external hard drive comes complete with a manufacturer's two-year warranty, so you'll be able to receive a replacement in the event that your drive crashes. Add to this Seagate's solid reputation within the IT sector, you won't have to worry about throwing your money at a device that is bound to fail within a few months.