Western Digital Introduces Fastest Ever My Book External USB Drive

Now that the USB 3.0 standard is all but standardised and we’re beginning to see them incorporated into new notebooks/netbooks and PCs, the accessories and peripheral devices are sure to follow, and sure enough, Western Digital (WD) recently introduced a refresh of its MyBook line of external USB drives that supports the USB 3.0 standard.  The 3.0 standard is 10 times faster than the USB 2.0 standard which means that copying and opening large files, such as video files will be much quicker with the new 3.0 USB ports.

Here’s the official press release:

WD® INTRODUCES ITS FASTEST EVER MY BOOK® EXTERNAL DRIVE

My Book® 3.0 External Hard Drives are the First Certified SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Storage Devices Available on the Market

Kuala Lumpur – 18^th January 2010 – WD® (NYSE: WDC), the world’s leader in external storage solutions, today introduced its fastest My Book® external hard drive ever — the new My Book 3.0 desktop external drives are among the first devices certified with the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface. With an interface that’s up to 10 times faster than the previous-generation USB 2.0 interface, the high-performance My Book 3.0 drive significantly reduces the time it takes to open and save large files.

Offered standalone, or in a kit that includes a USB 3.0 PCIe (gen2) adapter card, the 1 TB My Book 3.0 drive is available now at select retailers. The 2 TB model is expected later this month.

The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface on My Book 3.0 drives provides transfer rates[1] of up to 5 gigabits-per-second, allowing users to open and save files up to 4.7 times faster than USB 2.0.  The new My Book 3.0 drive is compliant with the USB-IF SuperSpeed USB 3.0 standard to provide compatibility with other USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 products. SuperSpeed USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1.

Market research firm In-Stat expects the worldwide market for SuperSpeed USB 3.0 to reach over 1 billion units in 2013, representing over 25 percent of the market by 2013 (Sept. 2009).

“Consumers no longer have to wait for technology to keep up with their ideas. With the new super speed My Book 3.0 drives, consumers have the speed they need for resource-intensive video editing, animation, and graphic design applications,” said Craig Davis, Director, Sales & Marketing, Branded Product Group, Western Digital Asia Pacific Region.

Price and Availability

The new My Book 3.0 drives have 1 TB capacity and a 2-year limited warranty. My Book 3.0 drives are are distributed by Amble Action Sdn Bhd, Achieva Technology Sdn Bhd and SiS Distribution (M) Sdn Bhd. MSRP for the My Book 3.0 drive 1 TB is RM 549. MSRP for the My Book 3.0 drive in a kit that includes a USB 3.0 PCIe (gen2) adapter card is RM 599. The 2 TB My Book 3.0 drive is expected later this month.

My Book 3.0

The new My Book 3.0 drives feature:

• SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface with transfer speeds up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0 to accelerate data transfers with the fastest available interface;
• Ideas accelerated – resource-intensive video editing, animation, graphic design, and large media files can be saved so quickly that you no longer have to wait for the technology to keep up with your ideas;
• Sleek, streamlined design features a premium finish that will look great sitting on your shelf;
• Compatible[2] with USB 2.0 ports – USB 3.0 interface is backward compatible with USB 2.0 with no additional hardware needed;
• WD quality inside and out – designed with the same commitment to quality that has made My Book external hard drives the number one selling drives in the world;
• Planet-friendly, small retail recyclable box made from recycled materials to minimize waste;
• Ready to plug-and-play with Windows® PCs; and,
• Two-year limited warranty.

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[1] Performance may vary based on users’ system configuration.

[2] When connected to a USB 2.0 interface data transfers will occur at USB 2.0 speeds.

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