CES 2009

LAS VEGAS--Iomega, which, with its Zip drive, once practically had the monopoly on portable storage, now has plenty of competition. But it's not sitting still.

At the Consumer Electronics Show here, Iomega showed off a network-attached hard drive that sells for $159 for a 500GB version, or $229 for a one terabyte version. Once attached to a home router, the network drive can be accessed by PCs, Macs, PlayStation 3s, and Xbox 360s. In addition to regular data, it can, of course, store media files that can be played by any of those devices.

Iomega's Bill Hansen talks about the drive with Larry Magid in this podcast.

See our complete news coverage from CES here

This year's CES saw the release of Iomega's Home Media Network Drive, a new addition to their line of external storage devices, joining the ranks of similar devices like the Iomega StorCenter and the Iomega StorCenter ix2, but with a few simple changes. First, the drives now come with an easy setup that lets users get up and running sharing media across a network in three easy steps: plug in the drive, power on, and install the included EMC LifeLine Home software that runs on the Linux operating system to contributes to the snag-free process.

Other features of the Iomega Home Media Network Drive include gigabit Ethernet transfer speeds, a single USB port for sharing a printer over the network, and instant backup software courtesy of the MozyHome online service included in the box. Both 500GB ($160) and 1TB ($230) drives are set to roll into stores in early January.

Western Digital used this year's Macworld Expo to add two new products to its line of storage devices. The new My Passport and My Book drives are both preformatted for Mac's HFS+ Journaled, allowing Mac users to take quick advantage of their plug-and-play design. Per usual, the drives get a ding right off the bat for their lack of FireWire, a feature that the Mac community demands for quick access to large format images and video. Both drives are available for purchase now, check out the details below:

The My Passport for Mac is similar to the My Passport Studio we reviewed in mid 2008. The external HD works with the Apple Time Machine hardware to schedule automatic backups and features an external shock-resistant body to resist the abuse of daily carry. The drive is entirely powered through the USB bus, but older computers with low-powered USB ports are out of luck. We're disappointed that Western Digital didn't include the option for external power, as the folks over at Iomega did. Unfortunately, hardcore editors are also at a loss, as the drive still doesn't have a FireWire port. The drives are available in 320GB ($130) and 500GB ($180) capacities, which averages to about $0.40 per gigabyte, one of the lowest figures out of most external hard drives on the market today.

The My Book Mac Edition is for users that need extra storage at home. Western Digital brags about its efforts to clean up our planet by utilizing "Green Power" technology that works with your computer to minimize the power that funnels into the drive. The enclosure also cuts down on noise and power consumption by eliminating an internal fan, and a fully recyclable package design fills out the eco-friendly initiative. Compared to the My Passport's impressive three-year warranty, the My Book's one-year seems puny, and we're anxious to test the longevity of the device. Western Digital offers the 1TB My Book for $180.