Western Digital Launches 320-Gbyte Portable DriveWestern Digital Launches 320-Gbyte Portable Drive

Western Digital on Monday launched a 320-Gbyte hard disk drive aimed at people who need a portable backup device for music, video, and data stored in PC or Apple Mac notebooks or desktops.

The latest WD Passport Portable Drive is a significant jump in capacity from the product line's 250-Gbyte version. The plug-and-play, lightweight Passport connects to a computer via a USB port and comes with software for keeping files in the drive and host computer in sync. Power is drawn from the USB bus, so no power adapter is needed, although one is available as an option.

"The need for travel-friendly storage devices continues to be an area that is growing immensely with the advent of rich media content generated by consumers," Jim Welsh, VP and general manager of WD's branded products group, said in a statement.

The latest Passport is available only in a piano-black finish. The pocket-size drive weighs less than five ounces, and includes the WD Sync software that synchronizes files with a PC or Mac. The software also syncs Microsoft Outlook data on a PC, and stores all data with 128-bit encryption. The portable drive comes with Google's desktop search application and its Picasa photo organizer.

The new drive operates with Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; and the Mac OS X 10.1.5 or higher. A product specification sheet is available on WD's Web site.

The new product is available through retailers and WD's online store for $230. Carrying cases are available, but cost extra. Passport drives are also available in capacities of under 250 Gbytes.

In October, Western Digital introduced a 320-Gbyte notebook hard drive for $200. The WD Scorpio is a 2.5-inch SATA drive that's slightly more than a third of an inch thick. WD claims it's one of its quietest 5,400-RPM drives.