Last month we brought word of Seagate’s new GoFlex Satellite portable storage. The Satellite provides 500GB of storage that can be accessed from a computer, iPad, iPhone or other connected device on the go without a physical connection and even when there is no WiFi network accessible thanks to built-in wireless connectivity. (We will have a full review shortly.)
Today Hitachi is announcing their entry into this wireless storage market. The new G-CONNECT offers wireless storage and allows up to five people to access data on the drive simultaneously. As the company explains:
Wireless storage for on-the-go access to content through your iPad® and iPhone®.
G-CONNECT wireless storage for your iPad and iPhone. Stream content to 5 devices at once, or even access the Internet*. Use it for on-the-go access to content that’s not loaded on your iPad or iPhone, including your favorite movies, music, books, photos and documents. Loading content from a computer or laptop to the G-CONNECT is fast and easy. Supporting 5+ users, G-CONNECT is ideal for home, dorm room, office, or hotel. iPad and iPhone Apps are available for quick and easy access. And password protection means you always have control of your content.
With its white color the G-CONNECT fits right in with Apple’s networking products. As such it is targeted specifically at the Mac/iOS market although it is not specifically limited to it. It provides “on-the-go wireless access to content that’s not already loaded on your iOS devices, including your favorite movies, music, books, photos and documents.”
Thanks to its built-in wireless connectivity no Internet connection is required and the on-board wireless is powerful enough to support up to five SD or three HD video streams at once. You can also connect the device to a network via Ethernet. When doing so the G-CONNECT drive “becomes your own personal cloud or WiFi Internet access point, allowing you to surf and stream content, wirelessly, at the same time”.
A special iOS app will soon be available in the App Store but you can also access the content stored on the device through a browser. Support for Android devices will arrive this fall.
One difference between Hitachi and Seagate’s approach is the way in which the devices are powered. The Seagate offering had an on-board battery so that the device can be used anywhere for up to five hours. The Hitachi G-CONNECT does not have a battery but can be powered by using Apple Pad-compatible USB power cables and car power adapters. It can also be powered by Apple iPad-compatible external batteries.
The G-CONNECT will be available in a 500GB capacity for $200. Pre-ordering is possible now and the device will arrive in stores next month. Details and pre-ordering can be found here.
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G-TECHNOLOGY™ DELIVERS G-CONNECT™ WIRELESS STORAGE FOR APPLE® iPAD® WITH INTERNET ACCESS
New G-CONNECT Supports Five+ Devices, Wirelessly Streams up to Five Movies at Once, While Providing Shared WiFi Internet Access for a Hotel Room, Conference Room, Dorm, Office or Home. Now You Truly Can Take All Your Content with You and Access it from Multiple Devices!
SAN JOSE, Calif., June 22, 2011 – Known for delivering premium external storage solutions engineered to meet the needs of the Apple Mac® community, G-Technology by Hitachi today introduced its G-CONNECT™ wireless storage solution, the first in a family of products providing instant, wireless storage and 802.11n WiFi Internet access for your Apple iPad, iPhone® and many other mobile devices. The G-CONNECT solution provides on-the-go wireless access¹ to content that’s not already loaded on your iOS devices, including your favorite movies, music, books, photos and documents. No Internet connection is required. G-CONNECT provides access to five+ simultaneous devices, depending on the workload, and supports up to five SD or three HD video streams at once².
When connected via Ethernet to a network, the G-CONNECT drive becomes your own personal cloud or WiFi Internet access point, allowing you to surf and stream content, wirelessly, at the same time. Access and view content on the G-CONNECT solution with a mobile iOS app, which will be available in the App Store®, or through your browser. Android® devices are also supported with access through a web browser, with native apps available this fall.
MEDIA EVENT: Come see the G-CONNECT wireless storage device in action tonight at Pepcom’s Digital Experience press-only event in New York City. The event takes place from 6 – 9 pm ET at the Metropolitan Pavilion in the Chelsea district of Manhattan. To RSVP, please contact Pepcom.
Photos: http://www.g-technology.com/news/news.cfm?loc=Image&image=g-connect
Fitting easily in your laptop bag, backpack or purse, G-CONNECT is the must have iPad and iPhone storage companion. Power it up in a dorm room, conference room or hotel room via its AC adapter or take it on the road using Apple iPad-compatible USB power cables, car power adapters, or external batteries3 for hours of entertainment wherever you go.