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Seagate has teamed up with Verizon to create what the two companies are calling the world's first 4G wireless mobile storage device.
Seagate demonstrated the new mobile wireless storage drive at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. It is similar to Seagate's GoFlex Satellite drive but with a slightly thicker form factor; it also features 500 GB of storage and has its own battery for independent power. If Wi-Fi is not available, the new drive can connect to Verizon's 4G LTE wireless service for data uploading and media streaming.
The new mobile wireless storage drive -- Seagate has not given the product a proper name just yet -- can connect with a variety of mobile devices, including iPads and Android tablets. Once media is uploaded to the drive, it can stream audio and video over Wi-Fi to up to three different mobile devices simultaneously.
In addition, the mobile hard drive has a built-in 4G mobile hot spot that provides Internet connectivity for up to three Wi-Fi-enabled devices and connects to Verizon's Personal Server for "an endless library of entertainment," according to Verizon. The internal battery will keep the drive running for up to five hours, which the company says is ideal for car or train travel.
"A 4G network was the next logical step for us," said Scott Horn, vice president of marketing at Seagate, in an interview with CRN. "We had the concept design and we talked with various carriers about partnering around it. Verizon with its 4G LTE was very interested in the device, so we got together and it's been a great partnership."
Seagate's new mobile wireless storage drive does not have a release date, the company said, and pricing has not yet been determined.
