Friday, January 16, 2009

OWC Mercury On-The-Go (500GB) WOWS the Tech Crowd

By Matt Ryan

External storage devices are becoming more and more popular. With this, manufacturers are constantly attempting to make theirs better than those of their competitors. OWC has managed to do just this, offering one of the largest external storage devices around with the latest release of the Mercury On-The-Go (500GB).

The Mercury On-The-Go 500GB, 5400RPM offers consumers a variety of high-speed connectivity ports, all easily easy to get to on the back of the unit. These ports include a USB 2.0 port, FireWire 400 port, and FireWire 800 port, although there is no sizable difference, in transfer rates, between the FireWire 400 and FireWire 800. The speed at which, this unit, performs read / write functions is astonishing, and by far, above that of many comparable units.

These ports, both FireWire ports and the USB port, allow consumers to connect - immediately - with any plug-n-play device that also allows for FireWire and USB connectivity. This functionality is beyond useful for those who need to transfer (for backup purposes of just because) their files, from these devices, from wherever they are located.

To top off what they are already offering in the Mercury On-The-Go, this unit is also compatible with both Windows and Apple operating systems. The unit; however, cannot be formatted to FAT32, which means you would need two separate devices if you need it to work on your Apple computer along with your Windows computer. Additionally, the unit is completely customizable as you format it, to your specifications, upon receipt of the Mercury On-The-Go.

In the box, you will get an AC adapter, necessary cables, along with backup software. The backup software provided is compatible with either Apple or Windows operating systems as you will receive both NovaStore NovaBackup and Prosoft Data Backup. An additional benefit is the Intech Hard Disk SpeedTools software, which also comes with the Mercury On-The-Go storage device.

You may only need your AC adapter when you are traveling, as most USB 2.0 and FireWire ports will provide enough power for your new unit to run. Shutting down the Mercury On-The-Go is as easy as flipping the power switch that is located on the back of the unit.

The overall appearance, of the Mercury On-The-Go 500GB unit, is actually clear. This clear casing allows you to see the blinking blue light, on the hard drive, which is an indicator that the unit is on and working. Because of this design feature, there was no need for OWC to add additional LED lights anywhere else on the device.

Even though this unit measures 5.5 x 3 x 1 inch, it is still compact and easy to travel with. It is not nearly as compact as many other external drives, but it works. If you look at the fact that the Mercury On-The-Go offers one of the largest storage capacities, on the market, it should be no surprise that the device is not smaller than competitors' devices.

Due to the fact that all of you data is backed up, on one unit, OWC has implemented a 1-year warranty, on this device, on top of the 2-year warranty that Hitachi guaranteed on their TravelStar 5K500.

The cost, of the Mercury On-The-Go, is a bit higher than a standard external storage unit is typically around $359.99. However, like the size, consumers are able to overlook the price due to the functionality, space, and performance that this unit offers. When functionality and quality go hand-in-hand, a higher price is often warranted.

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