Seagate Wireless Plus

Travellers today often carry multiple pieces of electronic equipment with them, whether their travels are for business or pleasure. Besides a smart phone, other commonplace items found in baggage can include a laptop, and a tablet such as an iPad. With mobile devices such as smart phones and iPads in particular, if you're using them to take photographs of your travels, you'll want to back up your images quickly and without fuss. 

Connecting your device to a laptop or a portable hard drive is one way to do it, but increasingly wireless hard drives are being launched on to the market which can be used in a variety of ways, and with different types of equipment. The new Seagate Wireless Plus is one; it also comes with a generous one TB of storage, so you should never run out of backup space. 

At first glance this drive is a nice piece of kit, with a sleek brushed matt grey face, and it's compact and lightweight yet feels sturdy in your hands. The kit comes with a USB adaptor and cable, and a power adaptor for charging via the mains (US configured), with the bonus of slip on adaptors for use in Australia and the UK.  

If you use the Wireless Plus with your laptop, in my case a Mac, you can use the USB connector from the kit to hook the two up the "old fashioned" way. All you do is remove the plastic cover from the top of the drive, plug in the adaptor and cable and plug into your computer. This will also be the fastest way to transfer files, especially big ones like movies. If you are using the drive with specific devices wirelessly, however, there are different ways to set it up.

If you're using Wireless Plus with a PC, you're lucky as no setup is required. To use it with a Mac, however, you need to connect the drive to your computer, download the MacInstaller.dmg, then restart your Mac and follow the instructions. Next you disconnect the drive, switch off, and then power it up again. There's enough charge in the device from the factory to do this. The Seagate has its own network, therefore, to use it wirelessly all you have to do is connect to it. If you are using AirPort, you go into your system preferences, select network, select Seagate Wireless Plus from the list of networks, then go to Safari and and type www.seagatewireless.com in the address bar and in settings you can set a password for security.

To connect from an iOS device you will need to download the free Seagate Media app for iPhone or iPad, which provides quick and easy access to the drive's files. All you need to do once the app is downloaded, is make sure the drive is turned on with the blue light solid, then go to your Wi-Fi settings, select Seagate Wireless Plus network from the list and voila! The app also allows the Wireless Plus to connect to Wi Fi internet giving your device internet access. Moving files back and forth isn't too difficult once the setup is complete and you get the hang of it. The only way to delete files, however, is by connecting the drive to your computer and doing it manually.

The Seagate Wireless Plus is a great addition to your mobile kit, and ideal for on the go backups. We have two of these nifty devices to give away, so check back here soon for more info!