Product Description

Technical DataStorage Hard Drive / CapacityGB160Technical DataDimensions & Weight / Widthcm8Technical DataDimensions & Weight / Depthcm12.6Technical DataDimensions & Weight / Heightcm1.5Technical DataDimensions & Weight / Weightg180Technical DataStorage Hard Drive / Interface TypeHi-Speed USBTechnical DataStorage / TypeHard driveTechnical DataHeader / Product LineMy Passport EssentialTechnical DataHeader / ModelWDME1600Technical DataHeader / CompatibilityMacTechnical DataHeader / Country KitsEuropeTechnical DataHeader / ManufacturerWestern DigitalTechnical DataHeader / Packaged Quantity1Technical DataStorage Hard Drive / Hard Drive TypeExternal hard driveTechnical DataExternal Hard Drive / Power SourceUSB bus

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13423 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Western Digital
• Model: WDXME1600TE
• Released on: 2008-02-13
• Dimensions: .59" h x 5.08" w x 3.15" l, .40 pounds
• Hard Disk: 160GB

Features

• WestDigital Passport 160Gb HDD
  • Simple to use portable drive that are light and easy to carry• No power adapter required as they are powered directly through the USB cable• Works with Windows and Mac• Synchronize and encrypt

Manufacturer's Description
Simply Elegant - Combine a beautiful new gloss-black case that fits smoothly in your hand and pocket with mega-capacity for all your digital content and the world's most popular portable drive just got better than ever;Easy - Installation is a snap because you don't really "install" this drive; you just plug it in and it's ready to use. There is no CD to install; the included software loads from the drive the first time you plug it in;Smart - Powered by the USB bus. No separate power supply is needed;Big capacity that fits in your pocket - This compact drive fits easily in your pocket or purse, weighs only a few ounces and with capacities up to 320 GB, you can take tons of photos, videos, files and music with you wherever you go;Synchronized and secure - WD Sync synchronization and encryption software lets you take your critical data with you. Plug My Passport into any PC, edit files, read e-mail, and view photos. Then sync all of your changes back to your home or office computer. Your data is protected with 128-bit encryption. (Windows only);Includes Google software - Search your drive, manage your photos, and simplify Web searches with included Google software. (Windows only);Compatible - Use with Windows and Macintosh computers;

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

Effortless.
I had read a lot about Western Digital Passport drives not getting enough power from certain laptops. I checked my USB 2.0 connections in 'Hardware' in 'system information' and was informed that all 4 were rated at 500mA (Dell Latitude D630) so I did wonder if I would have problems with this unit.

However, there were no problems at all. Having got the packaging off with an angle grinder and an industrial laser (and a small first aid kit)** I simply plugged the Passport into a spare USB 2.0 and it started up immediately and was recognised by the system. (XP Pro) I formatted and named it in order to get rid of any dubious (and usually ineffective) software/adware etc that manufacturers provide, and fired up my Acronis True Image 10 software. Fifteen minutes later I had a complete bootable clone of my entire C drive. Job done.

I tested by booting from it and there were no problems. System is a bit slow when everything is running through USB 2.0 (to be expected) but re-assuring to know that if my Laptop's internal HD died then I could get a new one installed and boot from the Passport to load everything back without a rebuild.

Maybe the underpowered issue is one that has been addressed with this generation of Passport. Maybe the people who had problems were trying to drive the Passport from USB 2.0 whilst their laptop was running from battery rather than the laptop mains adaptor. Maybe Dell are a bit 'conservative' in the rating of 500mA. I don't know but it all worked fine. Nice, elegant, compact, quiet and suprisingly quick.

Good luck with yours.

**I wish manufacturers would use something other than impenetrable plastic 'bubble' packaging. What is wrong with using a recyclable card box?

Good things come in small shiny packages!

Well, I've been using this for 4 weeks now and I love it. I have the bigger external Western Digital MyBook 250GB, and it's been so reliable for the past eighteen months that I decided to stick with the same brand for my first portable hard drive.

After wrestling with the user-unfriendly blister pack, I plugged it in, deleted all the software on it, and immediately dragged over and backed up 20GB of music. It was that simple, an absolute breeze. As I use it primarily at home as a backup for its big brother, I didn't bother to buy an expensive case for it. When I need to take it out, I just use a spare padded camera pouch which protects it from bumps and key scratches!

So far, I'm really pleased with it, and I love the convenience of being able to take all my music and photos out and about with me.

PROS:
* Fast file transfers, considering it's a usb-powered portable drive.
* Simple enough for anyone to use. Just drag and drop.
* Completely silent when in use.
* Looks beautiful. Tiny and shiny. What more could you want??
* Uses a standard mini USB connection, so the cable is easy to replace.

CONS:
* Total fingerprint magnet. Smudges if you so much as look at it.
* Cable could have been a little longer, but that's nit picking.

WD My Passport 160GB on Asus F3Jc and RM destop PC
This product does exactly what it says on the tin.

The drive can be used with or without the encryption/synchronisation software. The software is easy to use and offers 128bit encryption of the backed up data. Thankfully, it is not bloated with un-necessary features and looks pretty much like MS Windows Explorer, giving you access to the backed up drives/folders as if you were accessing them on the master PC. It also will backup and give access to your outlook file system and calendar and to your favourite browser's bookmarks/favourites.

It truly is a plug and play solution for those who need to carry their sensitive (or not) data with them. So, if you are a teacher/lecturer and need to roam from one PC to another, or if you want to avoid having to carry a laptop to and from work, this drive is a good investment and solution for you.

Unlike another reviewer, I find it refreshing that the cable provided is shorter (45cm) than those usually provided with portable USB devices. This prevents unnecessary clutter when one uses the front USB ports found nowadays on desktop PCs. I use the drive on a desktop PC (main) and on a laptop PC (ASUS F3Jc).

I am happy with it and I have just recommended the same drive to a colleague (who also works in academia). I think the product is well thought, simple to use and, having used WD hard drives in the past, I do not anticipate problems (I am not planning on dropping the drive to see what happens to it either).

I can only recommend the drive.