People tend not to back up their data, and only realize it would’ve been a good idea to do so when it’s too late. There’s probably a variety of reasons, to expensive, cumbersome, or they just don’t know how to go about it.

The Western Digital My Book tries to make automated backup simple for you. Bundled with the Premium and Pro versions is quality backup software that allows you to recover from crashes, and setup automated backups so you don’t have to worry about it. In the essential version (cheapest), no backup software is included, only Google Desktop.

The My Book is great for backing up data, but it’s easy to use as a second drive for files as well. Just plug your My Book into the computer and the necessary software will be installed from the drive itself, no CDs to lose. After that you’ve got a second drive for all your videos, music, pictures, and whatever else you’d like to store.

Your My Book will fit easily in your setup, it’s designed to be like a book, so it can stand up and have a small form factor. Western Digital paid close attention to detail when making the My Book, the case is sleek, and inside it’s even better. They used cutting edge technology to make sure your data stays safe on the drive.

The drive inside the My Book has a capacity of up to 500 GB and all support USB 2.0, they run at 7200 RPM. The Pro version supports Firewire 400 and 800, while the Premium supports only Firewire 400. The Essential version is only USB 2.0 compatible.

One reason for going with the Pro version is that it sports a gauge on the front that shows you how much space you have left on the drive.

Prices on the My Books vary. The 500 GB Pro version is $350, the 500 GB Premium version is $330, and the 500 GB Essential version is $300. Other drive sizes (smaller) are available. More information on the prices can be found at the Western Digital site. You can find a My Book online or at retail stores such as Comp USA, Circuit City, and Best Buy.