Western Digital has refreshed its My Passport Elite external hard drive by throwing in something new which the market does not have just yet – an illuminated capacity gauge and drive lock indicator that allows users to see just how much space there is left available for them to drag all their digital movie collection over from their computer without having to access My Computer. Apart from that, the same glance will also let you know whether the data within is secure or not, letting you take pro-active measures to turn on the security features to avoid unwanted data theft and loss. Apart from that, the new and improved Western Digital My Passport Elite external hard drive will feature a convenient grab-and-go USB dock that frees up precious desk space while doing away with the potentially frustrating search for available USB ports.

The new My Passport Elite portable drive will come with automatic and continuous backup thanks to WD SmartWare software, offering protection in the form of 256-bit hardware-based encryption. If you’re going to pick this up, make sure you’re OK with Metallic Red, Metallic Blue and Charcoal Metallic colors since those are the only shades which the My Passport Elite drives come in – hopefully more colors will be introduced in the near future. Depending on your budget, you are able to choose from 320GB, 500GB and 640GB capacities.

To know whether data within is secured, make sure the padlock icon is available on display to show that the drive has already been password protected with 256-bit hardware-based encryption. This feature is normally found on much more expensive drive systems, making its inclusion another point worth considering if you’re in the market for a portable hard drive. Interested? You can pick up the 320GB, 500GB and 640GB My Passport Elite for $119.99, $159.99 and $169.99, respectively. Each purchase will come with a 3-year limited warranty.

Press Release