Share Data Wirelessly with LaPlug by LaCie

[btarunr]

LaCie announced the LaPlug, a simple solution to share any USB hard drive or key over a local network. The LaPlug also offers a convenient way to access data at home or on the go, as well as share personal files such as vacation or birthday photos with family and friends. Additionally, the LaPlug can stream multimedia content and back up multiple computers to one central location. Even better, all this functionality can be achieved with USB hard drives a user already owns.



SHARE USB DISKS ON YOUR NETWORK—WIRELESSLY
The LaPlug turns any USB hard drive into a network storage device sharing files wirelessly throughout the home. Simply connect the LaPlug to the network then connect the drive to the LaPlug. Instantly the user has an easy and cost-effective way to make files stored on their USB hard drives more accessible than ever. For ultimate convenience a user can connect a USB printer to the LaPlug and make it wirelessly available to all computers on the network.

ACCESSIBILITY AT HOME AND ON THE ROAD
Not only does the LaPlug make USB hard drives accessible throughout the home, it even supports remote access. Instead of emailing large files between friends, just give them access to the LaPlug – all they need is an Internet connection. The user can even set up a custom web address so access to the LaPlug is as easy as typing a URL.

MULTIMEDIA STREAMING
It is easy to access USB drives connected to the LaPlug from any networked equipment that's UPnP/DLNA-certified, such as the PlayStation®3 or Xbox®360, as well as the LaCie LaCinema Classic HD. If a user has movies on a USB key they can just connect it to the LaPlug then play the movie using the multimedia device on the network. Instantly watch movies from the comfort of your living room even if the LaPlug is located in another part of the house. The LaPlug also plays music files from a USB drive or streams music to computers on the network running iTunes.

CENTRALIZE BACKUP FOR CONVENIENCE AND SECURITY
The LaPlug offers a convenient way to automatically back up all computers in a household onto one central location. Use the included backup software or Time Machine. Either way, simply configure automatic backups once then rest assured knowing all data is secure. Since the LaPlug supports Wi-Fi, once the computer is configured the user does not need to connect it to the LaPlug in order to initiate backups. It works as soon as the computer is connected to the local network.

AVAILABILITY
The LaCie LaPlug will be available through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie PROgram+ Partners and LaCie PROgram+ Reseller starting at the suggested retail price of $74.99.

For more information, visit the product page.

[Frick]

Needs USB 3.0. Otherwise pretty nice actually. You can't connect printers to it I assume? That would've been nice too.

[MikeMurphy]

Seems OK, but not for $75.

[Sasqui]

Is this effectively a NAS connected to a drive via USB? It seems to imply that it has it's own wireless connection, but this image seems to imply a wireless router is doing the wireless work:

[Frick]

Originally Posted by Sasqui

Is this effectively a NAS connected to a drive via USB? It seems to imply that it has it's own wireless connection, but this image seems to imply a wireless router is doing the wireless work:

http://www.lacie.com/imgstore/more/O...g/LaPlug_6.jpg

Seems like so:

System Requirements :
- Wi-Fi access point for wireless connection

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by Frick

Seems like so:

System Requirements :
- Wi-Fi access point for wireless connection

Yea, think so too. And I agree, seems like it should have more connectivity options, like eSata and USB 3.0. Printer support would be good too.

They should make one of these with multiple ports, where each device gets assigned it's own ID. Or better yet, a wireless router that has the same functionality.

[DRDNA]

I bet it wont stream big HD video files with any kind of watch-ability. Like blue ray rips with uber quality. I tried a vendor that allowed you to stream from your PC to any PC any where and it worked great until I tried to watch my Blue ray rips...I get the picture but not the sound and I assumed it was a bandwidth issue. All software based no hardware.
http://mycast.orb.com/orb/html/index.html

[timta2]

Originally Posted by Frick

Needs USB 3.0. Otherwise pretty nice actually. You can't connect printers to it I assume? That would've been nice too.

I'm not sure that USB 3.0 would make much of a difference. See this note in the Specifications...

"Typical transfer rate in wired Gigabit Ethernet network can be up to 35MB/s."

[Frick]

Originally Posted by timta2

I'm not sure that USB 3.0 would make much of a difference. See this note in the Specifications...

"Typical transfer rate in wired Gigabit Ethernet network can be up to 35MB/s."

Yeah I realized that. I imagined the device connected directly to the PC for some reason.