Today LaCie, the premium brand from Seagate Technology, announced its latest Rugged hard drive that features faster speeds, a tougher design, and an integrated interface cable. Thunderbolt speeds of up to 387 MB/s make the new LaCie Rugged one of the fastest bus-powered products on the market. It is tougher than ever before with improved shock, dust and water resistance. Plus, the integrated Thunderbolt cable stows neatly when not in use, to ensure that it will never get lost or left behind.

"My assignments take me to the top surf spots all over the world," said Surfer Magazine staff photographer Zak Noyle. "So it's imperative that my equipment is ready for any challenge. The LaCie Rugged's speed allows me to deliver projects quickly, and its resilience to water, sand and drops make me confident that my photos are protected. From the beaches of Oahu to Tahiti, the LaCie Rugged has never let me down."NO-COMPROMISE SPEED
The LaCie Rugged features lightening-fast transfer speeds thanks to the Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 interfaces. With the SSD version, the LaCie Rugged delivers up to 387 MB/s. With these speeds, photographers, videographers and other power users can transfer 100 GB in less than five minutes, and enjoy zero lag when accessing files, viewing photos or editing videos. The hard disk version performs at speeds of up to 122 MB/s, which is a 35% improvement over FireWire 800.

UNIVERSAL CONNECTIVITY
With both Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 interfaces, the LaCie Rugged is an ideal match for Mac and PC users. Because USB 3.0 is backward compatible, users can connect it to any standard computer. The LaCie Rugged is also fully bus-powered through the USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt cables.

ALL-TERRAIN DATA PROTECTION
The new LaCie Rugged is tougher than ever. It is MIL-compliant, which means that data is protected even during accidental drops of up to 2 meters (6.6 feet). During transit, users can attach the removable cover to provide IP 54-level protection against dust and water. Whether the LaCie Rugged falls off a desk or accidentally gets caught in the rain, the user can stay confident that their data is still accessible. The SSD version goes a step further with resilience against vibration and shock. Both versions are tough enough to be shipped for reliable delivery to clients or partners. Included software even protects files from prying eyes with AES 256-bit encryption.

AVAILABILITY
The LaCie Rugged, design by Neil Poulton, will be broadly available mid-June through LaCie resellers in 1 TB ($219.99) and 2 TB ($299.99) capacities. The 250 GB SSD ($299.99) and 500 GB SSD ($499.99) capacities will be broadly available early-July.

WARRANTY
The LaCie Rugged is protected by a three-year limited warranty. The warranty includes comprehensive, complimentary web-based resources, expert in-house technical support, and worldwide repair and/or replacement coverage. Warranty extensions and Advance Care Option can also be purchased.