Iomega iConnect Wireless Data Station Turns USB Drives Into Remote NAS

We've a feeling Iomega have been keeping an eye on Pogoplug, since the new Iomega iConnect Wireless Data Station offers the same sort of networked connectivity for USB drives.  Basically a remotely-accessible NAS with no onboard storage, the iConnect has four USB 2.0 ports for hooking up external drives or memory keys, together with a gigabit ethernet port.

Iomega give owners a personalized web address through which they can access content on any drive plugged in, whether they're doing so from a Mac, PC or Linux machine.  From that UI it's also possible to remotely administer the iConnect, establishing BitTorrent downloads or triggering backups from networked machines.

In addition to remote access, it's also possible to duplicate the contents of one drive to another (complete with a one-touch QuikTransfer button on the front panel) and share up to two printers.  It also offers UPnP DLNA media streaming, simple photo slideshows and Iomega throw in some backup apps too.

The Iomega iConnect will go on sale worldwide later in January 2010, priced at $99.99 with no ongoing subscription fees.

Press Release:

Iomega Announces New iConnect Wireless Data Station

Save Costs and Bring Your Own Desktop and Portable USB Storage into Your Network With New Iomega HDD-Less NAS Device

SAN DIEGO, January 5, 2010 – Iomega, an EMC company (NYSE: EMC) and a global leader in data protection, today announced the worldwide launch of the Iomega® iConnect Wireless Data Station, an economical NAS device that provides a simple way to bring all of your USB storage into your network, allowing you to connect, share and access files anywhere, even over the Internet.

On display at the Iomega booth at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the iConnect Wireless Data Station has no onboard storage, instead allowing users to bring all of their desktop and portable USB storage into their network. Connect the Iomega iConnect device to your router in either a wired or wireless configuration*, and it's as easy as plugging external USB drives or USB Flash drives (any brand) into any of the four USB ports on the Iomega iConnect device, making the drives automatically connected to and accessible from any computer on your network or remotely via the web.

Benefits and Features of the new iConnect Wireless Data Station

With the new iConnect Wireless Data Station, users interact with an easy-to-understand interface that provides all the latest in multimedia serving as well as remote access features that makes it a breeze to access your own data, whether in the office, the home, or anywhere else in the world.**

Among the many value-add features of the iConnect Wireless Data Station:

• Easy file sharing, data backup and print serving from any networked Windows® PC, Mac® or Linux workstation.

• Gigabit Ethernet and wireless connectivity by connecting directly to your router in either a wired or wireless (802.11b/g/n wireless protocol) configuration.

• Remote access allows you to connect securely from anywhere in the world and get full access to pictures, videos, files – everything stored on the connected USB drives. An added bonus: remotely access and administer the iConnect device through a personalized web address.

• Simple expandability means you can add storage capacity by simply connecting more or larger external USB drives.

• Device-to-device replication for data protection allows you to define a job to copy and/or synchronize files to and from the connected USB drives or any other shared storage on your network. Iomega makes it easy with one-touch copying with the QuikTransfer button on the front of the iConnect device.

• Print Serving with intelligent print sharing capability for up to two USB printers.

• Time Machine® support allows Apple® users to easily backup any Mac computers running OS X (10.5 or later) using Time Machine.

• UPnP™ DLNA Certified AV Media Server provides the ability to stream photos, audio content and videos to a variety of media devices, such as game consoles (Microsoft Xbox® 360, Sony PlayStation® 3), audio bridges, iTunes® players, networked digital picture frames, Iomega® ScreenPlay™ products and more.

• Photo slideshow capabilities with an integrated utility based on the Cooliris™ technology for quick browsing and sharing of pictures stored on the connected USB drives.

• Torrent download manager allows the iConnect device to manage peer-to-peer file transfers without the need of a dedicated PC.

• Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) provides no touch, automatic transfer of photos from digital cameras via one of the four USB ports on the iConnect device.

Backup and Security Software for a Total Data Protection Solution

The new Iomega iConnect Wireless Data Station comes complete with a portfolio of backup and security software, including native security support with robust username and password authorized access. RSA® BSAFE® encryption security technology for protecting installs and upgrades from viruses or malware is included, too. RSA is the security division of EMC that protects digital data at many of the world's largest banks.

Also included with the iConnect Wireless Data Station is the Iomega Protection Suite of software. Available via download, the Iomega Protection Suite includes Iomega QuikProtect for simple scheduled file-level backup; a choice between EMC® Retrospect® Express or Express HD to back up your data, plus applications and settings; and a free subscription to a market-leading software that protects your PC with anti-virus, anti-spyware, and web security protection.

Compatibility

The iConnect Wireless Data Station is compatible with Windows®, Mac OS®, and Linux® PCs. The interface is localized for 18 languages (including English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, German, and Russian).

Price and Availability and Warranty

The new Iomega® iConnect Wireless Data Station, on demonstration at the Consumer Electronics Show (Booth # 31823, South Hall 3), January 7-10, in Las Vegas, will available worldwide later this month for $99.99. (Pricing is U.S. suggested retail.) The iConnect Wireless Data Station is backed by a three-year warranty (with product registration).