At this week"s DEMO 07 conference in Palm Desert, California, Seagate announced a new portable hard drive dubbed DAVE (Digital Audio Video Experience) that connects wirelessly to your mobile phone via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Available later this year in either 10GB or 20GB flavours, the device weighs 2.5 ounces and is roughly the size of a thick credit card. The company is already releasing a software developer kit in March to foster third-party interoperability. The drive has a rechargeable lithium ion battery that powers the device for up to 10 hours of active use and up to 14 days in standby mode. Seagate expects the portable drive to hit consumer markets by summer at prices under $200.
"Mobile carriers can use this technology for creating value from their investments in high-bandwidth networks. Mobile handset manufacturers have another tool for turning the multimedia phone into the center of the mobile consumer"s digital life," said Seagate"s Patrick King, senior vice president and general manager of Seagate"s consumer electronics business unit.