My New Bestest Friend - Western Digital My Passport Essential 250GB

I bought two big pieces of computer kit last weekend: a new Compaq laptop and a portable Hard Drive.

I have to confess, the laptop is excellent and was a bargain: 250GB drive, 3GB memory and it looks the business, all for £360 from Staples. However, it’s the little portable drive that I’ve fallen in love with.
£60 of my hard-earned cash went over the counter at Comet for a Western Digital My Passport Essential 250GB, in white.

1. How it looks.

I don’t own an iPod. I don’t own a MacBook. I don’t own an iPhone. But there’s no getting away from it: white, shiny, portable stuff is cool. It fits easily into a pocket or my quasi-gay manbag, and the little mini-usb cable supplied (also in white) is short enough to not get tangled into my sandwiches on the trip to work.

2. How it works.

This is where it gets interesting. I have only word of advice appertaining to the on-board synchronisation software: DON’T. Do not, I repeat do not, use the software. It’s confusing, it’s too clever for its own good and there’s simply no need for it.

The only useful part of the software is the “Lost and Found” information, where you can put your own contact details into a form, just in case an honest person accidentally ends up with your shiny new drive in his/her sticky little hands. Having said that, they would have to fire up the drive, find the right icon, open it then click the “Lost and Found” button – which isn’t highlighted in any way – and that’s just never gonna happen. If you’re bothered about making sure people know it’s yours, borrow a dymo machine and just stick your name and mobile number to the flippin’ thing.

Once you start using this as a drag-and-drop drive, things get so much easier. I moved 50GB of media files from our tired old desktop PC in about 40 minutes, then copied them simultaneously to the new laptop and a 1TB Freecom Media Player in another hour and a half.

3. What should you do?

If you ask me, you should buy one of these little beauties. As I said, Comet are knocking them out for £59.99. You can pick them up online from about £52, or if you’re cute you can print off the best price and take it to Curry’s or PC world, where they’re asking the ridiculous price of £90, but they’ll pricematch!

Tell them Phill sent you. :o)