LaCie's LaPlug Turns USB Drives into Cloud Storage
Here's a cool gadget that will share your USB-based drives and printers on a local network, or remotely across the Internet.
Wednesday LaCie revealed the LaPlug, a device that can share USB-based storage devices (thumb sticks, external HDDs) on a local network and remotely across the Internet. It can even stream multimedia content while also backing up multiple computers to one central location thanks to the bundled software or Apple's Time Machine, depending on the platform.
"Simply connect the LaPlug to the network then connect the drive to the LaPlug," the company explained Wednesday. "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."
According to the specs, it features four USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and 802.11 b/g/n wireless connectivity. In regards to remote access, the company claims that LaPlug owners can set up a custom web address so that users can easily access the files stored on the USB drives simply by typing in an URL. This special hostname is created by heading over to www.dyndns.com, as instructed here.
On the streaming side, the LaPlug can pump multimedia to devices that are 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," LaCie added. "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."
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.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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zybch So how is this any different from the already out for several years PogoPlug? Hell, my WHS systems can do this too, along with many other current and past NAS-type products.Reply
Of course if this were an apple product it would be hailed and praised as innovative and unique. -
neon871 ReplyOn the streaming side, the LaPlug can pump multimedia to devices that are UPnP/DLNA-certified, such as the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, as well as the LaCie LaCinema Classic HD.
This is not a set-top-box, just network storage there for each device would have to browse for the media and that is not pumped or pushed! That must be where the cloud comes in as in the smoke being blow up our a**es! I have a Linksys that allows 2 USB 2.0 HDD's on the network to be shared and I have been using it for years, so this is nothing "knock your socks off" new! Come on Tom your readers aren't stupid!
If LaCie's LaPlug was USB 3.0 then you may have something worth talking about. -
svdb What a load of marketing crap. These days you can slap the Cloud word on just about anything.Reply
Hey, my fridge is connected to the web: it's a Cloud storage device!
Well... it's connected and I can put stuff in it...
Bollocks! -
halcyon Putting the word Cloud next to a product doesn't make it more exciting to me. Makes it sound less exciting with possibly more security issues.Reply -
set it up for web access go to work then access it . mwalla cload storage.Reply
what did you think god was holding your photos for you :(