Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Feb 2010 update (original review follows)... After months of negotiating with Western Digital and trying to work through two serious design flaws with this drive, and after experiencing a horribly botched attempt to correct the problem (I still don't have a working drive...Even new shipments in Feb 2010 have the same problem!!), I am reducing the user rating from 5 to 2 stars. It is truly a pitty, because if it weren't for these two KILLER problems, this would be one superb product with a terrific hardware platform. As author of the leading review and most recommended user tip, I really struggled with this rating. I don't relish in damaging WDs reputation - even in my little corner of influence. But recently, WD has made the problems worse by sending their loyal customers on a wild goose chase. I can no longer recommend the My Passport Essential SE drives. This is the 2nd time that I have changed the rating for this product line. I have also changed the title of the original review -- Original Title: "WD has fixed BOTH issues that raised such ire" New Title: "WD tried & failed to fix 2 serious issues. Reduced from 5 to 2 stars" For complete details about WD attempts to correct the nightmare of this model, see my response to Cuppa on page 2 (Feb 16, 2010). Here is my original review, which although critical of initial marketing decisions had awarded the prouct 5 stars... _____________ What were the product managers at Western Digital thinking?! How could any vendor get it SO-O-O very wrong in this enlightened consumer era?... 1. Bloatware / Crapware -FIXED (but see Feb 15 update) WD tried to UN-commoditize their new My Passport SE drives by forcing a software application (and an annoying chain of Windows events) on anyone who connects the new SE series of high-capacity external drives (750GB and 1TB editions of their popular 2.5" external drives). Let's face it! WD is a high-end manufacturer. Their product needn't be distinguished by forced aps that treat customers like sheep (and like idiots!). The My Passport SE series is sufficiently distinguished by style, hardware encryption, value, and durability. No need to fill it with crapware. Anyway, I have given WD full credit (restoring 5 stars), for their November decision to fully back down by offering a utility to hide the extra partition and restore standardized operation. The other peeve of early reviewers had to do with the cable. Some reviewers claimed that WD had switched to a proprietary scheme. Not so! But they did make the move to a Micro-USB interface instead of the earlier Mini-USB. It was inevitable. The switch has already swept through the phone industry (Nokia, Motorola, LG, Novatel... The list goes on). Power supply makers are all redoing their wares with this new smaller connector. Many power suppliers simply have a standard PC-USB connector on the housing. Simply attach whatever pig-tail cable suits your hardware. 2. USB Cable -FIXED (but see Feb 15 update) Western Digital had packaged a faulty USB cable with October shipments of the My Passport SE series drives. I know that they are sill in stock at retailers because I received the faulty cable in December. Other buyers at my company recieved them in Jan-Feb 2010. The flakey cables are shipped with drive Part# beginning WDBAB... To distinguish the newer cable, look for the photos and explanation from other reviewers. WD will replace the early USB cable upon request. Unfortunately, it may take a few phone calls. The support staff have a memo about the problem, but they may not know how to locate it. I wonder if WD is proactively reaching out to registered owners (?!). For both issues #1 and #2, the bottom line is that WD listens to customers and to these reviews. For a brand new product, I am cutting them some slack. I consider both problems to be reasonably and promptly addressed. 3. Features Sans the bloatware (some people like it and some do not), the drive has one very cool feature: 128 bit hardware encryption. Don't even think about not using it. Your data is yours alone. Keep it that way. Just be sure that you escrow the key and give it to someone you love. Otherwise, someday your data will be unrecoverable forever under several very likely scenarios. 4. Cost Amazon and B&H Video are price leaders on this model. They beat other reputable retailers by $20~25. As of Febuary 2010 - depending upon daily fluctuation & temporary promotions - the 1TB model sells for $179-195, or just That's 18c per GB. Larger format 3.5" external drives are faster and about half the cost per GB. But they are larger than a paper back book and require external power. 5. Regarding other recent Geek questions: a) The drive is 5400 RPM and easily powered by a single USB connector. It does not require a 2-headed cable for USB hubs within spec. b) Drive makers introduce ever higher capacity external drives before they offer similar models as an upgrade/replacements component to your notebook PC. Therefore, some individuals will purchase the latest external drive with an intention to REMOVE it from the drive housing (and the USB interface), and then drop it into their laptop PC. But... But unlike other models, this drive cannot be used to replace the internal drive within a notebook PC -- not even if you have the full 12mm height. Unlike other WD My Passport drives, the drive unit within the external housing does *NOT* have a standard SATA interface! This time, WD created a proprietary internal spec to squeeze the drive into an even smaller external form. Ellery's Byline: I frequently clarify selected tech reviews & forums. You may write to me: Ellery (at) starbus (dot) com