Seagate FreeAgent Pro USB/eSATA external hard drive (500GB)

The good: AutoBackup and FreeAgent Tools software are easy to use and highly configurable; drive offers good gigabyte-per-dollar value; smooth interface with Internet Drive and Shutterfly; eSATA connectivity offers fast transfer speeds; elegant design; generous warranty.

The bad: Mac users can't take advantage of the bundled software; software installation is a bit slow; accessing your data "anywhere" requires you to have the foresight to upload it to the Internet Drive and potentially purchase more online storage capacity from Seagate; Shutterfly is the only online photo service it works with.

The bottom line: The Seagate FreeAgent Pro external hard drive is an elegant workaround for users who are intimidated by NAS drives. The bundled software is simple to use and makes copying your data to various location a cinch. We really like this external hard drive.

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Description: This Seagate Freeagent Pro USB/eSATA External Hard Drive is a 500GB, external hard disk drive. Compared to other external hard drives on the market, it is midpriced at around $150.

Pros: Has a 500GB capacity, which is considerably larger than some similarly priced hard drives. By way of comparison, the average cost of a product with this large a capacity is $245. Also, this hard drive has a 5 year warranty, which is more favorable than some similarly priced hard drives. By way of comparison, the average cost of a product with this favorable a warranty is $180.

Cons: None noted, given available product data.

Suitability: An external hard drive, suited for convenient plug-and-play with most desktop or notebook computers.

Value: In general, this hard drive has good features for the money.