Docked at Firewire 800 Speeds
The most interesting part of this package is the hard drive dock which seems to serve only those with Macbook Pros and Mac Pros. The dock only connects via Firewire 800, leaving users with Firewire 400 and USB 2.0 connections out in the cold. Yes, this means MacBook users, both old and “Al-Loo-Min-Nee-Um” get shafted, but you’re OK if you’re pimpin’ the “Pro” goodness.
Built for Travelling
Although the dock is strictly a stay at home item, the case that comes with the drive is also quite capable getting the drive out of the home. It holds the drive snugly and the case is oriented properly so that you still have access ot the connections. This means that you can leave the case on the whole time, providing extra protection for your sensitive data. It even has a pocket for the cables, allowing it all to travel as one.
Speaking of cables, it’s nice to see that they are cut to the right length. I typically see drives with some really long generic cable thrown in the box, which ends up cluttering up your laptop bag, and takes away a bit of that portability factor. Seagate decided to make them short and easy to store. They are just the right length and all of them fit in the elastic pocket sewn onto the case.
Setup and Installation
There really isn’t much you need to do to get the FreeAgent Go for Mac setup. Since it comes with no addtional software, all you need to do is plug it in using any of the included interfaces (Firewire 400/800 or USB 2.0) and you’re set to go.
If you have a Firewire 800 port, you can plug the dock into that and leave it be, docking the drive as needed. Don’t forget to eject of course. If you want to use it as a Time Machine backup drive, you can go ahead and set that up too.
You know you’ve hooked it up right when the light comes on and the Firewre or USB drive icon shows up on your desktop. Like I said, there’s not much you need to do to make FreeAgent Go get going.