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Officeworks Western Digital 750GB My Passport Essential SE Pocket Hard Drive $128

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Officeworks Western Digital 750GB My Passport Essential SE Pocket Hard Drive $128
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georgejungle on 14/06/2010 - 11:45 officeworks.com.au (762 clicks)

Note : Not sure how to deal with deals that are still happening but you can't vote on (due to being > 50 days old). Mods, delete if you wish.

Similar to : http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/24629

Officeworks now have the Western Digital, 750GB My Passport Essential SE for $1 less now - $128!

Static ice has the closest price being $169 (http://www.staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=Western+Dig…)

Picked one up in store last night… alongside the pouch for $9.80. (http://www.officeworks.com.au/retail/products/Technology/Har…)
:-)

Computing 750GB Computer Peripheral Portable Hard Drive Western Digital

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  • uraha on 14/06/2010 - 11:51

    Since it's $1 cheap, wouldn't this be a new deal?

    • georgejungle on 14/06/2010 - 11:56

      ha! yes. i guess so. cheers.

  • CyberMurning on 14/06/2010 - 12:32
    +3

    but with "help" from MLN, we can get 2*500GB seagate for toal of $130..

  • [Deactivated] on 14/06/2010 - 12:49
    +2

    Officeworks regularly move it between $129 and $128, depending on what the competition is selling it at.

    This is the standard price - it hasn't been above $129 in almost 2 months.

    It is however a good price.

    shrug

  • Joe iNC on 14/06/2010 - 13:29

    So, that then makes it equal with buying online at MLN; $119 + $9 shipping

    https://www.mln.com.au/product/?itemID=528&typeID=22

    • Fuzor on 14/06/2010 - 13:50

      dude that one is the shittier crappier version of WD externals

      • dyziplen on 14/06/2010 - 15:26

        Some might say that the passport essentials is the crappy wd model.

        The element uses mini usb and have no unremovable bloatware.

        • camelgrass on 14/06/2010 - 17:35

          My Passport Essential has mini-USB as well - what else would it be?

          • x Moe on 14/06/2010 - 17:58
            +1

            @camelgrass: My Passport Essential uses Micro-USB

          • dyziplen on 14/06/2010 - 18:28

            @camelgrass: The new essentials including this 750gb one uses micro-usb, the older ones uses mini-usb. I have no personal experience with this, but I have read reviews saying that they are easier to come loose.

            • [Deactivated] on 14/06/2010 - 18:31

              @dyziplen: As above, this model uses Micro USB.

            • camelgrass on 14/06/2010 - 21:25

              @dyziplen: Ah okay, I was looking at this review, they say mini-usb, it must be the older model:
              http://therenderq.com/western-digital-my-passport-essential-…

              I've got mini-usb on my Seagate Freeagent Go, it's a very secure connection but you may be right about micro-usb.

              • jeffr on 14/06/2010 - 21:33

                @camelgrass: Yes the newer 750Gb drives definitely have a micro USB socket. While these look the same as the micro USB sockets found in some mobile phones, the Western Digital (WD) hard drive MAY NOT work with the phone cable with the micro USB plug.

                The concern here is that if you ever loose your Western Digital HD cable (or want to have a cable at home and one in the office) then you need to go hunting to find a micro USB cable that works - or pay $$$ for a replacement WD cable.

                • Ambush on 16/06/2010 - 11:08

                  @jeffr: The cable works with my Nokia.

              • x Moe on 14/06/2010 - 22:35

                @camelgrass: by the looks of the picture in that review it is actually a micro-USB connection. Looks to slim to be Mini-USB. Anyway yeah definitely Micro-USB in these ones

      • Joe iNC on 14/06/2010 - 22:55

        Lets see;

        http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=813
        http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=721

        Specifications be the same, just one difference, the elements uses mini-usb, while the essential uses micro-usb… And from experience the microusb come loose very easily.

        The essential also has unremovable bloatware, and when you connect it, show's a second drive (that an unwriteable cd emulation)…

        I dislike the essentials, they're less practical, they don't stack, they come with crap, the usb sucks… All they've got going for is looks, and even then they loose their lustrous shine with scratches very easily. But hey, if that's what you like.

        • x Moe on 14/06/2010 - 23:02
          +1

          I have not had a problem with the USB…both mine inputs 'click' when I push them in (I have two of these). So i can hold the HDD by the cord and it just swings. You may have got a dodgy cord. Yeah the shine does suck, they should sell the matte finshed ones in Oz like they do in America. I purchased a silver matte version when I was in NY for new years and it's not scratched at all. The black one I got is Oz however no matter how careful I am with it still manages to get a little scratched. The CD emulation you can hide as well with the new firmware and software updates.

          • Ambush on 16/06/2010 - 11:12

            @x Moe: I have the 750GB model and the cable supplied is very secure when connected. The plug has two small hooks that appear to "lock in" when inserted.

            My niece has a 320GB model in which the cable plug fails to connect properly, though the plug from my cable works. The 320GB is going back for replacement.

  • Jabba the Hutt on 14/06/2010 - 13:56

    Does this model have the non-removable WD Smartware partition? As that's something experienced users who like being able to put their drives in a "clean" state would need to be aware of.

  • [Deactivated] on 14/06/2010 - 14:33

    Damn good HDD, I bought 2 a few weeks back, 1 for the jtag and one for the PS3

    Oh and the crapware is easily removed

    • andy19363 on 14/06/2010 - 14:42

      removed?? or just hidden

    • CynC on 14/06/2010 - 14:44

      Easily removed? Do tell.

      • [Deactivated] on 14/06/2010 - 16:00
        +1

        well I assumed that the VCDmanager software by WD removed it but now am guessing by your question that it just hid it?

        I also used the hdd manager on Vista and wiped it again after initializing the drive (it never showed any other partitions) and also used enfat32 formatter (which also never showed any hidden partitions)

        • dyziplen on 14/06/2010 - 18:29

          as I understand it, its just hidden, not removed.

          • overlook on 14/06/2010 - 19:35

            @dyziplen: thats strange as i experienced as what beaker said…there is no partition at all i am up to about 90% of my 640gb, if the partition still exists thats not possible~

            • CynC on 14/06/2010 - 21:27

              @overlook: The partition itself is fairly small, under a gig if I remember right, so you're not going to notice significant space loss with 10% free. That's not the point though. The point is that every new computer you plug it into is going to show WD's software stuffed down your throat. I've personally avoided the SE and hope that they release a firmware patch in the future.

              • x Moe on 14/06/2010 - 22:31

                @CynC: You don't have to install it on very computer you use….I have 2x750GB of these. If you flash with the new firmware then all you get is a prompt to install the software when plugged into a new computer. All you have to do it exit the prompt and it works just like any other HDD. I have installed the software on my laptops just to stop the prompt (it is a little annoying) but after that you hardly know it is there at all. I have also hidden the partition so it does not show up in windows explorer. Don't get me wrong I would rather it not be there at all but I like the look of them and I haven't had a single problem with either of the HDD I purchased. Point is unless you use the software to apply a password to the HDD you do not need to install the software at all.

  • CyberMurning on 14/06/2010 - 15:46

    i supposed re partitioning and low level formatting will remove anything from a hd

    • dyziplen on 14/06/2010 - 18:32

      Issue 1, if you figure out how to do an actual low level formatting via USB, do tell.
      Issue 2, I believe that its not just the separate partition on the platters, it is in the firmware as well. So even if you have removed the partition, when you plug it into an un-patched OS, it will still attempt to load the virtual disk.

      • venu on 14/06/2010 - 19:17

        he knows what he's talking about. :)

  • Ambush on 14/06/2010 - 19:49

    OW also has a Pico branded clamshell case for around $10. I prefer this case to the pouch because its a "hard" case.

  • jeffr on 14/06/2010 - 20:59

    1 This hard disk uses a "non standard" micro USB cable. There are a number of different micro usb cables - they seem to have different pin connections and also the length of the male connector is different. I have this drive and I managed to find a supplier on eBay who supplied me with some spare cables for this drive. Becareful as the micro USB connector is delicate.

    2 I tried to format the drive but had troubles and couldnt remove the partition. Again if someone figures out how to do it, it would be appreciated.

    3 As mentioned previously, this unit uses a non standard 2.5" SATA drive. The micro usb connector is actually built into the drive so if you wanted to install into a laptop you would need a micro usb to sata connector (if they exist?)

  • jarris on 15/06/2010 - 03:44

    Reviews don't look good. http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Passport-Essential-WDB…

  • mrdk on 15/06/2010 - 11:35

    I bought this drive from last deal. The WD bloatware is easily removed using partition magic (yes removed not hidden) however this is a problem with the micro-usb connection. I noticed that by unplugging the micro usb from the harddrive numerous times it starts to get loose at the connection to a point that the connection is unrealible and may disconnect or even make the drive non functionable. I called up WD support and told of them the situation telling them it is definately the cable and they send me out a new one with no charge. So I never unplug the cable form the drive anymore in case this happens again.

  • dolita on 15/06/2010 - 15:54

    Hi, is 750gb currently the biggest size for 2.5" portable hard drive? Is there a 1gb one?

  • bonky on 24/06/2010 - 17:14

    Office works offer a Price match + 5% so if you mention that you saw it on www.mln.com.au .. they will bring the price down to $119 minus 5% of $119!!

    total price $113, plus you dont pay the shipping!!

    BARGINNN!

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