Iomega Home Media Network Hard Drive

Iomega’s latest external storage device released at CES has a rather descriptive name. It is called the Home Media Network Hard Drive. It is a single drive device available in two sizes, 500Gb and 1Tb. The Iomega offering is a  simpler one as compared to the MediaSmart EX487, a device by Hewlett Packard, which is also a NAS targeting home users.

The Home Media Network Hard Drive enables users with multiple computers to store data in a centralized storage that also allows for easy access when required. At the same time you can stream digital media to Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) devices and use it as an external iTunes server. A three-step installation process gets the drive up and running. The software central to the drive is the EMC LifeLine Home software that runs on the Linux operating system. You can select the files and folders for auto backup at the time of setup.

Connectivity is through USB and Gigabit Ethernet. For added data security, users get 2Gb online backup with Mozy.

The 500Gb version will cost $160 and the 1TB drive will be available for $230. The drives are expected to hit the stores in January 2009.