Seagate announces Samsung external HDD with WiFi

Seagate has been forced to release the so-called Wireless Mobile Media Streaming Device under the Samsung brand name. The external hard drive can be used as a hotspot with the built-in WiFi module, but it can also stream media files to clients.

The Samsung Wireless Mobile Media Streaming Device offers as an external hard drive 1.5 TB of storage. The manufacturer does not say whether it is a 3.5″ or 2.5″ drive, but given the “mobile” designation in the name, it appears to be a 2.5″ notebook drive. The drive has a USB 3.0 connection, which can also be used to charge devices such as a smartphone.The battery capacity could keep the external hard drive running for seven hours.

Seagate has equipped the Samsung drive with an 802.11n WiFi module. This allows the external hard drive to act as a Wi-Fi hotspot to share internet access, but the Samsung drive can also stream media files to up to five devices simultaneously. For Android devices, Seagate has released apps for watching movies, listening to music, and playing slideshows. In the US, the Samsung Wireless Mobile Media Streaming Device will cost $179. Nothing has been announced yet about a European release and prices.

After the takeover of Samsung’s hard disk branch in China, hard disk manufacturer Seagate is obliged by the regulator to release products with the Samsung brand name for at least another year. In addition, these products must be independently developed by the South Korean manufacturer. This external hard disk would meet those conditions.