This is the same WD Passport Essential that you’re familiar with, with one notable different. The external looks. Yes, the design on the external case is what differentiate if from the regular model. It is limited edition drives, and if you the kind of people that appreciate art that comes with technology, this is yours with only RM249. You get in return 500GB portable hardrive with creatively designed case.

Press release

NEW MY PASSPORT® ESSENTIAL™ LIMITED EDITION DESIGNS PORTABLE DRIVES PERSONALIZE STORAGE WITH SIGNATURE STYLES

For Students by Students: WD® Collaborates with Design Students at California State University, Long Beach to Make External Hard Drives Fashionable

Kuala Lumpur – 7 September 2010 – WD® (NYSE: WDC), the world’s leader in external storage solutions, today introduced its new 500 GB My Passport® Essential™ limited edition designs portable hard drives Consumers can choose from two unique designs that appeal to a wide variety of personal styles, ranging from outdoor enthusiasts to urban trendsetters.

Designed by students at California State University, Long Beach’s Industrial Design program, the drives are available in two styles for Malaysia: Black Hole and Cityscape. The decorative patterns are especially geared for students who want to express their individual style while choosing a reliable, ultra-portable place to store their media and back up their valuable work.

The drives are Windows® compatible and include WD SmartWare™ software, which provides a simple, visual method for backup using a single-screen view of the drive’s contents.

“The contents of individuals’ portable storage contain all the ways they express themselves – music, images, and videos – and tell a story about who they are,” said Craig Davis, Director, Sales & Marketing, Branded Product Group, Western Digital Asia Pacific Region. “Expressing individual style is important. That’s why we teamed up with California State University, Long Beach design students, who have their finger on the latest fashion trends.”

My Passport Essential limited edition designs portable drives also feature user-selected password protection combined with 256-bit hardware-based encryption. Typically found only on much more expensive drive systems, the encryption acts as a virtual padlock to keep users’ data private.

Price and Availability
The new My Passport Essential limited edition designs are offered in 500 GB and have a 3-year limited warranty. The My Passport Essential limited edition designs are distributed by Amble Action Sdn Bhd. MSRP for the 500 GB My Passport Essential limited edition designs is RM 249.

My Passport Essential Limited Edition Designs
The new WD My Passport Essential limited edition designs portable hard drives feature:
• Two unique designs available in Malaysia that let consumers express their individuality;
• 256-bit hardware encryption for peace of mind knowing that data is protected from unauthorized access;
• USB 2.0 interface that powers the drive directly from the USB port on a user’s computer (no separate power supply is needed);
• Planet-friendly packaging derived from recycled materials to minimize waste;
• Ready to plug-and-play with Windows PCs; and,
• A 3-year limited warranty.