Expert's Rating
Pros
- Easy setup
- twin dock for Seagate’s portable GoFlex drives
Cons
- Just one USB port for additional drives
Our Verdict
Many users will appreciate being able to plug SATA drives directly into a Pogo-enabled dock. It would be nice to see more than one USB port, but you can get around that with a powered USB hub.
Seagate’s FreeAgent GoFlex Net gives you easy access to your files from any internet connection, along with the ability to share them with others.
The GoFlex Net has two 2.5in SATA hard drive bays, designed for Seagate’s GoFlex portable hard drive, and a USB 2.0 port. The GoFlex drives fit snugly into the dock, but you should be able to use any 2.5in SATA drive that has separate data and power connectors, though you might have to remove it from its case.
Setting up the GoFlex Net is simple. Plug the unit into the wall and then into the router, sign up at www.pogoplug.com, and select Activate New Device. Log on to my.pogoplug.com from any location and you’ll see all the files stored on your GoFlex Net. You can then copy, delete, download, and upload files to and from your hard drives at home.
There’s an online viewer for perusing images, Microsoft Office files, and other content without having to fire up a local application. Seagate includes software for file syncing too and the GoFlex Net works with social networking services and mobile devices like the iPhone and the iPad. Pogoplug doesn’t support local network access, but it enables you to share files online easily