LaCie today announced the Fuel, a wireless hard drive designed to work with the iPad, the iPhone, and Mac computers. With 1TB of storage, the Fuel is able to wirelessly stream to any Apple device, serving as a portable storage unit for extensive media libraries.
Fuel, which does not require an internet connection, functions as a Wi-Fi hotspot able to stream HD content to up to three devices at once, with five devices able to access files on the drive at one time. Media on the drive is accessed on iOS devices using the Seagate Media app, and AirPlay functionality is also available.
The LaCie Fuel creates its own Wi–Fi network, just like your home router. So up to 5 devices can access its storage at the same time. You can even stream an HD movie to up to 3 devices simultaneously. Family road trips, long commutes, and airport layovers just got a lot better.
And while the LaCie Fuel doesn't need Internet to work, it can connect to nearby Wi–Fi hotspots. It can then provide Internet access to up to four of your wireless devices.
While file transfers are available via USB 3.0, the drive does function wirelessly, transferring content without a cord. It also has Dropbox compatibility and a 10 hour battery life.
LaCie's Fuel will be available soon and is priced at $199.99.
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EDIT - When I mean AirPlay to an Apple TV, I mean the storage device itself streams to the Apple TV, not to an iDevice and then to an Apple TV
This is to the DVD Player equipped auto what the VCR equipped auto was to the radio equipped world.
This is the solution I've been trying to cobble together in my mind for our mobile entertainment. My kids have iPods or iPads and plenty of digital media, but not nearly all of it fits on their devices and I'm not paying the iTax (nor would I prefer for them to do the same) for the larger capacity devices.
I'd dump it all on a portable HD, but need Wifi in the car...how do you boot THAT up every time you turn the car back on... then there's all the learning how to stream junk...blah...blah...blah.
If this is as functional as an iOS device, it's a sure sell for me. If it's the lame brick that I'm reading about here in the forum...pass. I'll wait for apple to take over the Auto OS next.