LaCie have debuted the LaPlug, which can turn any USB-based drive — even thumb drives — into wireless backup devices, web-accessible cloud storage, a streaming multimedia server or just network-attached storage. Users connect the LaPlug to the network and then attach drives to it via USB2. USB Postscript printers can also be made wireless with the device.
Users can offer access to drives attached to LaPlug by setting up a custom web address where friends or colleagues can access a select group of files on a drive remotely. UPnP and DLNA compatible equipment, such as game consoles, can also use LaPlug-attached drives as streaming media servers. It can also stream music to computers running iTunes.
LaCie includes wireless backup software for PCs, and Mac users can use Time Machine software to back up machines wirelessly. LaPlug supports Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11b/g/n for fast transfers. The Neil Pouton-designed box features a USB port on the front for easy access for thumb drives.
LaCie’s LaPlug sells for $75 and will be available shortly on the LaCie online store as well as LaCie retail partners. It supports Windows XP and higher, Mac OS X 10.5 and later, or Linux 2.6 systems.
