Seagate Wireless Plus 1TB Mobile Storage with Built-In Wi-Fi Streaming

I am not alone in my dislike of Apple's iTunes, and recently came across a product that seemed to fit the bill for bypassing the software to play my music library on an iOS device.

The Seagate Wireless Access is a small external hard drive that allows you to copy music, videos, photos and documents between it and iOS or Androidusing the Seagate Media app. Furthermore, the Wireless Access runs on battery for up to 10 hours, and connects wirelessly to your network and Apple or Android device. This means that no Internet connection is required, and you do not need to use a data plan either. The great benefit of the Seagate Wireless Access is that it bypasses iTunes, allowing you to transfer music, or stream it on the go. Android, Windows and Mac users are not left out either as this product works across all platforms.

What’s In The Box?

As well as the Seagate Wireless Access, the box contains a wall plug with a USB to 3.5 lead for charging the product. There is also a lead for connection between your PC or Mac and the Seagate Wireless Access should you wish to transfer data this way. Note that when using the connection lead for transferring data, wireless on the Seagate is automatically turned off.

The manual is pretty self-explanatory, and there is plenty of help available from within the Seagate Media app itself. The app also updates the firmware of the Seagate Wireless Access when the drive is turned on.

So How Does It Work?

Download the free Seagate Media app from the App or Play Store. Once you turn on the Seagate Wireless Access, go to Settings on your device, and choose WiFi. The Seagate should come up in the list of available networks, so tap to connect. Now open the Seagate Media app, and it should see your Seagate Wireless Access. Here, it is possible to use the device as a pass-through so you can use your own network as well. Alternatively, you can simply use the Seagate Wireless Access if you do not want the outside world to come between you and your streaming session.

When the Seagate Media app sees the drive, you can confidently play music, videos, look at photos, or read documents. You can create playlists, or transfer content between the Seagate Wireless Access and your Apple or Android device. Its reasonable battery life lets you take this drive with you as it is small and lightweight. And the big plus for me is that I can play all my music without having to open iTunes and manoeuvre my way through its somewhat clunky structure.

Pricing And Conclusion

I purchased the 1TB Seagate Wireless Access from Amazon, currently priced at £139.99. I found it relatively straightforward to configure with the Seagate Media app, though some of the labels in the app are not particularly well defined with VoiceOver. Nevertheless, once you browse it, you soon become familiar with each section.

The Seagate Wireless Access now offers me plenty of room for my ever-expanding music collection that I can take with me on the go or in and around my home. No more importing music to iTunes, I can stream music to my iPad Mini with satisfaction!

Of course there are cheaper ways of streaming music on the go, or transferring content between your devices. But the Seagate Wireless Access offers me the flexibility and convenience with greater storage capacity worthy of its price tag.