This detailed hardware review examines Western Digital's My Book Live network attached storage device, positioning it as a personal cloud solution that predated mainstream cloud storage services. Marc Angeli explores how this networked drive addressed the growing need for centralized backup and file sharing across multiple devices and platforms within households, offering an alternative to keeping a dedicated computer running 24/7 for file sharing. The review comes at a crucial time when families were accumulating mixed networks of PCs, Macs, iPhones, and iPads, creating complex backup and sharing challenges.
The analysis covers the device's three capacity options (1TB for $150, 2TB for $200, and 3TB for $250) and examines its setup process, which required connecting via Gigabit Ethernet to existing wireless routers rather than having built-in WiFi. Angeli details the backup features, noting excellent Mac Time Machine connection while highlighting Windows 7 Home edition compatibility issues that required Western Digital's proprietary software. The review documents backup speeds over both wireless N and wired connections, providing practical insights for users planning their network storage strategy.
The coverage extends beyond basic backup features to examine the device's "personal cloud" features, including public folder sharing, media streaming to Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles, and iTunes connection challenges. Angeli evaluates the companion WD 2go mobile apps for iOS and Android, praising their basic features while criticizing Western Digital's decision to charge $3 for a "pro" version that added features like email sharing and automatic syncing. The review positions the My Book Live as an affordable alternative to Apple's $400 Time Capsule while acknowledging limitations like lack of redundancy.
This review captures the early era of personal cloud computing when consumers were transitioning from manual file management to automated backup solutions, years before services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud became ubiquitous. Looking back 12+ years later, the My Book Live represented an important bridge between traditional external hard drives and modern cloud storage, offering local control and unlimited capacity that many users still prefer today. The device's challenges with iTunes connection and mobile app limitations highlight how fragmented the ecosystem was before cloud services standardized cross-platform access. While Western Digital discontinued the My Book Live line after security vulnerabilities emerged, the concept of personal NAS devices has evolved into sophisticated systems from companies like Synology, QNAP, and Drobo that offer the same local control with modern security and features. The review also documents how expensive storage was in 2012, when 3TB cost $250, compared to today's dramatically lower cost per gigabyte.
This summary was created by Dave Rogers. The original post was written by Marc Angeli and published on February 1, 2012.
If you'd like to view the original post, you can find it here.