Conversely the drive can be used as a wireless NAS, providing shared and collaborative storage for multiple users. Then you can use your phone or tablet to wirelessly connect to the drive and browse or share your work. At the end of a shoot, you can simply insert your SD card into the device and relax in the knowledge it’s made a backup of the contents. The idea of a self-contained drive is to provide backup in the field without the need to lug around a laptop. And while it seems a little traditional, they can also be connected directly to a computer over USB for the fastest data transfer. Taking these capabilities and running with them further, the My Passport Wireless drives can also be used as DLNA or Plex media servers, wirelessly streaming content to compatible players like smart TVs, and their batteries can also be used to charge other devices over USB like phones. They also sport an SD slot (as well as a USB port for other card readers) which can backup your photos and videos with a single button-push, or even automatically as you insert the card if your camera has wireless FTP, it may even be able to wirelessly talk directly to the drive. In contrast, the My Passport Wireless drives are entirely self-contained devices with their own built-in rechargeable battery as well as Wifi allowing you to connect directly to them wirelessly with a phone, tablet or computer (whether peer to peer or via a shared access point).
WD offers a wealth of portable drives, ideal for backing up your photos, videos and other precious data, but most are simple devices which require a host computer or laptop to provide power and data transfer over a cable. WD’s SSD version is available in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB or 2TB models, while the older hard drive-based version is available in 1 to 4TB models.
SSDs work out more expensive per Gigabyte than spinning drives, but are faster, more durable, consume less power, and are often physically smaller too. Launched in January 2018, it essentially takes the existing My Passport Wireless model and switches the traditional spinning hard drive for a solid state drive, or SSD for short. The WD My Passport Wireless SSD is a portable drive with fast solid state storage, an SD slot for backing-up photos and videos without the need for a laptop, Wifi for wireless access, and a built-in battery allowing it to operate for ten hours without any cables. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book or treat me to a coffee! Thanks! Buy it now! Check prices on the WD My Passport Wireless SSD at Amazon, B&H, or Adorama. If you'll exploit its standalone SD backup and wireless sharing capabilities though, it comes recommended. You should also think carefully about your workflow: if you need to travel with a laptop you'll save money and space with a basic portable drive and if you only want to transfer a handful of photos to your phone most camera's offer adequate built-in Wifi solutions. On the downside, the unit is fairly large (although still smaller than any laptop), it's not water-proof, and you'll only enjoy the speed of the SSD with a direct USB connection. Meanwhile the battery can be exploited as a power bank to charge USB devices like phones. The built-in Wifi lets you share the storage with multiple computers, tablets and phones like a wireless NAS, or as a wireless media server streaming content to DLNA or Plex compatible players like smart TVs. Its built-in SD slot can automatically copy the contents of your cards before letting you browse them wirelessly with a phone or tablet. Summary The WD My Passport Wireless SSD is a highly versatile device that lets you backup your photos in the field without lugging around a laptop or power supply.