BANGALORE: Seagate has announced the launch of data storage and back up products to cater to the students and people on the move.

This is a change from the data hard disk and storage company‘s image of being a components supply company.

Data storage requirements have grown exponentially, what with the advent of MP3,MP4 players, digital cameras and the growth in computers. Seagate quotes figures from an October 2006 survey – The Harris Interactive Survey of US Computer Users – to prove this point. 81 per cent of the users are more likely to download and store data than a year ago, with photos taking the first place; 45 per cent of households with children who are under 18 download music; 57 per cent agree that their content and files are worth more than their computers; and 96 per cent of adult Americans own or use at least one desktop or laptop at work.

In short, content has become the center of the digital world.

The storage market is also segmenting. Seagate has two divisions – Maxtor and Seagate. Yesterday at Bangalore, Seagate unveiled their ‘FreeAgent’ Data Movers which ‘combine sophisticated design with easy to use lifestyle tools’ that let one move, work and play with one’s digital content anytime, anywhere. So laptops and notebooks out you go… Carry your digital data and use your host’s computer to share the information, data, make a presentation, etc.

Seagate refuses to label their FreeAgent products external hard drives because they say that labeling them as such would not even begin to describe what their new product line can do.

Seagate claims that consumers define the term ‘hard drive’ as a basic storage device. FreeAgents sport a ‘sleek, compact design’ for anywhere computing. Three products - FreeAgent Pro Data Mover, FreeAgent Go and the FreeAgent Desktop. The drives come in various storage capacities and have preloaded software use of the products. The products come with a five year limited warranty.

While mass communications plans about the products have to be drawn up, Seagate Singapore International Headquarters country manager-Indian and SAARC countries Vihsal Khurana, who announced the launch of the products, does not discount TVC’s for promoting FreeAgent. This is against the norm as Seagate generally uses the print media for product promotion. Currently the creative work for print ads is done at Singapore, informed Khurana.