Mercury Elite Pro mini Photo: http://eshop.macsales.com/NewsRoom/images/PR_MEPM3.jpg
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OWC Announces Mercury Elite Pro mini as Industry’s First eSATA 6G and Bus-Powered USB 3.0 Portable Storage Solution

13 High-Performance Configurations Starting at $114.99 Offer Mac and PC Users Plug and Play Storage/Backup Capacity Up to 1.5TB with Data Rates Up to 600MB/s

January 10, 2012, Las Vegas, NV -- Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a leading zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, announced today it has expanded its OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini™ line to include the industry’s first eSATA 6G and bus-powered USB 3.0 portable external drive. Available in 13 different hard drive or OWC Mercury SSD-equipped capacity configurations up to 1.5TB, the new USB 3.0/2.0 and eSATA 6G “triple interface” model delivers up to 600MB/s data rate storage/backup performance to Mac® and PC users in a Plug and Play, mobile footprint. The new Mercury Elite Pro mini and other OWC storage solutions will be shown in Other World Computing’s booth #5231, LVCC North Hall, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which begins today in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Portable and Bus-Powered for Mobile Lifestyles
Measuring a compact 5.5" L x 3.8" W x 1.1" H, the Mercury Elite Pro mini offers portable storage capacity up to 1.5TB – enough space for up to 1.5 million JPEG photos, 750 DVD movies, 115 hours of digital video, or 526,000 MP3 songs – in its fanless, aircraft grade brushed aluminum enclosure. Because it’s bus-powered, the Mercury Elite Pro mini doesn’t require an AC adapter, so it’s ideal for in-the-field business professionals, creative/entertainment professionals, students, and anyone else needing to back up data, transport large files between computers, gain additional storage capacity, and even perform video editing and live music recording.

Built for Performance and Flexibility
Designed to emulate the award-winning history of the larger desktop-sized Mercury Elite-AL Pro, the Mercury Elite Pro mini portable storage solution line offers a choice of the fastest 2.5" SATA hard drive mechanisms up to 7200RPM; or ‘faster in a flash’ OWC’s Mercury brand SSDs for demanding A/V, digital photography, professional music, graphics, general data, and Time Machine®-ready storage needs. 6G (6Gb/s) eSATA, the fastest interface offered for portable drives, offers up to 600MB/s, while the USB 3.0/2.0 port can be utilized for bus power. The Mercury Elite Pro mini can also be used with digital cameras and camcorders with USB 3.0/2.0 data ports for fast, on-location backups of images and video.

Backed by the Best Support in the Industry
The best warranty is one a consumer should never have to use, but should the need occur, OWC is proud to provide a superior level of support and warranty coverage to its customers. The Mercury Elite Pro mini comes fully backed by free lifetime US-based 24/7 technical support and a three-year warranty which includes a 48-hour repair turnaround time with complimentary Level 1 data recovery during the first year of ownership.

“When the highest speed and maximum portability are the key criteria for an external drive, there is no equal to the new Mercury Elite Pro mini USB 3.0 and eSATA 6G model,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing. “With 13 different configurations offering choices of capacity and drive type, there’s a model for any particular need and/or budget.”

Mercury Elite Pro mini Key Features:
  • Perfect for digital photography, professional music, graphics, general data, and Time Machine
  • USB 3.0/2.0 and eSATA 6G interfaces; bus-powered via USB 3.0
  • Data transfer speeds up to 600MB/s
  • Uses a 2.5" SATA hard drive up to 7200RPM or Solid State Drive
  • All interface cables included
  • Portable size at 5.5in (L) x 3.8in (W) x 1.1in (H)
  • Brushed aluminum, impact-resistant, heat-dissipating enclosure
  • Super-quiet, fanless operation


Pricing, Availability
The Mercury Elite Pro mini USB 3.0 and eSATA 6G model is available immediately from Other World Computing, as well as select retailers, in capacities ranging from 0GB Kits from $64.99 MSRP, hard drive configurations up to 1.5TB from $114.99 MSRP, and OWC Mercury 6G SSD based solutions up to 480GB from $159.99 MSRP. All Mercury Elite Pro mini solutions come ready for Plug and Play ease of use with all interface connecting cables, an over $100 retail value disk utility software bundle and a three-year warranty.

Joins Industry’s Most Comprehensive Storage and SSD Line for Macs and PCs
The new Mercury Elite Pro mini USB 3.0/eSATA 6G storage solution joins OWC’s existing line of performance-leading portable and desktop external storage solutions and its Mercury brand of Solid State Drives. For more information on the OWC catalog of over 2,900 performance upgrades and accessories for Macs, PCs and iDevices, or for reseller inquires, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/

About Other World Computing (OWC)
Other World Computing (OWC) has been providing quality hardware products and support to the computer industry since 1988 and features one of the largest online catalogs of computer, iPod®, iPhone®, and iPad® enhancement products through its e-commerce portal www.macsales.com. As a member of the Apple Developer Program, OWC also provides extensive US-based technical support for Macintosh users around the world as well as Internet access via www.fastermac.net and www.owc.net

OWC’s industry awards and recognition include: Crain’s Chicago Business 2009 and 2011 “Fast 50” List of 50 Fastest Growing Companies in the Chicago Area; Inc. 5,000 “Fastest Growing Privately Owned Companies in America” list honoree 2007-2011; Reseller Ratings Elite Member 2009-2011; Better Business Bureau Top Rating of A+ 2010-2011; Reflex Packaging Commitment to Excellence Recycling Award 2009; Computerworld Magazine Top Green-IT Companies for 2008; and McHenry County Economic Development Corporation 2008 & 2011 Business Champion Award.

Company Contact:
Bill Herring
512-412-4009
bherring@macsales.com
Agency Contact:
Andy Marken
408-986-0100
andy@markencom.com


OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini is a trademark; and OWC is a registered trademark of New Concepts Development Corporation.
Apple, Mac, Time Machine, iPod, iPhone, and iPad are the trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.