On the other hand, the desktop model has two Thunderbolt ports, so it can be used as a 'pass-through' device.

Unfortunately, if you have other Thunderbolt-enabled devices, Seagate's Backup Plus portable model will have to be at the end of the chain - it's got no Thunderbolt output port. One of the nice features of Thunderbolt is the ability to daisy chain up to five devices. The Seagate Backup Plus portable drive with the Universal Storage Module interface adapter removed. The FireWire adapter for the Backup Plus won't be available until the fall, but you can still use the GoFlex model of the adapter with this drive it just won't match new drive's look. The Thunderbolt adapter will run you $99. The drive comes standard with a USB 3.0 adapter snapped in, but that can be removed with a quick tug and replaced with a FireWire 800 or Thunderbolt adapter - if you're willing to part with some additional greenbacks. Like its predecessor, the GoFlex, the Backup Plus portable line comes with a Universal Storage Module - a removable SATA interface adapter. It comes in one of four colors: black, red, blue or silver.

The new Backup Plus portable drive is remarkably slim and light, weighing a little less than half a pound and measuring just. The Backup Plus line comes in a desktop model and a portable model I tested the latter. And as far as I know, it is also the only single hard drive backup device that offers an uber-fast Thunderbolt connectivity option.

Seagate is moving away from its GoFlex branding with a new series of external drives dubbed Backup Plus, which will store not only your photos, videos and files, but some social media data as well - users can back up or share documents to Facebook and photo-sharing site Flickr.

Seagate online backup