I'm thinking of getting a 500GB MyBook Essential or Home edition to save my important files. Do these two editions contain the same drive inside? Are they reliable? Do they use Perpendicular Recording technology?

http://www.wdc.com/en/

Go to CNET web site and read the customer reviews on the E-book http://reviews.cnet.com/ I just purchased a Seagate FreeAagent 320G.B.7200rpm USB Externial H.D. and I believe I was lucky becasue I was also looking at the E-Book by Western Digitial however I read more the just few reviews stating the drives are dying in ther first year of use ? I had to try the Seagate FreeAgent ,I was looking at the externial H.D. after X=Mas at Best Buy and could not pass up the $68 price(reg $120) for the drive I purchased ,mine is the FreeAgent Desktop ,they also have the FreeAgent Pro that cost a bit more ! Its worth your time to do a little investigating B/4 buying ,I have always heard the Western Digitial are one of the best H.D.'s ,so I was surprised the read all the negative reviews I found from customers on their E-Book line ! Good Luck Nick