Press

Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a leading zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, announced today the Mercury Aura® Envoy™ , the industry’s first bus-powered enclosure for utilizing the factory Flash SSD from any 2010 or 2011 Apple® MacBook® Air model as an external drive when upgrading to the higher-capacity and higher-performance of an OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD. Complementing a MacBook Air both visually and digitally, the new Mercury Aura Envoy will be shown in Other World Computing’s booth #5231, LVCC North Hall, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which begins Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lighter than Air, Take it Anywhere
The Mercury Aura Envoy’s sleek size (5.9in L x 1.79in W x tapered .279in to .466in H) makes it an ideal portable storage and/or backup solution that slips easily into a laptop bag or coat pocket. Made from brushed aluminum and offering bus-powered (no AC adapter needed) convenience, its 1.5-ounce (no drive installed) housing is nearly light as air. The Mercury Aura Envoy isn’t a lightweight in the performance department however; its USB 3.0 interface offers up to 500MB/s data rates for high performance, on-the-go backup and file storage as well as grab-and-go enjoyment of music, movies or videos.

Two-Step Installation Takes Less Than Two Minutes

• Remove the two screws that hold the two halves of the Mercury Aura Envoy enclosure together.
• Insert the factory SSD module into the Envoy’s SATA adapter and re-assemble housing.

Only Performance Upgrade Available for MacBook Air
Since its introduction of the Mercury Aura Pro Express 3G SSD at the 2010 CES show, OWC remains the only alternative to factory SSD options for the latest MacBook Air. OWC’s 3G SSD models are available in capacities up to 480GB (8x more capacity than factory options) and deliver up to 68 percent faster performance in real world use.

Owners of 2011 MacBook Air models can use OWC’s 6G Aura Pro Express model, available in 120GB and 240GB capacities, as well as the new 480GB capacity announced today for CES (see separate OWC VPO press release), to take advantage of the MacBook Air’s faster processors and built-in 6Gb/s SATA data bus. With an Aura Pro Express SSD, users can achieve peak, sustained data rates over 500MB/s, versus the factory installed SSDs, which are limited by SATA Revision 2.0 (3Gb/s) capability. OWC offers an easy online guide to assist consumers in selecting the correct Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD for any of Apple’s MacBook Air models from 2008 to current.

Complements Industry’s Most Comprehensive SSD Line for Macs and PCs
The new Mercury Aura Envoy enclosure for the MacBook Air Flash drive enhances OWC’s existing line of performance-leading, world record-breaking 3G (3Gb/s) and 6G (6Gb/s) Mercury SSDs. OWC offers SSDs for nearly every Mac and PC produced over the past decade in capacities from 30GB to 480GB with prices starting from $54.99. For more information on the complete OWC Mercury SSD line, including expert benchmark reviews, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/. For more information on the OWC catalog of over 2,900 performance upgrades and accessories, or for reseller inquires, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/

“It’s very gratifying to have developed the only complete performance upgrade solution available for the highly successful MacBook Air,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing. “Besides providing significantly higher performance and capacity than the factory drive with our Mercury Aura Pro Express SSDs, the new Mercury Aura Envoy easily and elegantly turns the factory SSD into a new, high-performance external drive.”

Mercury Aura Envoy Features:

• Lightweight aluminum enclosure complements MacBook Air appearance
• USB 3.0 interface (Micro-B port) for 500MB/s data rates
• Ultra portable:
  • Size: 5.9in Length x 1.79in Width x tapered .279in to .466in Height
  • Weight: 1.5 ounces (empty case, no drive installed)
• Silent, fanless operation
• Bus-powered (no AC adapter required)
• One-year warranty

Pricing, Availability
Compatible with the Flash SSD module used in current 11.1" and 13.3" MacBook Air models, the Mercury Aura Envoy will be available from OWC and through the retail channel by late March priced at $49.95 MSRP.