Presenting G-CONNECT 500 GB wireless storage

Visiting San Francisco I bought one ( actually three )  G-CONNECT wireless storage devices.
G-Connect 500gb Wi-Fi

The initial price according the manufacturer's website is $199.95.  In my first visit at Fry's the price was dropped to 69.99. I was very tempted but I held my will.



Visiting another Fry's I found by 39,00!!! I thought, It's almost the same price of a Raspberry pi and comes with a 500GB hard drive. In the worst scenario I could open this device and take the hard drivers to use in another project.

Manufacturer's website:

http://www.g-technology.com/products/g-connect-wireless-500-gb-hard-drive

When I turned on the device, I started to notice why this price dropped so much...


The product have some "strange features" like:
  1. It's impossible create users, product comes with admin and guest account only.
  2. The Gigabit Ethernet works with gigabit speed only when the Wi-Fi is OFF, when ON (AP router mode) the speed is fast ethernet 100/10
  3. The android app is impossible download from my country.
  4. The hard drive comes formatted in FAT32. It's impossible write files larger then 4gb.

The Apple Ipad and Iphone apps are really simple, based in the experience that I had with a Seagate GoFlex Net that uses the pogoplug apps to control the device.

Using apk-downloader website I solved the android app issue... That's the link to the app: com.hgst.gtech.gconnect

If the link doesn't work, use google play URL in apk-downloader website:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hgst.gtech.gconnect


Next step is open the device to check the hardware and start the hacking...



Now price dropped a little bit more - 38.00 !!!

My list of G-CONNECT oddities right now is:
  1. It's impossible create users, product comes with admin and guest account only.
  2. The Gigabit Ethernet works with gigabit speed only when the Wi-Fi is OFF, when ON (AP router mode) the speed is fast ethernet 100/10
  3. The android app is impossible download from my country.
  4. The hard drive comes formatted in FAT32. It's impossible write files larger then 4gb.