FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OWC Announces Mercury Legacy Pro As First And Fastest SandForce Based IDE/ATA Solid State Drive Available For Mac And PC Notebooks

Fastest 2.5" IDE/ATA SSD on market offers up to 41X faster performance than conventional drives, 7% over provisioning for virtually no speed degradation, RAID-like data protection, and up to 100X higher reliability than standard hard drives. Available in four models - 40GB, 60GB, 120GB, and 240GB – with prices starting at $199.99

January 5, 2011, Las Vegas, NV -- Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a leading zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, announced today its new Mercury Legacy™ Pro Solid State Drive (SSD) line as the first and fastest SandForce® processor based SSD available for pre-Intel® PowerPC® based Mac notebooks, PCs, and other notebook/laptop computers that utilize an internal 2.5" sized IDE/ATA drive. This announcement establishes OWC as the most comprehensive U.S. manufacturer of industry leading SandForce processor based SSDs available today with OWC Mercury Pro brand SSD models available for nearly every Mac and PC produced over the past decade. OWC will be demonstrating the new Mercury Legacy Pro and other first-to-market OWC Mercury Pro SSDs in booth #3935, LVCC North Hall, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which begins tomorrow in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Fastest 2.5" IDE/ATA Drive Available For Legacy Notebooks/Laptops
With performance up to 41X faster than today’s traditional hard drives, the OWC Mercury Legacy Pro offers users of Mac and PC notebook, laptop, and computers that utilize an internal 2.5" sized IDE/ATA drive the fastest internal drive performance available today. It eliminates tedious drive spin up wait time and delayed system responsiveness by providing near instant data access, system boots, and app loads.

Four Models Starting At $199.99 MSRP
The new OWC Mercury Legacy Pro is available immediately in four capacities compatible with pre-Intel PowerPC based Mac PowerBooks and iBooks; as well as PCs and other notebook/laptop computers that utilize an internal 2.5" sized IDE/ATA drive:
  • 40GB Mercury Legacy Pro with 7% over provisioning & three year warranty - $TBA
  • 60GB Mercury Legacy Pro with 7% over provisioning & three year warranty - $199.99
  • 120GB Mercury Legacy Pro with 7% over provisioning & three year warranty - $299.99
  • 240GB Mercury Legacy Pro with 7% over provisioning & three year warranty - $579.99
For more information on the OWC Mercury Legacy Pro line, including reseller inquires, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Mercury_Legacy_Pro.
For more information on the complete OWC Mercury Pro SSD line, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/.

Doesn’t Slow Down With Use Like Ordinary SSDs
Ordinary SSDs offer fast read/write performance during first initial uses, but then experience significant write speed degradation over repeated usage. Independent simulation tests by leading drive performance experts (http://macperformanceguide.com/SSD-RealWorld.html) confirm OWC Mercury Pro brand SSD’s ultra-efficient Block Management & Wear Leveling technologies are able to eliminate virtually any reduction in data transfer speeds over heavy long term usage of the drive and without dependency on less than effective OS TRIM management.

Up To 100X Greater Data Protection
Utilizing SandForce DuraClass™ technology, the OWC Mercury Legacy Pro is able to provide up to 100X higher data protection than provided by ordinary SSDs as well as leading enterprise class hard disk drives. By combining the highest level of Error Correction Code (ECC) and SandForce RAISE™ (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements) technology along with 7% over provisioning, the Mercury Legacy Pro provides RAID like data protection and reliability without loss of transfer speed due to parity.
“The Mercury Legacy Pro SSD line is like a performance ‘supercharger’ for older notebook and laptop users,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing. “It can really wake up that trusty machine and extend its usefulness at a fraction of the cost of a new computer.”

OWC Mercury Pro: Most Comprehensive Industry First SSD Line For Macs And PCs
In addition to the Mercury Legacy Pro line being announced as the first and fastest SandForce processor based IDE/ATA SSD available for pre-Intel PowerPC based Mac notebooks, PCs, and other notebook/laptop computers, OWC is also unveiling four other industry first Mercury Pro SSD model lines at the CES show:
• OWC Mercury Aura™ Pro Express, the first SSD available for ordering for all 2010 Apple MacBook Air models.
• OWC Mercury Aura Pro MBA, the first high performance SandForce processor based SSD available for all 2008-2009 Apple MacBook Air models.
• OWC Mercury Aura Pro 1.8", the first and fastest SandForce processor based SSD available for netbooks, subnotebook, and other computers that utilize an internal 1.8" sized SATA drive.
• OWC Mercury Extreme™ Pro Legacy Edition, the first and fastest SandForce® processor based IDE/ATA SSD available for pre-Intel® PowerPC® based Macs, PCs, and other desktop/tower computers. For more information on the complete OWC Mercury Pro SSD line, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/.

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 an Apple Certified Developer, 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 “Fast 50” List of 50 Fastest Growing Companies in the Chicago Area; Inc. 5,000 “Fastest Growing Privately Owned Companies in America” list honoree 2007-2010; Reseller Ratings Elite Member 2009 & 2010; Better Business Bureau Top Rating of A+ 2010; Reflex Packaging Commitment to Excellence Recycling Award 2009; Computerworld MagazineTop Green-IT Companies for 2008; and McHenry County Economic Development Corporation 2008 Business Champion Award.

In March 2010, OWC’s corporate campus was designated as LEED Platinum by the Green Building Certification Institute (http://eshop.macsales.com/green/index.html). Platinum is the highest achievable LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Program level, which began in1998.Out of more than 14,000 LEED projects engaged worldwide since the program's inception, OWC is one of less than three hundred to achieve the Platinum standard. In September 2010, OWC’s headquarters earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR rating for building operations that perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. Photo: Mercury Legacy Pro Company Contact:
Bill Herring
512-412-4009
bherring@macsales.com
Agency Contact:
Andy Marken
408-986-0100
andy@markencom.com