I have an older model of the FreeAgent Desktop (250GB - yes, it's old) and the new model looks like a recipe for disaster - literally.
The older model had a moderately larger base that made it very stable for the vertically-mounted HDD. Inside that base was the hook-up for USB and the power supply. It also included a small vented heatsink, so it was dead-quiet and the outer case barely got warm at all.
The newer base looks rather thin to support a vertically-mounted HDD - looks easy to topple it sideways.
Oh well, time will tell.