As a guy I knew a long time ago used to say: “Not so, Buffalo Breath!” 
This is true, and ONLY true, if you are lucky enough to have a system with the 4.n firmware in it. The newer 2.n firmware devices do not, repeat NOT, have the ability to safely shutdown the device at all!
Viz.: My posting at Safe shutdown
I know this is way off topic, but it’s this kind of horse-hooey that makes me want to find whoever was responsible for this debacle, and CHOKE THE [snap!] OUT OF HIM!!
I have an ancient My Book World (blue rings edition) that, at the very least, has a power button. Of course, the Einsteins that developed the firmware for this beastie designed it so that the power lights go off first - making the user think it’s off - about two minutes before it has truly shut down. Result: Many borked My Book World systems, (including mine!), and a while slew of dissatisfied customers.
In my case, I solved the problem with a red LED wired across the +12v power to the hard drives in my device. When the LED is off, I can safely shut down power to it.
(fume, fume, rant, rant. . . .)
Jim “JR”
p.s. I’m still experimenting with the USB stuff.
