NewerTech is all about cool adapters that let you easily connect devices to your computer. Back in November, I mentioned a new adapter that the company had unveiled that connected any internal SATA HDD to a USB 3.0 port. NewerTech has now unveiled another new adapter that turns your eSATA external drives into USB 3.0 gear.
The adapter is called simply enough the eSATA to USB 3.0 Adapter and it sells for $29.95. The idea is that you can adapt the eSATA drive to USB 3.0 to enjoy the data transfer speeds up to 5Gb/s. I would imagine that the USB 3.0 port would become more common on many notebooks and desktops leaving your eSATA gear with no love.
The kit includes the adapter and the USB 3.0 cable. The device will also adapt the eSATA storage devices to USB 2.0 as well. That allows you to be able to access your data even if the machine you are on lacks eSATA and USB 3.0 ports. The adapter will work with eSATA HDDs and SSDs and needs no drivers.
Sabio has announced its latest external drive, and the Sabio DM2-PT manages to fit a dual-disc RAID array into a 6-inch square. Offering up to 2TB of capacity and a choice of RAID 0, 1, JBOD and span options, the DM2-PT has a trio of connectivity options: eSATA, Firewire 800 and USB 2.0.
There’s also a second Firewire 800 port, so that you can daisy-chain units together off of a single host port, and if you plump for Firewire then the DM2-PT can be bus-powered too. The box is made from aluminum for durability, and is compatible with Apple’s Time Machine backup as well.
NEW SABIO DRIVE BRINGS EXEPTIONAL PREFORMANCE AND AFFORDABILITY TO DIGITAL IMAGING STORAGE
With up to 2 TB dual-drive capacity, data transfer rates of more than 115 MBps and multiple RAID options (0,1, JBOD and span), the DM2-PT is an all-in-one, professional grade, high capacity storage, editing and protection solution, ideal for any field or office application.
SAN DIEGO – January 20, 2011 – Sabio Products, a leading provider of external storage solutions for digital imaging, creative professionals, offices and ‘prosumers’ who need large capacity, high speed, professional grade content protection, announced the availability of the DM2PT – an extremely small footprint, 2 drive, RAID enabled external storage solution with exceptional data transfer rates of more than a 115MBps. This all-in-one, high capacity, portable content backup and storage solution has been specifically designed for the studio, office, home or field environment and because of its built in RAID controller with RAID 0, 1, JBOD and span configurations is ideal for any data imaging, HD 1080 video editing, DSLR photography, JPEG/RAW imaging or straight forward media protection and back up application.
“Plug and play set-up and ease of configuration make this a natural fit for Photo and Design applications” says Steve King – Business Development for Sabio. “We’ve specifically designed this product to deliver world class performance at an enticingly affordable price in the world’s smallest footprint in its class.”
The DM2-PT is compatible with any Apple, Windows or Linux based computer or workstation and features built in eSATA, Firewire 800 and USB 2.0 connectivity for utility and convenience, and with its small footprint (6” x 6” x 0.8”), rugged aluminum design and protective slip cover, is an ideal travelling companion for the most demanding photography, video or content capture field project or event. The DM2-PT is also capable of receiving bus power via a Firewire 800 port and with two Firewire 800 ports, multiple units may be daisy chained to support even higher storage capacities.
“We are exceptionally pleased to bring this opportunity to our Photo Specialty Dealers”, notes Mark Gustavson – Executive Director, Marketing and Communication for WYNIT (the exclusive US Distributor for Sabio Products). “The high-capacity, high-speed performance in an compact and elegant form-factor makes the DM2-PT a natural fit for this marketplace.”
DM2-PT ships with all cables (USB 2.0, eSATA and FW800) and supports Apple Time Machine and Windows 7 and is compatible with popular editing software including Final Cut Pro, Xpress and Premier.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from ASUS about their USB 3.0 toting O!Play HD2 multimedia center, but now – with the launch tipped for this week – the company is being a little more forthright about the specifications. Supporting USB 2.0 and eSATA external drives, the ASUS O!Play HD2 also has an internal 3.5-inch hard-drive bay and can be used as a regular USB 3.0 external HDD in its own right.
The full list of supported formats is in the table below, but highlights include MPEG 4, H.264 and RM/RMVB, as well as direct ISO support and Dolby Digital AC3/DTS Digital surround sound. There are also various image and audio codecs, while outputs include composite, component, both optical and coaxial digital audio, and HDMI 1.3.
A memory card reader and 10/100 ethernet port – that allows you to use the HD2 as an iTunes/Samba/FTP server – round out what’s looking to be one of the more interesting media players around right now. The ASUS O!Play HD2 should be appearing in UK sales channels by the end of this week, priced at £109 ($172) with no internal drive fitted.
Press Release:
Connect to a Cosmos of Entertainment with ASUS O!Play HD2
World’s First USB 3.0 Multimedia Centre Combines Enhanced Content Sharing with Greater Storage Flexibility
With the HD2 model, the O!Play range expands its multimedia functionality to cover even more ground, including the world’s first media device with USB3.0 support to transfer high definition video and audio in ultra-fast speeds. The new device also features standard 3.5-inch hard drive compatibility, NAS support, iPhone® interconnectivity and DLNA compatibility for effortless access to online entertainment.
Better Sharing with USB 3.0, 3.5-inch Hard Drives and Network Attached Storage Support
O!Play HD2 features USB 3.0, which works up to ten times faster than USB 2.0, so even an entire HD movie only takes around 70 seconds to transfer.
O!Play HD2 expands the amount of content users can keep with support for 3.5-inch hard drives and an easy swap-and-store design so consumers can easily use O!Play HD2 as an external hard drive.
Complementing its mass storage capabilities, O!Play HD2 can be configured as a network attached storage (NAS) device for seamless network integration. It comes pre-setup with iTunes, Samba and standard FTP server functions. Users can manage their content and data quickly, all on one device. It even works as a jukebox, with on demand browsing of stored music files.
iPhone® Remote Control
Special enhancements make it possible to use an iPhone® as a remote control with O!Play HD2. This feature supports all major playback and content handling settings, extending O!Play HD2’s range in addition to promoting greater device integration.
Rich Connected Entertainment
O!Play HD2 brings more online entertainment home. It delivers access to live streaming of over 20,000 radio stations, Picasa and Flickr, plus a wealth of infotainment, including weather and stock quotes.
Easy Home Networking with DLNA
DLNA, or Digital Living Network Alliance, offers a standardized format for handling content such as movies, photos and music across different devices. O!Play HD2 comes fully compatible as a DLNA client, helping users share content through networked devices. This makes media streaming throughout the home effortless.
Multiple Format Support and Upgradable Firmware
O!Play HD2 supports the most popular formats, including MPEG2 (AVI/VOB), MPEG4 (AVO/Xvid), M2TS (Blu-ray), MKV (H.264), rmvb and DVD functional navigation of ISO and IFO formats. It also supports Dolby TrueHD decoding and pass-through, taking full advantage of Blu-ray Disc quality to produce 100 percent lossless audio. O!Play HD2 lets users experience 7.1-channel audio output for theatre-like enjoyment.
ASUS offers constant online updates to O!Play firmware and drivers. As new standards emerge and existing ones are refined, O!Play devices receive prompt operational revisions.
QNAP has outed its latest network media player, the NMP-1000P, a compact STB that offers Full HD 1080p video, Dolby and DTS digital surround sound, optional NAS functionality and internet media streaming. Able to gobble up a 3.5-inch hard-drive in its internal bay – either for storing local content or acting as a backup drive for networked computers – the NMP-1000P uses Sigma Designs new 667MHz SMP8643 SoC video/audio decoder.
That means it’s capable of handling MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, XVID, H.264, H.263, WMV9 and VC1 encoded media in a vast number of different container formats (AVI, MPEG/MPG, VCD (ISO, MPG, NRG), DVD (VOB, IFO, ISO, NRG), WMV, ASF, TP, TS, TRP, M1V, M2V, M4V, M2P, M2T, M2TS, BDMV/ BD ISO, MTS, MOV, MP4, RMP4, MKV, MOD and 3GP), which is before you get to the various image and audio file types supported. Then there’s the online media support, including Flickr and Picasa photos, Apple movie trailers, Internet radio, Mediafly and weather forecasts; you can also use the NMP-1000P as a standalone BitTorrent downloader.
Connectivity includes ethernet (wireless is optional), two USB 2.0 host (for hooking up external storage, optical drives or even keyboard/mouse peripherals), a USB 2.0 device port (for treating the QNAP as an external drive), two eSATA (one Host, one Device), HDMI v1.3a, component (Y, Pb, Pr), composite, analog stereo out and an S/PDIF optical port. No word on pricing or availability.
Press Release:
QNAP New NMP-1000P Delivers Digital Home Experience with Premium-quality Video, Audio, and the Ease of File Sharing and Backup Capabilities
New NMP-1000P Networked Player with High Performance Wolfson Stereo DAC is Ideal for Audio and Video Enthusiasts Looking to Playback Wide Range of Multimedia Content while Enjoying the Crisp 1080p Videos and Dolby® and DTS Multi-Channel Surround Sound in Addition to the NAS Features and Internet Media Streaming Capability.
Taipei, Taiwan, September 2010 – QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of world class NAS servers, NVR Video Surveillance Systems, and Network-based Media Players today announced the NMP-1000P Network Multimedia Player, a unique new product for audiophiles and AV enthusiasts. NMP-1000P features the latest Sigma Designs® video/audio decoder that is capable of displaying ultra realistic full HD movies with advanced menu navigation, crystal clear next-generation Dolby® and DTS multi-channel surround sound, high-quality lossless music, digital pictures with background music, and other multimedia content. NMP-1000P is also powered by a high performance Wolfson stereo digital to analog converter for truly outstanding audio experience.
What’s more, the intuitive user interface of NMP-1000P makes it a snap to download movie covers and related information, and to discover and catalog content from any connected storage device or network drives. NMP-1000P retains Turbo NAS functionality for backup of all networked computers, convenient cross-platform file sharing among Windows, Mac, and Linux/UNIX, multiple user accounts and access right management, and remotely access to media files with the built-in Web File Manager and FTP. NMP-1000P even streams thousands of TV shows, news, podcasts, music, photos, and other content from Mediafly™, Apple Movie Trailers, CNN, SHOUTcast, Internet radio service, Flickr, Picasa, and more.
“NMP-1000P is truly the missing piece in today’s digital homes for enjoying premium-quality picture and sound,” said Jason Hsu, Product Manager of QNAP Systems, Inc. “Today’s users demand that contents be available on the fly and they don’t want to deal with a multitude of different devices and interfaces to make it happen. NMP-1000P is the culmination of QNAP’s extensive experience in developing network appliances and software applications which can satisfy the consumers’ need to get the content they want from virtually any source, and play it with the best video and audio quality on the living room TV using a single networked device.”
NMP-1000P can be connected to a home network via wired or wireless 802.11b/g/n (a variety of compatible wireless USB adaptors are sold separately) network connection. NMP-1000P can host a user-supplied 3.5-inch SATA hard drive with up to 2TB capacity for local content storage plus hi-speed USB and eSATA external connections for storage expansion, as well as directly connected to PC via USB and eSATA for fast data transfer, all within a sleek compact set-top box with a remote control and friendly user interface for easy navigation.
Iomega has announced plans to shift all of their external hard-drives from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0, with no change in pricing and extra ruggedness thrown in. Starting with the eGo range – which will all get USB 3.0 connectivity by the end of October – and then looking to the Prestige and other lines in Q1 2011, Iomega will also be adding in 256-bit AES hardware encryption; the eGo drives will be capable of withstanding up to 7ft drops, which the company reckons is twice what rivals can manage.
They’ll also be bundled with Iomega’s QuikProtect and v.Clone apps, together with a 12-month license for Trend Micro’s Internet Security suite. Since USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0, owners with an eye on future upgrades will still be able to use the drives with their existing machines.
We asked Iomega’s Jonathan Huberman why the company had seemingly bypassed eSATA and gone straight to USB 3.0, and he blamed industry-wide low sales of drives using the eSATA interface for the decision. Iomega does offer dual-interface USB 2.0/eSATA models, but with the faster port generally not supplying enough power for portable external drives, consumer take-up has been poor.
Our other question regarded Apple, and the company’s apparent reluctance to step up to USB 3.0 even in their most recent desktop model refresh. All Huberman would say was that the Cupertino company’s delay was “interesting”, and that he wouldn’t be surprised if they moved to USB 3.0 in Q1 2011; however, he also pointed out that Apple tend to keep their roadmap cards close to their chest. Right now, Iomega offer various Mac-centric USB 2.0/FireWire combo drives, but they plan to update these to USB 3.0/FireWire so that, when Apple starts selling machines with the faster port, owners will be ready.
Currently the Iomega eGo drives have MRSPs of $114 for the 500GB model and $189 for the 1TB model (though street prices are less).
Press Release:
Iomega Sets the Market Standard for Portable Hard Drives – First to Offer New SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Models at USB 2.0 Prices!
Award-Winning Premium eGo Portable Hard Drive Line First to Feature All USB 3.0 Models with Hardware Encryption And Industry-Leading Ruggedness, Too
SAN DIEGO, August 24, 2010 – Iomega, an EMC company (NYSE: EMC) and a leading innovator in digital protection solutions for consumers and small and medium businesses, is excited to announce that it is moving to the new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface for all Iomega USB 2.0 portable hard drives, beginning with the award-winning line of Iomega® eGo™ Portable Hard Drives. The new all-USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives will feature hardware encryption and super toughness, too, thanks to a drop spec twice the industry average – all at USB 2.0 product prices. This market-leading move continues Iomega’s tradition of technology leadership.
“As a market leader in external hard drive solutions, Iomega is proud to be the first to move towards an all USB 3.0 portable hard drive lineup – and at no extra price premium to our customers,” said Jonathan Huberman, president of Iomega Corporation and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC. “With a super fast USB 3.0 interface delivering speeds of up to 10 times that of USB 2.0, super tough with a 7-foot drop spec that’s twice the industry average and super secure with AES 256 hardware encryption, Iomega’s eGo Portable Hard Drives will be the premium must-have portable storage product. Factor in our bundled software Protection Suite with popular titles such as Iomega’s QuikProtect, v.Clone and Trend Micro’s Internet Security, and that makes Iomega’s USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives an exceptional premium solution at the same price as most entry level basic USB 2.0 products.”
USB 3.0 Transition Timeline for Iomega Portable Hard Drives
Iomega plans to move all eGo Portable Hard Drives in 500GB* and 1TB** capacities to the new USB 3.0 interface by early October. Totally compatible will all USB 2.0 computers, the new USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives will include Iomega’s industry-leading Drop Guard™ Xtreme, which provides added protection from drops of nearly seven feet or twice the industry average***.
In the first quarter of 2011, Iomega plans to move the Iomega® Prestige Compact Portable Hard Drive line to USB 3.0 on all models. Shortly thereafter, Iomega will move the rest of its portable external hard drive models to the USB 3.0 interface.
Perfect for slipping into a laptop bag or pocket, all of Iomega’s 2.5-inch portable hard drives are host powered, requiring no external power supply beyond the power provided through the USB bus on a personal computer, laptop or netbook. Iomega’s new USB 3.0 portable hard drives are completely backward compatible with personal computers and other devices that only have USB 2.0 ports. Iomega offers USB 3.0 adapter cards (sold separately) to insert into USB 2.0 laptop and desktop computers so users can experience native USB 3.0 transfer speeds of up to 5 gigabits per second.
More Than Just a Portable Hard Drive – A Total Solution
Iomega prides itself on providing total solutions, which is why all of the new Iomega USB 3.0 eGo Portable Hard Drives come complete out of the box with 256-bit hardware encryption built-in (PC only), as well as the cables required to enjoy your drive right away, whether your desktop or laptop has USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 ports. The Prestige family of portable hard drives will also feature 256-bit hardware encryption built-in (PC only) with the transition to USB 3.0 models in the first quarter of 2011.
Best Software Package Bundled With Portable Hard Drives Today
Included free of charge with all of Iomega’s eGo and Prestige Portable Hard Drives is the Iomega Protection Suite, a one-stop portfolio of backup and anti-virus software giving users added protection for their photos, videos, music and other files.
The Iomega Protection Suite includes:
v.Clone™ software, an Iomega exclusive, captures a complete virtual image of your PC — including the operating system, all applications, your settings, and all your files to your Iomega hard drive. Access the cloned copy and use it seamlessly on another computer, just as if you’re working from your own PC. When you reconnect, automatically sync your data to your primary PC, so that files are always up to date****.
A complementary 12 month subscription to Trend Micro™ Internet Security for the PC, or Trend Micro™ Smart Surfing software for Mac.
Iomega QuikProtect: backup software for simple scheduled file-level backup of data to hard drives and network-attached storage devices (for Windows and Mac desktops and notebooks).
Roxio® Retrospect® Express software: backup all of your data plus applications and settings (for Windows and Mac desktops and notebooks).
MozyHome™ Online Backup service: Convenient online backup service with 2GB of online capacity for free (unlimited online storage for $4.95/month). MozyHome Online service allows Windows and Mac users to restore their most important data from any computer with internet access, at any location in the world.
All of the software elements in the Iomega Protection Suite are accessible via easy download to owners of Iomega eGo and Prestige Drives.
Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drives – Beauty and the Beast
Not only are Iomega’s award-winning eGo Portable Hard Drives super fast and super rugged, they’re head-turners, too. Sporting a sleek, smaller enclosure than the previous generation of eGo portable hard drives, eGo Portable Hard Drives are among the smallest 2.5-inch HDD portable hard drives in the market today. Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drives are available in a variety of colors that include Ruby Red, Midnight Blue and Silver.
To appreciate how much data can be stored on a high capacity 2.5-inch drive, an Iomega eGo Portable Hard Drive with 1TB of capacity can hold up to 400,000 photos, over 250,000 songs or 385 hours of video*****.
Pricing, Availability and Warranty
For more information on Iomega’s complete line of portable hard drives, including current pricing, please go to www.iomega.com. Also be sure to see Iomega’s new USB 3.0 product video at YouTube.
The Iomega USB 3.0 Adapter for USB 2.0 laptops is available for $39.99, and the Iomega USB 3.0 PCI Express Adaptor for PC desktops is $39.99. (Pricing is U.S. suggested retail.)
All Iomega portable hard drives include a 3-year limited warranty (with registration). Iomega-branded portable hard drives are available from online retailers, VARs, resellers and select retailers, as well as at www.iomega.com.
About EMC
EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) is the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organizations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. Information about EMC’s products and services can be found at www.EMC.com.
About Iomega
Iomega Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation headquartered in San Diego, is a worldwide leader in innovative storage solutions for small businesses, home offices, consumers and others. The Company has sold more than 425 million digital storage drives and disks since its inception in 1980. Today, Iomega’s product portfolio includes industry leading network attached storage products for the home and small business; one of the industry’s broadest selections of direct-attached portable and desktop external hard drives; and the ScreenPlay™ family of multimedia drives that makes it easy to move video, pictures and other files from the computer room to the livingroom. To learn about all of Iomega’s digital storage products and network storage solutions, please go to the Web at www.iomega.com. Resellers can visit Iomega at www.iomega.com/ipartner.
Buffalo has unveiled its latest DriveStation range of external hard-drives, with three new models targeted at creative types. The DriveStation Duo and DriveStation Quad each have USB 2.0 and eSATA connections and support RAID (0 and 1 on the dual-drive Duo, and 0, 5, 10 and Normal on the four-drive Quad), with quick-access front drive bays; their single-drive sibling, the DriveStation Axis drops the eSATA and is USB 2.0 only.
All three come with a copy of NovaBACKUP, and in various preconfigured sizes. The The DriveStation Quad will arrive later this month, priced at $624.99 for the 4TB (HD-QL4TSU2R5) and $1134.99 for the 8TB (HD-QL8TSU2R5) models, while the DriveStation Duo will follow on in September priced at $274.99 for the 2TB (HD-WL2TSU2R1) and $454.99 for the 4TB (HD-WL4TSU2R1). Meanwhile the single-drive DriveStation Axis will also go on sale in September, at $104.99 for the 1TB (HD-LB1.0TU2), $124.99 for the 1.5TB (HD-LB1.5TU2) and $169.99 for the 4TB (HD-LB2.0TU2).
Press Release:
Buffalo Refreshes Its DriveStation Family
New External Hard Drive Solutions Offer High Capacity and High Performance
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ — Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of wired and wireless networking and network and direct attached storage solutions, today announced a refresh of the highly popular DriveStation Duo™ and DriveStation Quad™, formerly DriveStation Quattro™, representing the latest generation of high-performance direct attached storage solutions. Combining performance and reliability, these new multi-drive external hard drives, equipped with NovaBACKUP® Business Essentials, are ideal for small servers, creative professionals, offices and consumers requiring redundant and high-performance external storage. Also announced today is the new DriveStation Axis™, a single drive storage solution combining unique features and simplicity with Buffalo’s distinguished reliability for an exceptional value.
“Consumers and businesses alike have become quite savvy when it comes to protecting mission-critical or personal data such as file backups, work documents, music, photos and videos,” said Ralph Spagnola, vice president of sales at Buffalo Technology. “Buffalo has always recognized this need and has once again put forth best-in-class storage solutions providing a perfect blend of reliability, performance and flexible features at affordable prices.”
The DriveStation Quad is a 4-drive, RAID enabled storage solution for small servers, creative professionals, offices and consumers requiring large, redundant and high-performance external storage. Equipped with four hard drives, DriveStation Quad supports RAID 0, 5, 10 and Normal modes, but ships configured in RAID 5, for a prime balance between data redundancy and available storage capacity. Additionally, DriveStation Quad supports USB 2.0 for compatibility with almost any computer and eSATA 3.0 for high-performance data transfer rates of up to 235 MB/s. A heavy-duty cooling system allows the unit to efficiently run cool and quiet while the snap-off front plate allows for quick and easy drive replacements with no tools required. Available in capacities up to 8 TB, the DriveStation Quad delivers unmatched performance at a great value.
The DriveStation Duo dual-drive storage solution features USB 2.0 support for universal compatibility and enhanced performance speeds up to 225 MB/s with eSATA 3.0, providing the necessary horsepower for even the most performance critical applications. Equipped with two quick swap hard drives, the DriveStation Duo supports RAID 0 and 1 offering data redundancy or the capacity required for demanding professional and server applications, along with simple user maintenance and tool-free drive replacements.
For value-minded consumers, Buffalo’s new single drive DriveStation Axis is an easy-to-use external hard drive for the simple addition of external storage to any device via a USB port. DriveStation Axis features a sleek, attractive chassis that can be positioned vertically or horizontally, adapting to the location it is used in for efficient use of space. Equipped with the Buffalo Backup Utility, a component of Buffalo Tools, a feature-rich software suite designed to enhance computer performance and the day-to-day digital life of Windows® PC consumers, the Buffalo DriveStation Axis is the perfect solution for expanding storage or backing up any home or home office computer.
Pricing and Availability
The Buffalo DriveStation family is backed by a limited one-year warranty that includes toll-free 24/7 technical support.
The DriveStation Quad is available in late August at estimated street prices of $624.99 for the 4 TB (HD-QL4TSU2R5) and $1134.99 for the 8 TB (HD-QL8TSU2R5)
The DriveStation Duo is available in September at estimated street prices of $274.99 for the 2 TB (HD-WL2TSU2R1) and $454.99 for the 4 TB (HD-WL4TSU2R1)
The DriveStation Axis is available in September at estimated street prices of $104.99 for the 1 TB (HD-LB1.0TU2), $124.99 for the 1.5 TB (HD-LB1.5TU2) and $169.99 for the 4 TB (HD-LB2.0TU2)
Buffalo products can be purchased through distributors, online resellers and Buffalo’s web site. For more information about Buffalo Technology and its products, please visit the company’s web site at www.buffalotech.com.
About Buffalo Technology
Buffalo Technology (USA), Inc., based in Austin, Texas, is a leading provider of award-winning networking, storage, and multimedia solutions for the home and small business environments as well as for system builders and integrators. With almost three decades of networking and computer peripheral experience, Buffalo has proven its commitment to delivering innovative, best-of-breed solutions that have put the company at the forefront of infrastructure technology. For more information about Buffalo Technology and its products, please visit www.buffalotech.com.
Apple’s iMac update last week brought the CPU refresh we were all expecting, but fell short of adding the USB 3.0 or faster FireWire connectivity we’d hoped for. Hot on the heels of their RAM upgrades, notorious Mac fiddlers OWC are now offering a retro-fit eSATA port for the new iMac for those wanting to use higher-performance drives.
Only available for the 27-inch iMac (not the 21.5-inch version), the eSATA fit basically involves OWC carving out a slot in the lower edge of your new all-in-one and screwing in a port. It’s worth noting that it’s not compatible with Port-Multiplication (PM) eSATA drives, however.
Still, if you can live with the compromises the OWC eSATA upgrade is $169 assuming you’re willing to foot the bill to ship your iMac to them (or alternatively drop it off yourself). Shipping is $30+ depending on speed, and OWC will also happily boost your hard-drive capacity or RAM while it’s with them – for a price, of course.
In the world of external storage the upgrade path is obvious: slap a bigger drive in your enclosure and wait for people to fill it with media. Seagate’s GoFlex Storage System, however, takes a slightly more complex route; thanks to an array of interchangeable cables individual FreeAgent drives can be used with not only USB, eSATA and other ports, but in a range of media players and docks. Is the flexibility worth putting up with an unusual port? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
Seagate sent us a basic FreeAgent mobile drive – which comes as standard with a USB 2.0 connector – together with an optional GoFlex eSATA adapter. Both mobile and desktop drives are available (up to 1TB in the former, 2TB in the latter), while GoFlex Upgrade Cables for USB 2.0 ($19.99), USB 3.0 ($29.99), FireWire 800 ($39.99) and eSATA ($19.99) are offered. Unfortunately the Seagate docks – which include various desktop models together with media-centric versions that hook up to HDTVs and, optionally, wireless networks – weren’t available for us to try.
At first glance the FreeAgent looks relatively normal for an external drive. Silver plastic with curved edges, it won’t stand out among HDDs but neither does it offend the eyes. The plug adapter itself slots into an exposed SATA port – with a power connector – on the drive; the standard USB 2.0 adapter is in matching silver and has a removable cable, while the eSATA adapter is black and has a fixed cable. Changing the adapters is a simple case of pulling one out and clicking another into place.
Transfer speeds were as you’d expect from a USB 2.0 or eSATA interface, with no real difference between the FreeAgent GoFlex and a regular external drive. Seagate boast PC and Mac compatibility for their NTFS formatted drives, thanks to a preloaded OS X patch you need to install on first connection.
Of course, the real dilemma when you’re dealing with a non-standard cable solution is how consumers might get locked into a system that’s later discarded by the company responsible for it. The reason USB, eSATA and other connectivity standards are popular is that they’re cross-platform compatible: we can plug a USB drive into our computer today, and know there’s a 99.9-percent chance we won’t have problems also plugging it into whatever computer we’re using tomorrow.
Now, we’re sure Seagate would insist that they’re suitable committed to GoFlex, and indeed if they can encourage enough users to jump onboard then it’s a neat lock-in; the HDD equivalent of printer ink cartridges, perhaps. Should it prove less successful, however, how long are Seagate continue to produce GoFlex-compatible devices and accessories? It’s a problem you don’t generally face with a standard USB or eSATA drive.
Since Seagate will sell you the basic drive section without a bundled GoFlex adapter, it’s possible you could save a little money if you need multiple drives and don’t mind switching a single Upgrade Cable between them. You’ll save $10 on each that way. Nonetheless, on a dollar per GB basis, it’s still cheaper to buy a basic, USB 2.0 drive, and in fact with a little online searching you can find combo USB/eSATA drives for less than the price of the FreeAgent and both GoFlex adapters.
If you’re willing to buy into Seagate’s vision of a GoFlex enabled home media system then perhaps the new FreeAgent line-up makes more sense. We can certainly see the appeal of a simple snap-in HDD setup that takes plug-and-play drives from PC to HD media player and back again. Problem is, thanks to numerous HD-capable set top boxes with USB or eSATA ports you can just as easily do that with a regular drive, albeit losing some of the slick tidiness of Seagate’s setup along the way.
In the end, while the Seagate system works we’re not 100-percent sure it’s necessary. When the day comes that you’re desperate for USB 3.0 connectivity, is your original 1TB HDD really going to be sufficient, or will multi-terabyte drives be the status quo? Backward compatibility in USB 3.0 for 2.0 and earlier means that the new interface is probably as flexible as most consumers will ever demand, while market competition will likely keep prices lower than Seagate’s multi-component drives. The Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex drive makes sense, it even works well; it just feels like a solution in search of a problem.
Update: Seagate have clarified that the port used to connect the drive to the Upgrade Cables is, indeed, SATA. Their hope is that one day various third-party accessories and devices will have a GoFlex-compliant SATA port so that it’s not just their own range of docks and media players will be compatible. While that removes some of our concerns regarding future compliance, we’re still uncertain that consumers require flexibility beyond what USB, eSATA and other more common external drive connectivity brings.
Seagate have announced their third-generation of portable hard-drives, the Seagate GoFlex Storage System, which debuts a system of interchangeable connection adapters that can be used to turn a regular USB 2.0 HDD into a USB 3.0, eSATA or FireWire 800 drive. Meanwhile there are a selection of special cables and docks, which can add automatic backup functionality (using Memeo technology), network connectivity, HD media playback or desktop dock convenience.
Base drives range from 320GB to 2TB, and can be bought either as a starter pack complete with a USB 2.0 GoFlex adapter (from $99.99 for 320GB to $199.99 for 1TB), as the drive alone (from $89.99 for 320GB to $189.99 for 1TB) or as a Pro version offering a faster, 7,200rpm HDD and onboard encrypted backup functionality ($139.99 for 500GB; $189.99 for 750GB). Meanwhile there’s a GoFlex Desk model ($129.99 for 1TB with USB 2.0; $199.99 for 2TB with USB 2.0; save $10 on each if bought adapter-free). All the drives are Windows and OS X compatible out of the box.
As for the more advanced adapters, there’s USB 2.0 ($19.99), USB 3.0 ($29.99, or $79.99 with a bundled ExpressCard adapter for notebooks), FireWire 800 ($39.99), eSATA ($19.99) or auto-backup ($29.99). There are two basic desktop docks, one with USB 3.0 ($39 or $79 with a bundled PCI Express USB 3.0 adapter) and one with FireWire 800/USB 2.0 ($49.99), and a GoFlex Intelligent Dock ($29.99) which has an easily visible “capacity gauge”.
Finally, there’s the GoFlex TV HD Media Player, for $129.99, which has a dock, two USB 2.0 ports, ethernet, an optional WiFi dongle and 1080p HDTV support, and can stream content from Netflix, YouTube, MediaFly and Picasa, the $99.99 GoFlex Net Media Sharing Device, which has a dock, a USB port and ethernet for streaming content locally and remotely (including to an iPhone, iPad or Android device) using the Pogoplug service.
Press Release:
SEAGATE INTRODUCES NEW ERA OF EXTERNAL STORAGE: A FLEXIBLE HARD DRIVE SOLUTION WITH MULTIPLE INTERFACE AND CONTENT SHARING OPTIONS
Protect. Store. Do More.…With the Seagate® GoFlex™ Storage System
SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. — May 4, 2010 — Seagate (NASDAQ: STX), the worldwide leader in hard drives and storage solutions, today introduced the next evolution of the company’s award-winning FreeAgent® external hard drives—its new GoFlex™ storage solutions. This new family of external drives and accessories introduces a new level of flexibility to traditional USB 2.0 storage that will change the way people store, access, enjoy and share their digital content. The FreeAgent® GoFlex™ storage family includes easy, plug-and-play portable and desktop drives, with an array of cables and desktop adapters that allow each drive to adapt to the interface or device being used. The GoFlex family of hard disk drives is also specially designed to provide interoperability between operating systems in order to work with both Microsoft® Windows® and Mac® OS X computers.
“GoFlex™ interface cables are about providing the speed, performance and connectivity people need to support their interaction with their digital content. The explosive growth of video capture options and multimedia collecting is expanding personal digital libraries to terabytes worth of content within the home,” said Dave Mosley, executive vice president, Sales, Marketing and Product Line Management at Seagate. “These trends are driving demand for high-capacity, high-performance storage. The GoFlex™ family of storage products meets this need by delivering simple, USB 2.0 storage and backup devices, with the flexibility to adapt as interface technology advances by using the various GoFlex™ cables and accessories to access content stored on the same drive.”
Protect, store and access files through the interface of your choice
Recent survey results by the Yankee Group indicate that more than half of people planning to purchase a new hard drive consider the interface connection an important factor in their selection. GoFlex drives address this concern by providing a flexible, plug-and-play way to adapt to the most popular available interfaces or devices. The seamless GoFlex™ cable system enables the GoFlex™ and GoFlex™ Pro ultra-portable USB 2.0 drives to be upgraded to USB 3.0, eSATA or FireWire 800 connections simply by switching out the cable adapter. Additionally, specially-designed GoFlex upgrade cables provide even more applications of how each drive can be used. For example, the GoFlexTM Upgrade cable – Auto Backup transforms the drive into a continuous full-system backup, giving consumers the peace of mind that their files and system settings are backed up, while leaving the remaining capacity for basic drag-and-drop file transfer
“As consumer’s lives become increasingly connected, people will demand capabilities beyond the traditional hard drive,” said Carl Howe, director, Anywhere Consumer Research, Yankee Group. “Consumers are looking not only for storage, but for new ways to use their digital content. Connecting, sharing, and repurposing content is part of the purchasing decision process for today’s ‘Anywhere Consumer’®.”
Do More with the GoFlex Storage System
Within the GoFlex family, Seagate has created a special ecosystem wherein people experience easy backup and enhanced protection of all their data—the same way they would expect a traditional hard drive to perform—only now their interaction with that content is not wholly dependent on the drive. In addition to several cable options, people can pair a GoFlex or GoFlex Pro ultra-portable drive with a GoFlex™ TV HD media player or the GoFlex™ Net media sharing device to enhance their experience of the drive’s content.
Using the GoFlex™ TV HD media player consumers can easily enjoy their personal digital media library on their television screen by inserting a GoFlex ultra-portable drive or GoFlex Pro ultra-portable drive directly into the media dock, or connecting a another storage device, digital or Flip camera to the two additional USB ports on the back of the device. Using the intuitive remote, owners of GoFlex TV HD media players can view movies, photos, and music from the comfort of their couch in 1080p high-definition and surround sound. Connect your GoFlex TV HD media player to the internet using the Ethernet or optional Wi-Fi adapter and stream digital content from a home network or popular online service providers such as Netflix, YouTube, MediaFly, Picasa and more
The GoFlex™ Net media sharing device transforms a GoFlex ultra-portable drive, GoFlex Pro ultra-portable drive, or any USB mass storage, into a media sharing device, allowing consumers to enjoy their digital content outside their home using a PC, iPad, iPod Touch, Android or phone or any other internet-connected computer. The GoFlex Net media sharing device also integrates with social media websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, and publishes RSS feeds allowing people to keep friends and family updatedGoFlex media sharing device owners can also stream content to other devices on a home network, including the GoFlex TV HD media player, to enjoy movies, photos and music on their TV.
Bridging the Gap between PC and Mac
For the first time, Seagate will include an NTFS driver for Mac® OS X on all GoFlex portable and desktop offerings, enabling storage and access of files from both Windows® and Mac computers. The NTFS driver is simply installed once on your Mac computer, and allows access and storage of files on a Windows formatted[1] drive.
With capacities ranging from 320GB to 2TB, FreeAgent GoFlex ultra-portable and desktop drives group high-capacity, adaptability and ease-of-use with all the backup and protection people have come to expect from Seagate. Available immediately through Seagate.com and select online retailers, the GoFlex storage family includes:
GoFlex Drives:
o GoFlexTM ultra portable drive—The core of the GoFlexTM Storage System. Available in 14.5mm and 22mm versions and includes a USB 2.0 cable. MSRP $99.99 for 320GB [silver, black]; $129.99 for 500GB (silver, black, red, blue); $169.99 for 750GB [silver and black]; $199.99 for 1TB [silver, black].
o GoFlexTM ultra portable drive, drive-only version. MSRP $89.99 for 320GB [silver, black]; $119.99 for 500GB [silver, black, red, blue]; $159.99 for 750GB [silver and black]; $189.99 for 1TB [silver, black].
o GoFlexTM Pro ultra portable drive kit—A 7200RPM, 2.5” drive that delivers premium backup with encryption and includes a USB 2.0 cable. MSRP $139.99 for 500GB; $189.99 for 750GB [black].
o GoFlexTM Pro ultra portable drive, drive-only version—MSRP $129.99 for 500GB; $179.99 for 750GB [black].
o GoFlexTM Desk external drive kit—Delivers high-capacity storage and automatic, continuous backup with encryption for all your files and includes a USB 2.0 cable. MSRP $129.99 for 1TB [black]; $199.99 for 2TB [black].
o GoFlexTM Desk external drive, drive-only version—MSRP $119.99 for 1TB [black]; $189.99 for 2TB [black].
GoFlex Cables and Adapters:
o GoFlexTM Cable – USB 2.0—The baseline interface for your GoFlexTM and GoFlexTM Pro ultra-portable drives. MSRP $19.99.
o GoFlexTM Upgrade cable – USB 3.0—Equips your GoFlexTM and GoFlexTM Pro ultra-portable drives to deliver up to 10x faster transfer of files vs USB 2.0, while being backwards compatible. MSRP $29.99.
o GoFlexTM Upgrade cable kit – USB 3.0—Includes ExpressCard adapter to update a laptop and GoFlexTM ultra-portable drives from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0 and deliver up to 10x faster transfer of files than USB 2.0, MSRP $79.99.
o GoFlexTM Upgrade cable – FireWire® 800—Upgrades your GoFlexTM and GoFlexTM Pro ultra-portable drives to deliver 2x faster transfer speed over USB 2.0. MSRP $39.99.
o GoFlexTM Upgrade cable kit – eSATA—Empowers your GoFlexTM and GoFlexTM Pro ultra-portable drives to deliver up to 6x faster performance over USB 2.0. MSRP $19.99.
o GoFlexTM Upgrade cable – Auto Backup—Delivers continuous backup and protection of data giving consumers the peace of mind that their data is backed up, while leaving capacity for basic drag-and-drop file transfer. MSRP $29.99.
o GoFlexTM Desk Desktop adapter—USB 3.0—Allows the GoFlexTM Desk to deliver up to 10x faster transfer speed over USB 2.0 for your desktop PC. MSRP $39.00.
o GoFlexTM Desk Desktop adapter kit—USB 3.0—Includes PCI Express adapter to upgrade a desktop PC and GoFlexTM Desk external drive for USB 3.0 performance, MSRP $79.00.
o GoFlexTM Desk Desktop adapter—FireWire® 800/USB 2.0—Upgrades your GoFlex™ Desk external drive to deliver 2x faster performance over USB 2.0 with FireWire® 800/USB 2.0 for your desktop PC. MSRP $49.99.
GoFlex Storage System Devices:
o GoFlexTM TV HD media player—Allows for enjoyment of digital content on a TV. MSRP $129.99 for media player only.
o GoFlexTM Net media sharing device—Enables instant, easy access and sharing of content over a network. MSRP $99.99.
o GoFlexTM Intelligent dock—Transforms the GoFlex ultra portable drive into the perfect desktop solution that delivers convenient file access and backup with an easy-to-view capacity gauge. MSRP $29.99.
Data Robotics’ first Drobo model surprised a fair few people; the company billed their external storage array as an “intelligent data robot”, making RAID-style redundancy if not glamorous then at least appealing. When we reviewed the first-gen model all the way back on October 2008, we felt a few qualms at its relatively high price tag but had little doubt over the security of our data. Now, with their range much enlarged, we’ve one of Data Robotics newest ‘bots on the testbench, the Drobo S. Adding an extra drive bay to the original model, plus a few less obvious tweaks, is the Drobo S the droid you’re looking for?
Overview and Features
The original Drobo had four 3.5-inch drive bays and a single USB 2.0 port, and was subsequently updated to add a FireWire 800 port. In comparison, the Drobo S gets five 3.5-inch SATA I/II drive bays – which still don’t require any sort of drive caddy or rails – and throws in an eSATA port as well. Data Robotics have also changed the underlying ARM-based processor, to one reportedly 50-percent faster than in the first-gen Drobo.
In the box you get the Drobo S itself – a shiny black plastic box measuring 5.9 x 7.3 x 10.3 inches – together with an external PSU, all three connection cables (USB 2.0, FireWire 800 and eSATA), printed user guide and quick-start card, and a CD with the Drobo Dashboard application together with electronic versions of the documentation. In its standard form, Data Robotics supply the Drobo S drive-free, which means you’ll also need to factor in the cost of adding storage. Up to 10TB can be accommodated, made up of five 2TB drives.
The Drobo S enters a market filled with significantly more aware consumers than its predecessor did. The Network Attached Storage (NAS) segment has flourished, particularly with one- and two-drive devices that promise plug-and-play shared storage without the headaches of system maintenance a server might demand. While consumers may know them better as media servers, the end result is the same: the ability to share documents, iTunes and other music libraries, video and photo galleries from a central point to multiple PCs, netbooks, consoles and phones, locally or – with a little setup – remotely.
In comparison, the Drobo S lacks any sort of networking functionality out of the box. There’s no gigabit ethernet port for setting it up as a media server or checking on documents you left at the office while you’re at home. Instead, it’s intended to provide data security for a single connected machine (you can’t hook up all three of the ports to different computers simultaneously, only one at a time). Rather than RAID, the various levels of which provide different degrees of duplication across a number of identically-sized drives, Data Robotics use their own “BeyondRAID” technology which has a number of advantages.
The headline feature – and one which makes the Drobo range perhaps so appealing to overworked system admins or out-of-depth prosumer users – is the self-management. Slot in two or more drives of any capacity, speed or brand (you can run the Drobo S with a single drive, but of course you won’t see any data security) and BeyondRAID automatically formats them, works out the maximum amount of storage that can be protected (e.g. if a drive fails, you won’t lose any data) and does everything necessary so that you can merely plug in via USB, eSATA or FireWire and begin copying over files. Start with two 1TB drives, for instance, and the Drobo S will end up offering you around 2TB of potential storage (e.g. the data on one drive is mirrored on the second, so if one should fail you’ll still have a safe copy); add a third 1TB drive – which you could do six months down the line, with the Drobo S already part-full of files – and the available storage leaps to just over 1.8TB. BeyondRAID automatically works out the maximum potential safe capacity, can do so without entirely rebuilding the array, and does so faster than a regular RAID setup since the Drobo S only copies actual data rather than every drive block.
So far, so Drobo, but the Drobo S adds in protection from two potential drive failures. That means, even if two discs in your array decide to break down, the Drobo S has still secured copies of your files. It’s worth noting that there’s a capacity trade-off for this extra protection – you have to manually activate it, with single-drive protection being standard – but unlike traditional RAID if you later decide to go prioritise space over double disc security, you can flip between the two without having to completely rebuild the array. Drives, meanwhile, are hot-swappable, you can continue to access data while a new or replacement disc is being prepared and, even while it’s sitting idle, the Drobo S is checking disc blocks and sectors to pre-emptively spot potential bad areas.
Performance
Data Robotics sent our test Drobo S unit with five hard-drives: three 320GB Western Digital Green, a 1TB Western Digital RE3 and a 2TB Western Digital Caviar Black. Our test machine was a Windows 7 64-bit workstation with an eSATA port, and we used three sample files, sized at 10MB, 100MB and 1GB. The Drobo S managed a 67MB/s read rate and a 71MB/s write rate, while burst speeds came in at around 146MB/s.
In contrast, the first-generation Drobo – using a USB 2.0 port – managed 11MB/s read, 9MB/s write and 17MB/s burst. There’s obviously a significant difference there, primarily because of the connectivity type (our first-gen Drobo is USB 2.0 only, and lacks the FireWire 800 port of the second-gen update); FireWire will be around 25-percent faster than USB 2.0, while eSATA is around 50-percent faster than FireWire. In short, if you’re looking for pure speed – important if you’re hoping to back up large quantities of data, or use the array for regularly-accessed high-resolution media files – the Drobo S’ eSATA connection offers a tangible benefit over its predecessor. We wouldn’t recommend it for I/O intensive applications like writing SQL data, however.
Verdict
The question, then, is for whom the Drobo S is intended. Without ethernet connectivity – while the DroboShare NAS adapter will apparently work with the Drobo S, it’s not officially supported and user feedback since its launch has been patchy at best – this is storage predominantly for a single person or project, unless you’re willing to leave a computer permanently switched on which can share the array over your network. Alternatively there are devices like the Pogoplug and Iomega’s iConnect which can bridge a USB 2.0 drive to a network connection (and throw in simple remote internet access too), but then you’re limiting yourself to the slowest of the three ports on offer.
It’s also considerably more expensive than the standard Drobo, which remains on sale alongside the new S-variant. The 4-bay Drobo is $399 from Data Robotics’ own online store, while the 5-bay Drobo S is $799 (the company will also sell you various pre-configured systems, with drives already installed). While the Drobo Dashboard app allows for status monitoring, there’s no actual backup app provided with either model, which means you’ll need to either use whatever functionality is present in your OS of choice (Drobo is compatible with Apple’s OS X Time Machine, for instance) or factor in the added cost of dedicated backup software. [Update: Data Robotics have highlighted their DroboCopy app, which is part of the DroboDashboard app for Windows and OS X machines. It allows you to set up scheduled backups of particular folders.] Expect a louder, slightly more expensive box to run, too: where Data Robotics say the Drobo draws between 12W and 40W depending on system activity, with up to 24.4dB in normal operation, while the Drobo S pulls up to 56W and 31.8dB. Obviously those figures will depend on which drives (and how many of them) you’re using; an original Drobo stuffed full of performance drives will probably end up louder than a Drobo S with just two eco-friendly drives.
If, however, you’re responsible for backing up a local machine – your precious mail server, perhaps, or a workstation that handles important media – then the Drobo S comes into its own. Unlike a regular RAID array, the Drobo S has the ease of use of a preconfigured system; unlike most preconfigured arrays, however, there’s also the flexibility to upgrade in the future without the cost of overhauling every drive you’re currently using, or a significant time impact in doing so. Double drive redundancy, plus the ability to temporarily switch from it to single redundancy in a pinch (handy, say, if you desperately need the storage space while you wait for new, bigger drives to be delivered) both make for one of the most secure ways to protect your data. The original Drobo found favor with photographers and other digital media professionals, and the Drobo S certainly fits well into that sort of niche.
Compared to an enterprise-class RAID storage system, meanwhile, the Drobo S’ price starts to look all the more competitive. By keeping the Drobo on sale alongside, Data Robotics are sending out a clear message that the new ‘bot isn’t particularly intended for entry-level home users (though the eSATA port has certainly caught their eye). On an enterprise level, then, even factoring in drive costs this is an affordable option, and that’s before you add up the value of BeyondRAID’s extra usability.
Not for everyone, then, and if you’re mainly wanting to share media around the home then there are cheaper, out-of-the-box functional ways of doing so. If reliable local backup is your priority, however, and you’d rather spend your time working with files than wrangling the system that backs them up, then the Data Robotics Drobo S certainly should be high in your shortlist.
Sabio has announced its latest external drive, and the 
