Opening the Time Capsule

Right at the buzzer, Apple shipped us a Time Capsule -- and just like we remember, it's a bit bigger than you'd expect. We're about to set it up in our WiFi torture chamber of an apartment building, we'll let you know how it goes -- unboxing in the gallery below.

Gallery: Time Capsule unboxing

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[Harlo @ Feb 29th 2008 11:19AM]

If you find my Optimus Prime I put in there in 1984 please let me know. Ohhh THAT Time Capsule.

[Justin B @ Feb 29th 2008 11:21AM]

I see apple is sticking true to its "least amount of cables needed in the box" ways.

Good for them!

[Nikkoli @ Feb 29th 2008 12:14PM]

Considering this is an 802.11n file server, what additional cables do you feel they owe you? They gave all the cables that a competent user would need to set it up.

[Alex @ Feb 29th 2008 11:24AM]

it's not that big considering what it does

[Mike @ Feb 29th 2008 11:23AM]

it certainly is a bigger!

[JC @ Feb 29th 2008 11:33AM]

It's a me, Mario!

[Ellianth @ Feb 29th 2008 12:18PM]

Lying bastard! Your name is JC

[Zeus.:God @ Feb 29th 2008 11:24AM]

Wow, this is actually pretty cool. As stand alone WiFi hard drive? Awesome if you don't have a wireless network- just plain convenient, too, if the speed isn't lacking.

[Shane Lloyd @ Feb 29th 2008 12:15PM]

It's a wireless hard drive and a wireless N network base station and have ethernet ports and allows you to attach a printer or other external HD (and share it wireless) via USB. It really has everything.

[Nick @ Feb 29th 2008 12:18PM]

very cool... cuz if you dont have a wireless network you can now. Its a full blown 802.11N wireless router with a built-in HD, not just NAS.

[holycow @ Feb 29th 2008 11:25AM]

"it's a bigger than you'd expect."

Why the article 'a' in that sentence =S

[CraigJ @ Feb 29th 2008 11:35AM]

Yeah, a bigger what?

[Flashpoint @ Feb 29th 2008 11:26AM]

I'm running a MAc Lab with a Leopard Host and Tiger Clients. Before I'd even consider getting one of these, I have to have my lab upgraded to Leopard. Problem is, Leopard sucks on a G5 1.8ghz with only 512 ram so it looks like we have to get upgrades for each of the 30 emacs and the host before we can continue.

I'd like to see SSD Time Capsules. Even if they release them right now for $5000 my budget can afford em.

[Reid @ Feb 29th 2008 11:35AM]

Too bad your budget can't afford more RAM :)

I doubt your processor speed is the problem, probably that mere half gig of RAM. Even my 600mhz G3 iBook had 640mb (maxed out). I switch between a 2GB Mac Pro quad 2.66 (Tiger) at home, and a 2.5GB Power Mac G5 dual 2.0 (Leopard) at work.

I haven't seen a compelling reason to switch to Leopard at home -- just too lazy to do an OS reinstall. However I don't notice much of a performance hit at all on the older machine, so I can't imagine Leopard is noticably slower than Tiger on similar hardware.

[7on @ Feb 29th 2008 12:38PM]

It is compatible with Tiger you know...

[Flashpoint @ Feb 29th 2008 11:26AM]

I'm running a MAc Lab with a Leopard Host and Tiger Clients. Before I'd even consider getting one of these, I have to have my lab upgraded to Leopard. Problem is, Leopard sucks on a G5 1.8ghz with only 512 ram so it looks like we have to get upgrades for each of the 30 emacs and the host before we can continue.

I'd like to see SSD Time Capsules. Even if they release them right now for $5000 my budget can afford em.

[Nick @ Feb 29th 2008 1:10PM]

you just cant use the fancy TimeMachine compatibility.

[Mike @ Feb 29th 2008 11:28AM]

You guys still have a lot to learn about taking proper pictures. You're white balance is way off.

[hen @ Feb 29th 2008 11:30AM]

what does it matter?

[hen @ Feb 29th 2008 11:31AM]

maybe i should buy an imac to go with any time capsule that i buy. that's a good excuse, right?

[Reid @ Feb 29th 2008 11:33AM]

You still have a lot to learn about writing properly. You're apostrophe is way off.
:)

[Zeus.:God @ Feb 29th 2008 11:39AM]

Apparently you need to learn the proper use of "you're". I believe "your" would be the better choice.

[Zeus.:God @ Feb 29th 2008 11:39AM]

Wow... Sorry, I missed that...

Carry on.

[emax @ Feb 29th 2008 11:30AM]

Hurry up with the review!!! If its all good im going out as soon as I get the word to get one!

[Randy @ Feb 29th 2008 11:55AM]

Seconded. Hurry up on that Review Engadget! I have questions and I'm holding off on a NAS purchase to see this thing will fit the bill for me.

[Reid @ Feb 29th 2008 11:32AM]

The easier companies make it for end users to do backups, the less dismayed the rest of us are when we get that phone call "my computer isn't working..."

[Blaktornado @ Feb 29th 2008 11:36AM]

Any Apple Stickers? lol

[Rick @ Feb 29th 2008 8:08PM]

Yea, not like the thousands of windows stickers on car windows everywhere I turn.

[Joe @ Feb 29th 2008 11:40AM]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like it only comes with a power cord? That seems pretty weak.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Feb 29th 2008 11:47AM]

That is it. What else do you need? Most people use Wireless and I have never seen a DSL or Cable Modem that didn't come with an ethernet cable.

[Randy @ Feb 29th 2008 11:48AM]

What else do you need? You can buy Cat5e cables almost anywhere, hell, my local Shoprite has them.

[iankelleigh @ Feb 29th 2008 11:49AM]

It is a wireless device... what other cables do you need?

[Joe @ Feb 29th 2008 12:01PM]

I think its shitty to have something that needs to be connected to a modem and not include the cable. Yes, I have plenty of cables kicking around somewhere, but the average consumer doesn't want to have to go digging around to make a $500 purchase "just work."

[BrianC @ Feb 29th 2008 12:27PM]

@Joe,

The average user will be connecting this to a DSL / Cable modem that is either:

a) New in the box and includes the CAT5
b) Already connected directly to one of their computers via a CAT5 cable.

Moreover, CAT5 is not required for operation of the device. If you are setting it up with no internet uplink, it will still serve its primary function of providing wireless network connectivity with access to a NAS.

I'm all for companies including the necessary cables for operation; but I just can't see a scenario where you'd need a CAT5 cable in the box here.

[Joe @ Feb 29th 2008 1:05PM]

what if they had a computer that had to use an ethernet cable, and they were just using the one that came with the modem, this takes that away and you would have to purchase another cable or a wireless adapter for that computer to go on the internet

[Nick @ Feb 29th 2008 1:18PM]

leave the poor guy alone.. all hes askin for is a cheap ass cable with his $500 purchase. It's like wanting that crappy apple remote with the new Mac Pro line. Im dropping more cash than the consumer line people, why do they get a free remote/IR sensor? I guess it could be worse, Apple could supply the Time Capsule with a cable that is too short to do any good... kinda like what they do with their keyboards.

And this is commin from a persona that likes Apple. So don't just low rank me because you think im some Windows fanboy.

[Alex R @ Feb 29th 2008 11:45AM]

Were those photos taken in the same room as the Halo 3 Legendar Edition Unboxing? The floor looks the same.
BTW, I do leave the house occasionally.

[neil @ Feb 29th 2008 11:48AM]

bigger than what? Is it the same size as the current Airport extremes? Same size as AppleTV? Same size as an Apple mini? Which footprint can we compare it to.

[Nilay Patel @ Feb 29th 2008 12:06PM]

Check the gallery -- it's a lot bigger the UFO-style Airport Extreme and thicker than a MacBook, but about the same size as standard Belkin Pre-N router.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Feb 29th 2008 12:15PM]

The Mac Mini and AirPory Extreme Base Station have the exact same footprint. The AppleTV and Time Capsule have the exact same footprint. This info is easy had by a very simple Google search.

[BrianC @ Feb 29th 2008 12:28PM]

I was a little confused by this remark as well--and the fact that they compare its size not with the current generation airport extreme but with the previous generation airport express.

[Neil @ Feb 29th 2008 11:48AM]

What I would love to know is if you can only back up to Time Capsule using Time Machine? or can you use it like any other external hard drive and just send files to it?

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Feb 29th 2008 12:17PM]

Of course. You'll get full access to it like any other networked drive. The real question is, can you use a network drive attached drive connected to the Time Capsules USB port as a Time Machine drive out-of-the-box?

[Steve Wallen @ Feb 29th 2008 11:48AM]

Can you test to see how it handles TimeMachine recovery if my whole machine has tanked. Can I NetBoot off of it? Also, whats the firmware on that bad boy?

[blinkcowz182 @ Feb 29th 2008 12:18PM]

Also, can you tell us if it works as an iTunes server, aka I can stream stuff to my AppleTV from it?

[7on @ Feb 29th 2008 2:39PM]

@ Blinkcow

You can if you have a seperate computer with your iTunes set to be on Time Capsule. Your iTunes dir doesn't have to live in ~/Music/iTunes/ it can be Volumes/Time Capsule/iTunes.

ATV should not be able to distuinguish between an iTs file on your HDD and one on the TC

[alb.rod @ Feb 29th 2008 12:05PM]

Love the hardwood floors. Oh and the router looks nice too.

[holycow @ Feb 29th 2008 12:46PM]

ROUTER !? lol..

[Michael @ Feb 29th 2008 12:03PM]

I know this is a total 'n00b' question, but what is that round thing in the pictures?

[Dan S. @ Feb 29th 2008 12:08PM]

It's a 2nd or 3rd generation Airport Basestation.