Time Capsule: everything you wanted to know
By Nilay Patel 
posted Mar 3rd 2008 11:00AM
posted Mar 3rd 2008 11:00AM
Obviously the Time Capsule hardware itself isn't all that interesting -- after all, it's basically just an Airport Extreme with a hard drive inside. It's quiet, but definitely not silent. It does have a fan that vents out the bottom, but overall it gets and stays pretty warm -- almost hot, even. Using Time Machine is just the same as if you were using a local drive, just a little slower depending on how fast your connection is. Over 802.11n WiFi the hit was only slightly noticeable while searching, and almost non-existent over Ethernet, large transfers excepted. There is one potentially troublesome issue, however: since OS X doesn't appear to prioritize network activity out of the box, Time Machine absolutely slams your network interface when it starts up. Although browsing and other casual activities are relatively unaffected, there is definitely a noticeable impact. Just to isolate what we're talking about, this is how fast our Ethernet-connected iMac was able to send data over the LAN when it was in the middle of its initial 10MB/s backup:
If you're editing huge files all day long, that could be a problem since Time Machine kicks in every hour (unless you hack it to slow down). If not, though, you probably won't even notice the switch from a local drive to Time Capsule -- we didn't experience any similar slowdowns after that initial backup. No, the big changes are in how Time Machine handles the Time Capsule drive, and the new, refined Airport Utility.
So what's the big change in how Time Machine handles Time Capsule drives? Nothing, apart from the fact that it actually sees them. Just like the computer-connected shared drive we've been backing up to for months, Time Machine mounts a sparse disk image from the TC drive, backs up, and unmounts it -- no secret sauce or voodoo involved, as far as we can tell.
Since both OS X and Windows see TC drives as regular shared drives, it's even more frustrating that there's no general NAS support in Time Machine -- Airport Extreme owners, in particular, are likely very unhappy, especially since Time Capsule has no problem using external USB storage for backups. We asked Apple about it and got a non-answer; we hope they eventually do the right thing.
The just-a-drive nature of Time Capsule also means that it can't do a lot of the things a lot of readers asked about: sure, you can put your iTunes library on it, but it's not a media server, and pointing several computers to the same iTunes library is asking for trouble. Similarly, you can't stream directly to an Apple TV or 360 or whatever -- it just doesn't show up.
The new Airport Utility is very slick, walking you through all kinds of network setups (including complicated dual-5GHz / 2.4GHz systems and WDS chains) and even providing semi-real-time diagnostics:
Disk management options are limited, however: you can erase the drive and change some access settings, and that's about it. You certainly can't partition it or change the formatting or anything. You can enable WAN access if you care to expose all your data to the outside world.
Overall, Time Capsule does exactly what Apple told us it would do: make it easier for the vast majority of users to start backing up regularly over their network. That's to be commended, and if you're a Mac user and you've got the coin, there's no reason not to consider a Time Capsule when the time comes to replace your router -- we've always found Airport devices to be rock-solid, and Time Capsule is no exception. But if you're using a PC, it's not like you need the Time Machine support -- and if you own an Airport Extreme, you have every right to be peeved about the fact that what's essentially the same hardware won't let you back up to AirDisk. Let's hope 10.5.3 makes Time Capsule a little easier to swallow.
The just-a-drive nature of Time Capsule also means that it can't do a lot of the things a lot of readers asked about: sure, you can put your iTunes library on it, but it's not a media server, and pointing several computers to the same iTunes library is asking for trouble. Similarly, you can't stream directly to an Apple TV or 360 or whatever -- it just doesn't show up.
The new Airport Utility is very slick, walking you through all kinds of network setups (including complicated dual-5GHz / 2.4GHz systems and WDS chains) and even providing semi-real-time diagnostics:
Overall, Time Capsule does exactly what Apple told us it would do: make it easier for the vast majority of users to start backing up regularly over their network. That's to be commended, and if you're a Mac user and you've got the coin, there's no reason not to consider a Time Capsule when the time comes to replace your router -- we've always found Airport devices to be rock-solid, and Time Capsule is no exception. But if you're using a PC, it's not like you need the Time Machine support -- and if you own an Airport Extreme, you have every right to be peeved about the fact that what's essentially the same hardware won't let you back up to AirDisk. Let's hope 10.5.3 makes Time Capsule a little easier to swallow.
Who told you that I wanted to know this info? WHO?!?!
Shut up Ellianth.
Here's my questions;
After a weekend of use, would you say that it is equal to, better, or worse than similar devices? Is the "apple-ness" of the Time Capsule make it a better network backup/storage device, or would an apple/pc user be better off buying another option that is more capable/compatible in both directions (mac - pc)?
that is a good question...what would be a good one to go with, since this has a loss of options.
So is this what their doing with the warehouse full of Apple TV's? Converting them to this Time Capsule thing-a-ma-jig?
APPLE TV's are aluminum, and have much smaller HD's. If by 'convert' you mean swapping both the internals and externals... I guess so then.
I've never seen so much coverage devoted to a backup drive in my life.
I hear ya...like it is some Mac World Expo or CES show...jeez!! Engadget might as well rename their domain as appleengadget.com or engadgetapple.stevejobs.com...which ever suits your desire..:P
Hey, you asked, we answered. If three people had responded to that previous post as opposed to 120 we would have dropped it.
Dont you understand? ...It's a $500 wireless backup drive for metro male kool-aid drinkers.
you haters are boring.
Hi Nilay Patel, you guys care for writing another report on swapping the hard drive? I for one would be very interested. While you are at it, partition the new drive before sticking it in and see what happens.
For $500 it needs to regularly suck on more than just my network bandwidth.
keep beating those tired old memes into a bloody pulp, trolls.
From reading this Review i guess you guys where Hoping its to ran Spreadsheet, lol, Its a freaking backup drive for macs nothing else. Now ya complaining cuase it was a fan too lol.
What I want to know is whether it goes better with white or red, but I don't see THAT in the article. Pffft...so much for you and your boastful headlines.
Finally, I'll never have to worry about losing my 300gb porn collection ever again.
Also, RAID1 makes this worthless.
lol you have some serious mental problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How does RAID1 make this worthless? Does RAID1 somehow turn a disk array into NAS? Does RAID1 turn your disk array into a wireless router? I really don't see what your point is here. Maybe your point is that you don't understand what Time Capsule does, that would be the only thing about your comment that would make sense.
@ Kint
Are you talking about ben's comment on the porn or the later one? Because I sure hope it's the latter.
NOBODY DISSES PORN.
I guess his point is that since you can't really use it as NAS, and since RAID 1 would be screamingly faster and even more automated, RAID 1 is better. IF you're using a desktop. AND you're the only one backing stuff up. AND you can build computers.
I'm sure this thing is great for houses with several people who each have a laptop, though. As great as, say, a Lacie that's exactly the same size for half the price? "Meh."
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822154170
@ Ty... that Lacie isn't really competing with this... If all you need is a ethernet drive, then it might be worth while, but the TC is quite a bit more than that.
I don't really agree. I mean the interface is certainly nicer than the backup apps that I use (Acronis TrueImage for OS, open source file backup), but my system is fully automated (though it rapes my network connection once a day rather than once an hour) and does everything the time capsule does.
Though I will concede my mother would have an easier time with the time capsule than my setup.
So I guess design, nicer interface, and ease of use = $250. Unless I'm missing something here.
The whole point of a backup is separate media with independent failure rates. If apple would have RAID1 options in their desktops, than you have two drives with independent failure rates, and it's clearly a better option because it's:
1. Instantaneous.
2. Doesn't tie up network resources.
I don't store any media or documents on my laptop, and the extent of restoring my laptop would be reinstalling the OS and programs. Maybe if you store media/documents on a laptop (I don't, a laptop is far more likely to be stolen than a desktop), you could find use in this.
Also, kint, let's not degrade this to insults, that's pretty childish!(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Ty - I see what you're saying, but you're missing the point. A RAID 1 array would be faster, no doubt - but it wouldn't be remote, or wireless, or a router. That's why I think some people are missing the point here. Also, I think you misunderstood what Nilay said about Time Capsule and NAS - he said it's too bad Time Machine (not Time Capsule) doesn't have general NAS support. He was referring to the fact that Time Machine doesn't appear to support external storage on devices *other than* Time Capsule, i.e. the Airport Extreme.
Time Capsule itself is absolutely usable as NAS, both on Mac and on Windows. And has been pointed out, your La Cie Big Disk example is not even close to being the same thing as Time Capsule. Time Capsule is NAS *AND* it's a WAP *AND* it's a wireless B/G/N router *AND* it's a 3 port switch! Comparing it to a Big Disk is just missing the point. And again, yes you can get faster speeds with a RAID 1 array and yes a standalone NAS unit by itself is cheaper. But neither of those things give you a wireless router/switch or the capability to connect to your storage wirelessly. It's about the entire widget, not just a part of it. If you don't need a wireless router, then you probably don't need Time Capsule. It's as simple as that.
@ Ty
Isn't the Lacie half the hardware too?? I haven't found a wireless router than can match the range of the Extreme Base Station.
I would think, the hourly backup would effectively distribute the size of the backup into smaller more manageable backups.
Anybody using RAID 1 as a backup is a complete moron. If it is software based RAID 1 you are a complete moron x2.
Wow, quite a few haters and others complaining about a simple review. Sure, I too think it's kind of funny the amount of advertising Engadget throws Apple's way, but this article is actually informative and seemingly unbiased.
I think the major complaints about the device are the lack of streaming content and the hit OS X takes when syncing a backup. THey said this thing is essentially the AirPort Extreme w/ a built-in HDD, so why put in CPU/RAM/Bus speeds? Can you hack your APE to do something more? If so, then you can probably do the same with this. If you have an existing NAS, then you don't need this device, although this one might have something better built-in, which brings me to this particular thread...
You guys have absolutely no idea what you're talking about when refering to RAID1. To begin with, RAID1 has no, I repeat, no impact on the speed of data transfers, let alone the boosting of system performance. The only way you would see a perf incrs would be if you were doing a soft-RAID and then upgraded to a dedicated hardware configuration, and then speed would still be limited to the single-drive speed. You're confusing this with RAID0, which stripes data across multiple drives and does, in fact, improve performace at the loss of redundancy. Yes, it sucks that the TC doesn't have built-in RAID support, but that would have cost Apple a bit more to implement, probably a whole architecture change and they couldn't use existing APE's (it appears Apple's motto is "Why bother designing something new when people are clearly not tired of throwing cash at existing products!").
The whole point of a good backuup scheme is to protect your data, hence the need for RAID1. Why wouldn't you want your backup data being saved on two different disks at the same time? That way if one, perchance, should take a dump the other will still be safely holding your data? They could have thrown in a RAID card and let users choose what configuration they want to use, but again with would have been money out of their pockets and since they wouldn't be able to move the device for any more than what they're asking now (and $300 is still a bit much for a 500GB router/HDD combo), why bother?
RAID5 would be best, but then you have to make sure you have same-size drives handy for when one craps out and hope you don't lose more than one at a time. Of course this would increase the size, not to mention cost, of the device.
"Anybody using RAID 1 as a backup is a complete moron. If it is software based RAID 1 you are a complete moron x2."
1. There's only a need for an external backup if a.) you plan on lighting your case on fire or doing something similarly destructive, b.) live in a bad neighborhood (but then again, TC is probably easier to steal than a computer), c.) like to download lots of .exes (doesn't really apply to Macs?).
2. Microsoft's Desktop operating systems don't even have software RAID1, and setting up a hardware RAID1 isn't difficult
Firstly, I've been schooled; the Time Capsule is indeed a lot more than an ethernet disk. Though still not offering anything that I don't already have (NAS, router, switch, automated backup software), and thus not offering any added value for me personally, I do see the $500 one-purchase gets you all these things appeal. Though having a hard drive inside the most power-cycled device in a computer user's arsenal (router) is kinda terrifying to me.
Zak, you win. Again.
Now, for the other people..
jacob said "I would think, the hourly backup would effectively distribute the size of the backup into smaller more manageable backups." - I don't want my backups spread out into smaller more manageable backups. I want them done either on the hardware level via RAID, or all at once very early in the morning when I'm not using my computer. I simply don't see the sense in backing up every hour wasting CPU / HD bandwidth / network bandwidth unless it's VERY important data.
ben said: "Anybody using RAID 1 as a backup is a complete moron. If it is software based RAID 1 you are a complete moron x2." So what happens when your single-disk desktop's hard drive crashes (hardware failure) and time capsule is your only backup? Good luck booting off of it champ. RAID 1 is for redundancy in event of a critical hardware failure when you only have the money for two hard drives. Hard drive 1 dies, hard drive 2 in RAID 1 is bootable and you never stopped using your computer.
ben, while you appear to have some knowledge of RAID and what it entails, your reasons for using it are ridiculous and unfounded. Yes, overall RAID 1 is better than any single drive- but is it necessary, of even possible. If you know anything about apple designs- none of them save the mac pro contain more than one hard drive- so right off the batt there's a rather large technological hurdle that can't be overcome. Furthermore, Time capsule is a second hard drive, separate from the first, that has a failure rate independent of the main drive in the computer being used. Is it RAID? No. But is it similar in functionality, yes. Finally, RAID is more expensive. Period. IF data is critical for one reason or another, it makes sense to get RAID and stock it with enterprise class drives- but this is for users at home who would like to have a little more security with their data. So please, stop doing everyone a disservice with your comments- they're neither relevant or useful.
And what happens if your filesystem has a hiccup and corrupts some data? Or you delete a file you didn't mean to. Or .... a million other bad things that can happen.
Then you are stuck with 2 copies of garbage data. Or 2 empty spaces where your file used to be.
RAID 1 = redundancy
Redundancy != backup
In happy good time fantasy land redundancy might be enough. In the real world you need a real backup.
If you feel safe with RAID 1, fine. But stop trying to spread your ill-conceived notions. Because if somebody is stupid and listens to you they might lose something valuable.
Everything you wanted to know, didn’t want to know and even more things about apple.
First thing is name change.
From Engadget to AppleGadger
Always show the negative about everyone other than apple.
Meizu's M8 was a no show at CES and CeBIT. You neglected to mention that Apple is suing them.
I expected there to be backlas against apple this year, I didn't think Engadget to sparket it with there pro apple pointless news if you can call these blogs news.
they did say that it had some caveats
and no its not an all news site other wise it wouldnt be called a blog...
The funniest thing that I find...nobody mentioned that Apple is actually lying (not so new).
Apple claims "server grade" hard drives on their web site. You look up the hard drive on the Hitachi site and it is NOT a server grade model.
How long until Apple gets sued for their lies? ...honestly, it's not marketing if you just lie.
Of course, if you just use half truths (like the Mac vs. PC ads) then it's just good showmanship...
Exactly my thoughts too, I back you on this (Engadget = Apple Gadget).
They even failed to mention the drawbacks of this Router/Backup thing.
Almost all the top class routers are configurable (via wireless or ethernet) by a web page (with some default IP address). But with TC (and also AEBS), you have to install on all the Mac's/PC's the Airport Utility to really use them. Isn't it sick? Common Engadget, make people aware of this facts. You guys are really sick of Apple products. Get a break.
Again, as someone later pointed out, Apple in their site had mentioned about the Hard Drives as Server Grade but they actually are not! It's not that, LYING to customers is new to Apple but.....
Engadget, please be unbiased in your news articles. It's not that I am complaining too much but AGAIN, please try to be unbiased.
Finally Nilay Patel, it would be great, if you can change the title of the article to something more apt..... What you have covered in here is NOWHERE near to "Everything" as you said!
How about network printing through the USB? Yay or Nay?
I too am interested in that part. Our house has gone entirely wireless and it would be nice to control the printer through this if it's a viable solution. The other question I have is, I hear that it can take a USB drive in it to expand it. If so, can I put a USB hub on it and run printers and a USB drive to it since it only has one USB port on it? I guess its a matter if the I/O controller can handle it or not?
I'd like to hear Engadget's results with this too, but if you're wondering if it's just possible in general, this is from Apple's site:
"The included USB port is great for sharing a printer throughout your wireless network. Time Capsule and the Bonjour networking technology let everyone in the house or office — Mac and PC users alike — take advantage of one centrally located printer."
yay!
Gizmodo's review said that they tried and and Time Capsul recognized the printer right away, but they ran into a snag with actually getting proper print job sent and processed.
http://gizmodo.com/362391/time-capsule-initial-verdict-smooth-sailing-no-surprises
I am also interested if it can handle a USB hub....
Tom: http://www.apple.com/timecapsule/wireless.html
"And if you want to share both a printer and an additional hard drive, you can. Just connect a USB hub to Time Capsule. "
I'm wondering... is there something in the Airport Utility that makes the Time Capsule work?
If you have the new Airport Utility installed, connect an external hard drive to an older Airport Extreme Base Station (gigabit). Would you then be able to use Time Machine to back up to that drive?
I think it'll be something in the firmware of the Time Capsule itself. The reason for not allowing LAN based backup out-of-the-box for Time Machine is due to the way TCP/IP responds with success.
If you set up Time Machine to backup over LAN (which is very easy -- you just type one line into Terminal to change a config file, sorry can't remember what it is!); Time Machine will think that the packet was successfully written to your NAS when your router responds with 'success'. Of course, this is not necessarily true, since your router has not tried forwarding the packet to your NAS yet, and your NAS hasn't tried storing the data.
The chances of missing data are remote, but realistic enough for Apple to pull the default functionality from Time Machine.
I suspect that Time Capsule will ensure that the data is written to the disc before the Airport router responds with success back to your Mac and Time Machine.
So, maybe we'll see some future firmware update for the Airport Extreme assuming the drive needs no tighter integration with the router than can be provided by USB.
I am curious on what utility you used to get the network bandwidth being utilized in the menu bar... I can't say I've seen that one before.
Well, I answered my own question... I was familiar with the iStat widgets, but did not know they now have a menu utility. Looks like you used iStat Menus.
It's actually MenuMeters, I just tweaked all the colors.
What's the CPU inside? Any linkstation type of hacking possiblity?
This is *NOT* everything I wanted to know. I want to know what, if any, is the CPU speed on this thing. I want to know what, if any, is the RAM. I want a complete specs list - not just the crap Apple throws up on its website. I want to know how to hack it like an AppleTV to turn into a Super Storage Mac Nano, (ie make it run OS X by itself). I wasn't interested in anything this article covered. And nothing I wanted to know was covered at all. You lied to me, engadget, and not for the first time.
what i would like to know is, I have one imac and 3 other windows Pc's. Would i be able to have this is a time machine back-up device and let the other three Pc's use it as a file server?
So they could all add files to it and then take them off from a different computer? Would they be able to see all my files? etc etc
cheers
pete
@ Chad - Drama queen alert!
@ Peter - Yes, it will do all that. See: http://www.apple.com/timecapsule/wireless.html
Chad... Seriously? Its a router and a hard drive. I know people try installing Linux on pretty much everything, but I doubt you're going to be able to get OSX on a router.
Does the drive sleep when it's not being used or does it spin 24/7?
Jon Eric, I was wondering the same thing. What makes the time capsule drive back up correctly? How can I get my hard drive connected to my APE to work?
Are there anyone who are experiencing slowness of TC?
It is too slow and I am trying to back up my 50GB HDD but it takes more than 20 hours and it is still going. :-(
I wonder, since Time capsule is able to use other external HDD to back up to, can you not just add your present HDD that your using to backup through Time Machine to Time Capsule, and point time machine to continue using it for backups?
Nope, can't do it. Local drives don't do all that disk image mounting.
Is it possible to connect a usb audio port and add audio streaming similar to airport express?
Hey, I dont know if this was asked before, so i am just going to ask it, can i use the time capsule drive, as a simple storage drive also? To elaborate, lets say i have a DVD ripped, i dont really care much whether i lose it or not. If i lose it, i will just re-rip, yes hassle but no data lost.
But its taking up quite a chunk of space on my local machine, Right now i copy it to an external hard drive, and delete it locally. Can i just store it on the Time Capsule drive instead? That way i can get rid of external hard drives. So basically i want to use the TC's auto backup feature, and use TC as a dumping ground for big files that i may or maynot care about.
Yes, you can use Time Capsule as both a backup drive for Time Machine AND as a general storage drive.
I wouldn't think so, but can you guys perform a test with a Playstation 3 to see if the TC shows up as a shared drive? I'm hoping there is some sort of NAS drive support for the PS3, which would make me rush and buy a TC in an instant.
Can you attach a usb hub and run more than one external hard drive to it?
Yes. See: http://www.apple.com/timecapsule/wireless.html
Quote: "And if you want to share both a printer and an additional hard drive, you can. Just connect a USB hub to Time Capsule. "
Absolutely! I have three hdds attached to my Airport Extreme. Works Great.
Thanks!
How can you post and "Everything you wanted to know" article without actual specs? I expected to see at least the following:
-Mega Bytes Per Second transfer speed over Gig E to Time Capsule internal drive.
-Mega Bytes Per Second transfer speed over 802.11N to Time Capsule internal drive.
-Mega Bytes Per Second transfer speed over 802.11B to Time Capsule internal drive.
-Mega Bytes Per Second transfer speed over Gig E to Time Capsule USB drive.
-Mega Bytes Per Second transfer speed over 802.11N to Time Capsule USB drive.
-Mega Bytes Per Second transfer speed over 802.11B to Time Capsule USB drive.
-Full comparison to Airport Extreme USB transfer speeds.
Spending a weekend with the product should at least yield this information, if not more.
i like the cut and the paste
Any word on whether this new Airport Utility will be available to regular Extreme owners?
And speaking of fans who like to tattoo themselves...
http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1161
Can I hook my Xbox 360 to this (w/ethernet cable) and connect to my wireless Motorola cable modem?
Thanks.
I have some more questions:
1. Say Time Machine is doing a backup from a laptop over the network in the background. I put the laptop to sleep. Does Time Machine give an error when the laptop is next used? Or does it resume the backup quite smoothly?
2. Same scenario as above, but if I put the laptop to sleep, and then go to work where there is no network connection. Does an error come up saying that mounted drive was "disconnected"? Does the spinning beachball come up as it is looking for the drive (probably not, since this has been fixed in Leopard).
3. Same scenario as #2, but when I then return to my home where the Time Capsule is, do I then have to remount the Time Capsule volume to resume backups?
4. I know that the Time Capsule drive spins down when not in use. But do the attached USB drives also spin down when not in use? Or is this specific to individual USB enclosures? Or do they not spin down at all?
5. What's a full restore like? e.g. if I were to replace the hard disk on my MacBook. Because it would be quite slow to restore over wireless. What is ethernet restore like? And also, if I hang a USB drive off the TC, and periodically backup to the USB drive; Can I attach that USB drive to the MacBook to restore directly to the MacBook?
Thanks again.
When I plug my Time Capsule in initially, how will this affect my current Time Machine backups on my Firewire drive? Will all the backups be useless or will they transfer over to my Time Capsule and continue to be used. I don't want to start my backups from scratch.
So far, I have read several comments stating that Time Capsule is useless as a NAS and not capable of being a media server.
Just to make sure I understand, can someone tell me if I can load Slimserver or Squeezecenter onto Time Capsule and use my Squeezebox without turning on my Mac?
Would a Mac Mini be a better solution?
I'm not sure you read the story correctly. Nobody said Time Capsule is useless as NAS. If you read what Nilay said again, he was referring to Time Machine (not Time Capsule) not having NAS support. Time Capsule is NAS and can be used as NAS. He also said using Time Capsule as your iTunes library server is "asking for trouble", but he didn't say it couldn't be done. And quite frankly I don't think it's asking for trouble necessarily either.
Furthermore, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to stream your iTunes library to your Apple TV if your library was on a Time Capsule - you just wouldn't be able to stream it *directly*. You would point iTunes to the library on Time Capsule, and then point Apple TV to iTunes. Maybe a little roundabout (and I haven't tried it myself) but it seems like that would work. It wouldn't have to be super fast if you're just streaming music or movies.
Thanks for your feedback, Zak.
I did not ask a very clear final question. I would like the Time Capsule to run Slimserver or Squeezeserver without my Macbook running or being powered on. Will the Time Capsule allow the installation of programs that will run on it's startup? Or will obtaining this functionality on Time Capsule require a hack like that necessary of the Buffalo Linkstation, Lacie Drives, or Q-naps drives?
Thanks!
it a backup device - why are we wasting engadget space on it - except to prove a point about the excesses of fan-boy-ness
I see no-one has mentioned that this thing is rocking an hitatchi death... I mean deskstar hdd. Yes, they of "click of death" fame for a scarily large number of hdd's, tho no where near as bad as the number of fujitsu hdd's that I had at work that developed said click of death about 5 years ago.
Just to clarify some of the functionality, this thing basically doing snapshot backups of your system state and data so that should you delete a file you can get it back or should you install something that borks your system you can roll back the entire OS install.
This is doing similar things to applications that have been on the market for quite a while as well as WHS, tho they have made it quite a bit easier for the non-tech literate (and that is the only praise I would give to this device).
For those mentioning RAID1, for a purpose such as this RAID1 would have been advantageous and they could have played up the security of your data a lot more than they have - however this would have impacted on the formfactor (not a lot of free space in there).
I don't like how they have copped out and gone the cheap route with one of the worst hdd manufacturers out there - from my own experience I wouldn't trust my data on a hitatchi, even if it did survive the magical 3 month period (as in, if it survives 3 months it'll be good for the lifetime of the product or basically about 3 years).
Personally, I keep too much data to implement a backup solution so I effectively keep it rotating on constantly new hdd's every couple of years.. which reminds me, my theacus N2100 hdd's are coming up to retirement.
What I'd like to know is
Does the TC drive always running 24/24 or does it take pauses and sleep when not needed?
When I tried an USB drive hooked to my Airport Extreme base station, the drive was always running very hot and energy-vore.
What kind of "Energy Consumption Management" does TC offer?
What are the chances or how long will it be until Apple TV is able to stream media directly off of Time Capsule so you will not have to have your Mac/PC turned on to play your library? My understanding is that you have to have Itunes open on your Mac/PC to stream media. I think that would add value to what time capsule could add vs other solutions. ITB in time capsule + 1TB external would be nice!!!
I know that you can hook up an external drive to Time Capsule to add to it's storage capacity. My question is--can you daisy chain drives to that usb port? I have an external drive with a 2-port hub, meaning I could have 3 drives hooked up. But I'm wondering if for some reason the other 2 wouldn't show up. Does anyone know?
Can anyone explain why a gigabit ethernet drive like this would not be faster than having a firewire 800 drive?
I am pretty typical of most people who are interested in new technology at the consumer or professional level.
What I don't understand is why people get so irate over Apple. Their products look good, are generally easy to use and allow Joe Public to buy into what was previously an out of reach area of the market - Apple products.
I am not saying that they are perfect, nor am I naive enough to believe all of any company's advertising but I have bought a number of Apple products and always been happy but if I think there is a better solution - I will buy that. It really isn't worth getting upset about. We are all adults who work hard to buy the IT solutions that we want and I don't rely on any one reviewer, web site or company to dictate where I spend my money.
I enjoy engadget and will continue to read their news and reviews as part of my consumer research prior to buying anything from anyone.
I travel between berlin and moscow. I was curious, if i were to buy 2 time capsules, could i then buy a USB hard drive to take with me so that i can always have access to my backups? I.e. does it just mount whatever volumes are attached, because i saw that there were some complaints about it doing a full backup on connect (and overwriting all existing data) on connect.
Also can you hang multiple HDS onto TC through a hub? Does anyone know what kind of data is actually saved when you select a backup disk in TM? I've been backing up to my linux server up untill now, i did have to use the hack for that though.
All of Apple's products may not be cutting edge, but they are so easy to use. I cannot wait to get a MacBook Air.
http://www.professionalwatches.com/2008/03/sneak_preview_baselworld_2008_1.html
I will be the first to admit that I am not nearly as tech savvy as all of you, so I apologize in advance for the drop in IQ of this question.
I currently use only a powerbook, soon to be the new Macbook Pro which is on order, as well as AppleTV.
My question relates to some of the posts/reviews that say that Time Capsule can't be used as a wireless media storage device.
Does this mean:
If I do NOT store my itunes media on my local hard drive (laptop) but instead on an external hard drive, soon to be Time Capsule, would I not be able to stream my itunes media to AppleTV via itunes?
Really, what I want to do is NOT clog up my laptop's hard drive with media, stream my itunes (via Time Capsule) to AppleTV or at worst sync it, use TC as a wireless router, have it back up through Time Machine, and maybe eventually connect a USB printer.
Is any of this not possible with current TC hardware/software? Or am I misunderstanding what was said above.
Thanks.
Have you seen how the apple tv appears in Itunes? You see it in itunes like an ipod, and you copy whatever you want on to it (I've never done it myself but this is what I've read). So I dunno about streaming... i'm not sure that will work like you described it
Hey, does anybody know if you can power down the HD while still utilizing the AirPort? I don't think I'd really want to have the HD humming ALL of the time, like if I was just surfing the web.
C
I currently use a western digital 500GB My book connected via usb to my extreme base station and time machine works fine for me. I didn't have to do any hacks or anything to get it to work either.
All i did was connect the drive directly to my macbook for the initial "dump" and once it was finished i connected it back to the base station, opened time machine and the drive showed up and has been working fine ever since