Engadget

Intel: Optical Thunderbolt cables arriving this year

Daniel Cooper — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:29:00 EST

Intel's Dave Salvator has been talking about Thunderbolt's future, promising that optical versions of the high-speed interconnect will arrive this year. The copper version currently available is cheaper and can carry 10 watts of power, but it can only be run a maximum distance of six meters. While the fiber version loses the ability to power devices, it's reportedly far faster and capable of running to the "tens of meters." ~~Dave~~ Mr. Salvator wouldn't commit to a release date, or how much more we'll be expected to pay for the cables, but given that we're also expecting to see PCI-Express 3.0 bolted on to the standard soon, we'll start saving today.

Intel: Optical Thunderbolt cables arriving this year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Passware claims FileVault 2 can be cracked in under an hour, sells you the software to prove it

James Trew — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:39:00 EST

Lunch hours may never feel safe again. That is, if you have a Mac running Lion / FileVault 2, like leaving your computer around, or have unscrupulous colleagues. Data recovery firm Passware claims its "Forensic" edition software can decrypt files protected by FileVault 2 in just 40 minutes -- whether it's "letmein" or "H4x0rl8t0rK1tt3h" you chose to stand in its way. Using live-memory analysis over firewire, the encryption key can be accessed from FileVault's partition, gifting the pilferer privy access to keychain files and login data -- and therefore pretty much everything else. If you want to try this out for yourself, conveniently, Passware will sell you the software ($995 for a single user license) without so much as a flash of a badge.

Passware claims FileVault 2 can be cracked in under an hour, sells you the software to prove it originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rocstor outs Amphibious hard drive, keeps top-secret docs safe from wandering peepers

Billy Steele — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

If you're a fan of keeping all of those precious work files locked down tight on your portable storage device, Rocstor has a rugged new option for you. The company has announced the launch of Amphibious at CES 2012, a portable hard drive that sports real time encryption and offers not one, but two-factor authentication via Smart Card and keypad -- keeping those top-secret merger plans shrouded in mystery. Incorporating a SATA HDD (up to 1TB) or SSD, the device connects via USB 2.0 or Firewire 800 and protects data behind AES-256 bit key strength and a FIPS 140-2 validated crypto module. In terms of durability, the pocket-sized Amphibious is housed in an aircraft grade aluminum alloy case. You can take a look at the full list of specs in the PR after the break and get ready to snag one for yourself during Q1 of 2012.

Continue reading Rocstor outs Amphibious hard drive, keeps top-secret docs safe from wandering peepers

Rocstor outs Amphibious hard drive, keeps top-secret docs safe from wandering peepers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Belkin details Thunderbolt Express Dock at CES, shipping this Summer

Billy Steele — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:37:00 EST

We first caught a glimpse of Belkin's Thunderbolt Express Dock back at IDF. Here at CES, the company has offered more info on the high-speed peripheral -- including an expected Summer 2012 arrival window. The dock features all sorts of added connection potential: three USB 2.0, two Thunderbolt, one FireWire 800, one HDMI, an Ethernet and a 3.5mm audio jack. Lending a hand to your port-deprived MacBook Air or Ultrabook via Thunderbolt, the peripheral offers the expected bi-directional transfer rates up to 10Gbps while keeping with the Apple color scheme. Pricing details aren't expected until closer to the ship date, but for now, take a look at the design render and PR just past the break.

Update: We've just been passed some official images for the Thunderbolt dock. Peep 'em in the gallery below.

Gallery: Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock

Continue reading Belkin details Thunderbolt Express Dock at CES, shipping this Summer

Belkin details Thunderbolt Express Dock at CES, shipping this Summer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iomega Mac Companion 2TB hard drive on sale now for $240, we go hands-on

Brian Heater — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:34:00 EST

The Mac Companion hard drive that we told you about back in early August has started to ship from Apple's online store and is ready to take its spot beneath your iMac's monitor. We got a little hands-on time with the HDD and have to say, it's a slick peripheral that will certainly fit in with the collection of the aesthetic-conscious Apple devotee out there, with a metal-bordered exterior that seems to have taken a few fashion cues from the iPhone 4. On the front of the drive are four white LEDs, which turn off one by one as you fill up more space, letting you know how much room is left on the thing.

Iomega's TV with Boxee (Box) hitting Europe by 'by mid-October,' or so it says

Discount education-only iMac appears, makes you wish you'd opened that institute of higher learning

Iomega Mac Companion Hard Drive offers 3TB of storage and a filling station for your iPad

The top of the drive is a glossy black surface, which is a bit of a fingerprint magnet -- again, familiar territory to those with Apple products. Upon plugging it in (Iomega gave us the 2TB version to play with, though there's also a 3TB model), the Mac Companion will ask whether you'd like to back your system up via Time Machine. Transfer-wise, the drive does USB 2.0 and FireWire. In our limited testing, we got around 35MB/sec and just under 60MB/sec, respectively.

The Mac Companion also doubles as a hub for your peripherals -- with two USB ports on the rear and a 2.1 Amp port on the side. The ports on the rear require the drive to be connected to a computer to charge and sync devices. The high-powered port on the side, however, will charge up devices like an iPad or iPhone even when the drive isn't connected to your Mac.

The Mac Companion is a fairly straightforward, good looking drive, which worked quite well out of the box on the Lion system we tested it out on -- and the fact that it does double duty as a USB port sets the thing apart from much of the pack. The 2TB version will run you around $240 online.

Gallery: Iomega Mac Companion Hard Drive hands-on

Iomega Mac Companion 2TB hard drive on sale now for $240, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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G-Technology demos dual-drive 8TB G-RAID HDD, with a dash of Thunderbolt

Amar Toor — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:11:00 EST

Not to be outdone by Seagate's 4TB GoFlex Desk, Hitachi's G-Technology unit has now unleashed a jumbo-sized external HDD of its own, with the 8TB, dual-drive G-RAID. Demoed at this week's IBC conference in Amsterdam, the company's new storage house consists of two 4TB drives nestled within an aluminum enclosure, each of which clocks in at 7,200 RPM. Configured for OS X, the G-RAID also sports a Thunderbolt port that offers transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps, though it can also support Windows with some simple reformatting. G-Technology will begin shipping its 4TB drives in October (with eSATA, FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 ports), whereas its "4TB-based" Thunderbolt-equipped drive won't hit the market until Q4 -- though it's still unclear whether either model will ship as single drives, or as a two-headed, 8TB beast. Pricing remains a mystery for the moment, but you can find more details in the full PR, after the break.

Continue reading G-Technology demos dual-drive 8TB G-RAID HDD, with a dash of Thunderbolt

G-Technology demos dual-drive 8TB G-RAID HDD, with a dash of Thunderbolt originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iomega Mac Companion Hard Drive offers 3TB of storage and a filling station for your iPad

Brian Heater — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:58:00 EST

How to get a hefty new hard drive for your Mac without making your other gadgets jealous? Iomega is offering up a solution with the fairly elegant Mac Companion Hard Drive, a two or three terabyte external drive designed with Apple computers in mind that adds a high-powered charging port for your peripherals. The drive also packs additional USB and FireWire ports (no Thunderbolt, guys?), plus a set of four LEDs, which let you know how full it is with a glance. The drives are available via Apple at $195 and $295, for 2TB and 3TB, respectively.

Continue reading Iomega Mac Companion Hard Drive offers 3TB of storage and a filling station for your iPad

Iomega Mac Companion Hard Drive offers 3TB of storage and a filling station for your iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Western Digital's My Book Studio jumps to 3TB, dons Mac-approved brushed aluminum garb

Darren Murph — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 07:16:00 EST

Hard to say how long WD's going to keep its My Book line a-churnin', but when you've got a good thing going.... The outfit has just announced a gently refreshed version of its My Book Studio, now available in capacities reaching 3TB and sporting a flashy new exterior that should blend right into your Mac Pro + Cinema Display setup. Much like the G-Force drives of yesteryear, these new models are equipped with a brushed aluminum casing and rely on Western Digital's Caviar Green HDDs to handle the ints and outs. You'll also find FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 interfaces, meaning that Thunderbolt aficionados should probably be turning their nose up right about now. The new guys are available at "select retailers and distributors" as we speak, with pricing set at $149.99 (1TB), $199.99 (2TB) and $249.99 (3TB).

Continue reading Western Digital's My Book Studio jumps to 3TB, dons Mac-approved brushed aluminum garb

Western Digital's My Book Studio jumps to 3TB, dons Mac-approved brushed aluminum garb originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 07:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atomos Ninja and Samurai HD video recorder / monitors bring compression jutsu to pro filmmaking

Michael Gorman — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 11:02:00 EST

We all drool over the hi-res video shot by cameras like the RED EPIC, but for indie-film types, processing the massive files produced takes a lot of time (and therefore money) and not everyone has an ARRI ALEXA to do native recording compression. Enter the Atomos Ninja and Samurai HD recorder / monitor / playback devices that take your 10-bit video and compress it in Apple's 1080p ProRes QuickTime format to make your post-production life a little easier. The Ninja pulls video through HDMI and deposits it on your choice of 2.5-inch HDD or SDD storage, does playback via a 4.3-inch 480 x 270 touchscreen, and has continuous power thanks to dual hot-swappable batteries (available in 2600, 5200, and 7800 mAh varieties). Meanwhile, the Samurai matches the Ninja's specs, but swaps out the HDMI connection for HD-SDI ports and adds SDI Loop-Through to connect an external monitor, a larger 5-inch 800 x 400 display, and 3D support (if you get two Samurais genlocked together). Both units have FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 and 3.0 connections for offloading your vids. Those with Spielbergian aspirations can pony up $995 for the Ninja right now, or pay $1,495 for the Samurai upon its release this summer.

Atomos Ninja and Samurai HD video recorder / monitors bring compression jutsu to pro filmmaking originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phase One straps 80 megapixels to your camera, USB 3.0 for ginormous image transfers

Sean Hollister — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:22:00 EST

We're still trying to wrap our brains around the idea that a 80 megapixel camera sensor exists at all, but there's already a second light-devouring digital back on the way -- the Phase One IQ180, which technically hails from the very same company as the Leaf Aptus-II 12. That doesn't mean the company simply rebranded its subsidiary's giant CCD, as this unit's got an extra half-stop of dynamic range, captures a tenth of a second quicker at full resolution, and supplements the standard FireWire 800 connector with USB 3.0. There's also a 3.2-inch, 1.15 megapixel touchscreen with a pseudo-Live View for easy framing and 1GB of RAM to buffer the gigantic images you'll be pumping out. Improvements don't come cheap, though, as you'll drop $43,990 in April at launch. If you can settle for a slightly lower resolution, though, there's no need to sell your Lexus quite yet -- the summer months will bring lesser models with 60.5 megapixels and 40 megapixels respectively.

[Thanks, Ryan D.]

Phase One straps 80 megapixels to your camera, USB 3.0 for ginormous image transfers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Freecom gets slim with Mobile Drive Mg portable hard drive, supports USB 3.0 and FireWire 800

Darren Murph — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:33:00 EST

Been awhile, hasn't it Freecom? The same company responsible for serving up the world's first portable USB 3.0 hard drive is now responsible for cranking out the world's slimmest portable HDD. At just ten millimeters thick, the Mobile Drive Mg is likely thinner than your average ink pen, touting a magnesium enclosure and a USB 3.0 port, enabling it to shoot data back and forth at rates as high as 130MB/sec. Oddly enough, the drive will only be made available through Apple Premium Resellers, despite the fact that no existing Mac ships with native USB 3.0 support. At any rate, it'll be on sale within the week for $69.95 (320GB) or $109.95 (750GB), with a high-end 750GB model offering both USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 for $119.95.

Continue reading Freecom gets slim with Mobile Drive Mg portable hard drive, supports USB 3.0 and FireWire 800

Freecom gets slim with Mobile Drive Mg portable hard drive, supports USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FireWire ships its two billionth port, still not as fast as USB 3.0

Michael Gorman — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:31:00 EST

The 1394 Trade Association has announced that over two billion FireWire ports have shipped worldwide, which is most impressive for a largely forgotten interface. Going forward, the Association expects to see "steady, stable growth" in 2011 as more products with FireWire S1600 go to market, though a dearth of such devices at CES makes us think you can add the word 'slow' to that projection. Given that the standard's promised 1.6 Gb/s bandwidth is less than a third of the 5 Gb/s offered by USB 3.0 (even with USB's larger overhead, 3.0 still provides a bigger pipe), and the fact that Intel may finally get on board with Superspeed, it may be awhile before FireWire celebrates another such milestone.

[Image source: ScratchWorx]

Continue reading FireWire ships its two billionth port, still not as fast as USB 3.0

FireWire ships its two billionth port, still not as fast as USB 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USB 3.0 for Mac review and benchmarks (with a LaCie 2big USB 3.0)

Darren Murph — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:45:00 EST

It took LaCie nearly a full year to ship the 2big USB 3.0 RAID drive -- a device that was announced in the fall of 2009 -- but now that it's here, it's being accompanied by a concept that actually far outshines the unit itself: USB 3.0 on a Mac. For whatever reason, Apple has refused to offer SuperSpeed USB on any of its machines, even a fully specced-out Mac Pro costing well north of $10,000. We've seen purported emails from Steve Jobs noting that USB 3.0 just isn't mainstream enough to sweat just yet, but coming from the guy who's still bearish on Blu-ray, we get the feeling that it'll be ~~quite some time~~ far too long before Apple finally caves and upgrades from USB 2.0. We're obviously no fans of the holdout -- after all, even a few sub-$500 netbooks are enjoying the SuperSpeed spoils already -- so we couldn't have possibly been more excited to hear that a longstanding storage vendor was about to fill the void that Cupertino continues to ignore. We were able to pick up a LaCie USB 3.0 PCIe expansion card as well as a 4TB (2 x 2TB) 2big USB 3.0 drive and put the whole setup through its paces on our in-house Mac Pro. Care to see how it stacked up against USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and FireWire 800? Head on past the break for the grisly details.

Gallery: LaCie USB 3.0 PCIe expansion card and 2big HDD

Continue reading USB 3.0 for Mac review and benchmarks (with a LaCie 2big USB 3.0)

USB 3.0 for Mac review and benchmarks (with a LaCie 2big USB 3.0) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Data Robotics's Drobo S storage robot goes USB 3.0, starts at $800

Darren Murph — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:30:00 EST

Talk about maintaining a pace. Nearly a year to the day after the introduction of the original Drobo S comes this: the Drobo S. Er, the second generation Drobo S. As you could probably surmise from the title above, the only notable difference in Data Robotics' newest storage robot is the addition of USB 3.0, but the triple interface ensures that eSATA and FireWire 800 users are also taken care of. Of course, USB 2.0 backwards compatibility is inbuilt, and while no theoretical speed figures are given, we're sure it's far quicker than the (now) prior version. It'll be sold starting today directly from the company, but beginning on November 18th, it'll also be featured on HP Small Business Direct. The (empty) base model will go for $799, while $1,299 buys you a five pack of 1TB HDDs, $1,549 gets you five 1.5TB HDDs and $1,799 lands you with five 2TB HDDs. In related news, Drobo Sync is now shipping in order to provide offsite backup to DroboPro FS units, and Billy Corgan still enjoys playing with Bluetooth speaker balls while on vacation. Crazy, right?

Data Robotics's Drobo S storage robot goes USB 3.0, starts at $800 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo IdeaCentre A300 and Multimedia Keyboard review

Vlad Savov — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 17:01:00 EST

Lenovo seems to have developed a clear two-pronged strategy: for business, it leans on the knowhow and tradition it purchased from IBM with the demure Think line, and for the consumer end, it's developed its own, oftentimes flamboyant, Idea range of computers. Prime example of the latter is the IdeaCentre A300, which features an edge-to-edge glass screen, chrome accenting aplenty, and an unhealthily thin profile. As such, it's one of the more unashamed grabs for the hearts and minds of desktop aesthetes, so we had to bring it in for a test drive and see what we could see. Lenovo also sent us one of its diminutive Multimedia Keyboard remotes to have a play around with. Follow the break for our review of both.

Gallery: Lenovo IdeaCentre A300 review

Gallery: Lenovo Multimedia Keyboard review

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaCentre A300 and Multimedia Keyboard review

Lenovo IdeaCentre A300 and Multimedia Keyboard review originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Jun 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched On: A new spin on external hard drives, part two

Ross Rubin — Sat, 15 May 2010 17:30:00 EST

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Last week's Switched On laid out the basics behind GoFlex, Seagate's new system of interoperable connectors and docks that leverage a sturdier-than-stock SATA connector separate external storage from the connecting interface. With USB 2.0 nearly universal, Seagate has the burden of explaining why consumers should buy into GoFlex.

The system does have advantages. You can pick up a GoFlex drive assured that it will work with most computers via the bundled USB 2.0 connector cable, upgrade to eSATA or FireWire 800 for faster speed today, and then to USB 3.0 as you acquire a computer that uses that connector. Adapters start at about $20, which is what one might spend on a decent new enclosure for upgrading the old-fashioned way, and Seagate claims that separating the drive from the physical interface will enable it to sell less expensive external drives that come without any connector. Still, by the time most people spend between upgrading their PCs, they might want to simply start over with a higher-capacity drive that will be compatible with the latest and greatest connector anyway.

Continue reading Switched On: A new spin on external hard drives, part two

Switched On: A new spin on external hard drives, part two originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 May 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched On: A new spin on external hard drives, part one

Ross Rubin — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:47:00 EST

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Consumer hard disk connectors have been pretty stable for the past few years. Most internal drives use SATA connectors and most external drives connect via USB; there hasn't seemed to be much frustration with this other than the speed of USB 2.0, which is showing its age and is being superseded by the backward-compatible USB 3.0. Seagate, though, is betting big that a new series of breakaway connectors will bring the old usage model of floppy drives into the 21st Century and accommodate complete media libraries, as well as include a few new twists that take into account such modern tasks as media streaming, remote access and networked entertainment.

Continue reading Switched On: A new spin on external hard drives, part one

Switched On: A new spin on external hard drives, part one originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 18:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seagate introduces new GoFlex range: multi-port HDDs, media players, etc.

Darren Murph — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:00:00 EST

We all knew Seagate's FreeAgent line couldn't hang around forever, and tonight the storage mainstay has revealed the next logical step for the line. The GoFlex family is one of the more varied ranges out there from any hard drive maker, with the primary intent on the HDD side being to create drives (ranging from 320GB to 2TB) that are friendly with both Macs and PCs (simultaneously) while also giving users the ability to upgrade their connection or switch it out depending on what workstation they interface with. The new crew supports USB 2.0 out of the box, though upgrading to USB 3.0, FireWire 800 or eSATA can be accomplished via the new GoFlex cable system. Also launched today is the GoFlex TV HD media player, which essentially acts as a liaison between your tele and your media, regardless of whether it's stored locally, on the LAN or on the internet. Moving on, there's the GoFlex Net media sharing device, which transforms any USB mass storage device into one that's happy to pump out content via the 'net -- think Pogoplug, and you've pretty much got the idea. It looks as if the whole crew will be available for purchase starting this week, with the full list of details and prices just beyond the break.

Gallery: Seagate GoFlex hard drives

Continue reading Seagate introduces new GoFlex range: multi-port HDDs, media players, etc.

Seagate introduces new GoFlex range: multi-port HDDs, media players, etc. originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firewire's future on DVRs is up for debate

Richard Lawler — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:22:00 EST

Mandated by the FCC, Firewire ports have been commonplace, and sadly mostly unused, on our HD DVRs for some time, but recent requests by Intel and TiVo to forego their inclusion have brought the situation to a head. Multichannel News reports the 1394 Trade Association is calling Intel's waiver request "too broad" and cited its wide deployment as reasons it should still be included. Beyond some driver hacks to enable transfers of DVR'd programming, it seems like Ethernet and USB are getting the lion's share of use on boxes, while emerging DLNA and MoCa tech makes moving content around even easier, is anyone actually getting a benefit from the extra port on their boxes as we go into 2010?

Firewire's future on DVRs is up for debate originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: Apple dictated Light Peak creation to Intel, could begin migration from other standards as early as 2010

Joshua Topolsky — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:02:00 EST

Remember how Intel showed off its new, advanced optical standard -- Light Peak -- this past week on a Hackintosh? Well it turns out there's more to that story than you probably know, and it all leads back to some revealing facts about the connection... literally and figuratively. Engadget has learned -- thanks to an extremely reliable source -- that not only is Apple complicit in the development of Light Peak, but the company actually brought the concept to Intel and asked them to create it. More to the point, the new standard will play a hugely important role in upcoming products from Cupertino.

Continue reading Exclusive: Apple dictated Light Peak creation to Intel, could begin migration from other standards as early as 2010

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Handhelds, Laptops

Exclusive: Apple dictated Light Peak creation to Intel, could begin migration from other standards as early as 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OWC Mercury On-The-Go Pro takes longer to say than to boot

Vlad Savov — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:33:00 EST

One of these days, SSDs will hit a price point that doesn't require a second mortgage to buy one. Until then, we can just gawk at things like OWC's latest, which is a portable version of Crucial's still relatively new line of affordable SSDs, built around the familiar Indilinx controller and Samsung NAND flash. Coming in sizes from 64GB ($280) to 256GB ($730), the new Pro devices can transfer data and get their power from either a Firewire or USB port. Alas, that means you'll be limited to 100MBps read rates -- as opposed to the 250MBps you could get from an eSATA connection -- but that's a small sacrifice to make if you care about losing the moving parts in your portable storage.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Storage

OWC Mercury On-The-Go Pro takes longer to say than to boot originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu's MB88395 HD-over-Firewire controller hits the road

Steven Kim — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:28:00 EST

HD video is headed for your auto, and just like your home, you need to be able to soak up those pixels from more than one seat. To keep manufacturers from having to pull HDMI cables through the door panels and running boards, Fujitsu has the MB88395 controller (catchy name, right?) for streaming your entertainment around the cabin over a DTCP-protected 1394 network. At the heart of Fujitsu's silicon is the SmartCODEC, which can take a decompressed 1280x720 pixel video stream at 885Mbps and compress it down to 249Mbps with only a couple of milliseconds of delay. Never mind that Blu-ray only spits out a maximum data rate of 54Mbps, the analog hole comes through again -- just like in the home. Don't you just love copy protection?

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Displays, Other hardware, Players, Others

Fujitsu's MB88395 HD-over-Firewire controller hits the road originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Podcast 119 - 11.21.2008

Joshua Topolsky — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST

Back for more, eh? Well you've come to the right place -- the Engadget Podcast! Join Josh, Paul, and Nilay as they take you on a magical journey through the trials and tribulations of the BlackBerry Storm, investigate the legal situation of the Apple-cloning operation known as Psystar, dish on the latest Zune and Xbox happenings, and lament the forthcoming death of FireWire as it cedes its high-speed throne to USB 3.0. And just think, access to this treasure-trove of information is yours free of charge!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Paranoid

00:02:25 - BlackBerry Storm review
00:32:35 - Psystar's antitrust claims against Apple dismissed
00:53:59 - Microsoft revamps Zune Pass: keep ten tracks per month forever and ever
01:02:43 - Microsoft ratchets down pricing on flash-based Zunes
01:02:39 - NXE hitting 360s with red ring, freezing and sorta-sexy-avatar issues?
01:06:45 - Goodbye, FireWire 400

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Download the podcast

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Contact the podcast

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Filed under: Podcasts

Engadget Podcast 119 - 11.21.2008 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scosche Passport FireWire-to-USB iPod adapter gets reviewed

Darren Murph — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:36:00 EST

Okay, so this adapter doesn't directly convert a FireWire 400 socket into a USB port, but for all intents and purposes here, it does as much. You see, Scosche's Passport was designed to channel the energy from older FireWire-based iPod charging gear into the USB prongs that the newer iPhone / iPods only accept. Macworld was able to get ahold of one for review, and in testing, it found that everything worked well when toying with new iPods, and while it was designed specifically for in-car applications, critics found that it even worked (albeit inelegantly) with dock-cradle accessories. Was it worth $30? Absolutely, so long as you'd rather burn $30 than replace that mess of wires you've got behind the dashboard (and you would).

Filed under: Peripherals, Apple

Scosche Passport FireWire-to-USB iPod adapter gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scosche Passport FireWire-to-USB iPod adapter gets reviewed

Darren Murph — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:36:00 EST

Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Scosche Passport FireWire-to-USB iPod adapter gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodbye, FireWire 400

Nilay Patel — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:01:00 EST

We'll miss you.

Filed under: Peripherals

Goodbye, FireWire 400 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OWC introduces first external Blu-ray drive with quad interface

Darren Murph — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:41:00 EST

It's debatable whether or not Apple is losing its touch with FireWire, but you can rest assured that OWC hasn't. Said outfit has just announced the industry's first Blu-ray external drive with a quad interface, meaning you can link it up to your PC or Mac via FireWire 400, FireWire 800, USB 2.0 or eSATA. The Mercury Pro SW-5583 arrives with the capability to toast BD-Rs at a rate of 4x and includes a pair of 25GB BD-R discs for $499.99; the closely related Mercury Pro SW-5583T throws in a full retail version of Roxio Toast 9 Titanium (OS X) and sells for $579.99. Now, if only we could convince Steve that Blu-ray and Macs could indeed get along together, we'd really be satisfied. Full release after the break.

Continue reading OWC introduces first external Blu-ray drive with quad interface

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage

OWC introduces first external Blu-ray drive with quad interface originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OWC introduces first external Blu-ray drive with quad interface

Darren Murph — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:31:00 EST

Continue reading OWC introduces first external Blu-ray drive with quad interface

Filed under: Blu-ray, Players, Recorders

OWC introduces first external Blu-ray drive with quad interface originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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tru2way camp reassures FCC this is the open standard they are looking for

Richard Lawler — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:32:00 EST

The cable industry keeps going out of its way to mention tru2way is open to all, so after Verizon blasted the tech in a letter to the FCC as inhibiting technical innovation, here's National Cable & Telecommunications Association CEO Kyle McSlarrow's waved his hand and sent over this bit of suggestion. Apparently the NCTA is happy to have Verizon as a friend in attempting to rid cable boxes of those icky FCC-mandated FireWire ports (since Ethernet is a suitable replacement, according to them), but wants to clear up the misconception that tru2way devices are incompatible with cable alternatives (satellite, fiber, etc.) since hey, you can still use a set-top box just like you do now. Unfortunately since many of us have the "misconception" that we'd prefer devices that worked with any provider without requiring additional hardware, that's probably not going to cut it. Empty gesture or a real effort towards a unified set of standards across all providers? Take a look at the letter (warning: PDF read link) and decide for yourself.

[Via Cable Digital News]

Filed under: Regulatory, Set-top boxes, Cable, Fiber, Satellite

tru2way camp reassures FCC this is the open standard they are looking for originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FireWire 1600 and 3200 approved by IEEE

Nilay Patel — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:32:00 EST

While FireWire 800 gear is still pretty rare and we've only seen one piece of FireWire 1600 kit, the IEEE is still pushing the standard forward -- it's just approved the 1394-2008 spec, which includes both FireWire 1600 and 3200. Interestingly, the spec is fully backwards compatible with both 400 and 800 ports, but it remains to be seen which connector gets used more prevalently. We'll find out in October, when the spec is made available to manufacturers -- looks like that controversial 2010 launch of USB 3.0 just got upstaged a little, huh?

[Via CrunchGear]

Filed under: Peripherals

FireWire 1600 and 3200 approved by IEEE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Data Robotics announces second-gen Drobo with FireWire 800

Ryan Block — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:35:00 EST

For those whose major complaint about the Drobo was its lack of FireWire 800, today's your day. The new version of the virtualized-storage device features the much requested interface (and a second port for daisy-chaining), but despite the fact that it still lacks built-in Ethernet / WiFi, it does come equipped with an upgraded processor to better take advantage of FireWire 800's higher throughput, as well as a much larger, quieter case fan. Data Robotics claims their new model can achieve data transfer speeds of more than 2x over the original model, as well as outperform ReadyNAS and LaCie models (in RAID 1/5) when tested with identical drives.

The price stays the same at $500 for the device itself, and (as before) you can buy it bundled with two 1TB drives (for $900) or four 1TB drives (for $1,300). For those waiting for the price to dip even lower, Data Robotics is also clearing out inventory on its earlier model; until they sell out, first-gen Drobos will be going for $350, or $750 and $1,075 bundled with two and four 1TB drives, respectively.

Gallery: Data Robotics announces second-gen Drobo with FireWire 800

Filed under: Peripherals, Storage

Data Robotics announces second-gen Drobo with FireWire 800 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FireWire: over a billion ports served

Nilay Patel — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:04:00 EST

Alright, so we've harshed a little bit on FireWire recently, but we've got to stop and give the venerable interconnect some love: the 1394 Trade Association says that there are now over a billion FireWire ports out there. That's quite an accomplishment, even if we're not so sure that the group's claim that "every 1394-equipped device sold now has 1 billion opportunities to connect" is the most accurate or useful way of measuring the success of the technology. Even still, growth is always a good thing, and with an estimated 15 percent expansion rate in existing markets and some new applications like in-car networking showing potential, it looks like FireWire is set to hold its own against USB and eSATA for a while longer.

Filed under: Peripherals, Storage

FireWire: over a billion ports served originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Symwave demoes FireWire 1600 gear

Nilay Patel — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:48:00 EST

The 1394 Trade Association is already talking up FireWire S3200, but Symwave is taking baby steps, demonstrating a 1.6Gbps system known as S1600 (shocking) that's backwards-compatible with FireWire 800 and 400 this week at a conference in China. That's great and all -- transferring 1000 four megapixel images in five seconds sure sounds like a good time -- but speeds like that probably aren't going to cut it when FireWire 800 devices are already thin on the ground, everyone's looking forward to S3200, and the 4.8Gbps USB 3.0 spec is already making appearances on schedule for a launch in 2010. Not to mention that Wireless USB 1.1's target speed is 1.0Gbps -- you know we'll take a slight speed hit if we can ditch the cables.

[Via PC World; Warning: PDF read link]

Filed under: Peripherals, Storage

Symwave demoes FireWire 1600 gear originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDD Stage Rack gets even better: now with 300% more FireWire

Darren Murph — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:19:00 EST

Just like fine wine, the HDD Stage Rack keeps getting better with age. On its third iteration now, the latest version of the external HDD cradle not only includes the obligatory USB and eSATA ports, but it also boasts a 6-pin FireWire 400 connector and two FireWire 800 sockets. 'Course, this thing isn't slated to be available for US hands until the end of this month, but that'll give you a few weeks to swallow the lofty $165.33 price tag, at least.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Filed under: Storage

HDD Stage Rack gets even better: now with 300% more FireWire originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iomega beefs up eGo portable drive line with new capacity, Dual Interface

Paul Miller — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:55:00 EST

Iomega's svelte portable eGo hard drive lineup got quite a bit of love the first time around, and Iomega is working in new sizes and plugs at this year's Macworld. The 2.5-inch drive now comes in 160GB and 250GB sizes, priced $140 and $210, respectively, for the USB 2.0 versions, while the Dual Interface editions (which toss in FireWire 400) will run you $160 and $230, respectively. Both versions can be powered straight from the data plug. The drives are available now in Cherry Red, Jet Black, Midnight Blue and Alpine White.

Filed under: Storage

Iomega beefs up eGo portable drive line with new capacity, Dual Interface originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Upcoming FireWire spec revs things up to 3.2Gbps

Paul Miller — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:02:00 EST

USB 3.0 really threw down this September with a theoretical max throughput of 4Gbps, but it looks like FireWire isn't going down without a fight. The latest and greatest FireWire version, dubbed "S3200" by those creatives up in marketing, uses the same ports and cables as FireWire 800, but boosts speeds to 3.2Gbps, which should make it pretty competitive with USB in the real world -- though actual real-life speeds will probably depend on who's adding up the bits. According to the 1394 Trade Association: "The S3200 standard will sustain the position of IEEE 1394 as the absolute performance leader," but we hear they're biased. They are claiming that where current FireWire 800 hard drives can move 90MB per second, S3200 should be able to do 400MB. Speed concerns aside, the power delivery, peer to peer architecture, and handy networking capabilities of 1394 mean that FireWire should hopefully be around for a long time to come.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under: Peripherals

Upcoming FireWire spec revs things up to 3.2Gbps originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Medusa Hub provides ports galore, doubles as conversation piece

Darren Murph — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 01:10:00 EST

Far too many peripheral hubs are cranked out without a single thought given to design, but thankfully, the creators of the Medusa Hub realized that aesthetics do matter. This interesting piece, which is sure to claim a section of prime real estate on your desk, boasts a trendy white finish, four USB 2.0 sockets, a pair of FireWire 400 connectors, a fan and even a light. All of the strands are connected to your PC / Mac via an upstream USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 jack, and the unit is available now for a lofty (but respectable) $79.99. Click on through for a few more snapshots.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

Update: Yeah, look familiar? Seems a lot like these guys swiped LaCie's Huby images or concept to us. You be the judge.

Continue reading Medusa Hub provides ports galore, doubles as conversation piece

Filed under: Peripherals

Medusa Hub provides ports galore, doubles as conversation piece originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 01:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel's USB 3.0 and Wireless USB 1.1 target speeds announced: so long Firewire?

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:10:00 EST

Intel's announced USB 3.0 specification could push throughput beyond 4Gbps (300MBps) at the application level while introducing Quality of Service in support of HD video streams. Besides supplanting Firewire once and for all, a clear goal of the new "SuperSpeed USB" is to keep up with the transfer speeds of flash chips. "We don't want to be the bottleneck in the system," says Intel's Jeff Ravencraft who is overseeing the 3.0 initiative. Intel, HP, Microsoft, NEC, NXP, and TI will present the initial spec for a design review in November with first silicon to be stamped in "early 2009." While the new interconnect (pictured) will remain backward compatible with USB 2.0 and prior devices, new cables laced with an optical link and a max length of 2-meters will be required to take advantage of those high speeds according to a senior engineering manager with NEC. Meanwhile, a 1Gbps throughput is being targeted with Ravencraft's other baby: Wireless USB 1.1. Sounds great, but with existing 480Mbps Wireless USB silicon only achieving about 40Mbps in practice, Intel would be wise to focus on efficiency, not theory. Of course, it's all just a lot of smack-talk 'til they deliver, but with Apple running Intel inside now, Sony putting USB in their camcorders, and eSATA proliferating for external disks... well, Firewire's days sure seem numbered.

[Via EETimes and The Inquirer]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Peripherals, Wireless

Intel's USB 3.0 and Wireless USB 1.1 target speeds announced: so long Firewire? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaCie intros 4TB Biggest Quadra RAID drive

Darren Murph — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 02:05:00 EST

LaCie's 4TB Biggest Quadra certainly isn't the largest drive to rock the LaCie badge, but it does give users four ways to sync it up with their PC or Mac. The four-disk RAID drive touts FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0 and eSATA interfaces, supports RAID levels 0, 0+1 and 5, and will automatically shut down if temperates get too high. Reportedly, the device will ship with backup and recovery software and is slated to land in October for $2,199, right alongside the $1,099 2TB and $1,599 3TB versions.

[Via TGDaily]

Filed under: Storage

LaCie intros 4TB Biggest Quadra RAID drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 02:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet the new boss, Cable Labs' DTCP-IP

Steven Kim — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 11:59:00 EST

CableLabs' latest DRM scheme, DTCP-IP (Digital Transmission Copy Protection), got approval from a number of movie studios last week. This new streaming protocol is an extension of the DTCP protection on FireWire links, and is supposed to allow secured sharing of digital content within a home network. How secure? According to the CableLabs CEO, the new protocol allows for the "same level of protection, functionality, and treatment of content" as with AACS. Ahem. If that's true, count on a crack before the standard ever sees the light of day. Still, we're hoping that this will open up possibilities for TiVO functionality that has gone missing, like To-Go and Multi-Room Viewing. We also wonder what the real definition of a "home network" means to CableLabs -- could this spell trouble for place-shifting devices like the Slingbox?

Filed under: Industry, Media streamers, Other hardware, Recorders, Cable

Meet the new boss, Cable Labs' DTCP-IP originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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