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LaCie's Network Space 2 will assimilate your data, resistance is futile

by Tim Stevens posted Nov 4th 2009 at 9:04AM

It's not as compellingly styled as the Starck Mobile Hard Drive, nor as ostentatious as the Golden Disk; in fact the Network Space 2 is visually identical to the earlier Network Space, featuring improvements where it counts: on the inside. The Network Space 2 can act as either an external drive over USB or as a NAS, with UPnP, DLNA, and iTunes compliance for media streaming -- but that's old hat. New is integrated torrent support for all of your non-copyrighted download needs and some enhanced eco-friendly tweaks, like the ability to power itself down at certain times of the day then wake-on-LAN when needed. Storage is still capped at 1TB and there's no RAID in here to protect your infos, but we're not expecting this one to stray too far from its predecessor's $160 mark when released before the end of the year.

Gallery: LaCie Network Space 2

Continue reading LaCie's Network Space 2 will assimilate your data, resistance is futile

Apple quietly updates AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule, promises improved performance

by Darren Murph posted Oct 20th 2009 at 12:43PM

Just as it did in March, Apple has subtly updated both the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule, this time improving performance on both. According to new testing between today's model and yesterday's edition, the AE Base Station (which ships within three days for $179) can hum along at up to 25 percent faster thanks to undisclosed tweaks to the antenna design, while the Time Capsule's improved antenna promises the same. Just as before, both of these devices support dual-band 2.4GHz / 5GHz transmissions, though we can't seem to find an "802.11n draft" phrase anywhere on either page. Apple hasn't gone out of its way to say that both of these are certified with the final specification, but it's certainly a possibility. Finally, the new Time Capsule promises Time Machine backups in Snow Leopard that are some 60 percent faster than before; we're not sure whether to celebrate with new buyers or weep with existing ones, but it should ship within three days for $299 (1TB) / $499 (2TB).

Read - Updated AirPort Extreme
Read - Updated Time Capsule

QNAP's NAS lineup sacrifices another bay, creates TS-110

by Tim Stevens posted Oct 19th 2009 at 8:37AM

For many, four bays is a bit excessive. Two bays? Nice and cozy. One bay? Maybe a bit too snug for some, but QNAP is hoping its mono-bay TS-110 will be just right for others. It features the same 800MHz Marvell processor and 256MB of DDR2 RAM on the TS-410 and TS-210, with the discretely vanilla styling of the latter but at roughly half the girth. It keeps the same DLNA, FTP, file serving, and MySQL support of the other two, all configured through a fancy AJAXy web interface. No word on price yet, but we'll find out soon enough as it's set to ship by the end of the month. Meanwhile, we eagerly await the TS-010 announcement, which should rely entirely on theoretical storage.

Gallery: QNAP TS-110 NAS

Clickfree adds hassle-free migration, other features to C2 backup drive (video)

by Darren Murph posted Oct 13th 2009 at 2:51PM

Quite a lot has happened in the world of Clickfree since it went a little crazy at CES, but we're pretty jazzed about its latest effort. The predictably titled C2 is little more than a tweaked and refreshed version of the original backup-inclined external hard drive, but the boost in features makes this one worth considering. Available with a built-in USB cable and an even easier backup interface, the C2 can now handle automatic iPod music / playlist imports, direct-to-DVD burning, improved media sharing and a lovely migration feature that makes the arduous process of moving from Windows XP to Windows 7 a lesson in simplicity. The drive will be available in 250GB (C2 227; $139.00), 500GB (C2 527; $199.99) and 350GB sizes, with the latter to be made available in January 2010. So, are you finally done pushing aside the need to back your digital life up? Has Apple's increasingly lackadaisical software team taught us anything? Bizzare promo video is after the break.

Gallery: Clickfree adds hassle-free migration, other features to C2 backup drive

Continue reading Clickfree adds hassle-free migration, other features to C2 backup drive (video)

QNAP brightens up its NAS offerings with new TS-210 model

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 12th 2009 at 11:03PM

What's this? A QNAP NAS that doesn't stick to the company's traditional dark industrial look? Amazing but true, and yet another sign that the company is increasingly looking to bring the NAS out of the office and into the home -- a move that could only be further bolstered by a certain celebrity endorsement. Effectively replacing the company's previous TS-209 model, this one sticks to the same two-bay setup (for up to 4TB of storage), but steps things up to an 800MHz Marvell processor, along with 256MB of DDR2 memory, 3 USB ports, and all the usual UPnP / DLNA support you'd expect. No word on a price just yet, but we'd presume it'll be less than the $449 QNAP is asking for its four-bay TS-410 model.

[Via Electronista]

D-Link Xtreme N DIR-685 storage router now shipping

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 6th 2009 at 3:23PM

Well, what do we have here? D-Link's DIR-685 Xtreme N Storage Router -- you know, the 802.11n packing, WAP having, BitTorrent running beaut with USB storage support and 3.2-inch display we first laid eyes on in January at CES -- has finally hit store shelves. Every bit as lust-worthy as it was when we initially reviewed it, this bad boy retails for $300. Hit the read link to get in on the action.

[Via Electronista]

QNAP debuts 'low cost' TS-410 Turbo NAS for home use

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 5th 2009 at 3:54PM

QNAP's various NAS devices may not do much to distinguish themselves from one another based on appearances, but the company's apparently hoping that's its new TS-410 model will attract a bit more interest nonetheless, and its aiming it squarely at home and home office users. Helping it in that respect is its relatively low-cost price tag, "just" $449 (sans hard drives), which still gets you plenty of NAS-ness, even if it may be just slightly behind the latest and greatest. That includes a less powerful 800MHz Marvell processor instead of the increasingly common Atom, and a mere 256MB of DDR2 RAM, which is a good deal short of the 1GB or 2GB offered in some of QNAP's higher-end options. Of course, you will still get support for up to four 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch hard drives, a full range of RAID options, and four USB ports and 2 e-SATA ports for further expansion. Sound good enough? Then you can pick this one up right now.

Netgear delves into consumer NAS market with $229 1TB Stora

by Darren Murph posted Sep 21st 2009 at 8:30AM

Clearly autumn is a time for change, and with Seagate diving cautiously into the consumer NAS market just last week, it follows logic to think that rival Netgear would do likewise. The company has had a few years of experience with professional and business-minded NAS units, but the now-available Stora is the first dumbed-down version meant to cater to the masses (and the strapped-for-cash). Essentially, it's targeting users who want to make their media catalog available over the internet, and there's even a MyStora.com location that lets users easily access files remotely when an FTP client just feels far too intimidating.

It's compatible with Mac, Linux and Windows platforms, it can double as an iTunes or DLNA server and it ships in a two-bay configuration that is automatically setup to mirror data. Oddly enough, the $229 MS2110 model includes only a single 1TB drive, though we definitely prefer this setup over having twin 500GB HDDs; after all, any shopper worth their salt can snap up an extra 1TB unit for a lot less than Netgear would sell it to 'em.Oh, and we're told that an "optional yearly premium service to support additional remote access and third-party service integration such as Flickr and mobile phones is available for $19.99 after an initial 30-day trial period," but frankly, that doesn't sound appealing at all.

Gallery: Netgear delves into consumer NAS market with $229 1TB Stora

Continue reading Netgear delves into consumer NAS market with $229 1TB Stora

Seagate gets NASty with Pogoplug-based FreeAgent DockStar: hands-on

by Darren Murph posted Sep 16th 2009 at 8:00AM

Hard to believe this is Seagate's first consumer NAS offering (keyword being "consumer"), but sure enough, the FreeAgent DockStar is the company's first major effort to get its own line of FreeAgent Go hard drives onto your network. Without getting into too much detail, this simple dock is essentially a Pogoplug with a built-in cradle for one's FreeAgent Go USB (read: not FireWire) HDD. Thankfully, a trifecta of USB 2.0 sockets are littered about the edges, ensuring that at least three standard USB drives can also be connected and accessed over the web. We've yet to have a chance to put this bugger through its paces, but since we know all about the underlying technology, you can probably learn everything you need to know from our Pogoplug review. For those who'd rather opt for a Seagate'd version of an already available product, this DockStar is shipping today for $99.99. Oh, and we should mention that it comes with a year of the Pogoplug service, but after that, you'll be shelling out $29.99 per year for unlimited sharing and remote access.

In related news, Seagate is also introducing three new capacities for its FreeAgent Go family. In addition to the 250GB, 320GB, 500GB and 640GB versions already out there, the range will now include a 750GB, 880GB and 1TB version. Too bad no pricing or release details are available on those, but we'll be keeping an eye out.

Gallery: Seagate gets NASty with Pogoplug-based FreeAgent DockStar

Gallery: Seagate FreeAgent DockStar

Continue reading Seagate gets NASty with Pogoplug-based FreeAgent DockStar: hands-on

Belkin Home Base brings wireless printing and file sharing to any PC

by Darren Murph posted Sep 15th 2009 at 2:54PM

You've been looking for it, we've been looking for it -- heck, displaced Martians have been looking for it. We're talking about that mythical, magical box that adds all sorts of connectivity to any networked PC, and rather than making consumers purchase separate devices to add NAS capabilities and wireless print sharing to one's home, Belkin's Home Base does it all. This sleek little box includes four USB 2.0 sockets and an Ethernet jack, and when connected to one's home router, a printer and at least one external hard drive, any machine on the network instantly gains wireless printing abilities as well as network access to your USB HDD(s). Furthermore, Home Base can wirelessly backup your connected PCs behind your back, and with the automatic sharing feature, your most intimate photos can be whisked away to Flickr-land without you having to know. Are you as giddy as we are? Pull out $130 and get to shoppin' -- it should be available today.

Update: This thing is sicker than we thought. It actually has a wireless module built-in, so even if your hard drives and printer(s) are in a different room than the one your WLAN router is in, you can simply connect it to the peripherals and let it communicate with the router (and thus, your computers) from another location.

Gallery: Belkin Home Base brings wireless printing and file sharing to any PC

Freecom's MediaPlayer II NAS and media streamer aims high, scores low

by Tim Stevens posted Sep 15th 2009 at 8:28AM

Freecom has released enough diverse disk-based products over the past few years to inspire hope that its latest attempt to bridge the network-attached storage and media streamer divide would succeed. Not the case, according to Register Hardware's review. File copies to the device were quick enough over USB, but once tethered on Ethernet got rather slow (10 minutes for a 1GB file, 36 minutes for 1,024 1MB files), and even worse over WiFi (14 and 44 minutes, respectively). So, that whole NAS aspect doesn't exactly work out. Neither does the streaming side, with an inability to open H.264 or WMV9 files, and while it can decode high-definition MPEG2 files, it fails to play them smoothly. It can open DivX and Xvid files, and can even play DVD ISO files, but, sadly, that's where the positives end for this £115 ($190), 500GB multi-tasker.

ASUS TS mini home server makes its blurrycam debut

by Ross Miller posted Sep 12th 2009 at 3:29PM

If these China-borne blurrycam photos are to believed, ASUS is following Acer into the home server market with the TS mini. Along with the images came some alleged specs, conveniently sized up with its rival's easyStore Home Server, showing it to be lighter, taller, and half the width, but also having room for only two 3.5-inch SATA drives versus four in the Acer version. It's all run by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 with 2GB RAM, an ethernet port, and storage expansion options including six USB 2.0 and two eSATA ports. What's that, you want price and release date? It seems no one can confirm this device has even gone beyond the prototype stages, so don't pencil this into your holiday wish list just yet.

[Via We Got Served]

LG debuts N2R1 NAS with built-in DVD burner, up to 2TB of storage

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 10th 2009 at 1:16PM

It may be a pretty crowded field to compete and stand out in, but it looks like LG is intent on angling for a bigger share of the NAS market nonetheless, and it's now taken advantage of CEDIA to debut its new N2R1 model. While this one doesn't pack a Blu-ray recorder like LG's earlier model, it does still include a somewhat uncommon built-in DVD burner to complement the two standard hard drives (for up to 2TB of storage). Otherwise, you can expect the usual Ethernet and WiFi connectivity (just 802.11g, unfortunately), DLNA support, and all the basic security measures you'd expect -- not to mention a stylish white enclosure. Look for this one to hit retailers sometime this Fall with a list price of $299 for the 1TB version or $399 for the 2TB model.

Buffalo intros 4TB TeraStation NAS

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Sep 2nd 2009 at 6:31PM

It's been a while since we've seen a TeraStation from Buffalo, and in the meantime the company has been really going wild with the lilliputian memory devices, so it's nice to see something substantial in this space for a change. The latest TeraStation NAS integrates with Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 for up to 4TB storage. Of course, this particular Windows release has been available since late 2006, so we're not too terribly impressed -- but the company seems to think that it's important for you to know all about it. In addition, this bad boy has support for Raid 5/0/1 and VSS, and rocks four hot-swappable drive bays. The WS-Q2.0TL/R5 (2TB) is available for ¥158,000 ($1,658), while the WS-Q4.0TL/R5 (4TB) will set you back ¥198,000 ($2,077). And no, it won't fit in your pocket.

[Via Akihabara News]

Xtreamer e-TRAYz NAS boasts up to 4TB storage, artistic license with English language

by Ross Miller posted Aug 31st 2009 at 2:01AM

Loving your Xtreamer media player? The company's gearing up for a much larger, more versatile NAS complement that supports up to 4TB of storage across two bays, and anyone who's purchased last year's model by November 1st will get a chance to pre-order this one for €59 (US $84) when the listing opens on that day. It's bring-your-own-disk drives, but otherwise you're getting a Windows 7 / Snow Leopard-compliant server that supports RAID 0 / 1, torrent management, 802.11n (with dongle), and a surveillance webcam for remote snooping that's due out by Christmas of this year. After November 1st the price jumps to €99, and those who don't have the current Xtreamer will have to pick up both as a €198 set. No ship date yet, but we're supposed to be hearing more details, including full specs, in the coming days.

[Via Engadget Spanish]