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ASUS to introduce O!Play media player at Computex
Wait, what's this? ASUS diving head first into the HD media streamer game? Based on images and details acquired by Hardware, we'd say chances are looking pretty good. Reportedly, the aforementioned outfit will showcase its very own media player at Computex next week in Taiwan, and our expectations are already fairly lofty. The O!Play (codename HDP-R1) is said to be a fair bit quicker than competing models, and the file compatibility list is also worthy of laud. Port wise, this one's packing eSATA, USB, HDMI, stereo audio jacks, optical digital audio, Ethernet and an AC port. If all goes well, we could see this little bugger in European stores by July, with a price tag pegged at €119 ($168). Unfortunately, it doesn't seem as if that price nets you an internal HDD, but we'll find out for sure soon enough.[Via The Inquirer]
MSI's X-Slim X340 vs. X400 vs. X600 CULV laptops... Fight!
The big Computex show in Taipei is just a few weeks away and that means laptops, tons and tons of laptops. Specifically, CULV thin-and-light laptops that Intel's hoard of dutiful manufacturers have positioned between netbooks and super-expensive, ultra-portables like the MacBook Air or ThinkPad X301. Engadget Chinese is at the unveiling of MSI's full range of X-Slim laptops. We've already seen the X320/X340 up close, but this is the first time we've received official specs on the 14-inch (1366 x 768) X400 and 15.6-inch (1366 x 768) X600. Both feature Core 2 Solo CULV processors, an HDMI jack, hard disks up to 500GB in capacity, up to 4GB of DDR2 memory, and a 2-in-1 card memory reader. The X600 adds eSATA, options for 6 or 9-cell batteries (compared to the X400's 4 or 8-cells), and bumps the graphics from integrated GMA 4500MHD to ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330. Now we're just waiting for the ship dates and prices which should start at $699 to about $1,100.Update: Official press release says to expect these before June is through.
Power Over eSATA fans go wild over mobo manufacturer's latest and greatest cable
We guess its really a no-brainer, but it looks like quite a few manufacturers are really rather taken with the idea of powering eSATA devices over the connection itself (as opposed to a hackneyed USB power solution?). For further proof that this is something you're likely to see in the future, we submit for your approval the above cable. According to Tweak Town (not actually a legally incorporated town) who received this from "a Taiwanese motherboard manufacturer," the guy is designed to connect a single eSATA port to normal SATA power and data connectors, carrying both data and power over a single standard eSATA cable. That's all the news, for now -- but it will be interesting to see what sort of implementation this initiative sees when Computex Taipei comes 'round next month.
Sonnet's Qio eSATA controller / all-in-one card reader
Sonnet's a fun little company -- when not hustling iPod chargers and transmitters, it's providing the world with more sober, serious hardware, such as its RAID storage solutions. Among the company's newest kit is Qio, a media card reader / writer that includes a E4P SATA host controller, four eSATA ports, and the usual array of P2, SxS and CompactFlash slots. If that weren't enough, this device also includes an adapter so that your SD and XF cards don't feel left out. Available for both desktop (PCIe) and laptop owners (ExpressCard), the HDD controller supports port multipliers allowing users to access up to 20 drives. Available sometime next month, pricing to be determined.
Western Digital finally releases the 1TB My DVR Expander, TiVo owners rejoice
Finally! We've been waiting for Western Digital to put out the 1TB My DVR Expander for so long we almost thought that Amazon listing a couple weeks ago was a mistake. The external eSATA drive allows any number of HD DVRs to record an extra 120 hours of HD content, but the real noise is that it's certified to work with the TiVo HD and TiVo XL, which have locked-down eSATA ports that prevent you from using just any drive. (The original Series3 doesn't have this restriction.) Stupid, we know, but at $199 list and $167 at Amazon, the markup on this thing doesn't seem overly ridiculous, so we won't complain too loudly. Just ship 'em already, okay?
LaCie debuts 8TB 4big Quadra, new RAID bundles at NAB
Not sure if you've noticed, but NAB is in full swing over in Las Vegas. Not one to let a spotlight pass it by, LaCie has today introduced a new 8TB model of its 4big Quadra alongside a trio of new storage bundles for professionals who need gobs of free space and loads of speed. The 4big Quadra is a 4-bay RAID solution that handles hot-swappable disks and seven RAID modes, and by hitting up one the outfit's new combos (8TB, 16TB and 32TB), you also get a 4-port eSATA II PCI Express Card 3Gb/s card. Check 'em this May starting at $1,999.
R2E cable adds eSATA transfer abilities to RED camera
With NAB just about to get started in Las Vegas, CoolCameraGear is getting out ahead of the crowd with a newfangled adapter sure to please those who find themselves offloading gobs of RED footage. The R2E LEMO to eSATA cable essentially takes the burden away from your FireWire 800, FireWire 400 or USB 2.0 bus by enabling bits and bytes to flow over eSATA. RED camera users simply plug in their RED-Drive or RED-RAM using the original power adapter, then plug the LEMO end of the R2E cable into the drive and the other end into a standard eSATA port. Boom. Just like that, RED owners have instant access to eSATA transfers. For those unaware, eSATA support on camcorder is still a rarity, though the benefits are obvious for pros shuffling through multiple takes. Interested consumers can check this one out when the CoolCameraGear website goes live on April 20th for $230.%Gallery-50212%
Western Digital 1TB DVR Expander pre-orders up at Amazon, Apricorn add-ons get a face lift
We understand, you're not ready to let go of the BSG season finale just yet even though Tiger and Phil are charging up the back nine at Augusta, but keeping a lot of HD on the DVR can fill up space quickly -- which is where these two come in. Amazon is now taking pre-orders of the long-awaited 1TB edition of Western Digital's TiVo compatible (or other eSATA enabled box) DVR Expander, although no ship date is listed, and Apricorn took our advice on its fugly 500GB, 1TB or 1.5TB sized boxes, giving them a sleek new look. It's dual USB 2.0 / eSATA compatible, but not TiVo, so Scientific Atlanta 8300, DirecTV and DISH ViP owners can claim this one at $219 for the 1.5TB, while the WD will set you back $183.Read - Apricorn Unveils New Look for the DVR ExpanderRead - Western Digital WDG1S10000N My DVR Expander 1TB eSATA (Black)
Acer Aspire One mod adds eSATA port, an element of danger
The blogster known as tnkgrl has just rounded out a delightful series of step-by-step Acer Aspire One hacks covering the gamut from RAM upgrades to installing internal Bluetooth, a 1.8-inch HDD, and HSDPA 3G. For the final part of the series she's salvaged an eSATA socket and placed it just above the venerable netbook's second SD card slot -- and she's provided enough photographic evidence that if this were a crime, she'd go away for a very long time. Of course, this sort of anti-social warranty-voiding business ain't for the timid, but if you're feeling rather Legend Of Billie Jean, here's your opportunity to go wild. [Via Liliputing]
eSATA HDD Extender may / may not expand PS3 storage
We're not saying the mildly brilliant eSATA HDD Extender wouldn't work in theory, but we're a bit skeptical about the, um, realness of this here product. Unlike Team Xecuter's Hard Drive Xtender, which is definitely shipping to buyers, this device supposedly gives Sony's PlayStation 3 the ability to recognize an external eSATA drive. Furthermore, the device also adds four USB ports for even more connectivity, and given just how sweet this looks beneath the console, we'd say some serious thought went into the design. Sadly, there's no real indication of where the PS3 HD Plus PHE-01 will be sold, and even if you are able to locate one, the installation is a few notches above "drop dead simple."[Via Joystiq PlayStation]
Mysterious PS3 eSATA adapter promises massive HDD storage
Without any markings distinguishing a designer, it's difficult to discern whether this miracle storage solution for the PS3 actually exists. Dubbed "PS3 HD Plus PHE-01," this supposed eSATA adapter latches to the bottom of any PS3 promising connectivity to an external SATA hard disk for some majorly powerful storage capacity.Sure, there are other ways of getting massive amounts of bytes onto the PS3. One can simply swap in a new internal 2.5" SATA into the system, or even just hook up any old USB hard drive with little hassle; however, the latter won't give the same transfer speed as an eSATA. From the looks of it, the PHE-01 also comes with an additional four USB ports. Still, there isn't much else we know about this product or if it is even commercially viable ... or real. Maybe it's a leaked prototype perhaps? While we ponder this, you can check out more images of it at Gemaga.
Faster SATA standard coming in second quarter of this year, says SATA-IO
The folks behind the Serial ATA standard have been working on drafting a new, faster spec for a little while now, but it looks like things are finally starting to firm up, and SATA-IO marketing chair Conrad Maxwell now says that the new 6Gb/s standard is on track for release in the second quarter of this year. That, as you're no doubt aware, is twice as fast as the current spec and, according to Maxwell, it'll be backwards compatible with both the SATA-1.5Gb/s and SATA-3Gb/s specs. What's more, it's apparently also the group's intention to double the E-SATA spec to 6Gb/s as well, although no one seems to be making any promises on a date for that just yet. As a bit of a bonus, the group will apparently also be rolling out a new Power over ESATA spec (or ESATAp), which will allow 5 or 12 volts of power to be delivered via an ESATA connector.
Dell Adamo rumored to boast DisplayPort, Blu-ray drive
Can you feel it? Dell's Adamo is just about here, and the anticipation is palpable. We already learned that the unit's 45-watt power adapter wouldn't be anything special, but a Google cache shot of accessories and such from Dell's own website is giving us a presumed look at what could be announced alongside the ultraportable. For starters, we get the impression that it'll boast DisplayPort (judging by the DisplayPort-to-HDMI / VGA / etc. adapters) and at least have an option for a 2x Blu-ray combo drive. We're also seeing 250GB / 500GB internal / external SATA drives and an auto / air adapter for powering the machine in your vehicle / personally owned 747. Only the suits in Round Rock know if these will actually come to fruition, but honestly, why bother hosting these up on your website if they weren't on the way?[Via Electronista]
OCZ unveils Throttle eSATA SSD flash drive
We haven't seen a ton of eSATA flash drives, but OCZ is entering the fray with the Throttle, which looks a lot like the Ao-Lab unit we saw back in October. No pricing or release date is given, but Register Hardware estimates it'll be $32 for the 8GB model, $56 for 16GB and $160 for 32GB. For eSATA ports that don't provide power, the Throttle has a mini-USB port to give it some electrical juice that can also be used to transfer data, which should cover most scenarios unless you're at a phantasmagorical computer that somehow has only FireWire ports. [Via Maximum PC; thanks, Havok]Read - Official press releaseRead - OCZ readies USB eSATA Flash drive (Register Hardware)
Nexto ND-2725 video backup: has Sean Penn met his match?
It looks like NextoDI is back with another storage device aimed at the hot-to-trot paparazzi set. Like the last offering we saw from the company, the ND-2725 sports a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive (up to 200GB) and supports just about every other memory card out there. Additionally, data can be backed up via USB and FireWire, including SxS and P2 cards from Sony and Panasonic camcorders, respectively. The company bills this guy as the "world's fastest backup device," and while we wonder about that, at a max speed of 32MB/s, it's certainly no slouch. Besides, you can't put a premium on data integrity -- you wouldn't want a loused backup to come between you and all those National Enquirer greenbacks, would you?
Kanguru's new e-Flash thumbdrive marries eSATA and USB
It's been a while since we've seen anything truly interesting in the thumbdrive space, but this certainly qualifies. Kanguru has taken a regular-looking USB 2.0 flash drive and slapped an eSATA plug on the other end, finally breaking the performance barrier for thumbdrives. The eSATA is powered, and Kanguru tossed in a eSATA + Power bracket and eSATA + Power cable for whichever scenarios might present themselves. With an increasing number of laptops housing eSATA plugs these days -- not to mention all the other great scenarios that present themselves here -- we'd say the time is exactly right for this kind of mojo. Kanguru is shipping these now in 16GB ($85) and 32GB ($120) capacities, and will add a 64GB version in January of 2009.
Datamore Port HDD enclosure gives your data funk and flair
The handsome devil pictured above is the Porté, available in Korea from Datamore. This sleek, stylish HDD enclosure is sure to make you the envy of your neighbors and a hero to your family -- not only because it allows you to increase your storage options via handy USB or eSATA, but because it looks so sleek and sexy doing so. And who could resist an enclosure that offers such easy access to the hard drive? Of course there's a catch: this bad boy is not currently available Stateside. Sorry to break your heart. If you hit the read link, however, there are plenty of large, colorful glamor shots to help you ease the pain.
OWC introduces first external Blu-ray drive with quad interface
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.
Ao-LAB's eSATA SSD flash drive conveniently includes USB port
We're still baffled that traditional eSATA flash drives require power from the USB port in order to operate (at least until that Power Over eSATA initiative starts bearing fruit), but it seems that Ao-LAB has found a nice, practical workaround for the time being. The outfit's eSATA / USB Combo Drive arrives in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB flavors and provides dual interfaces along with a convenient way to power it if you're dead-set on using eSATA for transfers. And given that speeds over eSATA absolutely obliterate those over USB 2.0, you're going to want to. Shame there's no pricing / availability information, but we suspect you can get a few hundred of 'em sans issue should you contact the company seeking a bulk contract.[Via EverythingUSB]
Sonnet's Fusion F2 portable RAID solution hits 1TB
For budding audio / video editors that can't stand to leave home without a RAID setup in tow, you should probably give Sonnet's incredibly mobile Fusion F2 a look. This portable SATA RAID solution now tops out at 1TB (a 640GB model is also available) and features an eSATA connector, fanless design and compatibility with Sonnet's Tempo SATA ExpressCard/34 card. Within the 1.22-pound, 5.9- x 6.2- x 0.72-inch enclosure, you'll find a pair of 2.5-inch 7,200RPM HDDs that are able to deliver 134MB/sec read and write rates. Word on the street places a $995 price tag on the 1TB edition, which is all set to ship "early this month."[Via Macworld]
