December 29th, 2008

HP introduces new ex485 and ex487 MediaSmart Servers with Time Machine support

Posted by Sean Portnoy @ 7:22 pm

Categories: SOHO Networking

Tags: NAS, Hewlett-Packard Co., Network, Media, Server, Network-Attached Storage (NAS), Backups, Storage, Hardware, Sean Portnoy

Instead of waiting for the information to inevitably leak, HP has jumped the gun on CES and announced two new additions to its MediaSmart Server line of network attached storage (NAS) devices. The ex485 and ex487 will both be available in February, and one of their major enhancements is Mac support, including working as an iTunes server as well as a Time Machine backup device.

Despite the obvious play for Apple market share, the new MediaSmart Servers are still based on Windows Home Server platform, and you’ll apparently need a Windows PC on your network in addition to your Mac in order to set up the server. They come with four drive bays, four USB ports, an eSATA port, and either 750GB of storage (the $599 ex485) or 1.5TB (the $749 ex487). Online backup comes courtesy of Amazon’s S3 “cloud” storage, though the service is not included in the price of the server. While the new units’ connectivity is similar to their ex470/ex475 predecessors, the guts have been upgraded from a 1.8GHz AMD Sempron processor to a 2GHz Intel Celeron CPU and from 512MB of internal memory to 2GB. When in sleep mode, the ex485 and ex497 soak up just a single watt of power.

Instead of providing RAID compatibility with multiple drives installed in the MediaSmart Servers, HP offers automatic backup to folders duplicated on another drive. In addition to iTunes server duties, the ex485 and ex487 can stream media to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game consoles. The new Media Collector feature can schedule the copying of media files to the device, though this appears to be a Windows-only feature. The ex470 and ex475 will get an update in the near future that will add Mac backup support, but not the media streaming and Media Collector features.

Reviews of the first generation of MediaSmart Servers have praised its easy setup, but raised concerns about the high price. It doesn’t look like HP’s pricing strategy has changed, as you can find (or build) a NAS device offering the same capacities for much less. Are the MediaSmart Servers new features and helpful interface worth the extra cost?

December 20th, 2008

Parrot hatches Philippe Starck-designed Wi-Fi speakers with Bluetooth, iPod dock

Posted by Sean Portnoy @ 6:19 am

Categories: SOHO Networking

Tags: Apple iPod, Speaker, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wireless, Sean Portnoy

From Parrot and celebrity designer Philippe Starck come a new pair of wireless speakers that is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, as well as featuring a built-in iPod/iPhone dock. You’ll pay for the convenience and designer name when the Zikmu speakers become available next spring: $1,500, to be exact.

The 2.5-feet-tall speakers use Bluetooth to communicate with one another; you can also stream music from a Bluetooth device. The Zikmu set will also stream music from your computer over wireless networks via its built-in Wi-Fi chip. The dock is compatible with the latest generation of iPods and iPhone, and doubles as a charging station for Apple’s portable devices. While a remote control is included, it’s unclear if you’ll be able to control playback of tracks from your PC or Mac; if you can’t and the speakers are in a different room from your computer, you’ll be playing music blindly.

Parrot claims that the Zikmu speaker design will provide 360-degree immersive sound, thanks to an extra-flat membrane that creates small-scale vibrations that supposedly improve mid-range and treble reproduction Or, in Starck’s technical parlance, “There is actually a three-dimensional feel to this vibration, meaning that the air is palpable, almost humanlike in presence, like a fragrance.” We’ll have to wait a few more months to see just how “fragrant” the Zikmu’s performance is, but if you’re the type who doesn’t think twice about buying a Starck-designed toilet (yes, they exist), then this may be the speaker system for you.

December 17th, 2008

Novatel Wireless launches MiFi mobile router--no tethering required

Posted by Sean Portnoy @ 6:15 pm

Categories: SOHO Networking

Tags: Novatel Wireless, Router, Mobile, Advertising & Promotion, 3G, Routers & Switches, Wireless, Networking, Marketing, Cellular Phones

Novatel Wireless is looking to advance the sharing of 3G signals with the new MiFi mobile router, a slender unit that doesn’t need to be connected to a laptop or even plugged in to allow multiple devices to connect to the Internet wirelessly via a 3G cellular network.

The battery-powered MiFi can deliver four hours of use before needing to be recharged, making it well-suited for environments like a car, where passengers could do work over the Web as they roll along. While consumers can definitely find value in the MiFi, the mobile hotspot has such business-friendly features as VPN functionality, e-mail syncing, and remote management capabilities. In fact, Novatel Wireless has created a platform that third-party applications can tap into for an optimized mobile experience, though the company has not announced any details on partner apps.

Novatel Wireless has announced that the MiFi router will be available from carriers and retailers in the first half of 2009. Hopefully, specifics on those partners, as well as pricing, will emerge during CES 2009 next month in Vegas.

December 15th, 2008

Holiday Gift Guide 2008: Wireless routers

Posted by Sean Portnoy @ 8:33 pm

Categories: Holiday Gift Guide, SOHO Networking

Tags: Wireless Router, Router, IEEE 802.11n, Linksys Inc., Routers & Switches, Network Technology, Networking, Wi-Fi, Wireless, Sean Portnoy

OK, getting the wrong type of person a router for a gift could be a one-way ticket to holiday hell. But if you’re buying for someone who’s expressed a desire for one, or you want to take advantage of holiday deals to upgrade your own network, there are plenty of worthy products that are great for staying connected. Here are four solid ones to consider.

802.11g Router

Linksys WRT110 RangePlus Wireless Router
Though the spec hasn’t been officially ratified yet, 802.11n is far enough along that you should go that route for a brand-new networks, but if it’s still too pricey, the WRT110 RangePlus Wireless Router can provide some of the N benefits with a cheaper 802.11g router. If you happen to have an 802.11n adapter, this Linksys uses RangePlus technology to provide throughout and range superior to other G hardware; even if you just have a 802.11g network, the WRT110 delivers outstanding range. The sleek design, which does away with external antennae, is another plus.

[read the review] [check prices]

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December 13th, 2008

Turn external hard drives into network storage via USB with Addonics NAS adapter

Posted by Sean Portnoy @ 8:22 am

Categories: SOHO Networking

Tags: External Hard Drive, Hard Drive, NAS, Network, Adapter, Network Storage, USB, Addonics, Network Attached Storage Adapter, Network-Attached Storage (NAS)

Here’s one of those good ideas that makes you wonder why it took so long for someone to come up with it. Addonics has introduced its Network Attached Storage (NAS) adapter, which is a $55 device that lets you plug a USB-powered external drive in one end and then connect an Ethernet cable to the other end that runs to your router.

The compact adapter would seem to be a great idea if you already own external storage that you would like to share over a network, and could also be a cheap alternative to a dedicated NAS device (since the device and an external drive, depending on capacity, could cost around $100 less than a dedicated NAS drive). It also works as a print server if you swap your drive for a printer to plug into the USB port. The unit can even be set up as a FTP server for remote users, a BitTorrent client, or a UPnP AV server.

The NAS adapter’s one obvious weakness would be that it only has a single USB port. To overcome this limitation, Addonics sells storage racks and towers that can house multiple drives that can connect to the adapter and provide RAID functionality. With that additional cost, however, this solution faces competition from network storage enclosures offered by other companies. Still, this could definitely appeal to those with a external hard drive or large flash drive who want a fairly cheap way to turn it into NAS devices.

December 8th, 2008

New 802.11n Wi-Fi chip developed for cell phones, mobile devices

Posted by Sean Portnoy @ 5:57 pm

Categories: SOHO Networking

Tags: Phone, Broadcom Corp., Mobile, IEEE 802.11n, Cell Phone, Mobile Device, Chip, Wireless LANs, Wi-Fi, Semiconductors

Having a phone with built-in Wi-Fi is handy for a number of reasons, from providing faster Web surfing to allowing you to make phone calls over VoIP instead of using cell phone minutes. Of course, the range and throughput your phone can receive depends on the Wi-Fi chip it uses. Broadcom plans to usher in the next wave of Wi-Fi-enabled phones with a new chip that will bring 802.11n’s improved performance to mobile devices.

The BCM4329 combines 802.11n, Bluetooth, and FM radios on a single chip. Broadcom claims that a device using the 802.11n chip will have a maximum throughput of 50Mbps—not as fast as a rate as a laptop with a 802.11n radio or using a USB-based adapter, but significantly faster than my iPhone can do today over Wi-Fi. It’s also a dual-band solution, meaning it can connect to networks using either 2.4GHz or 5GHz spectrum. The built-in FM transmitter makes it easy to send audio wirelessly from a mobile device to a car or home stereo, while the FM receiver obviously will let a device capture FM radio broadcasts.

Broadcom says it’s already sampling the chip to select customers, and plans to ramp up full-scale production next year. Maybe in time for the next-generation iPhone?

December 4th, 2008

Buffalo Technology moves closer to returning to U.S. Wi-Fi router market

Posted by Sean Portnoy @ 7:47 pm

Categories: SOHO Networking

Tags: Buffalo, Buffalo Technology, Wi-Fi, Wireless, Network-Attached Storage (NAS), Wireless LANs, Routers & Switches, Games, Networking, Storage

Wireless watchers may have noticed that Buffalo Technology disappeared from the router game some time back, due to a successful suit brought against it by an Australian company organization. But Buffalo may be getting back in the market, due to a new court decision that stayed the injunction against it selling products based on 802.11a and 802.11g Wi-Fi technology.

CSIRO had been successful in arguing that Buffalo had violated its wireless patents when it sued in U.S. District Court, but that decision was challenged in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in September. Buffalo then asked the court to stay the injunction, and the company believes a trial will be held in the same court concerning the validity of CSIRO’s patents.

While Buffalo has stayed in the networking game in U.S. through its TeraStation network attached storage drives, it could jump back into the router fray here in the near future. I’ll keep you posted when and if that decision is made official.