I say that because HTPCs have never been smaller, cheaper or more powerful. A little over two years ago, we were talking about how purchasing an HD-capable PC would leave you with an empty bank account. Take this Sony Vaio TP1 for example. The wheel of cheese design was considered compact and "living room friendly" at the time, but it is still probably twice as big as current nettop models. The specs are lacking even by 2007 standards and it started at $1600. Today I can easily go out and find a more powerful, feature rich nettop for less than $400. And it would be small enough to tuck behind your HDTV due, in part, to cheap, compact, graphics-friendly chipsets like Nvidia Ion.

Today's Most Affordable HTPCs

Seriously...HTPCs for less than $400. Sure, you could spend a lot of cash on something more elaborate, and will have to if you want to access your own digital cable stream, or if you want to go with Blu-ray as your high-def source of choice, but if you simply want a compact 1080p device that competently opens up the entire internet to your HDTV, here is a good place to start:

• Dell Zino HD: The cheapest of the bunch at a base price of $230, the Dell Zino HD offers a range of AMD Athlon processor options, up to a 1TB HDD, up to 8GB of RAM and a choice between integrated graphics and an ATI Radeon HD 4330 512MB card. Plus you get HDMI, four USB ports, and two eSATA for easy expansion. Even with a few bells and whistles like a dual-core processor, a bump in RAM to 4GB or a boost in the HDD capacity, you can keep the Zino under $400. Adding a Blu-ray drive bumps the price up an additional $100. [Dell]

• Acer AspireRevo R6310: Features include a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330 processor, Nvidia Ion graphics, 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD, HDMI, eSATA, VGA, 6 USB ports, card reader and wireless-N in a $330 package. They even throw in a wireless keyboard and mouse for good measure. I have spent some time with the AspireRevo, and I can say that it is a very capable HTPC for the money. Power web surfing can be sluggish at times, as is Flash playback—but Adobe has promised support for NVIDIA graphics acceleration in Flash 10.1 that should remedy that situation. All-in-all though, it handles video quite well. It does not include optical drive option, meaning you will have to purchase a Blu-ray player seperately. [Acer]

• Asus EeeBox EB1012: A release date and price have not officially been confirmed, but the EeeBox EB1012 offers basically the exact same feature set as the AspireRevo—minus a USB port or two. Hopefully, when it is released, the price point will be even more aggressive than Acer's. It does not include optical drive option, meaning you will have to purchase a Blu-ray player separately. [Asus]

As a side note, if you are interested in using a CableCard tuner to turn your PC into a cable DVR, that has become a lot easier for the average Joe. However, programs like Comcast's upcoming Xfinity (formerly known as TV Everywhere) might easily bridge this gap by putting your current cable subscription online. Check out my article on living without cable or satellite to learn more about what programming and software is available to you online.

Remotes

None of the HTPCs mentioned above come with a remote control out of the box, but this can be easily and cheaply remedied. Most infrared remotes require only that you have a free USB port for the included adapter, so just about any PC with Windows Media Center can be converted to work with a remote.

If you are just looking for something basic, a remote like the MCE PC will do the job just fine—and it costs under $20. If you have an iPhone, you can also download apps like AirMouse (iTunes link) and MediaMote (iTunes link) to handle these tasks. Gmote is also available for those of you with Android phones.

Networking

Keep in mind that if your modem is far from your computer, and you'll be relying on Wi-Fi to connect to the internet and move files between computers, you are probably going to want something capable of handling wireless-N (802.11n). Fortunately, all of the PCs mentioned above can do that right out of the box—although the Dell Zino requires a $45 upgrade for that option.

If you want to upgrade an older PC to handle wireless-N, all you need is a compatible router and a USB adapter. Decent wireless-N routers will run you about $60 on the lower end, and compatible USB adapters can be had for an additional $30 or $40 bucks. If you just plan on connecting to the internet and you live in a smaller home or apartment, you should be fine with 802.11g.

Networked Storage

Although not an essential component to owning an HTPC, at some point you are probably going to want a networked storage solution so you can dump all of your files in one place. Traditionally, setting up a home server to centrally store files from multiple computers (and multiple platforms, potentially) required another major investment, but things have definitely improved in this area. For example, HP's LX195 Windows Home Server with a 640GB drive can be had for $250, and it performs quite well for the price. The same can be said for the Iomega Ix2-200 NAS. It runs on Iomega's proprietary software as opposed to Windows Home Server, but for the money, it has a killer feature set that makes it a pretty awesome deal. Capacity runs up to 4TB, but the base delivers 1TB at $270 and it is user-expandable.

Even if you want to bake your own NAS server there is open-source software like FreeNAS that can help to keep the costs down. Maximum PC has provided a great guide to building a NAS server using these free open source tools. If you have the hardware lying around, it's not going to cost a penny. Either way, building from scratch can be fairly inexpensive depending on how much storage space you need.

Avoid Expensive Set-Top Boxes

Amusingly enough, as I was writing this article, my father called to ask me about the Roku player his IT guy was raving about. Yes, Roku's three models are priced between $80 and $130, a figure even the cheapest HTPCs can't match, but the fact that they are still limited to Netflix and Amazon On Demand makes them less valuable. Would you say that Netflix and Amazon VOD are worth $130 of the AspireRevo's $330 price tag? I should hope not.

There are certainly good reasons to pick up a $100 HD media streamer, like the Asus O!Play, if you're aware of the limitations, but what's the excuse for Apple TV and others like it? Apple's set-top box costs $229. I have iTunes on my HTPC...so where is the value? Throw an HDMI port on a Mac Mini and then we'll talk. The $300 Popcorn Hour player may play a ton of file formats and have an integrated BitTorrent client, but you have to pay extra to add a hard drive, and by the time you do, you're squarely in HTPC territory.

To me, spending a little more actually saves money, because I don't need to buy so many competing boxes. It's like going to the grocery store and choosing between the regular-sized bag of coffee and the jumbo bag of coffee. The smaller bag costs lest money, but buying in bulk is cheaper pound for pound—and you know I will be drinking all of that coffee.

HTPCs Are Resilient

Forget about netbooks and elaborate set-top media boxes this holiday season. If your budget is anywhere over $300, go with an HTPC. Set-top boxes will always hold you to whatever content deals their makers can set in place (or whatever you can go through the trouble of hacking or modding in, yourself). And I'm not interested in netbooks until they handle HD well enough to be used as a portable HTPC.

It's only a matter of time before everyone watches TV through the internet, so you had better get on the bandwagon while cable companies are still scrambling to figure out how best to screw you. No matter how weird it gets, at least with a PC you know you'll be able to roll with it.

These Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz Windows Home Servers can back up to ten PCs and serve all the files you want. It has two 3.5-inch bays for up to 2 terabytes of storage space, with one Gigabit Ethernet port, and six USB 2.0 ports to add more storage or whatever you want. [Asus via Hot Hardware via Engadget]

While the Mini NAS truly is small, it's got plenty of features in that one pound package. It supports both SMB (Server Message Block) and open source Samba network protocols, provides FTP access for up to 8 simultaneous users, and can be "configured Bit-Torrent downloading appliance or as an iTunes media server." Not bad for $70. [Addonics]

The main bottleneck in any NAS is the RAID engine. Since many NAS units don't include a dedicated controller, oftentimes the speed of the drive just doesn't matter. If you're using a blazing-fast hardware RAID card in your own custom built setup, then drive speed might make a difference. But for most consumer units, the controller is the bottleneck.

With that in mind, you can go with slower 5400 RPM drives that reduce power consumption, generate less heat, and will likely cost less up front too. Even if you have a dedicated RAID card that could let a 7200 RPM drive do it's thing at full speed, I'd consider the benefits of low-power drives to outweigh the marginal speed increase you might see.

This chart shows the difference between Samsung 7200 and 5400 RPM drives in various RAID configurations:

Not much, right? So think twice before you drop more than necessary on 7200 RPM drives for your backup unit. Check out the link for the full test rundown. [Tom's Hardware]

The Price:

1TB for $270, 2TB for $370 and 4TB for $700

The Verdict:

It does a lot, and it does it pretty well, for not a lot of cash.

Here's a list of the exciting bits on the Ix2-200's feature list:

• Automated backup and restore: Full Time Machine support for Macs as well as Retrospect, a different backup scheme, for PCs and Macs.
• Automated copy jobs, which can automatically and incrementally copy (either with Windows file sharing or rsync) files off of network shares and dump it onto its own storage, or the other way around. Perfect for backing up other network shares for double data security
• RAID1
• DLNA, iTunes Servers
• Quiet running
• SMB features like email notifications, event logs, iSCSI, automated video surveillance (provided you have a compatible camera) and USB printer support
• A load of networking support, like Apple File Sharing, Bluetooth, FTP, NFS, Rsync, SNMP and standard Windows File Sharing (CIFS)
• Torrent downloading
• Remote access

Instead of building a Windows Home Server, like so many others have done, Iomega decided to build their own system from their own technology, and came out pretty feature-rich because of it.

The setup process is slightly finicky—you install the Iomega Solutions CD and wait while it searches your network for the server. This can actually take a few hours (we thought the Mac version was malfunctioning until it completed its setup and discovery process), but once you're up, you're up.

You control the server with a web interface, which works with a local app to provide integration into your file system. It's pretty simple to use, and there aren't too many tabs or options to confuse users with.

Backup and file storage

Time Machine works as well as if you were just shoving in a USB hard drive, and there's little difference compared to running your backups over the network as if it were a Time Capsule. Iomega tells us that they've learned from HP's first Windows Home Servers, the ones who weren't able to run a complete Time Machine restore in the event of a total drive failure, so Mac users shouldn't need to worry.

Retrospect, another backup software, can also configure backup plans on a schedule and automatically execute them without any input from you. Just choose which drives and folders you want to back up—it even backs up your network folders—and pick your schedule. If you don't have a Windows Home Server on your network to handle your Windows backups, this is a pretty good substitute. And of course you can use Retrospect to restore your backups to your machine, in case of data failure.

Automated copy jobs is another feature that's especially sweet for me, since I have a lot of network storage and I always worry about what would happen if one fails. This way, the Ix2-200 can maintain up-to-date copies of whatever's sitting on other network drives, and act as the schoolmarm for all your data.

Networking and other features

Some of the other features are pretty much evaluated on a yes/no basis in terms of whether or not they work. The fan is very quiet even when transferring a mass load of files—although the hard drive is not, so that's kind of moot—but is virtually silent otherwise. RAID1 works, and comes set up by default. The DLNA and iTunes streaming works in their respective clients, and Xbox 360/PS3 has no problem streaming files off of the server.

BitTorrent download works, but the server gets confused if you give it a URL to download a .torrent file from, so to play it safe you should just go ahead and download the .torrent yourself and feed that instead. Download speeds are decent, and you can configure what the maximum upload/download speeds are so as to not saturate your internet connection. You should also change your default port as well, since ISPS throttle that 6881 port hard.

All the networking stuff works as expected, as do the email notifications and event logs. The rest of the higher end stuff, like video surveillance integration and iSCSI we didn't test, so we can't say if there are any issues with them or not. It's more than likely that they do work, but we don't know if there are any quirks you should watch out for.

It's a pretty good deal

Iomega's aiming this at both the prosumer and the SMB market, which means that for most people, it's going to have a lot of features that they don't need. But that doesn't matter! The Ix2-200 is so packed with stuff that it should satisfy the needs of just about any user who's hurting for a network storage solution. And at a starting price of only $270 for the 1TB version, it's a cheaper alternative than Windows Home Servers, and can do just about all the same things. Plus with its user-replaceable drives and three USB ports, you can easily upgrade the storage yourself and expand your storage after the fact. [Iomega]

Great backup options including Time Machine and Retrospect

Small, quiet and fast

Feature loaded

Fairly cheap for what you get

Setup process isn't as easy as it could be

It looks kinda chubby and short, but the StorCenter ix2-200's full of features to appeal to the movie-downloading, home-server-building, tofu-eating, lazy ass in you. The entire device seems to revolve around making its feature set as easy to use as humanly possible while keeping up with the "green" gadget trend.

We've shown you what you can use a NAS for, but it all seems like it'll be easier with the ix2-200: You don't even need to have a PC attached to download torrents, you can grab files from your Bluetooth-capable phone, and the Apple lovers can use it for Time Machine backups.

The ix2-200 starts at $270 for the 1TB version, $370 for the 2TB, and $700 for the 4TB version.

Iomega Announces Next Generation "Green" Desktop Network Storage Appliance With Powerful Enterprise and Consumer Features

***

Compact StorCenter ix2-200 Features:

* Easy Push Button Appliance-to-Appliance Copy and Backup
* Disk Spin Down for Energy Efficiency
* User Replaceable Disk Drives and More

SAN DIEGO, October 8, 2009 – Iomega, an EMC company (NYSE: EMC) and a global leader in data protection, today announced the next generation of its popular double-drive desktop NAS appliance with the worldwide launch of the new Iomega® StorCenter™ ix2-200. Based on industry-leading enterprise-class EMC® storage technologies, the versatile yet affordable StorCenter ix2-200 wraps ease-of-use around big business data management functionality and advanced media serving and other consumer features that make it the ideal NAS appliance for small business users and home users.

Available in 1TB*, 2TB and 4TB capacities, the new ix2-200 utilizes a very simple four-step setup to be operational in a matter of minutes – be it in a business setting or in the digital home.

Starting at less than $270.00, the ix2-200 employs an easy-to-understand interface to provide robust data management and protection for the serious business user, as well as the latest in multimedia serving and remote access features that makes it a breeze to access your own data, whether in the office, the home, or anywhere else in the world.**

Among the standout business features of the new StorCenter ix2-200:

* Device-to-device replication for business continuity and file recovery
* iSCSI block-level access for efficient storage utilization
* RAID 1 configurations for optimized data protection
* Windows® Active Directory support
* A new front panel QuikTransfer button for easy copying of selected files
* User replaceable hard drives
* Multiple IP security camera support
* And for the forward-thinking small business, VMware® certification for virtualization installations.

The new StorCenter ix2-200 also has a treasure trove of features for the digital home, including:

* A DLNA® certified UPnP® AV Media Server that makes the ix2-200 the central repository for serving up all your movies, pictures, music and other files to any compatible device on your network
* Serves as a Time Machine® target for Apple® computer backups
* Built-in torrent support for file-sharing without the need for a dedicated PC
* Bluetooth® capability for uploading all kinds of digital content from a smart phone
* Cooliris™ slide show plug-in allows for easy photo viewing
* And remote access to the ix2-200 from anywhere in the world

"The new StorCenter ix2-200 is definitely the easiest to use small office and consumer network storage appliance in the marketplace today," said Jonathan Huberman, president of Iomega and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC. "Combining EMC's world class enterprise storage and security technologies with advanced media serving features makes the ix2-200 a versatile and affordable NAS appliance that gives smaller organizations, work groups and home users not only cost-effective and robust network storage but some of the same sophisticated data management capabilities as a Fortune 100 corporation – but without any need for IT experience."

The new Iomega StorCenter ix2-200 NAS appliance is now available in the Americas and Europe from retailers, VARs and IT resellers, including valued Iomega partner CDW.

"When it comes to managing and protecting digital content, small businesses today face many of the same challenges as much larger organizations," said Matt Troka, vice president, Product & Partner Management, CDW Corporation. "Iomega's new StorCenter ix2-200 delivers cost-effective network storage with advanced enterprise features at extremely affordable prices. For the budget conscious small business with a need for dependable network storage that is easy to setup and maintain without any internal IT expertise, the compact StorCenter ix2-200 offers a great value proposition, which makes it a viable data storage and back-up solution for our customers."

The Little Compact Desktop NAS Appliance with Lots of Capabilities

The new StorCenter ix2-200 NAS desktop appliance utilizes the acclaimed EMC LifeLine™ software, a fully-developed Linux operating environment and suite of applications that is designed for cross-platform support with Windows®, Mac® and Linux computers.

The LifeLine operating system presents a simple-to-use graphical interface that makes it easy to perform valuable business tasks while remaining confident that your data is securely stored, protected, and accessible whenever and wherever you need it.

Small office users will enjoy the ix2-200's fast Gigabit Ethernet connectivity and high-performance embedded architecture, which boosts productivity by making data readily accessible and secure over a local network at the office or in the home. The ix2-200 also boasts the versatility of three USB 2.0 ports for adding printers or additional storage capacity with external USB drives.

Key Features of the StorCenter ix2-200 NAS Appliance

The new ix2-200 NAS appliance's many features make it one of the most advanced, innovative and easy-to-use double-drive network storage devices available today. Among the features:

* Device-to-Device Replication (copy jobs): Copy or backup files to and from the ix2-200 to any other NAS or USB-attached storage device without the need for a client computer. Jobs can be set to run at pre-determined schedule or at the touch of the ix2-200's new QuikTransfer button. The ix2-200 uses either the rsync or Windows File Sharing protocol to transfer data between itself and another network storage device.
* iSCSI Support: Provides block-level access for the most efficient storage utilization, especially for database, email and backup application performance. This feature also allows host-based operating systems and virtualization software to use the full capabilities of their native file systems, such as enabling VMFS for VMware utilization.
* VMware® Ready Certification: The ix2-200 is certified as both NAS (NFS) and iSCSI storage for VMware ESX Server 3.5 and 4.0 vSphere. The ix2-200 is listed on the VMware hardware compatibility list, enabling small offices and work groups to affordably take advantage of the benefits and advanced features offered by shared storage in a VMware environment. The ix2-200 is the ideal storage match for smaller virtualization deployments that use the new VMware vSphere Essentials and vSphere Essentials Plus software packages.
* Remote Access: Set up remote access and remotely manage and access pictures, videos, work files and other digital data on the ix2-200 from anywhere in the world. Just enter a personalized web address into any browser for easy downloading and uploading of files securely.
* RAID Support: RAID 1 with automatic RAID rebuild for data redundancy and protection. Single volume (JBOD) mode also available.
* Multiple Network Protocols: Works in Windows, Linux and Mac environments with network protocol support including CIFS/SMB/Rally, NFS, and AFP/Bonjour. The ix2-200 also supports advanced protocols such as HTTP, FTP and SNMP.
* Time Machine® Support: Lets Apple® users easily backup to the ix2-200 with Mac computers running OS X (10.5 or later) using Time Machine.
* Windows® Active Directory Support: Allows the ix2-200 to function as a client member in an Active Directory domain, giving users and groups access to the ix2-200.
* Uninterruptible Power Supply Support: Enables unattended system shutdown without data loss in the case of power failure.
* Gigabit Ethernet: high speed connectivity with jumbo frame support
* Video Surveillance: Connect up to five Axis® Network video cameras for real-time monitoring and video capture, without the need of a dedicated computer (dependent upon system workload and network conditions). The ix2-200 can be used as a storage target for other network surveillance cameras as well.
* Print Server: Supports intelligent print sharing capability for up to three USB printers directly connected to the ix2-200.
* UPnP AV/DLNA Certified Media Server: Compatible with UPnP and DLNA certified media players, the ix2-200 streams photos, audio content and videos to not only laptops and computers but a variety of media devices, including game consoles (Xbox® 360, Sony PlayStation® 3), audio bridges, iTunes™ players, networked digital picture frames and other compatible devices.
* Bluetooth capability: Allows users to upload contacts, photos and more from a cell phone, pocket PC or Blackberry® phone (Bluetooth USB adapter required, sold separately).
* Photo Slideshow: Integrated utility based on Cooliris™ technology for quick browsing and sharing of pictures stored on the ix2-200 to both local and remote users.
* Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP): Supports no touch, automatic transfer of photos from digital cameras via one of the four USB 2.0 ports on the ix2-200.
* Versatility: Supports read and write on various formats, including Fat32, NTFS or ext2/ext3 formatted hard disks; also supports HFS+ (ready only).

Backup and Security Software for a Complete Solution

The StorCenter ix2-200 provides data backup and protection for any number of desktops and laptops with integrated EMC Retrospect® Express backup software. During the set-up process, users choose files and folders for scheduled automatic backups. After that, any changes or additions are updated and saved automatically.

For data security, the ix2-200 also includes RSA® BSAFE® encryption security technology for protecting installs and upgrades from viruses or malware. RSA is the security division of EMC that protects digital data at many of the world's largest banks.

A Power Saving "Green" NAS Appliance

The StorCenter ix2-200 utilizes such power saving features as automatic hard drive spin down when the ix2-200 isn't copying or serving up data, power consumption "green" hard disk drives, and an Energy Star® certified power supply. All of these features ensure the most efficient or minimal power consumption.

Compatibility

The StorCenter ix2-200 is compatible with Windows®, Mac OS®, and Linux® PCs. The interface is localized in 11 supported languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, German, and Russian).

Price and Availability and Warranty

The new 1TB StorCenter ix2-200 NAS appliance is now available in the Americas and Europe for $269.99, the 2TB model is now available for $369.99, and the 4TB model, which will be available later this month, is $699.99. (All prices are U.S. suggested retail.) All three capacities of the new StorCenter ix2-200 will be available in Asia in November. The StorCenter ix2-200 is backed by a three-year warranty (with product registration).

About EMC

EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) is the world's leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organizations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. Information about EMC's products and services can be found at www.EMC.com.

About Iomega

Iomega Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation headquartered in San Diego, is a worldwide leader in innovative storage and network security solutions for small businesses, home offices, consumers and others. The Company has sold more than 410 million digital storage drives and disks since its inception in 1980. Today, Iomega's product portfolio includes one of the industry's broadest selection of direct-attached external hard drives; industry leading network attached storage products for the home and small business; and the ScreenPlay family of multimedia drives that makes it easy to move video, pictures and other digital files from the computer room to the livingroom. To learn about all of Iomega's digital storage products and managed services solutions, please go to the Web at www.iomega.com. Resellers can visit Iomega at www.iomega.com/ipartner.

NOTE: This release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined under the Federal Securities Laws. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in information technology spending; (iii) our ability to protect our proprietary technology; (iv) risks associated with managing the growth of our business, including risks associated with acquisitions and investments and the challenges and costs of integration, restructuring and achieving anticipated synergies; (v) fluctuations in VMware, Inc.'s operating results and risks associated with trading of VMware stock; (vi) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures and new product introductions; (vii) the relative and varying rates of product price and component cost declines and the volume and mixture of product and services revenues; (viii) component and product quality and availability; (ix) the transition to new products, the uncertainty of customer acceptance of new product offerings and rapid technological and market change; (x) insufficient, excess or obsolete inventory; (xi) war or acts of terrorism; (xii) the ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees; (xiii) fluctuating currency exchange rates; and (xiv) other one-time events and other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in EMC's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. EMC disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

# # #

* 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.

** Requires an Internet connection.

[Iomega]

Instead of making users learn the ins and outs of FTP, Netgear has set up a graphic-driven MyStora.com through which the drive can be accessed. So the effect is like a NAS light that the less tech inclined might enjoy. (If your parents or parents' parents can handle email, chances are they can handle this NAS.)

There's also some premium service Netgear offers that involves mobile phones and flickr for $20/year.

Luckily the NAS isn't gimpled, supporting Macs/PCs/Linuxes and DLNA/UPnP/iTunes media sharing. But there is one pretty big catch. It seems the Stora's expansion is limited exclusively to mirroring, meaning that you can't add a second drive to double capacity. And that sorta kills the fun, doesn't it? [Stora]

NETGEAR's Stora Brings Easy-to-Use, Internet-connected Storage to Consumers Everywhere

New Storage Device with Remote Access Enables Home Users to Share Photos with Friends without Uploading to Internet Sites

SAN JOSE, Calif. - September 21, 2009 - NETGEAR, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, and network storage leader in the business and prosumer market with its ReadyNAS line, today announced NETGEAR Stora, a new, easy-to-use network attached storage (NAS) device for home media. Stora enables consumers to easily centralize photos, music, movies and files and use them on nearly any network device. With a smooth user interface designed for non-technical users, Stora lets consumers easily share their photos and videos with friends without the time-consuming process of uploading them to Internet sites or transferring them over email. Through an intuitive and graphical user interface on www.MyStora.com, users and their designated friends and relatives can remotely access their media files from any Internet-connected device, such as laptops, PCs and smartphones.

"We strongly feel that Stora exemplifies the next-generation of consumer storage devices," said Drew Meyer, director of marketing for NETGEAR's Network Storage Business Unit. "NETGEAR has already made its mark in the business and prosumer market with our ReadyNAS line, but Stora is most definitely a platform for everyone. Stora gives users the features they need today with a consumer-friendly user interface and price point, making their media available to them and their designated friends and families anytime, anywhere — even on mobile smartphones. It truly sets a new bar for the consumer network storage market."

Store: Compatible with Mac, PC and Linux systems, NETGEAR's Stora puts music, movies, photos, and files at the heart of the home network, centralized in a single, safe location.

Share: With remote access via www.MyStora.com, Stora enables cross-platform file sharing, music listening, movie watching and photo sharing from any Internet-connected device. In addition to sharing files over the web, users can also share photos, videos and files between home computers and home media players. Stora can centralize music collections and play music through iTunes. It can also automatically integrate content with remote photo frames and social networking sites such as Facebook. Stora can also serve content to other networked devices such as Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)-enabled photo frames, XBox 360 and PlayStation 3 game consoles, and iPhone and Blackberry mobile phones.

Protect: With two standard drive bays that automatically mirror data, Stora offers plug-and-play protection that safeguards valuable data. Users can simply add a second drive, on the fly, without any tools. Stora also comes with automatic backup utilities for PCs and Macs, so individual system content is backed up regularly.

"Today's consumers face a conundrum when trying to manage newly acquired or created digital content among various computing devices inside and outside the home," said David Reinsel, group vice president of IDC's storage and semiconductor research groups. "Historically, personal storage devices have proven competent at providing reliable storage capacity and data protection within the home, but not always accessible from outside the home or across multiple devices. With this new product, NETGEAR looks to solve these common problems for consumers."

NETGEAR Stora (MS2110) comes with a 1 TB disk and one extra drive bay that can be used to insert an optional disk for mirroring. The product is immediately available through selected North American retail and e-commerce stores. Stora will be available from leading European and Asia Pacific retail locations in approximately two weeks. Stora is backed by a three-year warranty and 24/7 technical support and the Stora (MS2110) model has an MSRP in the U.S. of $229. 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.

The concept is the same: you plug in the FreeAgent DockStar, from Seagate, and the Network Adapter will bring the drive online for access from across the internet (or just somewhere in your own home network). Seagate's solution also includes three extra USB ports to get three other devices online as well, and will be available for $100, which includes a year of Pogoplug service. Each subsequent year costs $30 per year. [Seagate]

LG's N2R1, available this fall in 1TB ($299) and 2TB ($399) configurations, is an interesting alternative to Apple's infamous Time Capsule. Starting at the same price for the same amount of storage, the N2R1 doesn't claim to be Time Machine compliant, but it does offer Windows, Linux and Mac compatibility, an easy drive swapping option and what looks to be a DLNA-compliant, network-sharable DVD player/RW.
Our only point of contention is that the N2R1 supports only 802.11g, eschewing faster 802.11n—that's valuable bandwidth lost for media streaming and quicker backups. Other than that quibble, the N2R1 looks like a reasonably priced, easily integrated, expandable NAS that could make a fine addition to a wireless home network.

LG ELECTRONICS HELPS PROTECT CONSUMERS' DIGITAL MEMORIES WITH NETWORK ATTACHED STORAGE

Provides Easy-to-use, Secure Storage of Personal Multimedia Entertainment Files

ATLANTA, Sept. 10, 2009 – LG Electronics introduced a new Network Attached Storage option for consumers looking to protect their multimedia entertainment files, this week at Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) EXPO 2009 (Booth #2623).

To help safeguard treasured family memories, photos and music, LG's Network Attached Storage (NAS) model N2R1 uses a proven system of multiple hard drives used for sharing and replicating data to prevent possible damage or loss. Called RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Discs), this system automatically backs up and restores files for added security in the event of a hardware failure.

With up to two Tera-bytes (TB) of storage, the N2R1 provides a wealth of storage capabilities, allowing consumers to continue building their digital libraries of music, movies and other multimedia files. For an enhanced level of convenience, the N2R1 includes a DVD Re-Writer and Playback feature for additional back up or file sharing options.

"Consumers continue to create digital memories, from photos to family videos and it's important that these irreplaceable moments are saved in a secure place," said Peter Reiner, senior vice president, marketing, LG Electronics USA, Inc. "With LG's Network Attached Storage, consumers now have a virtual ‘Library on Command' that allows them unlimited access to their favorite memories, whether at home or on the road."

Connectivity and Compatibility

For consumers who cannot be tied down by wires, the N2R1 has integrated WiFi connectivity for easy connection to any 802.11g wireless home network. The MyMedia feature allows consumers access to videos, photos and music through a DLNA-certified media player, placing digital entertainment libraries within easy reach of the big-screen. For music aficionados, the N2R1 also has iTunes™ connectivity for a networked music option.

The Network Attached Storage is compatible with a variety of operating systems such as Windows, Linux and Mac operating systems, allowing for installation in any home entertainment environment. It also provides remote support with easy access to files from anywhere an Internet connection is available, allowing consumers to show off their favorite pictures or movies even when they are away from home.

The N2R1 will be available online and at national retailers early this Fall for the manufacturers suggested retail price of $299 for 1TB of storage and $399 for 2TB of storage.

• Zeemote's JS1 Wii nunchuk mobile phone game controller that's been bundled with Sony Ericsson phones for a while now is finally available individually. In theory, it should be able to pair with any Bluetooth enabled phone, but for now RIM, Sony Ericsson and Nokia are the only manufacturers to really support the device. Blackberry developers have had access to the SDK since October of 2008 to add Zeemote functionality to their games. As a result, Gameloft's entire catalog of Blackberry games are compatible with the Zeemote, and many more titles are likely to come now that the controller is widely available. You can grab one today from RIM's online store for $39.99. [Mobilecrunch via Crunchgear]

• Iomega has a new NAS out that's aimed at small and home business owners. The ix4-200d comes with four user-replaceable SATA II hard drives in 2, 4 and 8TB capacities. It also comes with a pretty healthy list of features, like selectable RAID 5, RAID 10 or JBOD drive configurations, Time Machine support, and device-to-device replication so the entire contents of the NAS can be easily transfered to another unit. If you're looking to get something for home use, there are less expensive solutions out there, and certainly more fun options in the form of DIY NAS projects. If you just need something that's ready to go out of the box, though, the ix4-200d looks like a solid contender. Starts at $699 for the 2TB, but the maxed-out 8TB will run you a cool $1,900. [Digital Trends]

A re-refresher, from last time they dropped new hardware:

All Fonera routers are open to all Fonera users, meaning that in exchange for providing Wi-Fi to the occasional Fonera-owning passerby, you get to tap into other Fonera users' connections whenever you're away from home. It's a pretty cool idea, but it's not clear that there are enough Foneras in existence for the concept to work in practice, at least in the US.

The company also has telco partners (albeit mostly overseas), who essentially subcontract hotspots to Fonera users. It's an interesting concept even if it's a little cultlike, and for the price—about $70—the Fonera 2n is a solid deal in strict hardware terms.

The company says the product is now out in "major retailers" in the US, though perhaps tellingly doesn't name any. A full feature list below: [Fonera via Ryan Block's Twitter]

Caters to Web 2.0 with Faster WiFi, Home Network Access, and Manages File Uploads/Downloads - Even With Your PC Off

MADRID, July 14 /PRNewswire/ — FON today introduced the Fonera 2.0n WiFi router in the US market, combining FON's revolutionary WiFi sharing and money making features with seamless integration and management of popular Web 2.0 services such as YouTube, Facebook, Picasa, Flickr, BitTorrent, RapidShare, and other content — even while users' PCs are off. The Fonera 2.0n is on sale now at major retailers. This announcement is significant because anyone can now upload, download and synch ALL of their web apps while away from home, without getting stuck for hours waiting for something to load.

"If there's one annoying aspect of the otherwise great internet, it's the time it takes to upload videos, pictures, or download movies, tv series, games, and software from the internet," said Martin Varsavsky, FON CEO. "The Fonera 2.0n is the first WiFi router that frees up your computer from those tasks. Close your computer, continue uploading and downloading!"

Built around the faster 802.11n standard, Fonera 2.0n has a greater WiFi reach and faster throughput than 802.11g routers, and its more powerful processors and sophisticated software enable it to run parallel applications and simultaneous uploads and downloads. A built-in USB hub and Fonera 2.0 management software allows users to connect external hard drives and other USB devices. This enables users to share data wirelessly, upload videos or photos automatically to YouTube, Flickr, Picasa and Facebook, or download* torrents or files directly from BitTorrent, RapidShare, and Megaupload without a computer running at the same time. Additional features include the ability to backup files to a hard drive, print, or access a remote webcam via WiFi, and convert an HSDPA or 3G dongle to WiFi.

Fonera 2.0n can also help users save money on energy and reduce their CO2 output. A Fonera 2.0n router consumes less than four watts while downloading, instead of a PC that averages 100 watts, so users can reduce their CO2 emissions by 273Kg a year — equivalent to driving an SUV more than 1,500km per year. **

"The deep integration of online file sharing, social networks, and other Web 2.0 content into our already busy daily lives translates into more hours spent at the computer, greater energy use and more greenhouse emissions," said Varsavsky. "By enabling users to handle basic computing tasks from the router instead of the PC, we're taking a small step towards reducing power consumption without limiting functionality."

Fonera 2.0 also maintains all the features of previous FON WiFi routers. Once connected, it creates two WiFi signals, one private and one public, that allow for a secure, wireless Internet connection at home and free access at FON Spots worldwide. Fonera owners can also choose to make money*** by selling FON WiFi access passes or letting guests roam at their FON Spot.

Fonera 2.0n is based on open source and developers are encouraged to create and share additional applications.

For further information about the Fonera 2.0, visit www.fon.com.

About FON:

FON started the free WiFi revolution in 2006 with the first Fonera WiFi router and the goal of free, ubiquitous WiFi for everyone. Today, FON has more than 350,000 FON Spots, over 1.3 million registered foneros, and a growing list of Telco partners who add FON functionality to their ADSL modems. Google, eBay, British Telecom, Index Ventures and Sequoia Capital are investors in FON.

Brent Freidman lays out exactly how to get Time Machine backups to work with any Windows Home Server machine in a point-by-point method that's pretty easy, despite some Terminal tinkering to make it work—follow that here.

If you wanna use just a generic NAS, you can do that too. Personally, I followed this guide by Adam Cohen-Rose—though there are others—to get it going on a 4TB WD ShareSpace several months ago, though WD now has a much cheaper consumer version. It's a hack that also takes a little bit of work, but ditching the USB cable is totally worth it.

If you're in the market for a NAS (if you don't have one, you are, even if you don't know it yet) check out our guide to finding the perfect networked storage.

Definitely a good weekend project, so let us know how it goes or if you have any tips in our fancy new comments if make the the attempt. [CompuGeek via MS Windows Home Server]

The Price: $434 on Amazon

The Verdict: Strong. I hate going running down the feature list in reviews, but the NS4600 has quite a big spec sheet.

• Hot-swappable 3GB/s SATA, 1.5TB per drive, up to 4 drives
• RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 support
• Gigabit Ethernet
• USB HDD and printer support
• One-touch backup
• Built-in BitTorrent and eDonkey downloads
• SMB/CIFS/AFP/NFS Network Protocols Support; Shared Storage for Windows, Unix, Linux, MAC clients
• Time Machine support
• DLNA Streaming (PS3, Xbox, DLNA TVs)
• Cellphone video/music streaming (iPhone, Nokias, PSP, Windows Mobile)
• Internet management/access

And all these features work! Streaming to the iPhone was slick (just enter in the username and password) and fast, and streaming to the Xbox 360/PS3 worked as well as any other DLNA network device. This means that if you set up the correct port forwarding options on your router to punch through your NAT, you can have access to your library of music and videos on your cellphone no matter where you are.

What's also very useful is the RAID support, which you can check our Giz Explains to see why you'd want one. In short, you're going to have all your media and documents on here, and it pays to have some sort of redundancy when (not "in case") a drive fails.

There are editions of their SmartNAVI management client apps for Windows and Mac, which lets you manage shares, stream media, set up new users, set up BitTorrent and eDonkey downloads (very useful if you don't want to keep a separate PC on all the time) as well as set up a Time Machine backup. And yeah, the Time Machine backup works. The backup folder mounts as a drive on your machine, and you back up normally, via Time Machine.

The only downside of this beefy NAS is that it doesn't ship with drives. That means you're paying $434 for just a box, which you still have to populate with your own drives. If you want to max out the storage with four 1.5TB drives at $120 each, that's an extra $480. A 1TB RAID solution at $80 each would only cost you $320. But the fact remains that this is a BYOD solution.

Is this worth it? It depends. We're big fans of pre-built Windows Home Server machines here, and that already has a lot of backup and streaming and remote access apps built in. But it doesn't have RAID, and it doesn't have Time Machine support (except for HP's), and it doesn't have everything this unit has. So yes, even though the Promise SmartStor NS4600 is a little pricey because it runs almost five bills and you have to bring your own drives, it is quite a sturdy and capable NAS. [Promise]

Tons of features

Time Machine support

The SmartNAVI user interface is kind of clunky, but it does what it's supposed to

Expensive for something that doesn't ship with drives

The Price: $700 (4TB), $400 (2TB)

The Verdict: It's a NAS for normal people. With a simple curved white design highlighted by a single hypnotic bar of white LED, the diminutive My Book plugs in to your router via ethernet to give you up to 4TB of networked storage. You plug it in, it shows up on your network, and that's that. (There's a more advanced CD installation that allows you to auto-backup your PC hard drive should you want the software.)
We tested the large, 4TB RAID 1 (mirrored drive) version of the My Book. In other words, you have about 2TB of recordable space that's backed up to another drive so that if one drive fails, you don't lose any data. If you wanted more speed/space, the drive can be reconfigured to RAID 0 (Striped) mode allowing you to access all 4TB. And it's easy to forget, if you choose to mainline the My Book right into your computer's ethernet jack, transfer speeds are fast. Gigabit ethernet reaches 1000Mbps, which is easily faster than USB but also quicker on paper than even Firewire 800. Still, transferring a 700MB file took 1:32. Transferring 8.2GB in files took 18:49. Not so fast in practice. (In other words, you won't actually be copying files at 1000Mbps, but the installed system has no trouble streaming HD media over Wi-Fi.)

You feel a bit of warmth dissipating out of the My Book's large top to rear vent panel (that we wish were metal instal of plastic), but system runs cool enough, offers easy access to the drives (you just pop the lid) and operates with very little noise. Quite simply, it works pretty well and makes a cute little media server (if you've got the scratch).

It's As Simple as RAIDs Get

Small, Quiet Formfactor

Mega Storage

Venting Could Feel More Durable, But It's Flexible and Thereby Easy to Pop Off

The My Books can connect either as an NAS through ethernet or simply as an external drive through USB, and both the 2TB and 4TB versions contain two drives to watch each other's backs in case one fails. So really, you're getting either 1TB or 2TB of space, respectively, since one drive is used as backup. They're available now and retail for either $400 (2TB) or $700 (4TB). Press release to follow. [Western Digital]

WD'S NEW DUAL-DRIVE MY BOOK® WORLD EDITION™ II NETWORK STORAGE SYSTEM ADDS EXTRA LEVEL OF PROTECTION
FOR A FAMILY'S VALUABLE DATA

Offers an Easy, Double-Safe Way to Backup Computers and Share Media
Throughout the Home

LAKE FOREST, Calif. - June 24, 2009 - WD® (NYSE: WDC), the world's leader in external storage solutions, today introduced its newly redesigned My Book® World Edition™ II dual- drive network storage system in capacities of up to 4 TB. With the double protection of two Mirrored (RAID 1) drives and continuous backup software, the My Book World Edition II network storage system provides an extra-safe place for users to back up and store the data and digital media from all the computers on their network in one central location. Available now at select retailers and the WD online store, the new dual-drive systems join the recently introduced (Feb. 2009) My Book World Edition and are compatible with PC and Mac® computers.

According to a July 2008 report by research firm Parks Associates, the number of households worldwide with data networks will grow from around 170 million in 2008 to 240 million by year-end 2012. The firm also reports that the average broadband household will see its digital media storage needs grow to nearly 900 GB by year-end 2012. In addition, consumers indicate that the most important feature for a network-attached storage (NAS) device is the amount of available storage. With its massive 4 TB capacity, the My Book World Edition II network storage system will serve this rapidly growing need for home data storage.

The My Book World Edition II network storage system uses RAID 1 (Mirrored1) technology to automatically and continuously maintain a second copy of user's data. If one drive in the two-drive system ever fails, the system continues to run and the data is safe. In addition, the new
My Book World Edition II network hard drive includes software that simplifies the task of setting up automatic and continuous data backup for all the PCs in the home. The My Book World Edition II storage systems ship in Mirrored mode and use half the capacity for file redundancy.

With its media server capabilities and fast transfer speeds, this high-capacity system makes it simple to build a centralized digital media library that everyone can easily share. Music, photos and videos can be streamed directly from the My Book World Edition II storage system to any PC, Mac or connected DLNA® media player (such as TVs, Microsoft® Xbox 360 and Sony® PlayStation®3 game consoles or wireless digital pictures frames) using the integrated UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) media server and iTunes® Music server software. Users can also securely access their files from anywhere in the world through the Internet using the free MioNet® remote access service included with every My Book World Edition II storage system.

"Families have more and more digital media like movies, photos and music to store, share and protect. Having two drives inside the My Book World Edition II network storage system, instantaneously and automatically duplicating data, offers consumers the peace of mind of double safe, real-time protection of their valuable content," said Dale Pistilli, vice president of marketing for WD's branded products group. "Families can relax knowing their valuable media is backed up while enjoying the ability to stream their content to a plethora of different devices from PCs and Macs to PS3s, Xbox 360s and the latest connected TVs."

Price and Availability

The new My Book World Edition II network storage systems are available now in 2 TB and 4 TB capacities at select retailers and WD's online store (www.shopwd.com). MSRP for the My Book World Edition II dual-drive storage system with 4 TB is $699.99 USD and 2 TB is $399.99 USD.

Their availability and pricing:

• Available in late July, Seagate BlackArmor NAS 220—$449.99 for 2TB and $699.99 for 4TB

• Available now, Seagate BlackArmor WS 110—$159.99 for 1TB and $309.99 for 2TB

• Available now, Seagate BlackArmor PS 110—$159.99 for 500GB

The BlackArmor NAS seems interesting to me, just because I'm a big fan of network storage that your entire house can access. Is that $450 and $700 price going to be affordable when you can get simiarly-sized NASes (and Windows Home Servers) for cheaper? It depends on what kind of security/backup/restore software Seagate bundles in.

How is it so tiny? The SS-839 uses 2.5-inch SATA drives instead of the clunky 3.5s you find in desktops (and most NAS systems).

But beyond its compact 4TB capacity, the SS-839 features plenty of performance enhancers, like a low-voltage Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and 2 eSATA ports along with 5 USBs. Fully loaded with 8 hot-swappable hard drives, the system sips on just 34W—a handy side effect of its netbook/notebook components.

There's no word on pricing yet, but QNAP has more networking specifics over at their site. [QNAP and BW]

The Price: $390

The Verdict: Quite good. If you weren't quite sure Windows Home Server was right for you, and you have a family with both Mac and PC machines, the LX195 is an easy way to experiment without paying the $600ish dowry to hitch yourself to a full-blown EX machine.

The Catch: Like the EX HP Home Servers, you can retrieve individual files off the Time Machine backup, but you can't use it to restore your machine at boot time. Which means if you don't have a spare Mac in the house to grab the files off the server and load it onto a USB drive from which you can do a restore, you'll have a more roundabout recovery process than you'd like.

The Point: The LX195 works just fine as a Home Server and a Time Machine target backup drive (its Gigabit Ethernet makes file transfers rather speedy), but lacks the extras the company just introduced to the EX485 and EX487 that allow users to stream and convert video to iPhones and PSPs. If all you want is the base functionality, this is definitely a fine choice. But at the same time, you have to look at Acer's $400 solution that does have four expandable drive bays. But Acer's might not have the iTunes server and media capabilities that HP does. [HP]

Relatively cheap, but maintains most of HP's Home Server functionality

Doesn't have the newer EX updates

No internal-expandable storage, only USB

New Acer® Aspire easyStore Home Server

Provides Access to Family's Digital Data From Anywhere in the World

Networks PCs, centralizes data and provides daily data back-ups for just $399

SAN JOSE, CALIF., May 21, 2009 – Acer, the third largest vendor in the PC market,(1) today announced the new Acer® Aspire easyStore Home Server for customers in the United States. Designed for households and home-based businesses with multiple PCs, Aspire easyStore offers a simple way to network home computers, centralize, share and protect digital data as well as access it remotely from anywhere in the world.

Outfitted with Microsoft® Windows® Home Server, the Aspire easyStore offers many benefits. For example, parents can access their children's homework while traveling for business. They can also upload videos and photos from sports events or summer vacations to the server, even while away from home. At any time, from anywhere, every family member with a PC in the home network can access photos, videos, music and other documents from the home server. This centralization of digital data saves significant time by eliminating the need to transfer data from one PC to another, every time someone wants a photo, video or other document that's stored on another PC. It's also a safeguard. If a netbook or notebook is damaged, lost or stolen, users don't lose their data along with it, since it's backed up at home. In addition, when a new system is added to the network, it's quick and easy to upload data from the computer to the server.

"The trend of multiple computer devices per household continues to grow, particularly with regard to mobility. A significant pain point for consumers is how to consolidate and protect their digital data that's spread among multiple devices," said Sumit Agnihotry, Vice President of Product Marketing for Acer America. "Aspire easyStore is the ideal solution for networking home PCs and providing round the clock data protection. Offering remote access to digital data at home from anywhere in the world and automatic daily back-ups, it's the perfect companion to netbooks and notebooks. It's an extremely practical and affordable way to simplify and manage one's personal digital life."

"It's great to have Acer as a valued partner for Microsoft's Windows Home Server in North America. Acer's solution gives consumers new options for purchasing Microsoft Windows Home Server. And Acer's reputation as a key contributor in the PC and consumer electronics field further demonstrates the industry's commitment to this growing product category," said Kevin Kean, General Manager, Windows Home and Small Business Server Group at Microsoft.

Small and Stylish Design, Significant Storage Capacity
Smaller than standard servers, the handsome black tower measures just 8.3-inches (H) x 7.8-inches (W) x 7.08-inches (L). HDD status LEDs emanate a soft blue light and complement the handsome black bezel. The power button is located on top for easy access and reach. One-touch USB copy enables quick file uploading. Users just plug in the USB device and push the button. The data is automatically sorted and stored by file type into designated folders.

Outfitted with an Intel® Atom™ processor 230 and 2GB DDR2 memory, the Aspire easyStore AH340-UA230N Home Server has the guts to organize and back-up files quickly. The 1TB hard drive and three hot-swappable hard drive bays available for storage expansion provide enough room for filing, storing and backing-up a vast library of songs, videos, photos, games and documents.

The hot swappable HDD cage enables users to increase their data storage, by adding up to three 3.5-inch internal hard drives, which means it offers up to about 7 TB of total data storage. The cage is outfitted with release levers for each drive to keep them secure. In addition, a recovery/reset pinhole provides additional data protection by enabling system restores and data recoveries with just one-touch.

The server works with DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) 1.5 Certified Home Server (DMS) and digital media player (DMP) to enable music playback as well as photo and video viewing on a TV. For internet security, Aspire easyStore comes with a six-month free trial of McAfee Total Protection Service.

Windows® Home Server Simplifies Home Computing, Enables Remote Access

Microsoft® Windows® Home Server centralizes digital media in one location, making it easy to access files, photos, videos and music from any PC on the network. It also protects critical data by creating an image-based backup of every home computer every day, so users can restore a single file or an entire PC. With Windows Home Server, users can access the home network from the office or the road, for full access to their files and applications, just as if they were sitting in front of their home PC.

Specifications, Pricing and Availability
The Acer® Aspire easyStore AH340-UA230N Home Server is available in the U.S. via leading online technology retailers and authorized resellers.

Acer® Aspire easyStore AH340-UA230N Home Server: Available now for a MSRP of $399.99

* Intel® Atom™ Processor 230 (1.6GHz)
* Microsoft® Windows® Home Server
* 2GB DDR2 Memory
* 1TB Hard Drive (2)
* Three Empty Hot Swappable Hard Drive Bays
* Five USB 2.0 Ports
* One eSATA Port
* 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
* 200 Watt Power Supply
* RJ-45 LAN Port

[

[Acer]

If you are counting, that's a 2.5TB upgrade from their previous model. It offers up five hot-swappable drives that support seven RAID modes and it has been upgraded to include support for Apple's Time Machine and iTunes server.

LaCie has also made a few upgrades to their 2big Network—offering up to 4TB of storage, expanded backup capabilities that enable users to perform incremental and scheduled backups to external devices as well as Time Machine and iTunes compatibility. Prices for the 2big and 5big start out at $320 and $800 respectively, but you will have to pay a lot more than that if you really want to go "big."

LaCie Upgrades Network Storage Solutions, Including a Massive 10TB of Storage Capacity

Today LaCie announced significant advancements in two recognized and award-winning network storage solutions – the LaCie 2big Network and the LaCie 5big Network. The product upgrades include improved performance, enhanced features, comprehensive backup support, and extreme capacity expansion – ultimately providing customers with an easier setup experience and a variety of ways to archive, access, and share large amounts of content.

The award-winning LaCie 5big Network takes advantage of a Gigabit Ethernet connection and features five hot-swappable drives that support seven RAID modes. Now, with the latest capacity advancements, the 5big Network includes a 10TB model, making it the first in its class to offer double-digit capacity.

Strengthening LaCie's support for Apple® applications, the 5big Network is now compatible with Time Machine® backup software; with just one click on the LaCie Administrator website, all Mac computers on a single LAN can access the 5big Network and perform a variety of backups. Additionally, the 5big Network provides improved multimedia server capabilities, allowing users to play media from the NAS solution through a UPnP-AV compatible device such as a PS3 or Xbox, directly to a television or directly to any DLNA multimedia device. The 5big Network is also compatible with the iTunes server, which provides iTunes users access the NAS device from the application interface.

"Networked storage has become a way of life for small businesses and a feature that's more commonly desired in the home," said Edin del Mar, LaCie's SOHO NAS Product Manager. "The evolution of these two products provides our customers with enhanced convenience and usability, demonstrating LaCie's commitment to optimizing form and functionality."

The 2big Network is a two-bay RAID device that provides up to 4TB of professional storage. Its upgrade includes features such as Windows Active Directory Support (ADS) and local backup. It also supports integration with MS Windows network domains, making it easy for IT Administrators to manage.

Expanding its backup capabilities, the LaCie 2big Network enables users to perform incremental and scheduled backups to external devices. It also ships with client licenses of Genie Backup Manager Pro for Windows and Intego Backup Manager Pro for Mac, a software suite that allows users to reliably and efficiently back up documents, emails, or other digital assets, or restore them in the case of data loss. Additionally, the 2big Network is fully compatible with Time Machine.

LaCie continues to evolve its full line of NAS solutions to provide optimal performance, industry-leading security and backup features, as well as unparalleled capacities – offering customers a customized solution suited for any home or small office.

Availability
The LaCie 2big and 5big Network will be available through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+ or LaCie Storage Partner starting at the suggested retail price of $319.99 for the 2big Network and $799.99 for the 5big Network (excluding VAT). For more information, visit www.lacie.com.

[Lacie]

Statement comes in two varieties: The no explanation necessary SSD and the HDD. RipNAS claims the SSD version is the first of its kind.

The silver box is based on Windows Home Server, and is capable of CD ripping (duh), media streaming and networked file storage. Inside, this silver fox boasts a dual-core Atom CPU, 2GB RAM and four USB 2.0 ports. The SSD is 500GB, and the HDD holds 3TB. Pricing info was incognito at press time. [RipNAS via Engadget]

The 8TB model joins the 4big Quadra series—a 4-bay RAID solution that features swappable disks and seven RAID modes—that boasts transfer speeds up to 700MB/s and capacities as big as 32TB. The hard drives with higher capacities, like the 8TB, are also just bundles of smaller drives placed together.

Available in the May and starting at $1,199, the 8TB LaCie 4big Quadra Bundle will include two 4TB 4big Quadras, an eSATA II PCI Express Card and 4 ports. The 16TB and 32TB—besides having higher capacities—come with everything the 8TB bundle contains, as well as LaCie Rescue Kits, which consists of spare hard disks and power supplies. [Lacie via Engadget]

The DroboPro, announced today for a barebones price of $1300, connects to your network via iSCSI (ethernet), Firewire 800 or USB 2 and supports up to 8 3.5-inch SATA drives for a maximum of 16TB of storage (a number that will obviously grow as drive capacities do). It's optionally rack mountable, and the whole system takes up only about a square foot of space that's but five inches tall.

It's Vista/OS X compatible, and I almost wish that my tiny text files took up more space so that I could justify owning such a ridiculous amount of storage. [Drobo]

To clarify what that means, a little Fonera refresher: All Fonera routers are open to all Fonera users, meaning that in exchange for providing Wi-Fi to the occasional Fonera-owning passerby, you get to tap into other Fonera users' connections whenever you're away from home. It's a pretty cool idea, but it's not clear that there are enough Foneras in existence for the concept to work in practice, at least in the US.

But the new Fonera 2 hardware is attractive in its own right. It is equipped to turn into a NAS with any external HDD, and even supports Time Machine. USB 3G dongles can be plugged in to share a cellular connection over Wi-Fi, and an inbuilt BitTorrent client rounds out the banner features (but there's plenty more to see here, and in the above video). The Fonera will run a reasonable €50 ($70) when it launches in Europe this month and worldwide in May. [Gadget Lab via Slashdot]

The new Time Machine compatibility uses Bonjour to so your computer can auto-detect the NAS over LAN, and supports backups from multiple Mac machines. The Time Machine support is a software upgrade to the ReadyNAS RAIDiator OS, and should be available as an upgrade to all ReadyNAS products.

For $1500, the ReadyNAS NVX comes with 2-terabytes of storage, support for both NAS and iSCSI protocols, and compatibility with the Windows, OS X and UNIX/Linux platforms. In addition you can add online backup starting at $6/month ($20/month for businesses).

NETGEAR Expands Award-Winning ReadyNAS Storage for SMBs with ReadyNAS NVX

NETGEAR's 4-Bay Desktop Model Brings Double the NAS Performance, iSCSI Support and Support for Time Machine in Mac OS X

SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 6, 2009 - NETGEAR, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, today announced the addition of several new 4-bay storage appliances to its award-winning family of ReadyNAS products for Small- to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs). The ReadyNAS NVX, which is designed for home offices, workgroups and small businesses, offers double the performance of previous NV+ units, support for file services (NAS) and application services (iSCSI SAN) for Windows, UNIX/Linux and Mac systems, including support for Time Machine in Mac OS X v 10.5 Leopard. It enables users to securely store, share and protect business-critical data across a LAN or WAN, guard against disk failures, and grow capacity as needed. As with all ReadyNAS systems, the new NVX is extremely fast, easy-to-use and deploy, and affordable — ideal for resellers eager to solve customer needs for centralized storage and disaster recovery. NETGEAR
will display its full line of ReadyNAS solutions in booth #800 at the Storage Networking World trade show in Orlando, Florida, April 6-9, 2009.

"NETGEAR is fully committed to providing the best possible networked storage solutions to the SMB market — offering a range of appliances that address different capacity requirements and thrifty IT budgets," said Paul Tien, vice president and general manager of NETGEAR's Networked Storage Business Unit. Mr. Tien will give a presentation at Storage Networking World on "Multi-layered Backup for SOHO and SMB."

He added, "We're extremely pleased to add iSCSI support to this new NVX platform so we can now provide a unified NAS+iSCSI storage option in a very compact desktop form factor at such an affordable price point to our hugely successful ReadyNAS line. Our ReadyNAS products have been praised by channel partners and end users alike for high performance, reliability, scalability, ease-of-use and, perhaps most importantly, overall value."

NETGEAR's ReadyNAS products have received high acclaim since their introduction to the market - winning such esteemed awards as CRN's 2008 "Best Product of the Year" for storage and Small Business Computing's 2009 "Excellence in Technology" award for network-attached storage, as chosen by readers.

ReadyNAS NVX 4-Bay Desktop Storage

Store: The ReadyNAS NVX - supporting both NAS and iSCSI - is an ideal desktop storage system for home offices, workgroups and small businesses. This entry-level SMB product enables end users to centralize data from local systems into a single device and solve problems around capacity growth, remote access, backup and disaster recovery all without IT expertise. The ReadyNAS NVX simultaneously handles file sharing for Windows, UNIX/Linux and Mac systems and also stores data for server applications such as email, databases and virtualization.

Share: As a new feature, the ReadyNAS RAIDiator operating system works with Time Machine in Mac OS X Leopard. NETGEAR's ReadyNAS devices continue to support the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP), enabling native Mac files to be used without restrictions or limitations; Apple's Bonjour software technology for auto-discovery of the device over a user's LAN; and dashboard widgets for status monitoring. Now Mac users can leverage Time Machine to back up multiple Macs to a single location and can recover from disasters without expert assistance.

"With so many consumers, prosumers and small businesses now loyal fans of both NETGEAR and Apple products, we're pleased to inform Mac enthusiasts that our new ReadyNAS products work with Time Machine," said Drew Meyer, NETGEAR's director of storage networking products. "Mac shops, popularly known for storing copious amounts of digital files, will now be able to fully realize the benefits of an industry-leading network-attached storage device that is expandable, and seamlessly interoperates with their current Mac backup utility."

Protect: As with all ReadyNAS products, the NVX includes multiple layers of protection for data including drive fault tolerance (RAID), local USB backups, online backups (snapshots), and secure offsite replication to other ReadyNAS systems. And the embedded ReadyNAS Vault option lets users automatically archive to an Internet datacenter and recover from any web browser.

NETGEAR's ReadyNAS NVX 4-Bay Desktop Storage is available now from value-added resellers at an estimated U.S. street price starting at $1,500 with 2 TB of storage. ReadyNAS appliances come with full 24/7 technical support and an industry-leading five-year warranty. In addition, a free 30-day trial of the ReadyNAS Vault internet backup service is available now on all ReadyNAS systems. U.S. pricing for the ReadyNAS Vault service starts at $5.95 per month for consumers and $19.95 per month for businesses. More information for the entire ReadyNAS product line can be viewed at (http://www.readynas.com).

The miniNAS, as you would expect, uses a pair of 2.5-inch laptop drives (up to 500GB each), which are wrong for an NAS for a number of reasons, primarily their lack of speed when compared to 3.5-inchers. At least your data will be backed up, with both RAID 0 and RAID 1 as an option.

Also packed in is a DLNA server for iTunes and multimedia streaming, a USB port for backing up USB volumes, and, in the only benefit of the laptop drives I can see, a claim of 25-30% of the power usage of a full-size dual-disk NAS.

But again, don't buy this unless you live, literally, in a closet. [Thecus via Engadget]

The new BlackArmor NAS 420/440 systems are network-attached storage infrastructures that can house up to four different hard drives at once, each holding a maximum of two terabytes of memory, which creates a total of either two, four, six, or eight terabytes of memory in just one system.

Intended for small companies—which support up to 50 networked computers—these BlackArmor drives were designed with both security and simplicity in mind. Proclaimed as the system with "unparalleled security, accessibility and peace of mind," it has a simple, built-in LCD screen and is meant for an easy to use, straight-out-of-the-box storage system.

Moreoever, with the BlackArmor security system, data is constantly protected because of its continuous and automatic backup abilities coupled with its full-system backup and RAID options. Furthermore, everything from individual files to entire volumes can be secured with password protection and encryption. Additional security to the BlackArmor NAS systems is so that it may be accessed through the Internet, hopefully without compromising any of its data.

Scheduled for release in May, the 2-terabyte BlackArmor NAS 420 will be available for $799.99, while the BlackArmor NAS 440 network servers will cost $1,200 for 4-terabytes, $1,700 for 6-terabytes, and $2,000 for 8-terabytes.

The new 8TB model is available as of this week for $1,700, which is a lot of money for a networked storage device until you do the math: 12 cents per GB. That ain't too shabby.

The ShareSpace is DLNA Certified for media streaming to devices like the Xbox 360 and PS3, and features improved read/write speeds of up to 30% for large media files. Current ShareSpace owners can download a firmware patch to get these improvements for themselves.

It's pricey, yes, but if you get this thing configured as a RAID array and load it up with all of your music and video, it'd be the ultimate centralized streaming storage box for your home. I want one. [Western Digital]

For the end user, this means a few things. As expected, the dual-band feature broadcasts on both 2.4GHz (802.11b/g/n) and 5GHz (802.11a/n) frequencies, allowing client devices to connect to whichever standard suits them without forcing the whole access point one way or the other. In other words, different devices could be connected to both g and n network simultaneously.

Guest Networking is a clever feature that essentially sets up a walled, parallel hotspot that provides only internet access, keeping the rest of your network private from connected users—perfect if you share your wi-fi with neighbors, or just run a particularly promiscuous access point.

Otherwise, the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule are almost exactly the same—Time Capsule storage options remain at 500GB and 1TB, for which the prices stay at $300 and $500, respectively. The AirPort Extreme still hovers at a lofty $180, a blow only slightly mitigated by the new features. Both are shipping right now, to the rich. [Apple]

I'd say it falls under the drunk/brilliant category. According to Einfach Eee website (Varning! German!) the box will include an Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, a 1-4TB HDD, and 802.11n MIMO, and slot-loading DVD burner, a router and a touchscreen.

The intent of including the touchscreen is simple: it negates the need to either pipe into the NAS over the network or connection an external display, mouse and keyboard. Simple tasks, such as configuring the access point, moving files, setting permissions and burning DVDs (and hopefully direct media playback and torrent controls—with its DVI port, this could make a pretty amazing media PC) should all be manageable through the touchscreen.

To top it off, the $600 reported price is surprisingly low. ASUS says the D200 will ship in Q1 '09. For more pics and specs, head over to [Einfach Eee.—Thanks, Johannes]

The Good: A quick and easy way to turn your barnacle-ridden USB drive into a young and fresh network-attached storage device—something no good home should be without.

The Bad: Why not just put that money toward one of the many, many routers that already have a USB input to begin with? Many of them aren't much more than $79, and definitely not much more than $99, which is the PogoPlug's price without the introductory discount. You'll see talk of an open API below, but since when do USB dongles need to rely on developers to make them worth the price?

Still, if cost-benefit works out in your setup's favor, turning any USB disk into a network share for $80 isn't bad.

Pogoplug Debuts at CES 2009, Uniting External Hard Drives
With The Internet to Enable a Truly Connected Lifestyle

Consumer Electronics Show, Las Vegas, Nev. and San Francisco, Calif. – January 8, 2009 – Cloud Engines today unveiled the Pogoplug, a small device that connects external hard drives to the Internet, making personal files instantly shareable and accessible. Pogoplug enhances the mobile lifestyle by providing seamless access to digital content from any computer or mobile device around the globe.

“Consumers are buying millions of external drives to store their personal content, yet extending this content outside the home is overly difficult.,” said Daniel Putterman, chief executive officer of Cloud Engines, Inc. “Pogoplug makes this possible for anyone, with no network setup or configuration.”

Pogoplug is designed for simplicity. .Setup takes seconds and requires no networking configuration or installation. Users simply plug the Pogoplug into an electrical outlet, connect the supplied Ethernet cable to their home network router, and attach their external hard drive. Lastly, the product's registration code is entered at my.pogoplug.com, after which the Pogoplug is online and ready for use. The device is compatible with any external USB 2.0 hard drive or memory stick. Content is accessible with any Web browser, Microsoft Windows® Explorer, Mac Finder, and through the Pogoplug iPhone application.

According to the NPD Group, consumers have purchased over seven million external hard drives in the past year alone. The Pogoplug is the perfect accessory to any external hard drive or USB thumb drive, adding desirable functionality at an affordable price, with no monthly service fees.

Key Features and Accessories
- Easy Installation – The Pogoplug connects directly to any home network and requires no special technical knowledge to setup firewalls or other configurations.
- Full Web Access – All the files from an external drive can be viewed or downloaded through any Web browser, with no need to download or install extra software.
- Access Your Data Anywhere – As long as you have an Internet connection, access your files with Windows Explorer or Mac Finder while the drive stays safely at your home.
- iPhone Application – Access all your media from an iPhone, and even send new pictures from your iPhone straight to your home with a single click.
- Safe and Simple Sharing – Easily share personal content, including video and photos, with friends and family with no uploading. No software download or registration is required by recipients.
- Open API – Pogoplug is expandable over the Web. Developers can use our open Web services interface to build new features. Soon, Pogoplug will connect directly to popular sites that offer backup, file synchronization, photo printing and more.

Pricing and Availability
The Pogoplug has a suggested retail price of $99, with no additional service fees. For a limited time, the company is offering an introductory price of $79. In the United States, the product can be ordered directly at www.pogoplug.com.

The Skinny: The Media Hub NAS drive is built on top of a custom linux platform that works with Mac or PC, complete with automated backups, remote access, and specific functionality, such as iTunes Server. Simillar to theHP MediaSmart Server, it presents music, photos and video in a browser based UI, that can be accessed over both local and remote connections. That means you can stream all your media from your web browser without any additional apps. It also plays nice with Linksys' new Wireless Home Audio system.

The Linksys Media Hub comes in three configurations—the 500 GB NAS without a navigation LCD screen will cost $350. The 500 GB NAS with an LCD screen will cost $400, and the 1 TB NAS with an LCD screen will cost $430.

Wilson got a chance to check it out, and here are his shots and basic impressions:

Setup was easy, provided you have a Windows PC. Even gaining remote access to files over the web required nothing more than a quick sign-up on Cisco's server website. While you can't configure it on a Mac, you can access it via Bonjour or DLNA, so moving files is reliable and fast.

The Media Hub web interface controls the system, and comes in two flavors, a full featured one you can only access locally, and a more content-oriented one you can reach anywhere. The interface has its own media player, so you can queue up music and play away, right there. You can also play movies and photo slideshows if you run IE on a PC. If you're running Firefox or any other browser, you can get at your videos and photos, but you tend to have to download them to view them. The same goes for AAC audio, which can be played back via your browser, but currently can't play from the hub media player.

Remote interface:

Dumping files directly from a memory card or USB stick was a cool feature—it auto detects, then it's just a simple matter of clicking OK. I did have trouble with an 8GB SDHC card from SanDisk, but Linksys tells me that shouldn't be the case generally, that SDHC is supported, so I assume it's just a temporary bug.

In all, the system does a fair amount—solid backup, good media accessibility. The biggest differentiator might be the direct access to the drive from the card slots and USB. Linksys promises future features like Time Machine backup and better media handling, but for now, it's a solid product for the PC world.

Cisco Simplifies Digital Media Access for Consumers

Linksys by Cisco Media Hub helps consumers enjoy all of their digital photos,
music and video anytime, anywhere

Las Vegas – January 7, 2009 – Cisco® today announced the Linksys by Cisco Media Hub at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Designed to simplify access to and interaction with digital content, the Media Hub gathers, organizes, and presents all the digital video, photos and music that users have spread amongst various devices in the home. With a Media Hub consumers can enjoy all of their media through an easy to use interface that is not only accessible in the home, but throughout the world via a web browser. The Media Hub is the perfect solution for consumers with extensive digital media libraries who are looking to eliminate the complexity of managing their collections.

Facts/Highlights:
Centralized Access to Digital Photos, Music and Videos
Sharing media on multiple devices within the home is easy with the Media Hub’s media and iTunes server capabilities. The Media Hub automatically searches the network for other media devices to present all available digital media to the user in a single location.
Easy Graphical User Interface
Content accessible to the Media Hub is presented in a browser-based, simple to navigate user interface. Music albums are consolidated and presented together with the appropriate Album Art, regardless of where the tracks reside within the network, eliminating the need to know which device music is stored on. Photos and videos are presented using thumbnail images that are easily organized by date or name. All available media, regardless of type, can be located by using the available search function.
Simple Remote Access 
Remote Access can be enabled on the Media Hub with just a few clicks of a button. Users are not required to install any special software or change their network configuration. The Media Hub takes care of everything with the exception of choosing its Remote Access name. Whether accessing the Media Hub on a PC at home, or through a web browser anywhere in the world via www.ciscomediahub.com, consumers are presented with the same easy to navigate user interface that enables them to access their digital media and upload or download files from a remote location.
Backup
Automated backup software is included with the Media Hub to help ensure that even the most treasured memories and digital libraries are protected. Folders on a computer within the network that contain Digital Media can be set to automatically copy any new files to the Media Hub for added piece of mind.

Consumer Friendly Design
The product's sleek design makes it possible to place the Media Hub virtually anywhere in the home and with its near silent operation it will not disturb daily life. With two drive bays and external USB ports consumers can easily expand their Media Hub if and when their Digital Media storage needs grow.

Configurations and availability:
In the US, the products are available now from authorized Linksys by Cisco retailers, resellers, and VAR partners. Cisco anticipates availability in Canada, UK, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands during the first quarter of 2009.

The Media Hub comes in both the NMH300 Series and the NMH400 Series. The NMH300 series is a cost-effective solution that offers all of the core features of the Media Hub, and is designed to be used primarily with a PC or Mac to interface with the device. On the NMH400 Series, an LCD screen that displays information such as available space, drive usage by type of media, and network status teams with a 6-in-1 card reader to enable the simple transfer of new media and entertainment onto the Media Hub without the need for a computer. Firmware upgrades and instant backups can also be initiated via navigating the LCD.

The following configurations of the LinksysMedia Hub will be available from launch:
NMH305 – Linksys by Cisco Media Hub (500GB hard drive) MSRP: $299.99/ €299.99

NMH405 – Linksys by Cisco Media Hub with LCD and 6-in-1 card reader (500GB hard drive) MSRP: $349.99/ €349.99

NMH410 – Linksys by Cisco Media Hub with LCD and 6-in-1 card reader (1TB hard drive) MSRP: $429.99/ €429.99

The unit sits upright, showing off digital photos, streaming video and weather on its 3.2-inch LCD while users can share a printer and any other USB devices of choice through its open ports in the back. Those interested in networked storage can squeeze in a 2.5" hard drive for sharing files over the network or just downloading BitTorrent fun.

We're not seeing a price or release date yet, but if it only had a screen the size of its case, we'd be sitting in a cold puddle of drool.

If you recall our guide to choosing a network-attached disk (something no Gizmodo household should be without), you'll remember that low-end drives often skimp on features like AFP for Apple networks, etc. Not so here. Good to keep in mind that drives that look good on paper could always have an unseen performance setback (like the Synology drive in our tests), and that these are single-disk models with no RAID redundancy for auto backups. But still, a good value for some quick network storage, as those prices aren't too much of a premium over a non-networked USB disk at those sizes.

[Iomega]

With the new economical Iomega® Home Media Network Hard Drive, consumers can easily share and access photos, videos and music between home computers and other networked devices.

· This new network hard drive provides easy-to-use, yet powerful, network storage for the home user and the three step setup is very simple, even if you've never used a network drive before.

· Home users can save all their digital files to one central location and share them between computers and other networked consumer devices on the home network, including playing back pictures, videos and music from digital media adapters such as game consoles, digital picture frames or high-end TVs.

· The Home Media Network Hard Drive also has a built-in iTunes server which automatically feeds music into iTunes® for easy playback, allowing users to share one printer over the network, even control which family members have access to certain folders. Plus, home users can secure their digital memories and backup automatically to this device with award winning EMC® Retrospect® software (PC/Mac) and for extra protection backup online with MozyHome™ Online Backup service with 2GB free.

· The Iomega Home Media Network Hard Drive is available in 500GB and 1TB capacities and starts at just $159.99.
Iomega Home Media Network Hard Drive Features:

· Capacity: 500GB or 1TB (both are single drive units)

· Simple to use: Three step set-up – simply plug into your router, power on, and install the software CD. Friendly web screens for easy management.

· Sharing: Access files from any networked Apple computer for easy file sharing

· High Performance: Gigabit Ethernet connectivity combined with a high performance processor

· UPnP™ AV Media Server: Compatible with DLNA® certified media players, able to stream photos, audio content and videos to a variety of media devices like game consoles, audio bridges, DMAs (digital media adapters), picture frames and more

· iTunes™ Server: Store your audio content in one central location and share it across your iTunes players

· Network File Protocols Supported:

CIFS/SMB (Microsoft), AFP (Apple), HTTP 1.1

· Expandability: Add storage capacity by connecting external USB Hard Disk Drives. Supports FAT32 and NTFS formatted hard drives

· Network Discovery: Automatic network discovery by Apple Bonjour and Microsoft Windows Rally devices

· Data Protection: Touch-free professional-level backup for all your critical data with EMC® Retrospect HD backup software. Effortlessly back up files on a pre-set schedule

· Print Server: Intelligent network print sharing capability for one USB printer directly attached to the Home Media drive

The palm-sized $100 VuNow PoD is standard def and equipped with ethernet, Wi-F and 2 USB ports out of the box.

It's almost hard to summarize everything that the VuNow plays back if you spring for the full (extra $30) codec package. It streams YouTube, Cinemanow, and all sorts of internet-based TV while magaging BitTorrent downloads. Plus it recognizes every codec under the sun through a NAS, networked PC, or just good old USB-based storage.
I know, many of you are shaking your heads at the standard def thing, but the VuNow will also be available in high definition (with HDMI) for $150. Luckily, the high def version includes that whole "premium codec package" thing for free.

Both models are available now on VuNow's site. [VuNow via Wired]

The year winds to an end and every product worth a damn has already hit store shelves—there's not going to be any new shiny coolness until next month's CES. We were lucky enough to have a look at most of the best gear out there, and we've passed judgment on all that we saw. Here's a complete list of great products, yanked from our first looks, reviews, and epic Battlemodos:

TV & HOME THEATER
TVs:
Panasonic 65VX100U Plasma
Pioneer Kuro Elite PRO-111FD Plasma
Sony Bravia XBR8 LCD
Panasonic PZ850 Series Plasma
Samsung 650 and 750 Series LCD
Honorable mention for value: Toshiba Regza RV535 Series LCD

Surround Bar:
Yamaha YSP-3050 Sound Bar

Blu-ray Player:
Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD
Samsung Netflix BD-P2500
Sony PlayStation 3

Blu-ray Movies (with iTunes/WMV Digital Copy):
The Dark Knight
Wall-E

CAMERAS & CAMCORDERS
DSLR Cameras:
Nikon D300 and D700
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with HD video
Nikon D90 with HD video
Canon Rebel XSi and Rebel XS
Honorable mention for value: Sony Alpha A900 and Alpha A300

Point and Shoot Camera:
Canon SD790

Crazy Hybrid Camera/Camcorder:
Casio Exilim EX-F1

Mini Camcorders:
Kodak Zi6 HD
Pure Digital Flip Ultra

COMPUTERS & ACCESSORIES
Laptops:
MacBook/MacBook Pro
Lenovo X300
MSI Wind

All-In-One PC:
Vaio LV

Routers:
Linksys WRT610N Dual N-Band Wireless Router

Router/NAS:
Apple Time Capsule

NAS:
HP MediaVault mv2120

Mouse:
Logitech MX 1100 Mouse

Keyboard:
SteelSeries 7G Pro Gaming Keyboard

iPod/iPhone USB Dock:
Griffin Simplifi iPod-iPhone Dock/Card Reader/USB Hub

PHONES & PORTABLE DEVICES
Phones:
Apple iPhone 3G @ AT&T
Sidekick 2008 @ T-Mobile
Samsung Instinct @ Sprint (after firmware update, it's officially better than Verizon's LG Dare)
LG Decoy with docking Bluetooth earpiece @ Verizon
Sony Ericsson W890i @ Europe only; unlocked may be available

Phone Stereo Headsets:
Maximo iMetal iP-HS2 Isolators
Shure Music Phone Adapter to use with your current earphones

In-Ear Headphones:
Etymotics hf5
Shure SE110
Ultimate Ears metro.fi 2

Pico Projector:
Aiptek PocketCinema V10

GPS:
Garmin Nuvi 785T with lane guidance
Garmin Nuvi 880 with speech recognition

ASSORTED CRAZY STUFF
Flashlights:
Wicked Lasers Torch Flashlight
Duracell Daylite CR123

Toy Robot:
U-Command Wall-E

Cheap Night Vision Goggles:
Jakks Pacific EyeClops

Unmanned Vehicle:
Draganfly X6 UAV

Spy Gadget Book:
Spycraft by Robert Wallace and H. Keith Melton

Water Guns:
Super Soaker Sneak Attack 4-Way

—With reporting by Erica Ho

Though it looks the same on the outside, the hardware received a bump, now using a 2.0 GHz Celeron processor and 2GB DDR2 RAM. It comes in 2 storage configurations— a 750GB server or a 1.5TB server. The MediaSmart server is still built on top of the Windows Home Server platform, but makes use of a couple of additional software to enhance functionality.

First, HP tapped Twonky Media to handle their remote streaming backend. As such, you can access all your audio files and photos from any web browser with a broadband connection. You can either enter your home IP address or set up a free custom HP domain that will quickly forward you to your server. From there, a media player UI appears and your entire library is at hand. The only downside is that, when not streaming over LAN, it transcodes your MP3s at a 128kbps bitrate, apparently to minimize choppiness in streaming (bleck).

A couple of other nice features that are new for the EX485/7 are the media collector feature, which will scan and watch any folders or drives from your computer, and will gather them on the MediaSmart Server. Also new is that you can connect to Amazon's S3 cloud, and gain another layer of data protection.

Secondly, HP worked with Apple to get MediaSmart Server up and running OSX. Not only is there a Mac version of the software, but they also got Time Machine working with the device, which can do scheduled backups over the air. However, being that it is Windows Home Server, you still need a PC to set up the server, and cannot carry out any admin functions from a Mac.

That aside, much of the same functionality from the last version of MediaSmart Server is still there, such as UPnP streaming of video, photos and music, photo albums that can be published directly to the web, downloadable add-ons (like a bittorrent client), and storage in a RAID-esque, "balanced" configuration. It also has 4 drive bays, 4 USB drives and an eSATA port for adding additional storage.

As far as availability and pricing goes, the updated MediaSmart Server will be available for order on January 5, with the 750 GB EX485 selling for $600, while the 1.5 TB EX487 costs about $750. [HP MediaSmart Server on Giz]

HP Launches New Home Server for PCs and Macs
HP MediaSmart Server centralizes digital media and files for backup, remote access, sharing and uploading to social media sites

PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 29, 2008 – HP today launched a home server designed for use with both Windows and Mac computers.

Based on the Microsoft Windows® Home Server platform, the HP MediaSmart Server ex485/ex487 is a central repository for automatically backing up and accessing digital music, videos, photos and documents from multiple computers on a home network.(1)

The MediaSmart Server automatically organizes files across all PCs, streams media across a home network and the Internet,(2) and publishes photos to popular social networking and photo sharing sites.

“A growing number of digital-savvy households have both Windows and Mac computers, with hundreds and sometimes thousands of media files and documents scattered across these devices,” said Jason Zajac, vice president of strategy, Worldwide Attach Group, HP. “The HP MediaSmart Server protects, stores and organizes this content from anywhere on a network so consumers can access and share it any place they are connected.”

“HP continues to innovate on the Windows Home Server platform giving consumers even more options to enjoy and protect their precious memories and valuable data,” said Charlie Kindel, general manager, Windows Server Solutions, Microsoft. “We believe consumers will embrace the new MediaSmart Server as one of the most exciting computing products for the home.”

MediaSmart Server ex485/ex487 features include:

· HP Media Collector: conveniently schedules the MediaSmart Server to copy and centralize digital files and libraries from networked PCs

· Media Streaming: remotely streams photos and music to any Internet-connected PC or Mac

· Server for iTunes: centralizes iTunes music libraries on the server for playback to any networked Mac or PC running iTunes

· HP Photo Publisher: easily upload photos to Facebook®, PicasaTM Web Albums and Snapfish(3)

· HP Photo Viewer: allows easy sharing of photos with friends and family

· PC Hard Drive Backup: backs up networked PCs via the Windows Home Server backup feature

· Mac Hard Drive Backup: backs up Macs running Leopard using Apple Time Machine software

· Server Backup: duplicates designated shared folders to a separate hard disk drive

· Online Backup: duplicates designated folders to Amazon’s S3 online backup service for an additional layer of protection

· Smart Power Management: can schedule times for server to go to ”sleep” and ”wake up,” saving on energy costs

· Processor: Intel® Celeron®, 2.0 GHz 64-bit. Two gigabytes (GB) of 800-MHz DDR2 DRAM now standard on MediaSmart Server

· Expandability: additional drives can be added for up to 9 terabytes (TB)

"Customers are always looking for the right mix of features and ease-of-use when choosing digital home products," said Danielle Levitas, group vice president, consumer, broadband and digital marketplace at IDC. "HP's focus and investment in software allows it to deliver a home server with compelling features for Mac and PC users while offering a great customer experience that helps simplify the complexity of the connected home. This unique offering will help expand the home server market."

Pricing and availability
Manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the HP MediaSmart Server ex485 with 750 GB of hard disk storage is $599 while the HP MediaSmart Server ex487 with 1.5 TB is $749.(4)

The HP MediaSmart Server can be pre-ordered beginning on Jan. 5, 2009, from Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Buy.com, Frys.com and NewEgg.com; it is expected to ship in February.

The first 200 consumers who visit HP Home & Home Office (www.hpshopping.com) or call +1 888 271 2982 between Jan. 5 - 11, 2009, to reserve a MediaSmart Server and use coupon code “AC5674” will receive a $50 savings off their purchase.(5)

More information is available at www.hp.com/go/mediasmartserver.