05/10, 2:23pm
Discounts on iPad mini, Lightning cables, TB drives, more
Currently, Walmart.com has the 16GB iPad mini with Wi-Fi for the rollback price of $299. That's $30 less than the MSRP and the lowest price available on this iPad brand new anywhere. In fact, it costs the same as a refurbished model from Apple's online store. The iPad mini features 16GB of storage space, Wi-Fi, an A5 chip, FaceTime camera with 1080p HD video recording, and it comes with iOS 6 pre-installed. A one-year warranty on parts and labor is included from Apple.
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05/09, 3:54pm
New model supplements dual PCI-E slot model
Sonnet today introduced a significant upgrade of its popular xMac mini Server, a Thunderbolt-to-PCI Express expansion system and 1U rackmount enclosure for a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac mini with a Thunderbolt port. The updated xMac mini Server now supports a double-width PCIe card's daughter card and includes BNC connector mounting holes on the enclosure's rear panel. In addition, the length of the xMac mini Server is now just 15.8 inches, optimizing it for a wider range of popular mobile racks, carts, and rack bags.
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05/09, 8:06am
External storage adds options without Blu-ray drive
Newer Technology has updated its MiniStack Max external storage device to include another option for optical media. The revised version of the compact four-in-one device is now available with CD and DVD read-only and writable drives, adding to the already-available Blu-ray versions customers can purchase.
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05/07, 3:25pm
Dead pixels, blown usb ports and more
Yesterday in the MacNN forums, members tried to help one concerned Fresh-Faced Recruit figure out reasons why white and black lines might show up across the screen of their iPhone 3GS. Also yesterday, one Forum Regular was having some trouble with a flickering external monitor attached to their 15-inch rMBP with a mini-display port cable, and they turned to the forums for some advice.
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05/07, 11:34am
Uses iSSD to cache data for faster transfers
Western Digital has revealed it is working with SanDisk for its 5mm (0.2-inches) thick solid state hybrid drives (SSHD) that it revealed last month. The WD Black SSHD storage, aimed at notebook manufacturers aiming to create thinner devices, uses SanDisk's flash memory technology for the solid-state portion, which works alongside the WD-created hard disk.
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05/06, 4:45pm
MaxUpgrades ships adapter for 27-inch 2012 iMac, allows use of 2.5 SATA drives
Upgrade vendor MaxUpgrades has announced the availability of the SSD SATA module for iMac 2012 models, adapting the "blade" SSD slot to a normal SATA plug. The adapter and optional mount allows 2012 iMac users to use either a dual 2.5-inch SSD configuration, or a 2.5 SSD alongside the existing hard drive. The dual-SSD kit and bracket retails for $120. The package for a single 2.5-inch drive sells for $100.
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05/02, 7:00pm
No details on changes, version now set to 2.3
On Thursday, Apple released updated printer drivers for its supported Xerox printers for users of OS X Snow Leopard (10.6), Lion (10.7) and Mountain Lion (10.8). Unusually for such a release, there is not yet a list of the specific changed or added models supported by the built-in software. All three versions of OS X support a wide and expanding list of Xerox products, including standalone, all-in-one and wireless printer models, as well as some standalone scanners.
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05/02, 10:46am
Offers alternative to Fusion Drive, larger SSDs
Apple has added 256GB and 512GB SSD options for build-to-order iMac customers at its online store. Picking 256GB adds $300 to the cost of a system, while choosing 512GB adds $600. Stock iMac configurations are priced between $1,299 and $1,999.
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04/30, 5:52pm
Two capacities available, 240 and 480GB
Other World Computing announced today the OWC Envoy Pro EX ultra-portable Solid State Drive solution. Clad in anodized aluminum to match modern Macs and PCs, the Envoy Pro EX fits easily into a coat pocket, backpack, or briefcase for rugged mobile high-performance storage or backup capacity.
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04/29, 6:30pm
Speedy OSX and Windows USB 3.0 RAID implementation tested
Apple was one of the first -- if not the first -- major computer manufacturers to provide then-fledgling USB support at the expense of legacy ports on its iMac line some 15 ago. Since then, the Mac maker hasn't always been the fastest at adding new USB protocols to machines, generally lagging six months or more behind, depending on the product line. The Mac Pro is languishing these days, awaiting a revamp -- but still has no USB 3.0 ports, despite an incremental update last summer boosting the speed of the computer somewhat. Highpoint Technologies has had strong support for the Macintosh and OS X despite only one current line of hardware having PCI-E slots. The latest offering from the company is the quad-channel Rocket-U 1144CM 4x PCI-E USB 3.0 card for the Mac Pro, and MacNN got a chance to test one out.
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04/27, 5:27pm
Android 4.3 appears to still be Jelly Bean
Google appears to be hard at work on the next update for its Android operating system, and that version would appear to be Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Devices apparently running Android 4.3 have shown up in the server logs of tech blog Android Police recently, indicating that Google may be on the verge of releasing an update. The retention of the Jelly Bean moniker may indicate that the next update of Android will not mark a significant departure from the current versions.
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04/25, 6:20pm
Win a Kanex meDrive File Server
Cloud storage has proven to be extremely useful; however, web-based services can get to be a bit pricey if more capacity is needed. The new Kanex meDrive Filer Server provides a cost-effective way to set up a local cloud storage system in a home or office. MacNN has teamed up with Kanex to give away one of these handy little devices to our readers.
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04/24, 9:00am
Tips to stop juggling gigabytes and start using the cloud
We live in a world positively soaked in data nowadays. Fortunately, the capacity to store that data has gotten bigger in volume, smaller in physical size, and cheaper per gigabyte as time progresses. Gone are the days where you'd have to lug a Zip disk around (remember those?) or stick your iPod into disk mode. At worst, you're carrying a USB drive with you -- though really, you should be relying on the cloud for by now. The issue is figuring out just what you're going to be keeping up there.
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04/23, 9:08pm
New model supplements original with 128GB
Storage solutions manufacturer Akitio today announced the release of the company’s new 256GB one-bay, bus-powered "Neutrino" Thunderbolt storage solution. Akitio’s new larger-capacity device is a follow-up to the company’s successful 120GB SSD solution, which was previously launched in 2012.
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04/23, 3:45pm
62 percent off refurbished LaCie 1TB Little Big Disk and more
This week, eCost.com has reduced the price on the refurbished LaCie 1TB Little Big Disk external hard drive with Thunderbolt from $450 down to $170, a savings of $280. That's about $180 less than buying this hard drive brand new anywhere else. This hard drive features 1TB of storage space in a compact, lightweight form factor with Thunderbolt connectivity that can be used to play, edit and acquire multiple uncompressed A/V streams directly from the drive regardless of the resolution of the content. A limited warranty is included from LaCie.
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04/23, 10:30am
Thinner drives use single edge connector to save space
Building on from its 7mm release last year, Western Digital has started shipping its first hard drives and solid state hybrid drives (SSHD) that measure 5mm (0.2-inches) thick. The new WD Blue and WD Black 2.5-inch drives are made to allow for even thinner notebook and ultrabook designs, while still providing a sizable amount of storage for the end user.
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04/16, 1:01pm
15.4-inch MBP now $2,099
Today's deal of the day from MacMall.com is on the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro which has been reduced by $449 -- lowering the cost from $2,549 down to $2,099. This MBP features a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive along with Intel HD Graphics 4000, NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, a FaceTime Camera and OS X Mountain Lion pre-installed. A one-year warranty on parts and labor is included from Apple.
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04/16, 3:00am
Better 'HDR' photography, low-light photos, aperture
A new report from Vietnam claims that a Saigon company will be making the new camera module for the "iPhone 5S" rumored to appear sometime this summer, and that it will be much improved from the well-regarded 8MP module found in the iPhone 4S and 5. The new camera is said by the site -- which has proven itself accurate in the past -- to boost the resolution to 12 megapixels, and feature a large f/2.4 fixed aperture and backside illuminated sensor for better low-light shooting.
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04/14, 5:10pm
Android camera gets 180MB update, effect unclear
Owners of Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy Camera should be receiving a software update today if their devices run on Verizon's network. The new update, picked up by Droid Life, looks to be considerable, as it measures 180MB in size. What exactly the software update contains, though, is as yet unknown.
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04/11, 8:23am
Name change accompanied by new language options
Dropbox has rebranded its group-based offering, in order to pull in more corporate business. The change from 'Dropbox for Teams' to 'Dropbox for Business' comes at the same time as the cloud-based storage provider introduces a single sign-on feature, as well as overall support for five new languages.
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04/10, 11:25pm
Device duplicates to two USB 2.0 target volumes simultaneously
Computer connectivity specialist StarTech has announced the release of a portable USB Flash Duplicator, which enables users to simultaneously clone a single flash drive onto two individual flash drives, or erase two flash drives to US Department of Defense specification without having to connect the duplicator or the drives to a computer. In addition to just USB flash drives, the unit supports hard drives, SD, SDHC, Micro SD, MMC, Mini SD, and CF media through USB 2.0 enclosures or multimedia card readers.
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04/10, 12:00am
New Crucial drive line noted for speed, capacity, price
Memory and storage purveyor Crucial today announced the availability of the Crucial M500 series of solid state drives (SSD). Featuring terabyte-class capacity, increased response times over previous models, and an advanced feature set, the Crucial M500 2.5-inch SSD is available in 120GB, 240GB, 480GB, and 960GB capacities.
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04/09, 12:08am
Removable cartridge drive capable of RAID 0, 1 or JBOD
Storage technology provider G-Technology announced the premiere device in its Evolution series -- the G-Dock ev with Thunderbolt, coupled with the G-Drive ev and G-Drive ev Plus external hard drive modules. The G-DOCK ev with Thunderbolt is the only two-bay solution with interchangeable storage modules, allowing them to be taken into the field and used as true standalone external drives on a USB 3.0 interface.
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04/08, 8:50pm
Up to 7.68PB addressable with new device
High-performance RAID storage solution developer Promise Technology unveiled a low-cost turnkey storage area network (SAN) solution in the new VTrak A-Class. Aimed at creative professionals in the media and entertainment market, the 4U VTrak A-Class is built for the storage-intensive workflows of post-production, data asset management and archiving. Promise's new storage solution enables multiple clients running Windows, Mac OS X or Linux to access a shared SAN filesystem over Fiber Channel.
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04/08, 6:17pm
Pair of new models allow for one 16x, two 8x card installations
Sonnet today announced the Echo Express III-D desktop and Echo Express III-R rackmount Thunderbolt-to-PCI Express Expansion Chassis, the newest members of the company's Echo family of Thunderbolt expansion chassis for PCI-E cards. Featuring three PCI-E slots, a 300W power supply, and 75W auxiliary power connector, both new devices enable the use of a wide variety of high-performance PCI Express cards originally designed for use in desktop computers, now available to use with any OS X computer with a Thunderbolt port.
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04/08, 3:47pm
1,600 individual servers can fit in a standard rack
HP today unveiled the world’s first commercially-available Moonshot system, which the company claims uses up to 89 percent less energy, occupies 80 percent less space, and costs 77 percent less compared to traditional X86 servers with the same processing power. The 4.3-unit high system is tailored for "social, cloud, mobile, and big-data" uses.
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04/05, 3:19pm
$100 off Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro and more
JR.com this week has reduced the price on the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 11.6-inch Touchscreen Windows Tablet from $1,199.99 down to $1,099.99. The Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro features a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of solid state storage along with a MicroSD card slot, HDMI port, and detachable keyboard/docking station. A one year warranty is included from Samsung.
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04/05, 9:42am
Per-app storage mimics functionality found in iCloud
Google has updated its cloud-based storage service and Drive SDK to help developers protect data used in apps, similar to functions used in iCloud. The new app data folders are hidden folders within the Google Drive itself, helping to protect app-specific data from unwanted interference through malicious programs, or even the owner of the drive themselves.
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04/04, 8:18pm
New drive features same capacity, smaller footprint than previous model
Computer product designer and manufacturer Mushkin today announced the worldwide availability of its new line of 1.8-inch Chronos GO SATA 3 (6Gbps) solid-state drives (SSD), now shipping in 120GB, 240GB and 480GB capacities.
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04/03, 10:00pm
New platter technology reduces heat, energy use, cost
Seagate has announced the availability of a new 4TB 3.5-inch desktop form-factor drive for consumers. While 4TB capacities have been available previously either through striped dual-drive configurations or single-drive options, the newly named STBD4000400 "Desktop HDD.15" (formerly Barracuda) SATA 3 (6Gbps) drive is the first to use 1TB platters.
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04/03, 4:56pm
Supports CUDA, Windows, other platforms
EVGA has announced the GeForce GTX 680 Mac Edition, a new video card for the Mac Pro. The hardware uses 2GB of GDDR5 RAM, and includes four outputs: HDMI, DisplayPort 1.1, and two dual-link DVI connections. The card can also be used alongside Boot Camp and/or Windows, and supports standards including OpenCL and CUDA, which allow a video card to handle non-graphics tasks.
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04/02, 8:31pm
Drives estimated at 1,500,000-hour mean time between failure
DRAM and interface card manufacturer ADATA today announced the launch of the enterprise grade SX1000L solid state drive (SSD) series. Available in 2.5-inch standard SATA drive form factor, the pair of SX1000L drives implement the advanced controller technology to enhance read/write performance.
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04/02, 4:21pm
Coming this summer, features almost every kind of modern port
Accessory maker Sonnet Technologies has introduced a catch-all Thunderbolt dock that offers users just about any kind of connection they might want. The Echo 15 Thunderbolt Dock, compatible with both Mac and Windows machines, offers a total of 15 ports and includes options for an optical DVD or Blu-ray DVD drive as well as a 2TB hard drive (or smaller SSD). The deluxe dock is expected to arrive by summer, but can be pre-ordered now for North American customers. The unit's drive bay can also be used for Time Machine backups.
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04/02, 4:01pm
Lenovo IdeaPad S400, cut to $399, more
This week, TigerDirect.com has reduced the price of the 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad S400 notebook PC from $540 down to $400 for a savings of $140. That's about $70 less than the lowest price we've seen anywhere else. Free shipping is included, but sales tax applies for residents of FL, IL, TX, and NC. The Lenovo IdeaPad S400 features a 1.8GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. Windows 8 is pre-installed, and a one-year warranty on parts and labor is included from Lenovo.
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03/26, 8:59pm
New drives designed for Ultrabooks, other space-limited uses
DRAM and NAND flash memory manufacturer Adata today announced the release of thinner and lighter versions of its solid state drives. With a thickness of just 7mm, the new SSD models are suitable for slim-design laptop and ultrabook computers, as well as certain embedded industrial applications.
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03/25, 9:33pm
Up to a 2Ghz Marvell chip at core of new devices
QNAP has revealed its new budget-friendly Turbo NAS lineup with the TS-421U and TS-420U rackmount models for workgroups with fast-growing data storage needs. Both new models support cross-platform file sharing for Windows, Mac, and Linux/UNIX users, and provide a centralized storage solution, along with robust backup options, including Time Machine for OS X.
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03/25, 6:47pm
Each port slaved to individual USB 3.0 controller
HighPoint Technologies is now shipping the industry’s first USB 3.0 Storage Host Bus Adapter (HBA) available for Mac OS X 10.68 through 10.8.x -- the RocketU 1144CM. This third-generation, PCIe 2.0 x4 RAID HBA delivers 5Gb per second per-port performance and supports up to four external USB SSD’s, hard drives or enclosures.
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03/22, 1:54pm
55-inch Samsung 3D LED HDTV cut to $1,152
At Amazon this week, save 47 percent on the Samsung 55-inch 3D LED slim HDTV which had a list price of $2,450, but has been reduced to $1,298, a savings of $1,152. That's lower than the lowest price we have seen anywhere else by about $400. Free US Super Saver shipping is included, but sales tax applies for residents of Kansas, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota, or Washington. This Smart TV features 1080p resolution, full 2D or 3D in HD, a built-in web browser, Wi-Fi and includes streaming services such as Netflix, VUDU and HuluPlus. Also included are a web camera, four pairs of 3D active glasses, and a one-year warranty from Samsung.
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03/21, 9:55pm
Trayless enclosure allows for bus-powered hot-swap functionality
Storage solutions provider FirmTek, today launched the bus-powered miniSwap/U3 440MB per second USB 3.0 enclosure for 2.5-inch solid state and magnetic platter hard disk drives. The enclosure provides trayless, hot-swap, USB 3.0 external enclosure support for Mac and PC computers.
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03/19, 3:26pm
Claims framerate boosts as much as 200 percent or more
Component maker Sapphire has officially launched the Mac Edition of its Radeon HD 7950 video card. The add-on includes 3GB of GDDR5 memory, and is said to boost game framerates by as much as 200 percent or more, and general benchmark performance by about 30 percent. Graphics-heavy benchmarks are claimed to run up to 300 percent faster than possible with the NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT.
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03/19, 1:40pm
Toshiba 23-inch all-in-one, now $999
This week, JR.com has reduced the price of the Toshiba 23-inch all-in-one desktop PC from $1,150 down to $1,000, a savings of $150. That discount makes this the lowest price we have seen on this computer by $30. Free shipping is available, and sales tax applies for residents of New York. The Toshiba desktop PC features a 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive. A pre-paired Bluetooth mouse and keyboard are included, along with Windows 8, Microsoft Office Trial, a 30-day subscription to Norton Internet Security 2013, and a one-year limited warranty from Toshiba.
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03/12, 10:01pm
In-store availability checks, expanded Flyover and 3D buildings
Apple on Tuesday updated both its Apple Store buying app and (in a "silent" update) Maps application with expanded options. The Apple Store app (free) now features in-store availability checking, and more finely-grained delivery options -- making it possible for customers to choose to have some items delivered and some for pickup, notes AppleInsider. The Maps app, which has already received smaller "invisible" bugfixes since its debut, dramatically expanded its Flyover cities and other features in recent days.
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03/12, 8:00pm
Security issues, bugs addressed in latest update
Microsoft has updated its flagship Mac product, Microsoft Office for Mac in both the 2011 and 2008 editions, along with a separate update for Entourage Web Services for Office 2008. The updates fix critical security issues and also help improve overall security, including "fixes for vulnerabilities that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer's memory with malicious code," according to the release notes. In addition, the 2011 Office update delivers several bug fixes, and the Entourage update now syncs information with Exchange Server.
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03/12, 5:36pm
Google still creating version of Glass for prescription frames
Google has shown it is still developing a version of Glass for wearers of prescription glasses. A photograph on Google+ shows Google employee and wearable computing pioneer Greg Priest-Dorman wearing a version of Glass with the frame seen in the Explorer Edition replaced with seemingly normal glasses. Google states the prescription version will not be ready for release at the same time as the Explorer Edition, but apparently will still make an appearance later this year.
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03/07, 11:45pm
One-port and two-port cards now available for fiber, copper
Sonnet Technologies today announced the launch of its Presto 10GbE one-port and Presto 10GbE Server two-port 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) PCI-e cards. These 8x cards enable users to connect to high-speed infrastructure and storage systems using the 10GbE standard, which offers up to 10 times the performance of Gigabit Ethernet.
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03/04, 8:49pm
Company has no SSD product line; will likely focus on hybrid drives
Over the weekend, information surfaced that Seagate is ceasing production of 7200RPM 2.5-inch drives before the end of the year. Models affected by the move are the Momentus 7200.4, 7200.2, Momentus Thin 7200, and Momentus XT. The company cites the rise of SSDs as the reason for the production stop.
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02/26, 4:50pm
New 2TB RAID model available
Accessory and storage solution manufacturer Newer Technology announced that is has added a 2TB, 7200RPM model to its line of Guardian MAXimus mini portable solutions. Featuring dual 2.5-inch 1TB SATA hard drives or OWC Mercury Electra 3G SSDs, the bus-powered Guardian MAXimus mini is now available in six models that are test-certified for video capture and playback without dropping frames through its eSATA and FireWire 800 interfaces.
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02/26, 2:58pm
Iomega StorCenter, IdeaPad tablet, 1TB portable HD offered
Today's deal of the day from Rakuten.com is on the Iomega StorCenter ix2 4TB network attached storage system, which has seen a 34 percent price break from $430 down to $280 with free US budget shipping. That price cut makes this the lowest price we have seen on this NAS by $20. The Iomega StorCenter ix2 network storage system includes 4TB (2 x 2TB) but supports up to 6TB (2 x 3TB) of storage with RAID 1 support, Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, and it features a user-friendly, web-based management interface. It is compatible with both Mac and Windows based systems, and includes a three-year warranty from Iomega.
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02/25, 6:36pm
Iomega PX2-300d NAS brings horsepower to network storage
Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices are similar in one respect to the iPod on release -- until one used it, the utility wasn't immediately apparent. Then, upon using it, it becomes nearly vital to day-to-day operations. The Iomega PX2-300d is the Cadillac of NAS boxes. Driven by a dual-core Atom processor, the device is brutally fast for what it is, and runs a host of services -- including the ability to serve as the core of a security system, bit torrent, iTunes, iSCSI initiation, file sharing with user management, and automated off-site backup. In the NAS ecosystem, where does it fit? Electronista got a hold of a 4TB unit, and ran it through its paces.
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02/25, 6:45am
Sony aims Personal Content Station at mobile users for back up
Sony has used MWC to remind people of the virtues of its forthcoming Personal Content Station (LLS-201). The 1-terabyte home storage device is designed to help make it easier for Android and iOS users to quickly transfer the photos on their mobile devices to a back up unit, although it is a snap if your device is NFC-equipped. According to Sony, 80 percent of smartphone users say that they don’t take the time to transfer their photos to a PC.
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