Planet Video Systems had a massive stand at the MacLiveExpo and it certainly got my attention. They handle the distribution of a large range of products, amongst which was the very cost effective editBOX 4, which is a four disk SATA2 hard disk box. It looked very well built and offers an innovative port-multiplier and multi-lane technology. I was also amazed at the tiny dvBOX Portable, a minute multi-interface external hard drive. This little wonder offers USB2, FireWire 400 & 800 and eSATA connectivity. It is BUS powered, or externally powered and comes in sizes up to 320GB with 7200RPM drives. Last, but by no means least, CineBags... these are the bags to have if you carry around a lot of gear. Multiple compartments for hard drives, laptops, cameras, lenses and they felt really well made. Expect to see reviews of some of these products real soon.
Seagate FreeAgent Pro - new lineup for 2008
Seagate has announced its Autumn 2008 lineup of the award-winning FreeAgent™ external hard drives. This new generation of the Seagate® FreeAgent™ family includes attractive desktop and mobile options, for both Mac® and Windows® operated PCs that make it a breeze to back up, share and protect valuable digital content like photos, videos and music. I especially like the Go version for the Mac, which has this snazzy little desktop dock. The Mac Desktop version also looks the business... reviews will appear on the Geekanoids website in due course.
The remainder of the official press release from Seagate reads as follows;
Seagate’s flagship offering, the FreeAgent Go portable storage solution, is the slimmest external drive available today. At a height of only 12.5mm, the new FreeAgent Go easily fits in a pocket while still including all the advanced shock and vibration protection people have come to expect from Seagate. Another industry first, the new FreeAgent Go is the first external hard drive to offer a docking option, providing a practical way to move from the desk to the road, while leaving the hassle of fumbling with cables and locating USB ports to the history books. With up to 500GB of capacity, the FreeAgent Go bridges the gap between standard portable solutions and desktop solutions with enough storage to carry entire libraries of movies, pictures and music. No longer does one need to sacrifice capacity for portability, Seagate FreeAgent Go provides the benefits and convenience of both in a truly seamless on-the-go package.
“With the amount of content being created and consumed today, the average broadband household will soon need close to a terabyte of storage to account for their personal media collections on PCs, portable devices, and DVRs," said Jane Shields, research analyst, Parks Associates. “With Seagate’s coupling of high-capacity, reliable and easy-to-use solutions with attractive designs, the company is helping more people enjoy the benefits that come with backup and sharing of their digital media collections.”
“The growth of the 2.5–inch form factor external hard disk drive market has been very strong – almost doubling in 2Q08 compared with 2Q07,” said Wolfgang Schlichting, research director, Removable Storage at IDC. “This growth is much higher than the overall market and driven by
the products’ convenient size and connectivity, as well as their large storage capacity and affordability.”
The FreeAgent Go desktop docking station is sold separately and comes paired with a black leatherette carrying case to add style while protecting the drive from the bumps and scratches encountered while traveling in hand bags and during other on-the-road adventures. The FreeAgent Go is now available in a variety of popular colours, including silver, black, red, and blue. The drive also ships with a flexible, thin USB 2.0 travel cable.
The FreeAgent Desk drive and FreeAgent XTreme™ drive are the family’s two 3.5-inch high-capacity desktop offerings, and provide up to 1.5 Terabytes of storage. The sleek and modern design of these drives provides the flexibility to sit horizontally or stand vertically to maximise your workspace. The FreeAgent Desk drive is a brushed aluminum high-capacity solution with a USB 2.0 interface. The FreeAgent XTreme drive is a midnight black, brushed aluminum high-capacity storage solution with a triple interface of eSATA, USB 2.0 and FireWire 400.
“The first FreeAgent storage solution offering introduced in 2007 unquestionably made a mark for Seagate in the consumer space, demonstrating that hard drives can be designed to provide a stylish complement to a computing environment,” said Pat King, senior vice president and general manager of Seagate’s Consumer Solution Division. This second-generation of FreeAgent storage solutions takes the extra step of providing easy-to-use technology in a consumer-friendly package.”
Seagate FreeAgent drives are compatible with Windows® Vista® and Windows® XP® Operating Systems and come equipped with Seagate Manager™ software, an enhanced application that provides scheduled automated back ups and multi-computer synchronisation. The FreeAgent drives for Windows also offer security in the form of software-based AES-256bit encryption and Seagate DrivePass™ password protection for drive access to help keep your information safe and private. The environmentally smart utilities help save energy by putting the drive in sleep mode once it has been idle for 15 minutes. Seagate FreeAgent hard drives include Energy Star 5 rated AC adapters and are now packaged in 100% recyclable materials. And with Seagate’s industry-leading five-year limited warranty, the FreeAgent storage solutions provide the confidence that your digitally-captured memories and life’s work is on a hard drive you can trust.
As part of this product introduction, Seagate will also unveil external storage solutions designed specifically for the Mac community. The Mac community has spoken and Seagate is listening. The FreeAgent Go for Mac and FreeAgent Desk™ for Mac are both formatted for use with Mac OS X out of the box and are Time Machine ready with FireWire800/400 or USB 2.0 connectivity. Seagate understands that Mac customers have specific needs and performance requirements and these demands are being met with the FreeAgent external hard drive for Mac offering.
FreeAgent™ | Go Drive for Mac
With a FireWire 800/400 interface and USB 2, docking station and carrying case the Seagate FreeAgent Go drive for Mac is equipped to move seamlessly between the desktop and road. Formatted for use with Mac OS X and Time Machine ready, the FreeAgent Go for Mac is the perfect back up companion for any Apple® computer. Seagate FreeAgent Go for Mac is available this month for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of £94.99 for 250GB and £110.99 for 320GB.
FreeAgent™ | Desk Drive for Mac
The high-capacity FreeAgent Desk drive for Mac features a brushed aluminum arctic silver finish that is a perfect match for the current iMac Desktop. With both a USB 2 and a FireWire 800/400 connection and tuned to be Time Machine ready, the FreeAgent Desk for Mac is available this month for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of £102.99 for 500GB and £142.99 for 1TB.
FreeAgent™ | Go Drive
A pocket-sized storage drive that packs a punch, the Seagate FreeAgent Go drive is slim, compact and shipping in four colour options available as of this month in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of £62.99 for 250GB, £79.99 for 320GB and £150.99 for 500GB.
FreeAgent™ | Dock and Case
Protection for those on the go and a dock station for convenient and quick access to your files, these accessories for the FreeAgent Go drive are sold separately. The dock and case will be available in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific for a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of £19.90.
FreeAgent™ | Desk Drive
This convenient desktop storage solution, Seagate FreeAgent Desk drive, is the perfect desktop companion for basic back up and security for all your digital files. This high-capacity USB 2.0 interfaced drive provides enough room to hold libraries of images, music and video. The FreeAgent Desk drive is available as of this month in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific, for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of £67.99 for 500GB, £75.99 for 640GB and £107.99 for 1TB.
FreeAgent™ | XTreme™ Drive
Designed for performance, especially for those who work with high-definition video and graphic files, the Seagate FreeAgent XTreme drive is the perfect fit. The FreeAgent XTreme delivers a 3GB per second transfer rate with the eSATA connection. This drive also includes FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 connection options. The FreeAgent XTreme is available worldwide for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of £94.99 for 500GB, £102.99 for 640GB and £134.99 for 1TB.
Buffalo Technology launch new look DriveStation
Buffalo Technology today unveils the new look DriveStation external USB storage device, which now boasts power saving functionality. The DriveStation provides a low-cost, easy to use storage option for home and small office users.
Power Saving Utility* software provided with the product, allows users to set timings to put the device in a low power “sleep” mode when not in use, reducing power consumption of the idle unit by up to 75 per cent. The unit can be powered up again either manually or by accessing the drive. The DriveStation’s Auto Power On/Off function means it automatically turns on and off with your computer.
Available in five capacities, the drive is equipped with Buffalo’s TurboUSB software to facilitate increased data transfer rates via USB. It also comes with Buffalo’s exclusive Secure Lock Ware Encryption software for Windows, to provide a simple option for securing data on the drive.
“As technology users become more concerned about rising energy costs and the power consumption of their devices, they are demanding more intelligent products which use power more efficiently. The DriveStation not only helps consumers and small businesses more easily monitor and address such an important issue, but is extremely easy to set-up and use,” comments Paul Hudson, Northern European Sales Director at Buffalo Technology.
Backed by a limited two-year warranty, the DriveStation is available now from Amazon, Dabs.com, Misco and Play.com at an estimated street price of:
HD-CE320U2 (320GB) £54.99 (inc. VAT)
HD-CE500U2 (500GB) £65.99 (inc. VAT)
HD-CE640U2 (640GB) £73.99 (inc. VAT)
HD-CE750U2 (750GB) £90.99 (inc. VAT)
HD-CE1.0TU2 (1TB) £119.99 (inc. VAT)
Belkin Desktop Internet Phone for Skype
I love Skype and have been a dedicated user for about two years now. With Skype's new subscription plans you can make unlimited calls for a fixed price, or free Skype-to-Skype calls for absolutely nowt. The only real way to take advantage of the Skype service is to have a phone or handset that negates the need to have your Mac or PC switched on. With such a device you can just pick up the phone and use it just like a normal landline.
The new Belkin Desktop Internet Phone for Skype is such a device and it is available now for £79.99. The main features include a contact list for over 500 sets of Skype and SkypeOut contacts. You also get automatic login to your Skype account. This little baby plugs into an ethernet port on your wired or wireless router, using your broadband or ADSL connection for ultra cheap or free calls. The fact that it is wired enables the promise of plug'n'play, so really easy for joe public to set up and use. It sounds really good and certainly looks the part... expect to see a full review here soon.
Elgato Launches EyeTV DTT Deluxe
Today, 8th July 2008, Elgato is pleased to announce the EyeTV DTT Deluxe, a TV Tuner Micro-Stick for Digital Terrestrial Television (DVB-T). Exceptionally small and beautifully designed, this USB tuner is a perfect fit for every lifestyle and every Mac including the MacBook Air.
A perfect fit for your Mac
EyeTV DTT Deluxe slips easily into the USB port of any Mac without blocking other devices, not even on the MacBook Air's port hatch. For areas with a strong DVB-T signal, EyeTV DTT Deluxe comes with a miniature telescopic aerial that attaches directly to the end of the micro-stick. It's a good-looking and unobtrusive solution for those who wish to enjoy television on a Mac without the need for cables. EyeTV DTT Deluxe also includes a portable rod aerial for areas with a weaker DVB-T signal, as well as an adapter cable to connect a rooftop aerial to deal with a very weak or blocked signal. What's more, EyeTV DTT Deluxe ships with a remote control and award-winning EyeTV 3 software.
Quality and Power
Despite its exceptionally small size, EyeTV DTT Deluxe is a powerful digital TV tuner that delivers full-size, crystal-clear reception and uncompromising quality. EyeTV DTT Deluxe has one quality setting, lossless. The DVB stream is recorded unaltered for full quality DVB-T content as encoded by the broadcaster. EyeTV DTT Deluxe supports DVB-T multilingual programming and Dolby Digital sound. In areas in which HDTV is broadcast, EyeTV DTT Deluxe delivers stunning 720p or 1080i HDTV (MPEG-2 as well as H.264/AVC).
A perfect fit for any lifestyle
The whole package is ideal for watching TV on a desktop Mac, but EyeTV DTT Deluxe's tiny size means that it can work with a laptop in all kinds of places. Because the EyeTV DTT Deluxe takes its power from the USB, users can climb to the top of a mountain and watch the Olympics, or sit in a tent in the country and watch Ray Mears Goes Walkabout. It's the perfect fit for any Mac, and any lifestyle.
Included in the Box
- EyeTV 3 digital TV recorder software (CD-ROM)
- EyeTV DTT Deluxe TV receiver
- DVB-T rod aerial (MCX) with tilt/swivel magnetic base and detachable suction cup
- Telescopic DVB-T aerial (MCX)
- Infrared remote control with battery pack
- USB cable
- IEC-MCX adapter
- PDF product manual (CD-ROM)
- Quick Start Guide
- Installation instructions for MacBook Air owners
Availability
The EyeTV DTT Deluxe ships today and is available to buy online immediately, and be available in stores very soon. You can buy direct from Elgato at www.elgato.com, or most good Mac retailers, including the Apple Store. The price is £69.95, or €79.95 including VAT.
System Requirements
Macintosh computer with a PowerPC G4,G5 or Intel Core processor, 512 MB of physical RAM, a built-in USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.4 or later. Internet connection required to download Program Guide data. Note: 720p or 1080i HD features require an Intel Core 2 Duo processor.
Apple Wireless Keyboard - Nice n White
A few weeks back I bought you some really nice images of the iPod touch, courtesy of Elegant Technology. This time around I have been given kind permission to post a few images of the new ultra thin, Apple Wireless Keyboard. I love the design of this little gem. I have yet to use the wireless version, but if it is half as good as the tethered version, you are in for a treat. More photos of this design wonder can be found here.
Western Digital Revamp MyBook Hard Drives
Western Digital's MyBook range of hard drives have always been a favourite of mine, mainly due to their reliability, but also they are so damn quiet. Well, they have updated the MyBook range with three new versions, that look a lot sleeker than the old.
The Home Edition offer up three interfaces. In addition to FireWire 400 and USB 2.0, you also get external SATA for mega performance gains.
The Office Edition is the first in the MyBook range to offer up its files online without the need for an Ethernet connection. When you turn on your Windows PCs, the MioNet software makes files and folders available online through USB, so long as your PC is online.
The Essential Edition 2.0 is the entry level of the range, with USB-only for users just needing to add extra storage to their systems.
Pricing
The 320GB Essential Edition 2.0 costs $130 disk and go up in price, all the way up to a 1TB version. The 320GB Home Edition will set you back $170, and again is available up to 1TB. King of the crop, the Office Edition, costs $170 for the 320GB version, right up to 1TB for $380. Available now in the US, but I have yet to track down UK pricing. A handy comparison table is available here.
Canon UK - multitude of new Pixma Printers
Here in the UK we get even more to choose from when it comes to multifunction printers from Canon. We also get the MX300 and MX310 mentioned in our previous post, but also get the MP210 (£59), MP220 (£79), MP610 (£159), and the MP970 (£249), all of which are due to be available in either September or October this year. Hit the links above for the full specification, but especially check out the top of the range MP970 (pictured) which not only looks fantastic, but offers up ethernet connectivity, a massive 8.8cm colour screen, CD & DVD printing, and and amazing 9600 x 2400dpi resolution.
Canon launch three new all-in-one inkjets
Canon have launched three new all-in-one inkjet printers. Here follows the USA models, details of the UK newbies will follow shortly.
The Pixma MX700 (pictured) is a networkable 5-in-1 is all business, able to quickly produce beautiful photos and bold, professional-quality text. You can print photos right from compatible memory cards — selecting and enhancing images on the 1.8" color LCD display - or directly from a digital camera or DV camcorder. The Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) holds up to 30 originals, and two paper trays can store both plain and photo paper. You'll achieve up to Super G3 fax speed in colour and B&W, and the expanded memory can store 40 speed dial codes and receive 100 incoming pages. Copies will be remarkably true to the originals, and when scanning photos you'll produce impressive 2400-dpi results, with vibrant 48-bit colour depth.
Next up is the Pixma MX310, which has a colour resolution up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi; a borderless 4" x 6" photo takes only about 46 seconds2 The Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) holds up to 30 originals, so it's much easier to copy, scan or fax large documents. Copies will be remarkably true to the originals, and documents will feature bold, laser-quality text. You'll produce 1200-dpi scans with vibrant 48-bit colour depth, and achieve Super G3 fax speed in color and B&W.
Last, but not least, the Pixma MX300 again had a resolution up to 4800 x 1200 color dpi — and quickly, too: A borderless 4" x 6" photo takes only about 46 seconds. You can also print photos directly from a camera DV camcorder or camera phone3, without a computer. Your documents will feature bold, laser-quality text, and copies will be remarkably true to your originals. This All-In-One produces 600-dpi scans with vibrant 48-bit colour depth. Plus, it achieves Super G3 fax speed in color and B&W, and its memory can store 20 speed dial codes and receive 50 incoming pages.
These models will retail at $199, $129 and $99 respectively.
Elgato turbo.264 Review Coming Soon
We have been testing the turbo.264 for some time now, and this speed gadget from Elgato has impressed us so far. The full review will be up online in the next 48 hours, so check back soon.
Upcoming Review of Waterfield's Racer-X Bag
If you need to protect your Apple laptop, then check back on the Geekanoids website real soon. We will be bringing you a full review of the Racer-X from Waterfield bags. The Racer-X comes in a variety of sizes, suitable for the 12-inch Powerbook, right through to the 17-inch MacBook Pro. Our review will include editorial, plus our new hands-on video footage.
New Compact Surge Protector from Belkin
Surge Protectors are an essential piece of equipment in every house hold and are often not the first product people think of when we mention design and style. However all that has changed with the launch of the new Compact Surge Protector from Belkin. Designed to have a small foot print and modern, sleek look the new Compact Surge Protector can accommodate up to six sockets spaced far enough apart that the unit can be filled to capacity even with over sized power blocks. The unique design means that all sockets are easily accessible whilst the unit remains as compact as possible.
Against a baseboard, mounted on a wall or on the floor behind a desk, couch or bed the Compact Surge Protector takes up minimal space and the solid, simple design reduces clutter and maintains a modern yet inconspicuous look. The unit comes with available Phone/Fax/Modem and Coaxial protection and a single indicator lights clearly shows that the unit is powered on and protecting your equipment. This unit is available for £24.99 from Belkin stockists.