Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by
Dan Knight
- 2007.01.10
Special Macworld Expo Report
PowerBook, iBook, MacBook, and other portable computing is
covered in The 'Book Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Software
Hardware
News & Opinion
Don't Have an iPhone Yet? Chances Are You
Will
ITBusiness.ca's Shane Schick says:
"There has been enough speculation in the last three months from
magazines like The Economist, the blog site Engadget and other
pundits to believe that Apple's evolving mobile strategy, whatever
it is, will have to incorporate some form of telecommunications.
With the iPod having recently marked its fifth anniversary, the
company seems to have the installed base necessary to extend its
reach into other areas. There are people who could go ga-ga imaging
how Apple might reinvent the user interface for mobile phones, and
certainly it would open up development opportunities for the Mac
platform that ISVs haven't had before.
"Even if it waited a year or two before it launched an iPhone,
Apple would still be coming at its target audience from a more
favourite position. Look at Research In Motion, which is deviating
from its longstanding focus on the enterprise segment by releasing
a product, the BlackBerry Pearl, which is obviously designed to
appeal to the kind of user Apple sucked in years ago.
"Although access to Mac applications could be the iPhone's
stick, music would have to remain the carrot. That means consumers,
who would be primarily in charge of managing what is in fact their
own device, will probably put the storage and performance needs of
their iTunes content in higher priority to their work content,
which has all kinds of storage and security implications. You could
ask Apple what it's going to do to make the iPhone acceptable in
the enterprise, but I think you'll be waiting a long time for them
to call back."
Link: Apple's
Next Great White Hope - You Don't Have an iPhone Yet? Chances Are,
You Will
Apple Rolls Out the iPhone
eWeek's Daniel Drew Turner and Scott Ferguson report:
"Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs has rarely failed to dazzle loyal
customers during a keynote address.
"And, at the 2007 MacWorld Expo, Jobs even managed to go one
better.
"During his nearly two-hour address in San Francisco on Jan. 9,
Jobs finally pulled back the curtain on the much-rumored,
long-awaited iPhone. Rumors had been of a full-screen iPod, an
Apple-branded phone, or some other Internet-aware mobile device.
Instead, Jobs revealed a single device that subsumed all three
descriptions."
Link: Finally,
Apple Rolls Out the iPhone
iPhone: Apple's Revolution for the Few
PC Magazine's Sascha Segan says:
"Yes, it's a revolution. Apple shot for the ultimate high end
with its iPhone announcement today, loading in radical new features
that other phone manufacturers will be racing to catch up with.
"And they'll have room to race, because the iPhone is priced so
high that only true fans will be able to afford one, and only
Cingular customers will be able to buy it. That will prevent Apple
from dominating the smart phone market the way they have the MP3
player market."
Link: iPhone
Analysis: Apple's Revolution for the Few
EPA Info Should Make Greenpeace Red-faced over
Targeting Apple
Ars Technica's Mary E. Tyler says:
"If you've been following the Green My Apple movement courtesy
of GreenPeace, you'll remember our recent coverage of GreenPeace's
latest stunt: turning the NYC Apple store green courtesy of some
tinted floodlights. In that article, yours truly took a lot of heat
for assuming - for the sake of argument - that GreenPeace's word
that Apple was a bad corporate citizen was accurate and that Apple
had room to improve. Well... you know what they say about
assumptions. GreenPeace has reason to be red-faced - at least if
you believe the EPA.
"A recent New York Times article on buying refurnished and
environmentally friendly computers (free registration required) led
to a nifty list called EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental
Assessment Tool) made up by the EPA. Computers that meet 23
required environmental criteria get a bronze medal. If a computer
meets 50% of an additional 28 criteria, it gets a silver medal. If
it meets all 23 required and all 28 option criteria, it gets a
gold. None of the 300 pieces of computer equipment rated got gold
medals.
"How did Apple do?"
Link: EPA
Information Should Make Greenpeace Red-faced over Apple
Targeting
Software
CrossOver Mac 6.0 Runs Windows Apps on Intel
Macs without Windows
PR: CodeWeavers, Inc. are providing a free time-limited
beta version of CrossOver Mac to anyone that is willing to test
CrossOver.
CrossOver Mac allows you to install many popular Windows
applications and games on Mac OS X. CrossOver includes an easy to
use, single click interface, which makes installing Windows
software simple and fast. Once installed, your application
integrates seamlessly in OS X. Just click and run your application
directly from the OS X Finder. Clicking a Windows file or document
- including email attachments - will launch the appropriate Windows
program, allowing you to work on the files. Best of all, you do it
all easily and affordably, without needing a Microsoft operating
system license.
Adding new Windows software is easy. Just place your install CD
in your Mac, and CrossOver will recognize it and offer to begin the
installation process. CrossOver then completes the installation and
configures your application to run on your Mac. That's all there is
to it.
New in version 6.0:
CrossOver Mac specific changes:
- Modified handling of Mac Suitcase fonts so that they are
avalable to more Windows applications. In particular, fonts should
now work properly in Visio 2003.
- Altered menu generation so that Managed bottles produce usable
menus.
- Extensively revised the documentation and online help.
- Cut/Copy/Paste keyboard shortcuts (Command-X,C,V) work
better.
- Added several general printing fixes.
- Fixed several Half-Life 2 crashes.
- Improved support for non-American keyboards.
- Improved support for non-English versions of some
applications.
- Adjusted the GUI in numerous small ways.
- After this version, it will no longer be necessary to quit the
CrossOver CD Helper in order to overwrite CrossOver.
- Macs with integrated Intel graphics chips (MacBook, Mini) can
run DirectX 8.x graphics.
- Fixed crashes and install failures due to libraries in
/usr/local.
- Fixed crashes due to certain font files.
- Tool palette windows are now movable.
- Improved scroll-wheel responsiveness.
- Fixed Create Icon to preserve working directory and command
arguments more reliably.
- Fixed handling of Caps Lock.
- General CrossOver fixes and improvements:
- Fixed the IE screen-flicker that appeared for pages with Flash
content
- Many other improvements to IE behavior
- Improved handling of CD detection and ejection. Installers that
require multiple CDs should now install more graciously.
- Some fixes to Outlook 2003 behavior, including printing
fixes.
- Improved support for Equation Editor
- Corrected display of fonts in DirectX 8.x games, like Half-Life
2.
- Changes resolution in full-screen games should work
better.
- Numerous other Direct3D improvements.
System support: CrossOver Mac requires an Intel based CPU in
your Mac. PowerPC (G3,G4,G5) based Mac systems are not
supported.
For more information, visit:
http://www.codeweavers.com/
VMware Demonstrates Fusion Software for Mac at
Macworld
PR: At Macworld 2007, VMware, Inc., the global leader in
software for industry-standard virtualized desktops and servers,
will demonstrate the public beta of its new desktop product that
enables Intel-based Macs to run x86 operating systems, such as
Windows, Linux, NetWare, and Solaris, in virtual machines at the
same time as Mac OS X.
The new desktop product for the Apple Mac was introduced during
the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in August 2006, and the
public beta became available free of charge in December 2006 and
can be downloaded at http://www.vmware.com/products/beta/fusion/
. The new product for the Mac is expected to be generally available
by this summer; pricing will be announced at the time of general
availability.
"With our new desktop product for the Mac, we've combined
VMware's advanced virtualization platform with an easy-to-use,
native Mac interface, and we have seen tremendous interest in the
product since its introduction at the Apple Worldwide Developers
Conference," said Srinivas Krishnamurti, director of product and
market development at VMware. "Beta customers have been very
excited about this product's ability to fully leverage the Mac's
hardware capabilities - running 64-bit PC applications on Mac OS X,
gaining additional performance by allocating a second CPU to
virtual machines and accessing all devices, including iSight
cameras and any Bluetooth device."
"My team maintains a vast library of VMware virtual machine
images for developing and testing our software products, and
because many of the engineers involved are Mac users, the ability
to leverage our existing library was a compelling reason to
evaluate the product," said Blake Garner, lab systems engineer at
Adobe Systems. "I like the product's 64-bit support, its simple and
clean user interface and its compatibility with our existing
virtual machine library. It should allow a lot of our Mac users to
make the Mac the only desktop they need because they can now run
Windows in a virtual machine. It's clear after using the public
beta that a first-class VMware product for Mac OS X is on the
way."
The new desktop product for the Mac is based on VMware's robust
and advanced virtualization technology, shipping for more than
eight years and used by more than four million people today. With
the new product, users can:
- Create and run a wide variety of 32- and 64-bit x86 operating
systems on Mac OS X without rebooting and simultaneously run PC
applications next to Mac OS X applications
- Leverage Virtual SMP capabilities to gain additional
performance improvements so that on any Mac with dual-core
processors, users can assign multiple CPUs to a virtual machine to
gain additional performance for CPU-intensive workloads
- Access physical devices from the virtual machine to read and
burn CDs and DVDs, access Bluetooth and USB 2.0 devices such as
video cameras, iPods, printers and disks at full speed, view live
battery status within the virtual machine by leveraging the Virtual
Battery technology and even use devices that do not have drivers
for Mac OS X
- Drag and drop files and folders between Mac OS X and any
virtual machine to easily share data between the two
environments
- Leverage compatibility across VMware virtual machines so that
existing VMware virtual machines created with the most current
VMware products are all cross-compatible, including virtual
machines created by VMware Workstation, VMware Server and VMware
Infrastructure 3
- Run any of the 380 virtual appliances for solutions such as
security, load balancing, collaboration, databases, development,
communications and business applications available from the Virtual
Appliance Marketplace (http://vam.vmware.com ); virtual appliances
are pre-built, pre-configured and ready-to-run software
applications, all packaged within virtual machines that can be run
using VMware virtualization products including VMware Player and
VMware Server, which are both available for free download at
http://www.vmware.com/download .
Link: Fusion Beta
Mac BU Announces Intent to Deliver Office 2008
for Mac
PR: Microsoft Corp.'s Macintosh Business Unit (Mac BU)
today revealed at Macworld Conference & Expo 2007 the news Mac
fans have been waiting to hear: A new version of Office for Mac is
on its way. The Mac BU announced its intent to deliver the first
Universal version of Office for Mac for PowerPC- and Intel-based
Macs - Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac. Scheduled to be available in
the second half of 2007, Office 2008 for Mac will allow Mac users
to work smarter and more efficiently with new and enhanced tools
that are simple, intuitive and easily discovered.
"For more than two decades, Microsoft has been committed to
delivering quality and innovation on the Macintosh platform while
retaining unparalleled compatibility with PCs," said Roz Ho,
general manager of the Mac BU at Microsoft. "Office 2008 is, by
far, the most comprehensive, Mac-complementary productivity suite
we've developed to date. I've witnessed firsthand the progression
of this product, and am excited to think about the possibilities
that soon will be available to our customers when Office 2008
launches later this year."
Microsoft conducted extensive customer research to determine
which enhancements to make to its Word, Excel, PowerPoint and
Entourage applications. As a result, Office 2008 for Mac is packed
with new tools to help Mac users better manage the business of
life.
Shared Technologies with Office for Windows
Office 2008 for Mac shares a new graphics engine with Office for
Windows. Office Art 2.0 provides users with the ability to add
professionally designed graphics with a simple click of a button.
Like the 2007 Microsoft Office system and its new user interface
(UI) with the Ribbon, Office 2008 has its own new UI that
introduces Elements Gallery, a feature that emphasizes
discoverability and gives users quick access to tools and Mac-
specific features within applications in a visually appealing,
simple way. Both features leverage Mac OS capabilities to retain a
Mac-like look and feel users are familiar with while taking
advantage of new technologies.
Part of the Elements Gallery is a tool called Document Parts.
Documents Parts simplify and automate some of the most common, but
often difficult and tedious, document tasks - such as adding a
table of contents or headers and footers - so users can produce
manuscripts and papers that look professional.
New Mac-First, Mac-Only Features
Microsoft continues to deliver new Mac-first, Mac-only features
aimed at providing customers with a unique, engaging and
definitively Mac experience. Office 2008 for Mac will carry on the
tradition of Mac BU's productivity software, helping users get
organized and work smarter through these features:
- Publishing Layout View lets users create incredibly layout-rich
documents such as newsletters, fliers and brochures by uncovering
desktop publishing layout tools and providing text box entry.
- Ledger Sheets enable anyone to use Excel to handle common
financial management tasks. Home and small-business users can
balance checkbooks, track accounts or manage investment portfolios
more easily than ever.
- My Day allows users to track priorities and stay on top of
daily activities no matter what application they're currently
working in. My Day is a stand-alone application that doesn't take
up much screen space, offers at-a-glance schedule and task viewing
without launching Entourage, and lets users color-code everything
for visualizing daily priorities.
Commitment to Compatibility
To improve collaboration between Mac customers and their
Windows-based PC counterparts, the Mac BU has continued to make
compatibility with Office for Windows a key priority. Like the 2007
Office release, Office 2008 for Mac will use the Office Open XML
Formats, which were just approved in December by standards body
Ecma International as an international standard. In spring 2007,
Microsoft plans to release a public beta of the file format
converters for the current version, Office 2004 for Mac, so users
can read and write the new Office Open XML Formats. Six to eight
weeks after Office 2008 for Mac is launched, the Mac BU intends to
ship final versions of the converters.
Link: Mactopia
The Missing Sync for BlackBerry
PR: The Missing Sync for BlackBerry is built on the same
technology that has garnered 4.5-mice ratings from Macworld
magazine. It's built to be reliable, so that you can count on your
information successfully making the round trip between your Mac and
BlackBerry handset.
Keep in touch with people
The Missing Sync for BlackBerry ensures that all of your
important contacts are kept in sync between Apple's Address Book
and your BlackBerry handset. Phone numbers, email and postal
addresses, groups/categories and birthdays are kept updated in both
locations. Address Book contact photos sync to the BlackBerry
Pearl.
Manage your time more effectively
The Missing Sync for BlackBerry also synchronizes calendar
events and tasks from iCal to your BlackBerry device. If you set a
calendar reminder on the Mac, your BlackBerry will notify you.
Check off tasks as you complete them throughout the day, then sync
those changes when you get back to your desk.
The most important information, when you need it
The Missing Sync for BlackBerry comes with a Mac application
called Mark/Space Notebook, which allows you to create, edit,
categorize, sort and search notes on your Mac, then sync them via
The Missing Sync with your BlackBerry handset. With support for
Sync Services, Mark/Space Notebook keeps your notes current across
multiple computers with Mark/Space's own SyncTogether product or
via dot Mac syncing. You can also choose to synchronize your
BlackBerry's notes with Microsoft Entourage or Yojimbo, the awesome
information organizer from Bare Bones, makers of BBEdit.
Put some photos on your Pearl
The Missing Sync will download selected iPhoto albums to the
BlackBerry Pearl's microSD card, automatically resizing each photo
to fit the screen. Photos taken with the Pearl can be imported to a
folder of your choosing on the Mac or right into an iPhoto
album.
Use your Pearl to tune in
The Missing Sync for BlackBerry will also synchronize selected
iTunes playlists to the BlackBerry Pearl's microSD card for mobile
listening. While the Pearl can't play protected music from the
iTunes music store, it's great for listening to the tunes you own
or podcasts you've downloaded.
Use your favorite desktop apps
The Missing Sync uses Apple's Sync Services technology, allowing
information from other Sync Services-savvy applications, such as
Chronos SOHO Organizer, Microsoft Entourage 2004 and soon, Market
Circle Daylite, to sync between your Mac and your BlackBerry
handset. As more applications use this technology, The Missing Sync
will be able to pass their data to your BlackBerry, increasing its
flexibility and usefulness.
Made by Mac users for Mac users
Mark/Space has been making Mac communication software since
1990. We love Macs and gadgets, and it shows in our work. The
Missing Sync is elegant, easy to use and works like Mac software
should. We're committed to supporting new technologies from Apple,
so you can always get the most from your devices. The Missing Sync
is the right choice today, and it will continue to be the right
choice tomorrow.
Don't miss out!
If you have a BlackBerry device and a Mac, then you should
definitely get The Missing Sync for BlackBerry today. Whether
you're a new BlackBerry user, or if you've used some other software
to connect it with your Mac, you're going to like The Missing
Sync's reliability and user experience.
Available Q1, 2007 for $39.95
Mac System Requirements:
- PowerPC G4, PowerPC G5, or Intel processor
- Mac OS X, 10.4.8 or higher (Tiger)
- Internet connection for product registration
BlackBerry Requirements:
The following devices running version 4.0 and later of the
BlackBerry operating system have been tested:
- 7100 series
- 7290 (Cingular/T-Mobile)
- 7250 (Verizon)
- 7520 (Nextel)
- 7130 series
- 8700 series
- 8707 series
- 8703 series (Sprint)
- 8705
- 8100 series, aka "Pearl"
Other devices may work, but have not been tested.
Upgrade from a qualifying Missing Sync product
Customers who own one of the Missing Sync products listed below
will qualify for a special discounted upgrade to the new Missing
Sync for BlackBerry, version 1.0.
- Missing Sync for Palm OS
- Missing Sync for Windows Mobile
For more information, visit:
Link: Missing Sync
fo BlackBerry
Hardware
Small Tree 4-port and 6-port PCI Express
Gigabit Ethernet Cards
PR: Small Tree Communications, the high-speed
interconnect leader for Apple Mac OS X, introduces three new
PCI Express (PCIe) Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) cards for G5 Power Mac,
Mac Pro and the new Intel-based Xserve systems at Macworld Expo
(Booth N4014). The four-port copper PEG4 card, the six-port copper
PEG6 card, and the six-port copper or optical PEG6SFP card are
available for sale and delivery today.
The PEG4, PEG6 and PEG6SFP offer the highest port density and
extract the maximum network throughput from today's high-end server
motherboards. They are ideally suited for file servers that require
high bandwidth connection to a Gigabit Ethernet switch using
features such as Jumbo frames and 802.3ad link aggregation.
Additionally, Small Tree's multi-port PCIe GbE solutions enable
near wire-speed performance with low CPU utilization. Based on
current Intel GbE controllers, the PEG4, PEG6 and PEG6SFP come with
native driver support for all popular operating systems, including
Mac OS X, Linux and Windows.
"With the introduction of these cards, we believe that Small
Tree is offering the most complete portfolio of multi-port Gigabit
Ethernet cards for Mac OS X systems available in the market
today," stated Derek Robb, Vice-President of Sales and Business
Development at Small Tree Communications. "Customers can choose
either PCI-X or PCIe cards with 1, 2, 4, or 6 ports and either
copper, optical or SFP connectors. Plus we provide them with our
highly optimized Mac OS X drivers and a level of support not
found from other networking solution suppliers."
The PEG4 adapter includes four independent copper
10/100/1000Base-T GbE channels in a single PCIe slot, while the
PEG6 includes six such channels. The PEG6SFP GbE adapter provides
greater flexibility with six independent Small Form-factor
Pluggable (SFP) channels that can be customized to simultaneously
meet optical and copper networking requirements. Customers can
specify which sockets should be dedicated for optical or copper
use. Additionally, users have the option of populating only those
sockets necessary for current needs, leaving open the opportunity
of tailoring remaining ports for future specifications.
Sonnet Tempo SATA E2P Serial ATA Host Adapter
Supports Up to 10 Drives
PR: Sonnet Technologies, announces Tempo SATA E2P, the
latest addition to its line of Serial ATA host adapters. This card
for Mac Pro, Dual Core Power Mac G5, Xserve, and Windows computers
offers two external 300 MB/s Serial ATA ports and supports SATA
drive enclosures with port multipliers (like Sonnet's Fusion 500P),
enabling users to connect up to 10 disk drives.
Tempo SATA E2P is an affordable solution for adding external
SATA connections and enabling users to easily add high-capacity
data storage. SATA drive enclosures offer flexibility not found in
fixed installations inside the computer. Users can add or swap
drives on the fly to maximize storage capacity, and the entire
enclosure can be moved from one location to another.
This card is simple to install, supports hot-swap functionality
and Mac OS X and Windows XP Professional RAID features.
Tempo SATA E2P Key Features
- Two eSATA ports
- 3 Gb/s per port SATA II controller
- FIS-based port multiplier-aware to support up to 10 hard disk
drives*
- Spread Spectrum Clocking (SSC) support for compatibility with
all SATA hard drives
- Hot-swap drive support
- Native PCI Express (PCIe) x1 host bus interface
(*)When using port multiplier enclosures like Sonnet's Fusion
500P.
Compatibility
- Mac Pro
- Power Mac G5 (with PCI Express slots)
- Xserve (with PCI Express slots)
- PC with PCI Express slot
- Mac OS X Version 10.3+
- Windows XP with SP2
- Windows Vista
Pricing and Availability
- Tempo SATA E2P (part number TSATAII-E2P) will be available in
early February 2007 for the suggested retail price of USD
$79.95.
Link: Sonnet Tempo
SATA E2P Serial ATA Host Adapter
Sonnet FireWire and USB Adapter Cards
for PCI Express
PR: Sonnet Technologies announces three PCI Express
(PCIe) adapter cards for Mac Pro, Dual Core Power Mac G5, Xserve,
and Windows computers. Allegro Express FW400-a FireWire 400 card,
Allegro Express USB-a USB 2.0 card, and Tango Express-a combo
FireWire 400/USB 2.0 card. These cards add full-bandwidth, powered
USB and/or FireWire ports without the need for an external box or
power adapter. Each card features a native PCI Express x1 host bus
interface, offers easy plug and play installation, and is Mac OS X,
and Windows XP and Vista compatible.
Allegro Express FW400 offers two external (or one external plus
one internal) FireWire 400 ports and supports all industry standard
FireWire 400 (a.k.a. 1394a, iLINK) peripherals. Allegro Express
FW400 supports hot-swappable device connection, and its
independently powered ports provide reliable power to bus-powered
peripherals.
Allegro Express USB offers four external plus one internal USB
2.0 ports and supports all industry standard USB 1.1 and 2.0
peripherals. In addition to hot-swappable device connection,
Allegro Express USB supports simultaneous low-, full-, and hi-speed
device connections.
Tango Express offers two FireWire 400 ports plus three USB 2.0
ports (all external) and supports all industry standard FireWire
400 and USB 1.1 and 2.0 peripherals. Tango Express provides support
for hot-swappable device connection and simultaneous low-, full-,
and hi-speed device connections.
Compatibility
- Mac Pro
- Power Mac G5 (with PCI Express slots)
- Xserve (with PCI Express slots)
- PC with PCI Express slot
- Mac OS X Version 10.3+
- Windows XP with SP2
- Windows Vista
All three cards will be available in early February 2007 for the
following suggested retail prices:
- Allegro Express FW400 (part number FW400-E) - USD $69.95
- Allegro Express USB (part number USB2-E) - USD $69.95
- Tango Express (part number FWUSB2-E) - USD $89.95
Link: 2007 New Product
Announcements
FirmTek SeriTek/2SE4 PCI-X Serial ATA
Adapter for Power Mac G5
PR:
FirmTek, LLC, a pioneer and leader in Serial ATA (SATA) storage
solutions for the Macintosh platform, has announced the
SeriTek/2SE4 PCI-X adapter. Announced at Macworld Expo in San
Francisco, this breakthrough solution provides high-performance
Serial ATA connections for up to 20 drives, each with transfer
rates as high as 3 gigabits per second, delivering potential
aggregate speeds beyond 700 megabytes per second. This remarkable
speed and capacity allows streaming of multiple uncompressed high
definition video streams, enabling numerous applications in video
production, photography, and archiving, as well as other activities
involving large media or image files. In addition, FirmTek's
established hot-swap compatibility makes it easy for users to move
entire drives and arrays between any FirmTek-equipped systems, or
into secure storage, in seconds.
Uniquely Bootable on PCI-X G5s
The SeriTek/2SE4 is compatible with both PCI-X and PCI bus
architecture systems, and optimal performance will be delivered on
PCI-X systems like Apple's Macintosh G5. Further, it is the only
SATA controller card that offers full boot capability, allowing the
fastest RAID configurations to include system operations. Four
hot-swappable external SATA II ports enable individual drives or
RAID arrays via built-in OS RAID 0/1 software. The card is NOT
compatible with PCI-Express slots like those found in Quad- or
Dual-Core G5s or in the Intel-based Mac Pro. See FirmTek's separate
announcement of the SeriTek/SME4-E for support of these
systems.
Four External Ports Supporting up to 20 External Drives
The remarkable new technology included in the SeriTek/2SE4 is
support for port multiplication. This innovation allows each
physical SATA port to access multiple devices at full speed and
performance via port multiplier enclosures like FirmTek's new
SeriTek/5PM. "Today FirmTek is announcing support for Port
Multiplication across a wide range of platforms and solutions,"
reports Chi Kim Stanford, VP of Business Development for FirmTek.
"We are pleased to offer this bootable PCI-X solution along-side
products for PCIe and ExpressCard systems. We recognize that many
professionals are still working on original G5s, and we are
dedicated to supporting the platforms our customers are using."
The port multiplier technology in the SeriTek/2SE4 optimizes up
to 5 drives per port by utilizing multiple lanes of the advanced
PCI-Express bus architecture. When 20 high performance drives are
configured in a RAID array, throughput can reach beyond 700Mb/sec,
enabling up to four simultaneous HD video streams to be streamed
directly to disk. Port multiplication also delivers much greater
simplicity for standard applications, as a single cable connects
the computer with up to five drives (previous technology required a
separate cable for each external SATA drive). For more advanced
applications it dramatically increases on-hand high-performance
storage. With up to 20 RAID-configured drives connected
simultaneously, accessible storage limits can be effectively
eliminated for all but the most demanding applications.
Optimizing Security and Flexibility
FirmTek has pioneered products supporting ATA standards on the
Macintosh for many years, and offers a variety of enclosures and
interface solutions for demanding users. Since the introduction of
Serial ATA, the ability to hot-swap drives between enclosures has
been a key feature across FirmTek's products. All FirmTek
enclosures are designed to allow quick and easy removal and
installation of drives, usually in about a minute, without shutting
down or restarting the computer. This flexibility allows users to
share important data quickly, transfer or duplicate files at the
speed of SATA (instead of over sluggish networks, slow
USB/FireWire, or Internet connections), and to keep more sensitive
files locked up and secure with minimal effort.
Port Multiplication further enhances flexibility, as users are
free to use multiple cards and multiple enclosures to create ideal
RAID solutions in both size and performance. Depending on the
application, users may opt for multiple cards, multiple enclosures
or both to attain the solution that best meets their needs.
Hot-swappable external enclosures also provide effectively
unlimited storage capacity, as users are not limited to the drive
bays available. As volumes are filled to capacity, they are easily
removed and replaced with new drives, ready to accept additional
content. FirmTek's direct backplane design makes installation as
easy as 1-2-3, with no cables, switches or other configuration
involved.
To assist customers in maximizing their productivity and
obtaining maximum benefit from their FirmTek solutions, FirmTek
offers additional drive trays for $22.99 each, without any
additional purchases required. This enables customers to keep an
unlimited number of drives on hand and ready for action.
Price and Availability
The MSRP of the SeriTek/2SE4 will be $199.95, and it is expected
to ship in late February, 2007.
Key Features and Benefits
- Four eSATA external ports support hot-swapping of single and
RAID volumes
- Plug-and-Play ease of use for cards and drives
- Completely self-contained booting functionality, no driver
installation necessary
- SATA II compliant, with auto-negotiation per-port data transfer
of 1.5 Gbits/sec and 3.0 Gbits/sec
- FIS-based native SATA I/O support; Connect up to 20 SATA hard
drives*
Note: Support for up to 20 drives requires an external enclosure
built with a 5-port Port Multiplier like the FirmTek SeriTek/5PM.
Use of enclosures without port multiplication, like SeriTek/2eEN4,
will support up to 4 drives, each directly connected to a
SeriTek/2SE4 port.
- Supports Mac OS X version 10.3.0 or later
- Provides performance and data protection: Supports native OS X
RAID 0/1
- Support Windows OS RAID and Linux
- Supports S.M.A.R.T.
- Spread Spectrum Clocking (SSC) support
- Compatible with native Apple SATA implementation, no SCSI
emulation
- Optimized support for Power Mac G5 PCI-X bus
- Compatible with legacy PCI-based Power PC Macintosh
computers
- Backward-compatible with standard 32/64-bit PCI at 33MHz and
66MHz bus speeds (Best performance in 100 MHz or 133 MHz 64-bit
PCI-X slot)
- Flash-ROM; firmware user-upgradeable in minutes
- 48-bit LBA support for drive sizes larger than 137GB
- PCI-X 1.0a compliant 64-bit at 133/100 MHz bus speeds
- Bus master operation enhances CPU efficiency: The CPU is free
to handle other tasks during data transfers between the PCI Bus and
system memory
- Reduced setting requirements on storage devices (no
master/slave) means easier and more efficient installation and
replacement
- Ideal for the most demanding applications: Publishing,
Audio/Video production, storage and editing, photo/graphics storage
and editing, servers, and gaming.
Link: FirmTek
FirmTek SeriTek/2ME4-E PCI-Express
Serial ATA Adapter for Power Mac G5 Dual and Quad
PR: FirmTek, LLC, a pioneer and leader in Serial ATA
(SATA) storage solutions for the Macintosh platform, has announced
the SeriTek/2ME4-E PCI-Express adapter with Port Multiplier
technology. Announced at Macworld Expo in San Francisco, this
breakthrough solution provides high-performance Serial ATA
connections for up to 20 drives, each with transfer rates as high
as 3 gigabits per second, delivering potential aggregate speeds
beyond 700 megabytes per second. This remarkable speed and capacity
allows streaming of multiple uncompressed high definition video
streams, enabling numerous applications in video production,
photography, and archiving, as well as other activities involving
large media or image files. In addition, FirmTek's established
hot-swap compatibility makes it easy for users to move entire
drives and arrays between any FirmTek-equipped systems, or into
secure storage, in seconds.
Uniquely bootable on Late-Model G5s
The SeriTek/2ME4-E is compatible with PCIe (PCI Express) bus
architecture systems, including the Dual- and Quad-Core G5
Macintosh and the new Mac Pro. It is the only controller that
allows volumes to boot on a Dual- or Quad-Core G5s, delivering
optimal performance on all system operations. Four hot-swappable
external SATA II ports enable individual drives or RAID arrays via
built-in OS RAID 0/1 software. The card is NOT compatible with
standard PCI or PCI-X slots like those found in G4s or earlier G5s.
See FirmTek's separate announcement of the SeriTek/2SE4 for Port
Multiplication support on these systems.
Four External Ports Supporting up to 20 External Drives
The remarkable new technology included in the SeriTek/2ME4-E is
support for port multiplication. This innovation allows each
physical SATA port to access multiple devices at full speed and
performance via port multiplier enclosures like FirmTek's new
SeriTek/5PM. "FirmTek is excited to deliver a full range of
solutions with Port Multiplication," reports Chi Kim Stanford, VP
of Business Development for FirmTek. "With a full host of
PM-equipped adapter cards and a new enclosure supporting this
technology, we are able to deliver the broadest array of PM
solutions, complete with boot capability on many systems."
The port multiplier technology in the SeriTek/2ME4-E optimizes
up to 5 drives per port by utilizing multiple lanes of the advanced
PCI-Express bus architecture. When 20 high performance drives are
configured in a RAID array, throughput can reach beyond 700Mb/sec,
enabling up to four simultaneous HD video streams to be streamed
directly to disk. Port multiplication also delivers much greater
simplicity for standard applications, as a single cable connects
the computer with up to five drives (previous technology required a
separate cable for each external SATA drive). For more advanced
applications, it dramatically increases on-hand high-performance
storage. With up to 20 RAID-configured drives connected
simultaneously, accessible storage limits can be effectively
eliminated for all but the most demanding applications.
Optimizing Security and Flexibility
FirmTek has pioneered products supporting ATA standards on the
Macintosh for many years, and offers a variety of enclosures and
interface solutions for demanding users. Since the introduction of
Serial ATA, the ability to hot-swap drives between enclosures has
been a key feature across FirmTek's products. All FirmTek
enclosures are designed to allow quick and easy removal and
installation of drives, usually in about a minute, without shutting
down or restarting the computer. This flexibility allows users to
share important data quickly, transfer or duplicate files at the
speed of SATA (instead of over sluggish networks, slow
USB/FireWire, or Internet connections), and to keep more sensitive
files locked up and secure with minimal effort.
Port Multiplication further enhances flexibility, as users are
free to use multiple cards and multiple enclosures to create ideal
RAID solutions in both size and performance. Depending on the
application, users may opt for multiple cards, multiple enclosures
or both to attain the solution that best meets their needs.
Hot-swappable external enclosures also provide effectively
unlimited storage capacity, as users are not limited to the drive
bays available. As volumes are filled to capacity, they are easily
removed and replaced with new drives, ready to accept additional
content. FirmTek's direct backplane design makes installation as
easy as 1-2-3, with no cables, switches or other configuration
involved.
To assist customers in maximizing their productivity and
obtaining maximum benefit from their FirmTek solutions, FirmTek
offers additional drive trays for $22.99 each, without any
additional purchases required. This enables customers to keep an
unlimited number of drives on hand and ready for action.
Price and Availability
The price of the SeriTek/2ME4-E will be announced soon, and it
is expected to ship in late March, 2007.
Key Features and Benefits
- Four eSATA external ports support hot-swapping of single and
RAID volumes
- Plug-and-Play ease-of-use for adapter cards and drives.
Supports booting on Dual- and Quad-Core G5s (Mac Pro boot
capability is under study)
- Self-contained functionality, no driver installation
necessary
- SATA II compliant, with auto-negotiation per-port data transfer
of 1.5 Gbits/sec and 3.0 Gbits/sec
- FIS-based native SATA I/O support; Connect up to 20 SATA hard
drives
NOTE: Support for up to 20 drives requires external enclosures
with 5 drives and support Port Multiplication like the new FirmTek
SeriTek/5PM. Use of enclosures without port multiplication, like
SeriTek/2eEN4, will support up to 4 drives, each directly connected
to a dedicated SeriTek/2ME4-E port.
- Supports Mac OS X version 10.4.0 or later
- Provides performance and data protection: Supports native OS X
RAID 0/1
- Supports S.M.A.R.T.
- Spread Spectrum Clocking (SSC) support
- Compatible with native Apple SATA implementation, no SCSI
emulation
- Supports Power Mac G5 PCIe bus systems and Mac Pro
- Flash-ROM; firmware user-upgradeable in minutes
- 48-bit LBA support for drive sizes larger than 137GB
- Bus master operation enhances CPU efficiency: The CPU is free
to handle other tasks during data transfers between the PCI Bus and
system memory
- Reduced setting requirements on storage devices (no
master/slave) means easier and more efficient installation and
replacement
- Ideal for the most demanding applications: Publishing,
Audio/Video production, storage and editing, photo/graphics storage
and editing, servers, and gaming.
Link: FirmTek
FirmTek SeriTek/5PM Port Multiplier SATA
Enclosure Supports up to 5 High-Performance Drives
PR: FirmTek, LLC, a pioneer and leader in Serial ATA
(SATA) storage solutions for the Macintosh platform, has announced
the SeriTek/5PM SATA enclosure with Port Multiplier technology.
Announced at Macworld Expo in San Francisco, this breakthrough
solution houses up to 5 hot-swappable drives, each with transfer
rates as high as 3 gigabits per second, delivering potential
aggregate speed beyond 220 megabytes per second with just one
cable. When configured with three other enclosures (for a total of
20 drives), this speed can reach beyond 700 megabytes per second.
This remarkable speed and capacity allows streaming of uncompressed
video streams, enabling numerous applications in video production,
photography, storage and archiving, as well as other activities
involving large media or image files. FirmTek's established
hot-swap compatibility also makes it easy for users to move entire
drives and arrays between any FirmTek-equipped systems, or into
secure storage, in seconds.
In addition to its state-of-the-art support of Port
Multiplication, the SeriTek/5PM delivers several exciting new
features such as a front-panel power switch that carries a multi
second delay to prevent accidental power-down. "While Port
Multiplication is the centerpiece of our Macworld Expo product
roll-out, we are very pleased to have engineered this latest
SeriTek enclosure with several features requested by customers over
the past years," reports Chi Kim Stanford, VP of Business
Development for FirmTek. "We have dedicated our resources to SATA,
and we are confident that users will find our latest products to
deliver in all areas, from performance and reliability, to
aesthetics and usability."
The SeriTek/5PM is made of attractive aluminum and features
several other design elements to deliver security and reliability.
It has a unique temperature management system featuring two
ultra-quite fans that have three user-selectable speeds, a fault
LED and a mutable temperature and fan failure alarm. For further
protection, FirmTek employs a server-class power supply as standard
equipment.
The SeriTek/5PM is compatible with most Port Multiplier capable
eSATA controller cards, as well as all SATA drives. Port
Multiplication is supported by most Macintosh systems running OS X
10.4.0 or later. The enclosure is system independent, and will work
with any Macintosh or Windows PC with a controller that correctly
follows the eSATA II specifications for Port Multiplication.
Five Drives Running on a Single Cable
The remarkable new technology included in the SeriTek/5PM is
support for port multiplication. Driven by new controller cards
supporting the eSATA II specification, this innovation allows each
physical SATA port to drive multiple devices in enclosures like the
SeriTek/5PM. Port multiplier technology optimizes up to 5 drives
per enclosure, delivering much greater throughput without taxing
the computer's processor. When 20 high performance drives are
configured in a RAID array (utilizing four SeriTek/5PMs),
throughput can exceed 700Mb/sec (depending on the controller card),
enabling multiple HD video streams to be streamed directly to disk.
Port multiplication also delivers much greater simplicity for
standard applications, as a single cable connects the computer with
up to five drives (previous technology required a separate cable
for each external SATA drive). For more advanced applications it
dramatically increases on-hand high-performance storage. With up to
20 RAID-configured drives connected simultaneously, accessible
storage limits can be effectively eliminated for all but the most
demanding applications.
Optimizing Security and Flexibility
FirmTek has pioneered products supporting ATA and SATA standards
on the Macintosh for many years, and offers a variety of enclosures
and interface solutions for demanding users. Since the introduction
of Serial ATA, the ability to hot-swap drives between enclosures
has been a key feature across FirmTek's products. All FirmTek
enclosures are designed to allow quick and easy removal and
installation of drives, usually in about a minute, without shutting
down or restarting the computer. This flexibility allows users to
share important data quickly, transfer or duplicate files at the
speed of SATA (instead of over sluggish networks, slow
USB/FireWire, or Internet connections), and to keep more sensitive
files locked up and secure with minimal effort.
Port Multiplication further enhances flexibility, as users are
free to use multiple cards and multiple enclosures to create ideal
RAID solutions in both size and performance. Depending on the
application, users may opt for multiple cards, multiple enclosures
or both to attain the solution that best meets their needs.
Hot-swappable external enclosures also provide effectively
unlimited storage capacity, as users are not limited to the drive
bays available. As volumes are filled to capacity, they are easily
removed and replaced with new drives, ready to accept additional
content. FirmTek's direct backplane design makes installation as
easy as 1-2-3, with no internal cabling, switches or other
configuration involved.
To assist customers in maximizing their productivity and
obtaining maximum benefit from their FirmTek solutions, FirmTek
offers additional drive trays for $22.99 each, without any
additional purchases required. This enables customers to keep an
unlimited number of drives on hand and ready for action.
Price and Availability
The price of the SeriTek/5PM will be announced soon, and it is
expected to ship in late March, 2007.
SeriTek/5PM Key Features and Benefits
- Attractive anodized extruded aluminum design with a
professional appearance with maximum rigidity and heat dissipation
\- SATA II compliant; auto-negotiation between the latest 3Gb/s and
legacy 1.5Gb/s Serial ATA drives
- Built-in Port Multiplier supports up to five 3.5" SATA hard
disk drives via one external data cable to host controller
Note: SeriTek/5PM requires a SATA host controller that supports
Port Multiplication, such as SeriTek/2ME4-E (for systems with PCIe
slots), SeriTek/2SE4 (for systems with PCI-X slots), or
SeriTek/2SM2-E (for notebooks with ExpressCard/34 slots)
- Supports most host adapter, operating system, and
software-based RAID or JBOD configurations
- Features eSATA external connectors
- Front Power switching for easy access: Press and hold to power
off
- Enclosure Power Status LED: Power and Activity LEDs for each
hard drive
- Built-in server-class power supply for maximum reliability
- Heat Management System: Two ultra-quiet fans with individual
fan/temperature status, fault LEDs and mutable alarms
- User-selectable fans speed settings: LO/MED/HIGH
- Hot-swappable, plug-and-play flexibility in switching
drives
- Hot-swap drive trays are interchangeable with FirmTek's
SeriTek/2eEN4, SeriTek/2EN2, SeriTek/1EN2 enclosure
- Direct backplane, connectors, and provided shielded cables are
designed to minimize electrostatic discharge and electromagnetic
emissions, providing the most secure environment for your data
- Platform and Operating system independent; compatible with all
Macintosh and PC computers running Mac OS X, Windows and Linux
- Designed as a native Serial ATA solution; no internal data
cable, no Parallel ATA/USB/FireWire to Serial ATA bridge chips that
might impact performance and reliability
- Easy to set up: Only 3 steps to integrate each hard drive
- Easy to transport: Compact and portable
- Drive bays/trays lock for maximum physical security and to
prevent accidental removal during operation
- Features Kensington Security Slot
- Includes one fully-shielded external eSATA cable
- Ideal for multimedia-intensive applications: high-definition
audio/video capture and editing, photography, graphics manipulation
and high-end digital applications.
Link: FirmTek
FirmTek Announces Broad Support of Port
Multiplication at Macworld Expo
PR: FirmTek, LLC, a pioneer and leader in Serial ATA
(SATA) storage solutions for the Macintosh platform, has announced
several new products and capabilities supporting Port
Multiplication for next-generation SATA and RAID applications.
Announced at Macworld Expo in San Francisco, these breakthrough
solutions provide high-performance Serial ATA connections for up to
20 drives on as few as four eSATA ports. With the latest drives
providing transfer rates as high as 3 gigabits per second,
potential aggregate speeds beyond 700 megabytes per second are now
possible. This remarkable speed and capacity allows streaming of
multiple uncompressed high definition video streams, and can
support unprecedented applications in video production,
photography, and archiving, as well as other activities involving
large media or image files. In addition, FirmTek's established
hot-swap compatibility makes it easy for users to move entire
drives and arrays between any FirmTek-equipped systems, or into
secure storage, in seconds.
"FirmTek is entirely dedicated to SATA solutions, and we are
excited to bring this latest capability to so many Mac users at one
event," says Chi Kim Stanford, VP of Business Development for
FirmTek. "We have been hard at work finalizing solutions that
deliver the most useful sets of benefits for our customers on many
different platforms, and we're pleased with the results, and expect
that our users will be too."
Bootable Port Multiplication RAID on PCI-X G5s
The SeriTek/2SE4 is compatible with both PCI-X and PCI bus
architecture systems, and optimal performance will be delivered on
PCI-X systems like Apple's Macintosh. Further, it is the only SATA
controller card that offers full boot capability, allowing the
fastest RAID configurations to include system operations. Four
hot-swappable external SATA II ports enable individual drives or
RAID arrays via built-in OS RAID 0/1 software. See FirmTek's
separate announcement of the SeriTek/2SE4 for full details.
Port Multiplication RAID for Late-Model G5s and Mac Pro
The SeriTek/2ME4-E is compatible with PCIe (PCI-Express) bus
architecture systems, including the Dual- and Quad-Core G5
Macintosh and the new Mac Pro. It is the only controller that
allows volumes to boot on a Dual- or Quad-Core G5s, delivering
optimal performance during all system operations. While not
bootable on Intel-based Mac Pros at this time, FirmTek continues to
seek a solution. Four hot-swappable external SATA II ports enable
individual drives or RAID arrays via built-in OS RAID 0/1 software.
See FirmTek's separate announcement of the SeriTek/2ME4-E for
complete details.
New Enclosure Supports Port Multiplication With Many New
Features
The SeriTek/5PM has several new enhancements beyond its full
support of Port Multiplication. Made of attractive aluminum, it
offers several other design elements to deliver security and
reliability. It features a front-panel power switch that carries a
multi-second delay to prevent accidental power-down, a feature
requested by many users. It has a unique temperature management
system featuring two ultra-quiet fans that have three
user-selectable speeds, a fault LED and a mutable temperature and
fan failure alarm. While optimized for use with FirmTek
controllers, the SeriTek/5PM will work with any controller that
follows the eSATA II Port Multiplication design specification.
FirmTek employs a server-class power supply as standard equipment.
For more information, see FirmTek's separate release on the
SeriTek/5PM.
Port Multiplication Support also Announced for Earlier FirmTek
Controllers
FirmTek has also announced that two controllers already
shipping, the SeriTek/2SM2-E for MacBook Pro models, and the
SeriTek/2SE2-E for Dual-Core G5 models, already support Port
Multiplication on enclosures like the SeriTek/5PM. Users need only
connect these cards to compatible enclosures to enjoy the benefits
of Port Multiplication.
Link: FirmTek
Sonnet Rack Mount SATA Drive Enclosure:
4-Bays 1U Enclosure
PR: Sonnet Technologies announces Fusion R400Q, the
latest addition to its line of acclaimed Serial ATA drive
enclosures. This 13.5" deep, 4-bay rack mount drive enclosure
provides unmatched flexibility-with four interface choices-FireWire
400, FireWire 800, USB 2.0, or for ultimate performance, SATA II.
An integrated port multiplier supports up to four hard drives
through any of the connections.
Fusion R400Q's hot-swappable 3.5" drive trays enable quick
addition and swapping of storage on the fly. Users can install a
single drive to start, add drives as needed, and purchase
additional trays and drives to build a backup archive. Users can
add the drives they want at a cost they can afford. With
ever-increasing drive capacities and frequent drops in cost per
gigabyte, Fusion R400Q is an intelligent alternative to populated
enclosures.
This attractive enclosure's form factor allows it to be used in
a wide range of applications. Its depth enables it to be used in
the shortest portable racks, while its 1U height takes up minimal
rack space. Four Fusion R400Qs can be handled with Sonnet's
four-port SATA host bus adapters - the Tempo SATA E4P or Tempo SATA
X4P. When configured in striped RAID 0 set, data transfer rates up
to 200MB/s per 4-drive set are possible. "Fusion R400Q is an
especially appealing choice for anybody who needs to increase
storage capacity and deliver performance on a limited budget,"
states Robert Farnsworth, Sonnet CEO. "With the relatively low cost
of deploying high capacity SATA drives, and the potential for high
performance, Fusion R400Q offers superior availability to tape at a
cost much less than SCSI or fibre channel." This enclosure is a
perfect companion for Xserve, yet is platform-independent, making
it compatible with most servers.
Fusion R400Q includes drive mounting hardware for each of its
four included drive trays, and a cable for each interface. Its
trays are interchangeable with Sonnet's Fusion 400 and Fusion 500P
desktop SATA drive enclosures.
Key Features
- 1U rack mount enclosure with 4 hot-swappable 3.5" drive
trays
- SATA II compliant; 3.0 Gb/s and 1.5 Gb/s auto-negotiation
- Quad interface-eSATA, FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB
2.0
- Built-in SATA II port multiplier for one cable to host for all
connection types
- Universal 90-260V, 50-60Hz power supply
- Drive Activity, Drive Presence, and Power LED indicators on
front panel
- Front panel power switch
- Platform independent-works with Mac, Windows or Linux
servers
Compatibility
- Platform independent-Mac, Windows or Linux server
Pricing and Availability
- Fusion R400Q (part number ENC-SATA-R4Q) will be available in
March 2007 for the suggested retail price of USD $699.
For more information on Fusion R400Q and other Sonnet products
announced at Macworld Conference and Expo, stop by the Sonnet booth
or visit the Sonnet website.
