What is Windows Home Server?

The Digital Lifestyle Show #309 – Edit This Bit Out

Digital Home

Andrew Edney

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Jun 30, 2011

0

The Digital Lifestyle Show #309 – Edit This Bit Out

This weeks Digital Lifestyle Show has just been released – its show 309.

Here’s what Ian says about this week show:

Welcome to show 309, we are back after last weeks trip to Ford in Detroit, it was a very interesting event and we talk about some of the technology on show along with other news items from the last couple of weeks including tools for watching Media Center TV on an iPad, SageTV being purchased by Google, MSN Video fixes,$1M ebay sales, DVBLink v4 details and My Movies 4.01

Listen to the show from here

Synology Launch DS2411+ High-performance 12-bay NAS Server for Small or Medium Businesses

Andrew Edney

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Jun 30, 2011

0

Synology Launch DS2411+ High-performance 12-bay NAS Server for Small or Medium Businesses

Today saw the launch of another NAS server from Synology. This one, the DS2411+ is a 12-bay NAS designed for small or medium businesses.

Synology DiskStation DS2411+ offers a high-performance, scalable, and full-featured network attached storage solution for businesses that requires an efficient way to centralize data protection, simplify data management, and rapidly expand storage capacity with minimal time spent on setup and management. The Synology DS2411+ is backed with Synology’s 3-year limited warranty.

Average 165 MB/sec Writing, 195 MB/sec Reading¹
Scale up to 72TB with Synology DX1211²
VMware / Citrix / Hyper-V Compliance
2 LAN with Failover and Link Aggregation Support
Fit to Business Environment
Rich Business Applications

Here is some more information from Synology:

High Performance, High Data Availability

With the Link Aggregation enabled, Synology DS2411+ delivers an average 165 MB/sec writing speed under RAID 5 configuration in a Windows environment, and 195 MB/sec reading. The 2 LAN with failover support and hot-swappable drives will ensure continual service uptime should the drives need replacement or the unexpected LAN failure. Businesses need a strong foundation to face mission-critical tasks, so the Synology DS2411+ delivers high-performance with high data availability ensuring access when it’s needed.

Fit to Business Environment

Windows ADS integration allows the Synology DS2411+ to quickly and easily fit in an existing business network environment with no need to recreate users’ accounts on the Synology DS2411+. The User Home feature minimizes the administrator’s effort in creating a private shared folder for a large amount of users.

Windows ACL support on DS2411+ provides much finer-grained access control and efficient privilege settings, allowing IT staffs to set up privileges to files and folders on DS2411+ through their familiar Windows user interface. The privileges set on Windows ACL will be applied to all access entries, including AFP, FTP, File Station, NFS and WebDAV. The secure privilege offers IT staff peace of mind, no worries about any loopholes.

iSCSI and Virtualization Ready

With the iSCSI support in DiskStation Manager (DSM), the Synology DS2411+ provides a seamless storage solution for virtualization servers, such as VMware, Hyper-V, and Citrix. It is the ideal alternative to SAN solution for businesses. Affordable and cost-effective, iSCSI allows SMB users to consolidate storage into data center storage arrays while providing hosts with the illusion of locally-attached disks.

Robust & Affordable Scalability Up to 72 TB

When the storage capacity of the Synology DS2411+ is nearing its limits, it can easily be expanded by the Synology DX1211³. The Synology DX1211 securely connects to the Synology DS2411+ via an Infiniband cable that carries 12 Gb/s SATA signal to ensure maximum throughput. The Synology DX1211 can directly expand the existing storage on the Synology DS2411+ to a maximum 72 TB capacity.

Full-featured Business Applications

The Synology DS2411+ runs on the renowned operating system, Synology DiskStation Manager, offering comprehensive applications and features designed specifically for businesses. Comprehensive network protocol support assures seamless file sharing across Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms.

Internet file access is simplified by the encrypted FTP server and the web-based file explorer, Synology File Station. HTTPS, firewall, and IP auto-block support ensure file sharing over the Internet is protected at a high security level.

A wealth of additional features allows the Synology DS2411+ to replace several pieces of network hardware. Synology Web Station with support for PHP/MySQL content allows for the hosting of up to 30 websites on a single Synology DS2411+. Synology Surveillance Station offers a centralized interface to safeguard the office environments by deploying IP cameras throughout the network. The built-in Mail Server turns a Synology DS2411+ into a mail server with only few steps of installation and the USB printer sharing capability minimizes businesses’ printing cost by sharing printing resources throughout the office.

Energy Efficient Design

Synology DiskStations are designed and developed with energy efficiency in mind. Compared with the average PC counterparts, Synology DiskStations consume a relatively low amount of power and have the hard drives hibernate when not in use.

All Synology products are produced with RoHS compliant parts and packed with recyclable packing materials. Synology acknowledges the responsibility as a global citizen to continually work to reduce the environmental impact of every product produced.

Learn more from the Synology website

StableBit DrivePool for Windows Home Server Build 1917 Now Available

Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

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Jun 30, 2011

2

StableBit DrivePool for Windows Home Server Build 1917 Now Available

It seems like only yesterday there was an update, and today the latest beta version of the Windows Home Server Drive Extender replacement StableBit DrivePool build 1917 has just been released.

Combine all your hard drives into one big storage pool (except the system drive with the OS).
Add and remove drives from the pool at any time without re-partitioning or manually moving folders.
Create duplicated folders on the storage drive pool that are protected against single drive failure. If a drive fails on which a duplicated file was stored, the contents of that file will remain readable even without the drive.
All your data is stored in standard NTFS files. You can always access your files even if the Windows Home Server completely crashes or this add-in can’t be used.

The changes in this version are:

1.0.0.1917 ———-

* Fixed folder rename access denied.

Download Stablebit Drivepool build 1917 here Learn more about StableBit DrivePool here

Have you tried it? What do you think?

Microsoft Security Essentials Gets An Upgrade

Andrew Edney

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Jun 30, 2011

0

Microsoft Security Essentials Gets An Upgrade

Today saw Microsoft release an upgrade to Security Essentials, its virus and spyware protection software.

The upgrade isn’t showing in Windows Update yet, or from the check updates section within the software, so if you want to upgrade now you will have to visit the website and download the latest version.

This was the version before:

And this after:

Download the latest version of Security Essentials from here

UWHS Giveaway – Win Undelete Professional from Diskeeper

Andrew Edney

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Jun 30, 2011

0

Recently we told you about Emergency Undelete from Diskeeper, which is a program to help you recover deleted files. Today we have 5 copies of Undelete Professional (which includes Emergency Undelete) to give away.

Undelete Professional provides Recovery Bin protection for files on workstations and laptops. Even if your users store most of their files on the server, there’s always some data on the local machines, such as files stored on the desktop or files on roaming laptops. Undelete safeguards that data and allows instant recovery. Administrators using the Undelete Server edition can even connect to those machines running Undelete Professional Edition 2009 Recovery Bins to browse and recover deleted files remotely.

Undelete 2009 Professional Edition Features

New! InvisiTasking Technology
allows for all background operations within Undelete to run with zero overhead. These invisible background tasks include:

Automatic purging of the Recovery Bin when it fills up
Managing the ‘Common’ Recovery Bin (moving files from one volume to another)
Securely overwriting free spaces using the automatic Wipe Free Space feature (more info below)
Automatically adjusting the size of the enhanced Recovery Bin (more info below)

Server Client Functionality
Undelete Professional automatically looks for and connects to Undelete Server recovery bins, allowing users to seamlessly recover their own deleted files through a familiar Explorer-like interface. Undelete maintains Windows NTFS security to ensure that users can only access files for which they have permission.

Version Recovery
Undelete automatically captures old versions of Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), allowing recovery of earlier, saved-over versions. Version Recovery is integrated with Windows Explorer—simply right-click on a file to recover earlier versions. New! Undelete now supports versioning for new file formats of Microsoft Office 2007 Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

New! Enhanced Recovery Bin
The Recovery Bin catches all files no matter how they were deleted, allowing instant recovery with just a few clicks of the mouse. The Recovery Bin mimics the directory structure of your disk and includes a powerful search function, making it easy to find and recover files. Undelete 2009 adjusts the Recovery Bin to your volume’s available space, automatically protecting more files when free space is available and less data when it is not.

New! SecureDelete^® 2.0
With SecureDelete 2.0 enabled, files that are purged from the recovery bin are overwritten with random data using a methodology developed for the National Security Agency. Version 2.0 of this popular feature introduces the ability to securely delete files immediately (as they are deleted) and overwrite a volume’s free space, which may contain past remnants of confidential data.

Powerful Search Functionality
The Recovery Bin displays information about each deleted file including the file owner, the date and time the file was deleted, and the account used to delete the file.

Network File Protection
With Undelete Desktop Client or Pro Edition installed on network clients, your users can connect to the Undelete Server Edition Recovery Bins installed on the network file servers and restore their own deleted or saved-over MS Office files. NTFS security is fully supported.

Enhanced Emergency Undelete
Undelete can recover files deleted before Undelete was installed, provided they haven’t been overwritten. Undelete 2009 will save you time with support by also recreating the original folder paths, making reorganizing your restored files a snap.

Enhanced Browsing
Save time and recover the right file. Undelete supports previewing protected files in the Recovery Bin to find the exact one you want to restore.

New! Support for Windows Server 2008 and 64 bit operating systems

Full Command Line Support
Leverage Undelete’s robust command line interface with Windows Server Core or your custom scripts to discover and recover your data.

New! No Reboot Needed
Enhanced ‘filter driver’ eliminates the need to reboot your Windows 2008 servers. Installing and using Undelete is now easier than ever.

So what do you have to do to win one of the five copies?

Well it’s simple. Just subscribe to our daily newsletter and we will pick 5 winners at random. If you already subscribe to the newsletter then don’t worry, you have automatically been entered! We told you there would be benefits to subscribing

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter and enter the giveaway

Five lucky winners will be picked at random after the closing date, which is Thursday 7th July, so good luck.

Learn more from the Diskeeper website

Want a $50 Rebate on the HP TouchPad?

Andrew Edney

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Jun 29, 2011

2

Friday see’s the launch of the new HP TouchPad in the US, and if you already own Palm Pre, Pre Plus, Pixi, or Pixi Plus you can get a $50 rebate, making it that bit sweeter to buy.

The Wi-Fi version of HP’s first webOS tablet will be available in the U.S. on July 1, followed by the UK, Ireland, France and Germany a few days later and Canada in mid-July. And continuing HP’s phased rollout, webOS fans in Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore and Spain can expect to see HP TouchPad later this year.

HP TouchPad will be available from U.S. retailers, commercial resellers and direct from HP for $499.99 (16GB) or $599.99 (32GB).

Are you going to get one?

Here is what HP have said about the rebate:

When the first webOS phone came out, a lot of you took a chance on our new platform. We appreciate your support — as customers, as champions, and even occasionally as our most thoughtful critics — and we’d like to make it just a little easier for you to experience the latest version of the power of HP webOS.

Through July 31, you can get a $50 rebate on the purchase of a new 32GB TouchPad. Proof of ownership of a Palm Pre, Pre Plus, Pixi, or Pixi Plus (initially in the US or Canada) will be required. This mail-in rebate is good wherever you buy your TouchPad, including preorders and reservations. (Watch your email inbox for details.)

Announcing the MB882HX-1SB 2.5″ SATA SSD Xpander Hybrid Adapter from Icy Dock

Storage & NAS

Andrew Edney

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Jun 29, 2011

1

Announcing the MB882HX-1SB 2.5″ SATA SSD Xpander Hybrid Adapter from Icy Dock

Icy Dock have released a 2.5” SATA SSD Xpander Hybrid Adapter which will combine your 2.5” SATA SSD and a 3.5” SATA HDD. It’s name – the MB882HX-1SB.

Here is what Icy Dock have said:

Introducing the MB882HX-1SB 2.5” SATA SSD Xpander Hybrid Adapter. Using a high speed 2.5” SATA SSD and a high capacity 3.5” SATA hard drive, you can combine them to create a new breed of species.

Using our hybrid technology, we can take a moderate or 2nd generation 2.5” SATA SSD in combination with a mid to higher end 3.5” SATA hard drive which automatically creates “hybrid partition” and “storage partition”. The “hybrid partition” doubles the capacity of the SSD drive and provides high performance in transfer rates. The storage partition gives you the remaining capacity of the hard drive* (the size of the 3.5” SATA hard drive minus “hybrid partition” size).

This is the perfect upgrade solution without purchasing an expensive high capacity SSD. The Xpander Hybrid Adapter doubles the sequential transfer rates of the hard drive exclusively in the hybrid partition, it is great for people who move, play or edit large media files. Such as a video editor, graphic designer, HD movie enthusiast that use applications like Adobe Photoshop, Sony Vegas and Windows Media Center that require large file loads / transfers. For editing, you can use the hybrid portion as a sketch drive; move the working files to it for fast editing. When you are done with the file we recommend moving the file to a RAID protected archive drive. The “storage partition” is perfect for non-important applications or files i.e. games, movies, music, or other media files.

Features:

* Create a high performance “hybrid partition” that doubles the capacity of the SSD drive been used.
* Create a “storage partition” which gives you the remaining capacity of the hard drive minus
“hybrid partition” size.
* Increase the hard drive transfer rate by up to 2X for both sequential read/write speeds **
* Perfect for Media related applications.
* Airflow vents for heat dissipation.
* Screw-less design for quick & easy SSD installation.
* Universal mounting holes for most common PC case.
* The adapter is the same as a 3.5” hard drive in dimension and compatible with most
common PC cases.

It is available now and retails for around $43.

Learn more from the Icy Dock website

My First Windows Home Server 2011 Server Build

Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

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Jun 29, 2011

4

My First Windows Home Server 2011 Server Build

Guest poster Orlando Martinez talks about his 1st Windows Home Server 2011 server build. Have a look and tell us all about your build.

My 1st server/computer build. WHS 2011 in a Solano 1000 case

Hi everyone my name is Orlando,

I thought I would share my build with everyone here, now that my server is officially up and running.

As it says in the title, this is my first computer build from scratch but I’m pretty happy with the final product. The following is a list/links of the parts that I used:

AZZA Solano 1000 Full Tower Case $100 after rebate

Microcenter motherboard and processor combo deal $129.99 after rebate.
MSI 870A G54 motherboard
AMD Phenom II X2 560 Black

2X Hitachi 2TB 6.0Gb/s hard drives $60.00 each after rebate = $120.00

4gb PNY DDR3 1066 memory $25.00 after rebate

Galaxy video card $20.00 after rebate

LG Blu Ray Drive/Burner $85.00 no rebate but I did get 5 free Blu Ray discs.

Rosewill 600w Power Supply $40.00 after instant rebate.

WHS 2011 software $115.00

About $30.00 in Sata cables

Grand total $664.99 after rebates

I already had a 500GB Seagate hard drive so I decided to use that for the OS. While it is rated at 3.0 Gb/s it has a spin speed of 7200RPM so I figured this would be ok to use as the OS drive.

The motherboard has 6 6.0Gb/s Sata III connections which is perfect for me right now, I still have 2 available if I include the eSata port connection available on the case. When the time comes I will add a Sata control card for additional drives, by then I should have some decent options for 6.0 Gb/s Sata expansion cards I suppose.

Here are some pics of the hardware, I have to say I really like the case design and how well it breathes.

The case comes with 2 drive cages which hold 4 drives each.

The 8 pin ATX cable from the power supply had to be stretched over the mother board, I hope to correct that soon with an extension but I did try to be as tidy as I could with all the cabling.

With the Phenom II Black processor I have 4 cores available. I know this is probably way more horsepower than I will ever need, but I couldn’t beat that combo deal for the performance. I want to stream to multiple devices, have local and remote access to media, backup all of the home computers, backup Blu Rays and DVD’s, high rez pics etc. The plan is to also get the new Homerun Prime network tuner and utilize the Server as a DVR, possibly eliminating my Motorola DVR so I don’t have to pay the monthly lease fee. So all in all this machine will see a lot of activity, just need to sort out how I would do live tv access besides the one Windows7 PC that I have available.

I was able to source everything just before the Memorial Day Holiday here in the U.S. so that afforded me some pretty good deals and rebates.

Let me know what you guys think for under $700 bucks.

Orlando Martinez

I am an Audio and Video enthusiast with a Do It Yourself whenever I can mentality. I became interested in using WHS as a storage solution for my media collection during my Personal Home Theater build, and saw all the possibilities that it could provide.

Thanks Orlando – that’s a great build.

Did you have a build you want to share with the world? Visit our forums and tell us more.

Click here and tell us all about your build in the forums

Twonky Release TwonkyServer 6.0.34

Digital Home

Andrew Edney

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Jun 29, 2011

0

This week saw Twonky release an update to its TwonkyServer software, bringing it up to version 6.0.34.

What is TwonkyServer?

Here is how Twonky describe it:

Is your Playstation® 3 connected to your home network? Do you have a digital photo frame with a wireless Internet connection, or what about an Internet radio? Provide your favorite devices with that missing link to your computer’s music, video and photo collections. Download the popular, powerful TwonkyServer and truly experience the connected home.
TwonkyServer makes it possible for your devices to retrieve your media files from wherever they’re stored. Using your device’s remote and menu system, view your computer’s media library, or an online media feed, and just press play.

TwonkyServer is available for Windows®, Mac® and Linux, so it will work for any connected home.
If you have Windows Home Server, you can still use TwonkyServer. View this install guide to see if it’s the right option for you.

We even offer a mobile version of our server. Currently available free in the Android™ app store, TwonkyServer Mobile lets you serve music, photos or video from your phone to devices all around the home.

TwonkyServer is part of our TwonkyManager, so if you have a Windows PC and want many amazing features beyond what we offer in TwonkyServer, please see TwonkyManager.

You can choose your platform and download the updates from the Twonky website.

Here is what is included in the update:

Bug Fixes
-fixed: File scanning issue on Windows network drives
-fixed: Roku soundbridge cannot stream aac/m4a
-fixed: UPnP Discovery broken w/ Linn control point
-fixed: Web Config UI not working properly with Internet Explorer 9
-fixed: improved ssdp responses to M-Searches with MX=1
-fixed: Aggregation not always indexing all items, if there are items of unknown type to TwonkyServer

Changes
o Disabled the NMC Stationary service in TwonkyServer
o Added Linn Bubble DS to clients DB
o removed useless client adaptatiion option XM:NOAAC320FORAAC192

AWIECO Servers Available Soon

Andrew Edney

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Jun 29, 2011

4

Recently we told you that AWIECO were getting into the server hardware game. Today they have revealed the pricing and say that the servers will be shipping during the middle of July.

This is what AWIECO posted today:

We have just opened our online shop where you can already find different models of our AWIECO Server which will be available soon. Due to a short delay, the AWIECO Server will be probably available for delivery in the middle of July.

They have now released the pricing for the 6 models.

Three Windows Home Server 2011 models:

And three Small Business Server Essentials models:

I am really excited about seeing these. AWIECO make really great add-ins, so lets hope their servers are just as great.

Here is some more information on the servers:

The new AWIECO Servers combine design, performance, low power consumption and fanless operation.

The compact and robust case made of aluminum and acrylic glass is a real eye-catcher. On the front-panel are a Power and HDD LED as well as a display, which shows status information about the CPU usage or LAN utilization for example. Big cooling rips on the side of the server provide an optimum cooling of the CPU and the entire server. Moreover, a special passive hard disk cooling system is on the top. The temperature of the hard drives is constantly monitored and if the temperature reaches the limit caused for example by high workload or high ambient temperature, then two silent security fans will become active in case of necessity to ensure a fast cooling of the system.

Inside either an Intel Atom processor of the latest generation is working or for more demanding users an Intel Core i3 or i5 Sandy Bridge processor. On the back of the server up to 5 hard drives can be added quickly and easily. Through the support of 3TB hard disks up to 15TB can be used in total of storage for the own data. The 64-Bit operating system Windows Home Server 2011 or Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials is preinstalled on a separate 24×7 optimized hard disk inside the case.

Specifications of AWIECO Servers:

Processor	Intel Atom or Intel Core i3 / i5 Sandy Bridge
RAM	4 to 8 GB DDR3
Storage Hard Disks	5 x 3,5” bays (up to 15TB storage capacity)
Primary Hard Disk	1 x 2,5” internal, 24/7 optimized disk for system
LAN	Gigabit LAN
LCD	2×16 lines blue colored display
Weight	4,5 to 10kg
Dimensions	20cm (h) x 24cm (w) x 24cm (d)
Warranty	1 year
Operating system	Microsoft® Windows Home Server 2011 (OEM 64-Bit) Microsoft® Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials (OEM 64-Bit)
Included in delivery	Preinstalled OS, External 10A power supply, LAN cable, Quick-guide, System restore CD/DVD

For more information check out the AWIECO Shop website

StableBit DrivePool for Windows Home Server Build 1914 Now Available

Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

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Jun 28, 2011

1

StableBit DrivePool for Windows Home Server Build 1914 Now Available

The latest beta version of the Windows Home Server Drive Extender replacement StableBit DrivePool build 1914 has just been released.

Combine all your hard drives into one big storage pool (except the system drive with the OS).
Add and remove drives from the pool at any time without re-partitioning or manually moving folders.
Create duplicated folders on the storage drive pool that are protected against single drive failure. If a drive fails on which a duplicated file was stored, the contents of that file will remain readable even without the drive.
All your data is stored in standard NTFS files. You can always access your files even if the Windows Home Server completely crashes or this add-in can’t be used.

The changes in this version are:

1.0.0.1914 (restart required if upgrade) ———-

* Added DrivePool.Comm.dll cleanup code.

* [D] Updated move file code for previous fix.

* Fixed file merge move and replace (Win 7+).

* Ported back better I/O error detection from M3 regarding read / write notifications.

Download Stablebit Drivepool build 1914 here Learn more about StableBit DrivePool here

Have you tried it? What do you think?

Microsoft Office 2010 Service Pack 1 Arrives

Andrew Edney

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Jun 28, 2011

0

Microsoft Office 2010 Service Pack 1 Arrives

Today Microsoft moved Office 365 out of beta, and they also released Office 2010 Service Pack 1.

Specific information on what is in the update isn’t available at this time – the KB article with the details doesn’t seem to be available!

It is also not yet available via Windows Update – but I expect that to change pretty quickly.

Download Office 2010 SP1 32 bit edition here Download Office 2010 SP1 64 bit edition here

Tranquil WHS Add In Packs Pricing Revealed

Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

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Jun 28, 2011

3

Tranquil WHS Add In Packs Pricing Revealed

Earlier today we revealed that Tranquil were releasing a number of WHS Add In packs. Now we can reveal the pricing, including the pricing for Monstor, Tranquil’s branded version of Drive Bender.

Here we go:

AVA Media CD (ripper) £15.75 + VAT

AVA Media CD/DVD/BR (ripper) £21.95 + VAT

AVA Media multi Drive CD/DVD/BR (ripper) £31.45 + VAT

Add In Packs (any of the above PLUS MonStor Storage Manager)

Monstor Storage Manager £29.95 + VAT

There are savings to be had with any of the packs.

SAVE £20.00 for the AVA Media CD + MonStor

SAVE £25.00 for the AVA Media CD/DVD/BR + MonStor

SAVE £30.00 for the AVA Media multi disc CD/DVD/BR + MonStor

So that should give you an indication as well of the cost of Drive Bender!

And don’t forget to check out our hands-on review of the Tranquil Leo HS4

Sony Launch New VAIO Z Series Notebook – Sony’s MacBook Air?

Tech
Videos

Andrew Edney

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Jun 28, 2011

0

Sony Launch New VAIO Z Series Notebook – Sony’s MacBook Air?

Today saw the launch of Sony’s new notebook, the extremely lightweight and slim VAIO Z series. Is this Sony’s MacBook Air? But sit down before you look at the price!

Thin, ultra-light 13.1” notebook PC with innovative new Power Media Dock

· 33.2cm (13.1”) VAIO Z Series: less than 1.2 kg and 16.65mm slim with stunning design and smart battery concept

· Business-class power with latest standard voltage Intel® Core™ i7 processors and fast SSD storage

· High-resolution (1600×900) anti-reflective VAIO Display Premium

· Optional sheet battery gives up to 14hr stamina¹ with quick charge

· Power Media Dock™ ² with quad video monitor support, AMD Radeon™ HD graphics, optical drive and extra ports including HDMI™ out

· Quick Boot gets you working in seconds

Weighing little over a kilogram, the new VAIO Z Series notebook PC from Sony is created for mobile professionals who demand absolute performance and portability.

VAIO Z blends ultra-desirable styling and premium carbon fibre with no-compromise specifications and innovative productivity features. In the office or on the road, this class-leading business notebook helps demanding users work more efficiently with the ultimate in on-the-move computing power.

All-new VAIO Z takes cutting-edge styling by Sony to new extremes, with a ‘full flat’ body and display lid that are crafted in tough, ultra-light carbon fibre. At just below 1.2kg and 16.65mm slim, the new VAIO Z is the perfect partner for business travellers who demand ultimate power with less to carry.

Sheet battery

VAIO Z features the innovative ‘sheet battery’ already showcased on this year’s VAIO S Series. The notebook’s internal lithium polymer battery provides power for up to 7 hours¹ on-the-go computing. It’s partnered by a second thin, flat optional lithium polymer sheet battery that can be charged separately from the PC and added without removing the internal battery. The sheet battery attaches without having to switch off the PC, boosting stamina to up to 14 hours for day-and-night working, even if you’re far from mains power.

Those are some pretty big claims from Sony about the battery life! If they can live up to their claims, then they might have a winner on their hands. That is assuming you can get over the massive £2,699 price tag. Yes, that’s right, £2,699. You can get nearly 2 MacBook Air’s for that (or more if you want the lower spec one’s). To be fair, the price does start at £1,434 but that won’t get you the spec you would really drool over!

It will be interesting to see what Apple come up with as the rumours of new MacBook Air’s are already circulating.