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- GoFlex Satellite review: Stormy weather for this personal cloud
The idea behind Seagate’s GoFlex Satellite is pretty cool: a 500GB drive and a Wi-Fi transmitter in a small case, which can stream your media collection to up to three Wi-Fi enabled media players at the same time, including iPads , iPhones, and iPod touches.
So when Seagate sent me a Satellite to try out, I tested it by connecting to a first-generation iPad, a 3rd-gen iPod touch, and an Android phone. Unfortunately, I ran into significant problems. In fact, I ended up trying a second drive after Seagate had to replace the first one, but neither unit was satisfactory.
Hardware
The Satellite features a small 4.72in x 3.46in x 1.26in case that’s almost featureless, and weighs just over half a pound. It has a power button, ports for power and sync cables, and a couple of status lights.
The drive comes with two proprietary USB cables: one for syncing your media library with your computer, and one for power. The door that covers the sync port is removable, and could easily be lost. Seagate rates the non-replaceable lithium-ion battery at up to 5 hours of continuous streaming for one user, and up to 25 hours on standby.
Putting your media collection on the drive
The printed documentation for the GoFlex Satellite directs you to run installation software, which starts by opening a web page with a “getting started” video. Luckily for those of us who dislike video instructions, the page also includes a link to the Seagate website, where you can download a PDF setup guide.
The software then prompts you to install and activate an old version of the Paragon NTFS driver (which I already had, but the software didn’t recognize that). This is because the drive comes formatted as NTFS for Windows, and Seagate warns that the format cannot be changed.
Once you’ve installed the driver (and rebooted your Mac) you can plug in a short proprietary USB cable that lets the Satellite appear as an external drive in the Mac OS X Finder. Now you can either copy files directly from the Finder, or you can use the Seagate Media Sync software (available as a free download from Seagate’s website). I tried both approaches, but ran into several issues. The drive seemed to have a propensity for unmounting itself randomly, causing errors that had to be fixed using Apple’s Drive Utility, and in at least one case, I ended up having to reformat the drive (as NTFS).
Even when the Sync software seemed to be working, it was hard to tell, because the statistics showing the space available on the drive didn’t match what the Finder was showing, and the software doesn’t include a progress bar. So I let the software churn away for a couple of hours, only to discover that nothing had actually been copied. I also got “error code -36″ and even a couple of kernel panics — errors that I hadn’t seen in several years.
I had slightly better luck copying via the Finder. At least that way, I could tell exactly when the drive unmounted, and could start again from there. Of course, this isn’t useful if your media collection changes frequently.
At one point, I tried using the Windows version of the Media Sync software, but it doesn’t recognize network drives, so I wasn’t able to use it to access my media collection.
Wi-Fi connection
The GoFlex Satellite includes a 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi base station, with optional WPA security. In theory, all one has to do to stream files from the drive is select the “GoFlex Satellite” network in your player’s settings. Of course, this means disconnecting from whatever Wi-Fi network you usually use, so you won’t be able to surf the web while listening to music or watching movies.
The first drive that Seagate sent me seemed to be unable to maintain a Wi-Fi signal for more than a couple of minutes. The network name would continue to appear in my player’s Settings list, but when selected, I’d frequently get an “Unable to join the network” error, which could only be resolved by power-cycling the drive. The second drive maintained a signal slightly better, but I never managed to listen to more than a couple of songs before having to reset the drive.
Software
Seagate offers free iPad and iPhone/iPod touch apps for the Satellite — search for “goflex media” in the App Store. These apps, too, need a lot of work. Their layout is good-looking enough, and easy to navigate. But they are slow. Even when I managed to keep a Wi-Fi signal, it took a long time to download the folder structure from the Satellite, and I found that it often timed out.
The apps’ functionality is pretty limited. The Music option displays all your music as one big list. The Folder View option shows your collection in folders, which if you’ve been using iTunes, are probably sorted by artist. The problem is that while you can select multiple items, there doesn’t appear to be any way to play multiple items once they’ve been selected.
Unlike the native iOS Music app, the GoFlex Media app won’t work in the background, and if you pause while playing, your device won’t go to sleep. If you’re not using the apps, you can connect to the GoFlex Satellite through a web interface, but it has the same limitations.
The concept behind the Seagate GoFlex Satellite drive is a good one, and I hope they get the bugs worked out. In the meantime, you may be better off looking at the upcoming G-Connect from Hitachi G-Technology or Kingston Wi-Drive if you’re looking for a personal cloud option.
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Переслать - Buy, wait or skip: What's your plan for OS X Lion?
OS X Lion is set to arrive sometime this month, and new reports suggest that it could be here as soon as next Wednesday at 9 AM. Apple has the advantage of being able to “ship” much more simply this time around, since Lion is only going to be distributed via the Mac App Store, so it makes sense that we’d see a release follow more closely the most recent stable developer build. But now that it’s almost here, do you think you’ll actually buy it?
Lion has some quirks that not everyone will love. Exclusive digital distribution is one, since bandwidth or connection concerns might not sit well with some. Also, Lion doesn’t appear to offer any way for people to do a clean install, unless they use a Snow Leopard disk first and then re-install Lion after that. Finally, the requirements will leave early Intel Mac owners out of the party.
On the other hand, Lion offers some significant improvements to core apps like Mail, Contacts and Calendar, and new features like Resume, Auto Save, Versions and AirDrop show a lot of promise. Plus users who’ve made the jump from iOS to their first Mac will find the operating environment a lot more familiar. And you’d be amazed at what fullscreen apps can do for your ability to focus on the task at hand.
I’ve got all my Macs running Snow Leopard, so I’m definitely going to upgrade, since it’ll only cost me $29 to get each on 10.7. I’ll probably do it on day one, too. But will you be joining me, waiting a while to see how Lion pans out, or skipping this OS altogether?
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Переслать - Do no evil has no place in IP warfare
A consortium led by Apple, Research In Motion and Microsoft have snatched up Nortel’s 6,000 patents for $4.5 billion in an auction that could lead to further trouble for Google, which was outbid for the trove of intellectual property.
So now the winners, which also included Sony, EMC and Ericsson, have access to a cluster of patents that cover a wide spectrum of communications and Internet services, from wireless and 4G to data networking, semiconductors and social networking. RIM came forward and said it paid $770 million for its share of the bid while Ericsson has said it contributed $340 million. Nortel said the deal must still pass Canadian and U.S. Court approval, which will occur at a joint hearing scheduled for July 11.
The deal represents a big set back for Google, which initially pursued the patents and won a stalking horse bid for the IP, setting the low bar on the auction at $900 million. The company had said at the time that while it was looking to enact long-term patent reform, it was bidding to shore up its smaller patent portfolio and provide a disincentive for others to sue the search giant.
The mobile industry is currently in a state of patent warfare, perhaps best likened to the Cold War strategy of building up an arsenal so huge that to attack it assures mutual destruction. In this game, Google’s lackluster patent portfolio makes it a small player whose “do no evil” motto makes it seem naive at best and weak at worst.
Competitors and other companies have sought to capitalize on Google’s weaker IP position. Oracle has filed a copyright and patent infringement case against Google for its use of Java in the Android operating system. Other mobile competitors, notably Apple, have gone after Android manufacturers for their use of disputed IP. Microsoft this week announced three Android manufacturers have agreed to pay patent licensing fees for their use of Android.
Obtaining Nortel’s patents would have provided more cover for Google and its partners. And it would have signaled how robust a defense Google was prepared to mount on behalf of Android and Chrome and other products. But now, if the auction proceeds, Google could face even more of a squeeze without the cache of patents it can offer for cross-licensing deals. Some, like IP expert Florian Mueller, have already called Android a “suit magnet” and that moniker might be even more apt now. And Google’s promise of a free operating system continues to get undermined as more and more manufacturers now feel the need to strike licensing agreements.
Google said in a statement to Bloomberg: “This outcome is disappointing for anyone who believes that open innovation benefits users and promotes creativity and competition. We will keep working to reduce the current flood of patent litigation that hurts both innovators and consumers."
Google is aware that we’re in an era of patent wars as competing companies look to establish their ground in the exploding mobile space. Apple’s recent deal with Nokia showed the environment is heating up and Nokia is likely out for more targets after extracting money from Apple. Google can hope for patent reform and that may eventually come. But for now, it needs more muscle and it lost out on a big chance to beef up in the Nortel auction.
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Переслать - Establish a solid battery strategy for all your peripherals
Batteries are decidedly evil. My desk is littered with gear that requires them, and I’d be at a loss to watch movies, control my computer and television, and use many of my Mac peripherals without them. So how can you create a plan that will ensure you’re always ready when you need some juice?
I first thought I could get by using just my Apple battery charger and the batteries that come with it, but that proved woefully inadequate. For one thing, the Apple charger is quite particular about its charging, and often you’ll come back to find a flashing amber light, indicating that the charge wasn’t successful for some reason. For another, those Apple batteries don’t keep their charge long, so there’s no use preparing backups.
So to ensure my Apple Wireless Keyboards, Trackpads, Mighty Mice and third-party peripherals always have power at the ready, I’ve created the following three-point plan:
1. Too many batteries is impossible
I always seem to think I have enough batteries to satisfy all my needs, and then I end up needing more. Obviously, don’t go crazy, but always try to have at least four more batteries on hand than you have actual need of for devices. I’m primarily talking about rechargeable, NiMH batteries, but it never hurts to have a supply of alkalines for backup, too, in case you get caught between charging cycles.
2. Low self-discharge is your best friend
People who may have ditched rechargeable batteries years ago because of the headaches of cycling, battery memory, and batteries that rapidly lose charge have a good reason to come back. Low self-discharge batteries are now available, which can retain up to 85 percent of their charge for up to a year. They also often come pre-charged, so you can use them right away, and newer batteries don’t have the same problem with charge memory as their predecessors.
My personal recommendation for good low self-discharge batteries are the Powerex Imedion variety. They carry a high-capacity compared to most (2400mah) and should be longer-lasting in digital devices like cameras and computer peripherals.
3. Two chargers is better than one
Getting a good battery charger will always help you keep thing properly powered up. Again, Powerex is a good, dependable brand in my experience. Their chargers are a little more expensive than most, but they provide a wealth of customizable options so that you can extend the life of your batteries and save money in the long run. The WizardOne is a good place to start, providing four charging slots for either AA or AAA NiMH batteries, with a backlit panel that lets you select charge/discharge rates and perform advanced tasks like complete battery cycling and break-ins for new batteries.
But in addition to a good charger, I also have a bad one. The Duracell 15 Minute Charger actually does what it claims to, but it makes a lot of noise and gets quite hot. Note, however, that frequent use will degrade the quality and life of your batteries (hence the “bad” descriptor), which is why I use the Duracell for emergencies only (like when my keyboard dies and I’m on a tight deadline).
Batteries are probably the biggest limiting factor when it comes to the enjoyment of consumer electronics, which is why having a good battery plan in place is crucial for gadget-lovers. Now that I’ve shared mine, do you have any other suggestions to add?
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