Apple ready with new Time Capsules, AirPort Extremes

[AppleInsider]

Apple is poised to introduce new versions of its Time Capsule wireless backup appliance and AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless routers, regulatory filings with the Federal Communications Commission reveal.

A filing for a new AirPort Express (ID Label diagram) was originally lodged in January and granted on Monday, while a filing for a new Time Capsule (ID Label diagram) was first made back in August of 2008 and also granted this week.

The documents appear to indicate that Apple is adding a combined mode, allowing its AirPort base stations to simultaneously support iPhones and other 802.11b/g devices operating at 2.4 GHz, while also broadcasting 802.11n wide signals in the 5GHz band to maximize throughput for notebooks and devices such as Apple TV. Existing models can only run in one mode or the other, providing either wide compatibility or the highest possible network performance, but not both.

As noted in our original review of Time Capsule, there is also significant room for improvement in the performance of its embedded file server, although the FCC documents only refer to the devices' radio features. There is no mention of adding femtocell 3G support to the AirPort products, for example.

The filings come two weeks after AppleInsider relayed a report from Australia's whirlpool forums which recommended that Australian Mac users not purchase any of the company's existing AirPort products because a source was informed by his employer that "there will be new Airport Extreme and Airport Express within the next few weeks."

While Apple has reflected relatively healthy inventory of AirPort Extremes in the US and Canada, availability of the wireless routers has been close to non-existant for the past 2-3 weeks in parts of Europe, such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, Germany, and Italy.

An AppleInsider blog post published earlier today noted rumors of six new Apple product part numbers that have turned up in the inventory systems of some of the company's overseas resellers. Typically when the FCC publishes authorization documentation for a new Apple product, that product hits the market within days of the grant being made public.

It should also be noted that Amazon recently slashed the price of the current generation Time Capsules by 13 - 22 percent, a move which may now be seen as an inventory clearing measure ahead of new models. The 1TB Time Capsule was marked down $112 to $387.92 while the 500GB model was reduced by about $40 to $259.31.

More FCC documents

AirPort Extreme: Authorization Letter [PDF], Request for confidentiality [PDF], and Test report [PDF]

Time Capsule: Authorization Letter [PDF], Request for confidentiality [PDF], and Test report [PDF]

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Virgil-TB2]

Like the mini rumour, both appear to be exactly the same form factor and size as the previous models by those drawing measurements.

How, um ... exciting?

[hmurchison]

Bring on the Apple Home Server/ Home Datacenter/ Time Capsule Uber or whatever.

I hope they're more than just HDD bumps.

[elroth]

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

Like the mini rumour, both appear to be exactly the same form factor and size as the previous models by those drawing measurements.

How, um ... exciting?

There's nothing wrong with the current form factor. It's the guts and the software that are important. If those are majorly improved, I'm excited.

[malax]

Unlike the first poster, I don't care if the casing changes. I just hope Apple leapfrogs the other solutions in this space as they have in the past. They tend to deliver competitively priced, feature rich solutions that then get overtaken by cheaper alternatives over time.

[satchmo]

Hmmm...Time Capsules, AirPort Extremes, iMacs, Mac Pros, Mac minis...
So is this the new Apple strategy?
Release everything including the kitchen sink at the same time?

[theBigD23]

My secondary reason for not buying a Time Capsule are b/c of the lack of options. I'd like to have an easy way to format the TC and more software options to customize how I'd like to use the system. For most people, TC is fantastic, but I'd like a little more customization.

My main reason is the incompatibility with the Xbox 360 (or vice versa). I'd like full comp. with the 360 before I buy a TC. Whether it's Apple's or Microsoft fault (I think it's Microsoft in this case), it's something I'd like to see addressed.

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by elroth

There's nothing wrong with the current form factor. It's the guts and the software that are important. If those are majorly improved, I'm excited.

Well it kind of sinks the earlier rumours of Time Capsule expandability a la drobo, and with the mac mini apparently having the same case as well, it puts the kibosh on the whole idea of a home server from Apple. So it's relevant info in that if true it brings the products in question down to the level of a HD refresh for the most part.

Seems stunningly unexciting to me.

[JavaCowboy]

Until the AirPort Extreme has a web interface, so I can administer it from an operating system that's not OS X or Windows, I'm not buying it.

Hopefully, Apple will fix this.

[hmurchison]

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

Well it kind of sinks the earlier rumours of Time Capsule expandability a la drobo, and with the mac mini apparently having the same case as well, it puts the kibosh on the whole idea of a home server from Apple. So it's relevant info in that if true it brings the products in question down to the level of a HD refresh for the most part.

Seems stunningly unexciting to me.

I really don't expect a Home Server from Apple until 2010. My guess is 2010 could be a coming out party for custom ARM chips massaged by PA Semi.

A dual core ARM based chip running a small subset of OS X features could make for a functional yet Green storage array.

It feels to me a bit early to expect this in 2009. In ways I think we need to get Snow Leopard shipping and any server like functionality will likely come in iTunes 9 which I pray will have some serious work done on it.

[daking]

Originally Posted by theBigD23

My secondary reason for not buying a Time Capsule are b/c of the lack of options. I'd like to have an easy way to format the TC and more software options to customize how I'd like to use the system. For most people, TC is fantastic, but I'd like a little more customization.

My main reason is the incompatibility with the Xbox 360 (or vice versa). I'd like full comp. with the 360 before I buy a TC. Whether it's Apple's or Microsoft fault (I think it's Microsoft in this case), it's something I'd like to see addressed.

I now can use WPA/WPA2 personal on my airport extreme and my 360's can connect using WPA.

[zorinlynx]

I hope they fix the *PRICE* on the Time Capsule. While $499 was reasonable for a 1TB NAS when they first came out, the prices on 1TB drives has dropped so significantly that now the 1TB (and 512GB too) Time Capsules are a colossal rip off.

[theBigD23]

Originally Posted by daking

I now can use WPA/WPA2 personal on my airport extreme and my 360's can connect using WPA.

Airport Extreme does work with the 360 using encryption, but my research and comments on boards says that the TC specifically cannot connect to the 360 wirelessly, with WPA or WEP encryption. Can anyone else confirm this? Thanks.

[teckstud]

I personally prefer a Time Capsule that looks like the old Contact medicine. It was "time"-released capsule after all.

[bayaryaan]

Apple TV...Airport Extreme...Time Capsule...too many different devices. There should be one device that accesses the Internet, acts as a server to hold video and iTunes music (which can be shared by all computers) and acts as a base station. This is just more of the same.
While I'm at it, why can't Apple also make the thing replace my Onkyo surround sound receiver? Imaging one beautiful device, sitting beneath the television...white with pulsating blue light...delivering online content, downloading high def movies, and powering my 6 speakers and sub woofer. It would also have the most beautiful universal remote. Some day....

[SirROM]

For those of us with current Extremes (n version), is the simultaneous dual-band wireless something that could be added through a firmware update from Apple?. I just recently added an older Express (in bridge mode) so I could do AirTunes around the house, but this might lend some other possibilities as well. Inquiring minds want to know!

[Johnny Mozzarella]

Originally Posted by JavaCowboy

Until the AirPort Extreme has a web interface, so I can administer it from an operating system that's not OS X or Windows, I'm not buying it.

Hopefully, Apple will fix this.

Let me guess... you want a Java applet?

I'd rather see them create an iPhone/iPod touch app for configuring base stations.
Not going to happen any time soon but it would be nice...and it wouldn't be OS X or windows.

[oberpongo]

With Western Digitals new GREEN 2TB drive available, there will be sure a 2 TB Time Capsule for 499.

[ahmlco]

Originally Posted by bayaryaan

Apple TV...Airport Extreme...Time Capsule...too many different devices. There should be one device that accesses the Internet, acts as a server to hold video and iTunes music (which can be shared by all computers) and acts as a base station.

Well. I'm in a DSL household, which means my DSL line is coming in at a location different from that of cable. I have an Extreme on the DSL, two Apple TVs that handle streaming to two different TVs, some Expresses for streaming music to various speaker systems, and an iMac in my office which also acts as my iTunes base station and media server.

They all do different jobs at different locations, so some sort of magical "all-in-one" device just isn't going to cut it.

[hmurchison]

Originally Posted by bayaryaan

Apple TV...Airport Extreme...Time Capsule...too many different devices. There should be one device that accesses the Internet, acts as a server to hold video and iTunes music (which can be shared by all computers) and acts as a base station. This is just more of the same.
While I'm at it, why can't Apple also make the thing replace my Onkyo surround sound receiver? Imaging one beautiful device, sitting beneath the television...white with pulsating blue light...delivering online content, downloading high def movies, and powering my 6 speakers and sub woofer. It would also have the most beautiful universal remote. Some day....

Well Time Capsule does sort of augment if not replace airport extreme. I wouldn't want it to replace an Apple TV though because the ATV is a media extender. I should be able to buy'em for every HDTV in the home yet still have a centralized storage and wifi access.

How about an Apple NAS devices that can stack a Airport Extreme or Time Capsule on top?

Originally Posted by oberpongo

With Western Digitals new GREEN 2TB drive available, there will be sure a 2 TB Time Capsule for 499.

That $499 pricepoint may be hard seeing as how the WD drive is 249 smackers in many places.

[jowie74]

Originally Posted by oberpongo

With Western Digitals new GREEN 2TB drive available, there will be sure a 2 TB Time Capsule for 499.

I'd prefer a lower price point for 500GB and 1TB. Their price for 1TB is so ridiculously expensive, one can buy the 500GB model and a 1TB drive and still have a decent amount of change.

[Porchland]

The Airport Extreme refresh does not sound like AT&T Wireless's rumored cell-tower-in-a-box network gizmo, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that routing iPhone calls will be on the new AE's feature list.

[jowie74]

Originally Posted by bayaryaan

Apple TV...Airport Extreme...Time Capsule...too many different devices. There should be one device that accesses the Internet, acts as a server to hold video and iTunes music (which can be shared by all computers) and acts as a base station.

Why does everyone think merging these products would be a good idea? There's a very good reason they are separate:

Airport Extreme is just a router. Time Capsule is effectively an Airport Extreme Plus, with backup facilities. Kept away from the other equipment for data storage security. People who can't afford a TC will be able to go for the Airport Extreme.

Apple TV is a media server, to an extent... Although I'd prefer a Mac mini and then use it as a media-and-everything-else server. As soon as you bung all your backups into the same machine as your server, then you are spoiling the whole idea of keeping secure backups. If your fantastic do-everything box product blows up or gets nicked, you lose everything. Not a product I'd buy.

It's more expensive I'll admit, but buying these products separately makes perfect sense. I will be getting both the new Mac mini and Time Capsule when they eventually come out (and I can afford it!)

[filburt]

1 TB Time Capsule should become the base model, with simultaneous 2.4 and 5 GHz bands added to both AirPort Extreme Station and Time Capsule. I would love to see additional features to make Time Capsule more of a home server, such as iTunes server, LDAP (for Address Book), and CalDAV (for iCal).

[bigdaddyp]

Originally Posted by hmurchison

Well Time Capsule does sort of augment if not replace airport extreme. I wouldn't want it to replace an Apple TV though because the ATV is a media extender. I should be able to buy'em for every HDTV in the home yet still have a centralized storage and wifi access.

How about an Apple NAS devices that can stack a Airport Extreme or Time Capsule on top?




That $499 pricepoint may be hard seeing as how the WD drive is 249 smackers in many places.

Where did you find them for that price? Best I have seen so far was $299 USD at new egg.

[hmurchison]

Originally Posted by jowie74

Why does everyone think merging these products would be a good idea? There's a very good reason they are separate:

It's more expensive I'll admit, but buying these products separately makes perfect sense. I will be getting both the new Mac mini and Time Capsule when they eventually come out (and I can afford it!)

Consumers are told that integration is the best thing since sliced bread. So everyone wants to see things combined in odd ways. Businesses are the opposite where they want devices that are great at what they do and then they purchase two of the times to ensure availability.

Consumers need to start thinking about the benefits of networks and how that relates to making their home life superior. I'm not saying that that consumer need to be running SAN at home but one you get to 3-4 computers a NAS is beginning to make a lot more sense for the unstructured data that is predominant in the typical home.

Other than larger hard drives or faster procs I wonder what new features will be brought to bear with the next AE and TC.

Maybe more 11n streams? Better Airport Admin software? NAS funtionality?

Sky's the limit I suppose.

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by hmurchison

I really don't expect a Home Server from Apple until 2010. My guess is 2010 could be a coming out party for custom ARM chips massaged by PA Semi. ...

Sounds good to me. I bought last years time Capsule anyway.

What I don't understand about home servers in general, is that they are almost useless as data vaults without the ability to be hardened against something as simple as a house fire or an earthquake. Most home users don't have the option or the need for off-site storage, so any home server solution is going to be in the same building as the other computers and data. I don't understand why no one seems to sell a reasonably priced flexible home server that is likely to actually keep your data safe.

Right now if I had a fire, I would have a good shot at pulling the hard drive trays out of my Mac Pro and running out the door with them, (as lame as that is.) It seems to me that a device like a drobo, but that can also be a NAS, Time Capsule etc. and that can also survive a housefire is the only real safe backup. Otherwise you are just moving data around from place to place in your house waiting for the eventual disaster that will take out your home backups at the same time as your home computer.

[burningwheel]

Time capsules are priced much lower. check out amazon. are TC stackable?

[wgb113]

Originally Posted by bigdaddyp

Where did you find them for that price? Best I have seen so far was $299 USD at new egg.

I just picked up a 1TB LaCie Ethernet Disk mini Home Edition for $170. It will serve as an iTunes server, sending wav files to my AppleTV and also allow me to access movies, pictures, and that same wav collection via my Xbox 360 in our our other room. It doesn't work with Time Machine but I've got another drive for that purpose already.

Bill

[hmurchison]

Originally Posted by bigdaddyp

Where did you find them for that price? Best I have seen so far was $299 USD at new egg.

Ur right I had heard someone else say they saw it for 249 but I never verified it with me own eyes.

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

Sounds good to me. I bought last years time Capsule anyway.

What I don't understand about home servers in general, is that they are almost useless as data vaults without the ability to be hardened against something as simple as a house fire or an earthquake. Most home users don't have the option or the need for off-site storage, so any home server solution is going to be in the same building as the other computers and data. I don't understand why no one seems to sell a reasonably priced flexible home server that is likely to actually keep your data safe.

Right now if I had a fire, I would have a good shot at pulling the hard drive trays out of my Mac Pro and running out the door with them, (as lame as that is.) It seems to me that a device like a drobo, but that can also be a NAS, Time Capsule etc. and that can also survive a housefire is the only real safe backup. Otherwise you are just moving data around from place to place in your house waiting for the eventual disaster that will take out your home backups at the same time as your home computer.

You yanking your drives and running does create an humorous visual. I think that the potential for storing those "I cannot lose this data at any cost" in either a safe deposit or cloud storage may work as an adjunct to hardware. I saw today that Netgear is offering cloud storage linked to ReadyNAS devices.

[Bregalad]

Even with the discount the current Time Capsule is overpriced and the gap between the two models insane. The retail price difference between a 500GB drive and a 1TB drive is about $40. The gap between the two Time Capsules is, on the Apple Store, $200. Even the Amazon discounts have a $130 difference.

The Time Capsule is useless as a home server because it was designed to be a backup device not a server. There's no built-in backup or RAID capability so when it fails you lose everything.

Home fires and natural disasters, while they happen, are far more rare than simple hard drive failures. A home server addresses the most likely failure point. If you want to really protect your data you need multiple backup solutions including both on-site and off-site storage. For the truly paranoid you need two off-site locations in different parts of the world, but if you're truly paranoid you don't trust transmitting your data over the internet or having it stored on someone else's computer

[JavaCowboy]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella

Let me guess... you want a Java applet?

Ha ha... funny (NOT!). My Linksys router display an HTML page to configure my router when I visit an IP address, like 192.168.1.1. This allows me to configure my router from Linux or OpenSolaris. Also, I don't need to install any client software on any machine that I need to administer my network. It absolutely boggles my mind that Apple doesn't do this, because they're losing so many sales by assuming that all anybody will run is either Windows or OS X.

I'd rather see them create an iPhone/iPod touch app for configuring base stations.

I can do this now with my Linksys router from my iPod touch by visiting said web page on my router. I just tried it out now.

Not going to happen any time soon but it would be nice...and it wouldn't be OS X or windows.

[brclark82]

So do the current macbook pros with 802.11n cards work with the 5ghz spectrum or do you need special hardware?

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by JavaCowboy

Ha ha... funny (NOT!). My Linksys router display an HTML page to configure my router when I visit an IP address, like 192.168.1.1. This allows me to configure my router from Linux or OpenSolaris. Also, I don't need to install any client software on any machine that I need to administer my network. It absolutely boggles my mind that Apple doesn't do this, because they're losing so many sales by assuming that all anybody will run is either Windows or OS X. ...

I kind of agree about the web page approach, having had many linksys routers before and it seems like a simple bonjour webpage on the device would do it. Certainly it would make the bonjour menu in Safari actually useful for a change.

I think you are going over the top when you talk about "so many sales" being lost as a result of this however. The market for non-windows and non-mac computers is miniscule at best and almost none of those customers would buy an Airport Express even if they could administer it from Linux, Solaris, etc.

I find the fact that Apple's routers don't have blinky lights on the front is more of a barrier to these users than the lack of a native admin tool or the web page.

[jpcrockett]

Originally Posted by burningwheel

Time capsules are priced much lower. check out amazon. are TC stackable?

My TC runs so warm/hot I wouldn't dare stack it. Plus, I think the antenna is pretty weak, so I stay away from stacking it for that reason too.

[NOFEER]

so what do you want new TC to do that the original didn't have?
could you daisy chain usb external hd to TC to expand storage?/

[Adjei]

They need to model the time capsule after something like this, I think these guys have Apple's sense of design:

http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=11118

I want to store all my media files on it, use it for backups with time machine, access it on my network at home, and also access the files anywhere in the world through mobileme and also through my iphone and ipod touch when not home. Apple you can do it.

[digitalclips]

What a coincidence to read this about a dual speed supporting AE tonight! I just spent the afternoon setting up my AE as .11n only and adding an additional wi-fi set up for .11g just for the iPhones and my old iBook I use for reading. I did this because I stream HD movies from my Mac Pro rather than loading them into the AppleTV. Recently I have found 720p/ 24 fps movies stuttering a bit so decided to try dropping the support for .11g to see if this helps. I stream HD content simply because I have way to much for the ATV and besides it's nice to have everything on line to select from. I don't yet know if this will help the 720p movies as I haven't had time to test yet. p.s. My Mac Pro is wired to the AE.

[CJD2112]

Originally Posted by bayaryaan

Apple TV...Airport Extreme...Time Capsule...too many different devices. There should be one device that accesses the Internet, acts as a server to hold video and iTunes music (which can be shared by all computers) and acts as a base station. This is just more of the same.
While I'm at it, why can't Apple also make the thing replace my Onkyo surround sound receiver? Imaging one beautiful device, sitting beneath the television...white with pulsating blue light...delivering online content, downloading high def movies, and powering my 6 speakers and sub woofer. It would also have the most beautiful universal remote. Some day....

Pulsating blue, delivering all that "mushy, mush" brain candy... Mmmmm (cue Alec Baldwin from the Hulu ads)...

The way you described this new "device", it sounds a little creepy, something a la "The Tommyknockers"...

[bigdaddyp]

Originally Posted by Adjei

They need to model the time capsule after something like this, I think these guys have Apple's sense of design:

http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=11118

I want to store all my media files on it, use it for backups with time machine, access it on my network at home, and also access the files anywhere in the world through mobileme and also through my iphone and ipod touch when not home. Apple you can do it.

Dave....

Actually looks like a fantastic if expensive machine. Didn't Apple bail on their own raid setup on the server side of the business? That makes me more then a little pessimistic that we will see a apple home server solution anytime soon.