Image hinting at 2TB Time Capsule likely an oversight

[AppleInsider]

While it's inevitable that Apple will at some point this year boost the capacity of its Time Capsule backup appliances, promotional images showing packing for a model with twice as much storage appear to be an oversight dating back to the release of dual-band models a month ago.

Several sites are pointing out Monday that product pages for the dual-band versions of the Time Capsule on the websites of Apple authorized resellers ClubMac (product page) and MacMall (product page) show a promotional image of the device's packaging listing 2TB of storage -- twice as much as today's high end model.

We just spoke to someone in the know over at ClubMac who confirmed that the reseller gets most of its promotional images directly from Apple, but added that the image in question isn't new and is believed to have been live on the site, albeit unnoticed, since the company introduced new AirPort Extremes and Time Capsules with dual-band support on March 3rd. Meanwhile, Google's cache confirms no changes to the listings for at least a week.

Therefore, the image may be an error on the part of one of the company's graphics designers. Alternatively, it may suggest that Apple initially planned to bump the capacity of its Time Capsule product line alongside the new dual-band models introduced last month but later pulled back on those plans without telling the graphics department.

An image on the ClubMac site shows a retail box for a 2TB Time Capsule.

In related news, ClubMac and MacMall are offering AppleInsider readers an additional 3% off their already reduced prices on MacBook Pros and MacBooks this month, respectively. Combined with their instant discounts and rebates, these offers knock between $316 and $399 off Apple's suggested retail price for MacBook Pros and $103 to $163 off MacBooks. These added discounts reflect as "Instant discount(s)" only after the notebooks have been added to your shopping cart. Full details are available in our Mac Price Guide.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[CU10]

Hey Apple: redesign the USB interface to expand Time Capsule capacity!

[filburt]

Originally Posted by CU10

Hey Apple: redesign the USB interface to expand Time Capsule capacity!

Um, both AEBS and Time Capsule allows USB expansion.

[JeffDM]

I think it's either a supply, cost or reliability issue. I haven't heard much about the 2TB drives, but the early 1.5TB drives had issues, it seems like it was because it was rushed to market.

It could be that WD wanted too much too and wouldn't negotiate down far enough to suit Apple. Newegg's price is $300, I think two 1.5TB drives can be had at that price.

[ltcommander.data]

So Apple might have intended to do 1TB and 2TB but dropped back at the last minute? It's too bad it wasn't like the iPod Shuffle, which I believe was the other way around and had it's capacity doubled at the last minute. 500GB is pretty limited nowadays especially with multiple computers, given the large size of HDDs in them. If 1TB and 1.5TB doesn't have enough internal differentiation, maybe they should have just gone with 750GB and 1.5TB.

[TheSnarkmeister]

First Apple lies to us about TimeMachine being compatible with Airport Extreme Air Disks in anticipation of Leopards release. Copies of the marketing literature can still be found floating around on the Internet. The reason for the flip? Apparently the marketing boys realized engineering had come up with such a great idea that it needed to be a new product call Time Capsule rather than given away for free to all those people who bought new Airports in anticipation of the feature being available in Leopard. The excuse came in a press release expounding on how it was all a big technical issue, and the gullible America public bought it, ignoring that Time Capsule is nothing more than an Airport Extreme with a hard drive shoved into it.

Now, Apple has goofed again and accidentally pre-released marketing literature in development for a new product. Can you hear the boys thinking their way through this one. Okay, which is going to cost us more, to pay for the mass release of a lie to the public about the picture being a "mock-up" (i.e. fake), or to swallow the lost sales as customers wait for the newer model? Since the Osbourne 2 still haunts every Silcone Valley resident's nightmares, you can be sure they chose the lie.

This is exactly the corruption of values that is dragging America into the dustbin of history. It's corporate lies, just like those that brought us Enron, WorldCom, Sub-prime and Bernie Madoff. So much for Apple thinking different.

[adamthecarny]

Originally Posted by TheSnarkmeister

First Apple lies to us about TimeMachine being compatible with Airport Extreme Air Disks in anticipation of Leopards release.
...

This is exactly the corruption of values that is dragging America into the dustbin of history. It's corporate lies, just like those that brought us Enron, WorldCom, Sub-prime and Bernie Madoff. So much for Apple thinking different.

Think before you rant. Your examples are not related. In the first scenario Apple tells people about a feature then leaves it out, greedily giving customers a bait and switch. In the second, Apple leaves out a bump in capacity (hardly a "new feature") that they never previously announced anyway, then lets slip that they were maybe going to increase the capacity. How dare they commit such an atrocity.

[lilgto64]

Originally Posted by TheSnarkmeister

First Apple lies to us about TimeMachine being compatible with Airport Extreme Air Disks in anticipation of Leopards release. Copies of the marketing literature can still be found floating around on the Internet. The reason for the flip? Apparently the marketing boys realized engineering had come up with such a great idea that it needed to be a new product call Time Capsule rather than given away for free to all those people who bought new Airports in anticipation of the feature being available in Leopard. The excuse came in a press release expounding on how it was all a big technical issue, and the gullible America public bought it, ignoring that Time Capsule is nothing more than an Airport Extreme with a hard drive shoved into it.

Now, Apple has goofed again and accidentally pre-released marketing literature in development for a new product. Can you hear the boys thinking their way through this one. Okay, which is going to cost us more, to pay for the mass release of a lie to the public about the picture being a "mock-up" (i.e. fake), or to swallow the lost sales as customers wait for the newer model? Since the Osbourne 2 still haunts every Silcone Valley resident's nightmares, you can be sure they chose the lie.

This is exactly the corruption of values that is dragging America into the dustbin of history. It's corporate lies, just like those that brought us Enron, WorldCom, Sub-prime and Bernie Madoff. So much for Apple thinking different.

Are you saying that Time Machine is NOT compatible with a USB disk attached to an Airport Extreme? if that is the case I'd better not let anyone know that my setup with TimeMachine on a G4 PowerBook with Leopard and an Airport Extreme with external USB drive works perfectly - if a bit slow when only connected via WiFi - or else Apple will send some to disable it so that the lie can remain intact. Oh wait, maybe they could use my setup to make everyone else's work. Now I'm confused - if Apple announces a new feature or function and then has some technical issues that need to be resolved for some users and then fixes those problem for at least a majority of users - is the original announcement a lie?

[GTL215]

Originally Posted by lilgto64

my setup with TimeMachine on a G4 PowerBook with Leopard and an Airport Extreme with external USB drive works perfectly

How'd you get that working? The general consensus is that Time Machine does not work with USB hard drives attached to AEBS.

[smatanovic]

Originally Posted by filburt

Um, both AEBS and Time Capsule allows USB expansion.

Time capsule has only one USB port, though, and, more importantly, a drive attached to the USB port does not expand the time capsule's capacity.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by smatanovic

Time capsule has only one USB port, though, and, more importantly, a drive attached to the USB port does not expand the time capsule's capacity.

If you're going to nitpick, you should be clear in what you mean by what you say, maybe what you say is technically true, it's not what filburt meant.

The USB port can be used to add a hard drive that will work as remote storage and it shows up as a separate drive, not adding to the size of the internal storage like a virtual drive as you might have been assuming.

I suppose more ports would be nice, but there are diminishing returns as you're accessing data over a network anyway, and you'll only need faster when you're connected to it by gigabit Ethernet. Also, a USB hub can be used to expand the number of devices connected to Time Capsule.

[smatanovic]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

If you're going to nitpick, you should be clear in what you mean by what you say, maybe what you say is technically true, it's not what filburt meant.

The USB port can be used to add a hard drive that will work as remote storage and it shows up as a separate drive, not adding to the size of the internal storage like a virtual drive as you might have been assuming.

Right, that's exactly what I meant. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I suppose more ports would be nice, but there are diminishing returns as you're accessing data over a network anyway, and you'll only need faster when you're connected to it by gigabit Ethernet. Also, a USB hub can be used to expand the number of devices connected to Time Capsule.

I didn't know that worked. I might have to try that...

[jowie74]

hold on, this is getting confusing... Can either Time Capsule and/or AEBS be expanded for Time Machine purposes by connecting an external USB drive?

[Lorre]

Yes. In the case of the Time Capsule though, you'll have to pick which one you'll use for time machine: the internal or the USB one.

[jowie74]

So you could set up Time Machine on a drive connected to TC/AEBS instead of TC internal drive itself?

If that is the case, what does TC have that AEBS doesn't, except the internal drive and the inflated price tag?

[Lorre]

An internal power supply. And it just looks better that way.