Apple Announces New Airport Base Station and Time Capsule with Faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi

[peb123]

I like that it has a built in power supply. I hate the external brick in the previous design.

 

[~Shard~]

Yep!

If certainly _seems_ like function CAN trump form over at Apple.... Then we get our first glimpse at the new Mac Pro and my speculation is more than a bit unfounded.

Ha, I posted a similar thought in the new Mac pro thread. Very cool aesthetically, but at the cost of relegating expansion externally? And then what will that do to aesthetics, having a cool-looking cylinder with a mess of external peripherals attached to it. Any way, discussion for another thread... Along those lines though, I'm surprised Apple didn't decide to make these new Airports and Time Capsules cylinders as well, just to be consistent.

 

[gm713]

What is up with this vertical monstrosity? Did iOS7 consume all of Apple's creatives including product designers?

 

[Divided]

No more AirPort Express which means you have to pay twice the price for the cheapest base station.

I missed the keynote, so did he actually announce that there would no longer be a cheaper express option?

 

[potatis]

No more AirPort Express which means you have to pay twice the price for the cheapest base station.

But it's not discontinued.

As for the height, if you drill a hole in your shelf, you can lower it down and have just the top peak out, then it will lok like an Airport Express.

 

[Peace]

If you want to get yourself a Time Capsule for backing up your system and providing WiFi it pretty sure isn't useless! Especially not when completely redesigned.

You won't be able to use the faster 802.11ac unless your Mac uses 802.11ac. Otherwise it goes back to 802.11n

 

[tekilla]

No more AirPort Express which means you have to pay twice the price for the cheapest base station.

Incorrect.
You can still buy Airport Express - it was only redesigned last year.

 

[Lancer]

The only issue I have with the design is you can't put it under your TV anymore, won't fit on the shelf with my PVR where it's less likely to be bumped.

As for USB2, I guess being a wireless device USB3 would be wasted and any USB3 printers and HDDs are backward compatible with USB2 anyway.

 

[dunos]

More importantly will we be able to configure the new AEBS from Airport Utility 5.6 or will we be forced to use Airport Utility 6?

If the former then that is great.

If the latter then that sucks due to the feature crippled UI

 

[Cali Fornia]

USB 2 is kinda odd

Apple doesn't want you to go for the Express version and hook a fast hard drive to it, u shall spend some more and get the dedicated time capsule.

 

[Peace]

More importantly will we be able to configure the new AEBS from Airport Utility 5.6 or will we be forced to use Airport Utility 6?

If the former then that is great.

If the latter then that sucks due to the feature crippled UI

There's already an update for Airport Utility.

 

[dunos]

There's already an update for Airport Utility.

I just checked it out.. it is still feature crippled compared to version 5.6

 

[iliasp]

As for the difference btw Airport Extreme and Time Capsule, are there any apart from the fact that TC has a built in hard drive?

 

[Mike MA]

You won't be able to use the faster 802.11ac unless your Mac uses 802.11ac. Otherwise it goes back to 802.11n

You got me wrong on that one - if you're looking for a backup tool with integrated WiFi base station, you got your deal. It ADDITIONALLY supports the latest WiFi standard and comes completely redesigned. What more do you need?

 

[DisplacedMic]

Before anyone freaks out about how big it is, it has to be that big to get spacing between the antenna elements.

I'm glad they didn't let aesthetics trump functionality in this case (pun intended!)...

i agree with you, but i'm not seeing the pun?

 

[Peace]

You got me wrong on that one - if you're looking for a backup tool with integrated WiFi base station, you got your deal. It ADDITIONALLY supports the latest WiFi standard and comes completely redesigned. What more do you need?

To do faster backups ? A Mac with 802.11ac.

 

[jamesryanbell]

i agree with you, but i'm not seeing the pun?

"case".

 

[atari1356]

The old Airport Extreme looks too short next to my Ikea lamps. The new tall one will match better.

 

[iVoid]

I guess with this and the new MacPro, "TALL" is the latest trend at Apple.


Next iMac will be a portrait display.

 

[AppleMark]

I personally prefer the new footprint. Looks like about 6 Expresses stacked and glued on top of one another. However I only have [old ] 'n' tech, so no use to me yet.

 

[DisplacedMic]

So the only reason I can think why they wouldn't put USB 3.0 on here is because they don't want everybody buying the 2tb one and slapping another 2tb WD drive on there?

well joke's on them because i'm still going to do that. $400 for 3tb is just too much for me to be able to justify to myself. And by "myself" i of course mean the wife.

----------

"case".

I'm stoopit

 

[Mac'nCheese]

Wrong.

Will older devices see a boost in speed as well?

 

[bigcat318]

Will older devices see a boost in speed as well?

If the beam forming works on N as well they might. Otherwise I wouldn't think so.

 

[BornAgainMac]

Get a dog, dog will eat cat, problem solved.

Dog will pee on it.

 

[DogHouseDub]

Now selling both the square peg AND the round hole...