Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple to Launch Cheaper AirPort Extreme, 3TB Time Capsule

They also predicted a new design with better heat dissipation
Click to expand...

To me the easiest way for them to do this is to redesign the entire thing. I predict they will look similar to the current generation Mac Mini. The aluminum casing will help keep things cool due to the thermal conductive nature of metal. They could also create a new antenna design that uses the casing itself as Wi-Fi antennas, not unlike the iPhone 4 in a way.

As for software changes, on the Time Capsule version I predict it might act as a cache for quicker iCloud backups. So you basically will be able to do an iCloud backup much faster directly to your Time Capsule, where it then does the work of uploading it to iCloud automatically. I don't think it would store the backup for long though. This is really just a best case scenario of what it could do, I don't even know if it's a useful feature. More likely it will only just do the software update cache like the rumor suggests.
 
Last edited:
Ideally, this would handle iCloud functionality for the devices on your network in case of no internet connection.

Then when you're connected, update the cloud.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Time Capsule only acts as a Time Machine backup without user modification right? I can't wirelessly drop off an video collection to it because I want it off my computer right?
 
ovrlrd said:
To me the easiest way for them to do this is to redesign the entire thing. I predict they will look similar to the current generation Mac Mini. The aluminum casing will help keep things cool due to the thermal conductive nature of metal. They could also create a new antenna design that uses the casing itself as Wi-Fi antennas, not unlike the iPhone 4 in a way.
Click to expand...

A couple of things. Aluminum hinders wifi signal strength, which is probably a good reason why they have never used it. I personally prefer the white gloss plastic myself so I hope they dont change the casing material. If these new models are supposedly going to have stronger signal strengths, i wouldn't expect an all new aluminum casing.

And the iPhone 4 antenna system is stainless steel.
 
cmChimera said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Time Capsule only acts as a Time Machine backup without user modification right? I can't wirelessly drop off an video collection to it because I want it off my computer right?
Click to expand...

Yes you can. Time Capsule drives appear as network mounts in Finder.
 
Here's a question for the Time Capsule experts. Is it actually possible to have two different Macs (say a Mac Pro and a MacBook Pro) back up to the same Time Capsule unit without getting conflicts?
 
wordoflife said:
Basically what I'm saying is that a price drop is welcomed for AEBS. A lot of people, like myself, can't really justify a price tag of $170.
Click to expand...

No argument from me there, a price drop would be very welcome.

Depending on the features and function, I could certainly justify a price tag of $170 though. But not for the current AEBS.
 
Lone Deranger said:
Here's a question for the Time Capsule experts. Is it actually possible to have two different Macs (say a Mac Pro and a MacBook Pro) back up to the same Time Capsule unit without getting conflicts?
Click to expand...

Absolutely, I have had my TC backup 4 Macs in the household at once. Not sure what the limit of Macs can be though.

Edit: Yes, absolutely no conflicts. Each Mac gets it's own backup file.
 
ADSL please? Come on Apple, you could sell way more if you put an ADSL modem in it like every other manufacturer.

Anyway, I still do not 'get' the AirPort Extreme extra expense over a £40 router.
 
Icaras said:
Absolutely, I have had my TC backup 4 Macs in the household at once. Not sure what the limit of Macs can be though.

Edit: Yes, absolutely no conflicts. Each Mac gets it's own backup file.
Click to expand...

Wow... I can't believe I never knew that. That's great. Thank you Icaras! :)
 
Damn, my linksys died on Sunday and I immediately ran out and replaced it with an Airport Extreme. I should've noticed the lack of units when I bought it from the Apple store.

If I go back and swap it out for a new one, has anyone had any luck in getting the 10% restocking fee waived?
 
emfsfo said:
Damn, my linksys died on Sunday and I immediately ran out and replaced it with an Airport Extreme. I should've noticed the lack of units when I bought it from the Apple store.

If I go back and swap it out for a new one, has anyone had any luck in getting the 10% restocking fee waived?
Click to expand...

Yes, especially if the new model comes out today. I've returned a couple of apple products for one reason or another, but I've never had to pay the restocking fee.
 
I'd be rather disappointed about 2TB and 3TB Time Capsule models.

I'd much prefer a smaller Time Capsule with a 2.5" drive. :rolleyes:

Benefits would be: It could be smaller, consume even less power and run quieter, cooler and more reliable.
1 TB capacity is enough for most people.
Actually, it's way more than enough.
We sell multiple 1 TB ones for every 2 TB one.

Few home users I know need more than 1 TB of storage. Even if you have that much data or more, it would take forever to send over Wi-Fi. And if you really need more than 1 TB of storage (let's say you are a system administrator or creative professional), you better not entrust your important data to a lowly Time Capsule.

Current Time Capsules do not lack in terms storage capacity or ease of use. Not even functionality paired with a Mac. They lack in terms of

1) price point. Many people shy away from buying one just because of their price point - and then some end up doing no data backup at all, cause they too are lazy to use a tethered drive just for backup purposes.

2) backing up non-PC devices. iPhones, iPads, iPod touches. Because, again, many are too lazy or stupid to regularly hook them up to a PC. If they even own one. Many don't even have an internet connection besides their iPad / iPod wireless plan. Syncing their oh-so-important photos, apps and videos to iCloud or somewhere else could eat up the biggest part of their monthly data allowance or more - so I can definitely see demand for local backup in addition to or instead of iCloud.
 
Last edited:
podiki said:
Yeah, Time Capsule is backup and it's better than no backup, but when your time capsule drive crashes you lose a *lot* of history.
Click to expand...

Been years and years and the TC drive hasn't crashed. It's probably rare to get a TC drive crashing. Possible, but not something to dread. The main drives, however, bottom on me every year like clockwork. As long as both don't die together, you can back-up everything fine.
 
Icaras said:
A couple of things. Aluminum hinders wifi signal strength, which is probably a good reason why they have never used it. I personally prefer the white gloss plastic myself so I hope they dont change the casing material.
Click to expand...

I hate the white casing! Hopefully they'll switch to black to match their other products. The only white computer they still sell is the entry level MacBook and that will probably be discontinued before long. I have an Airport Extreme and it looks so out of place on my black entertainment center next to my aluminum Mac Mini, my black plasma TV, my black PS3, my black receiver, etc. It sticks out like a sore thumb.

While they're at it, they can start making iPhone docks and cables black.
 
SimonTheSoundMa said:
ADSL please? Come on Apple, you could sell way more if you put an ADSL modem in it like every other manufacturer.
Click to expand...

You do realise that not everybody uses ADSL, so the added cost of having that integrated is just pointless for them? My parents, for example, use cable and hence have a DOCSIS cable modem that has nothing to do with ADSL - so the AirPort Extreme is great as a router for them.

Additionally, there are those who use multiple units - why do they need to pay for functionality they won't use? I have a TC and a pair of AirPort Extremes to provide decent coverage - I certainly wouldn't want an ADSL modem in each.
 
Mike Oxard said:
It is, I replaced the 500GB drive in my original TC with a 3TB Drive a couple of weeks ago, it works perfectly. It's a very easy job to do:
http://www.hardmac.com/articles/79/page1

Some people have reported the later model TC's don't show the full capacity of the new drive.
Click to expand...
That's interesting. That perhaps suggests GPT support implemented on some TC models but not others. Or perhaps Apple intentionally did not format drives using GPT so you couldn't clone them onto 3TB drives later. I guess pulling a drive from a TC where upgrading to 3TB didn't work and examining it using a Mac would give a clue.

Regardless testing 3TB drives which are still rather bleeding edge (in my view) would take some time. Testing GPT support and 4k sector alignment may not have been required on the earlier 2TB models and certainly not on lower capacity ones.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back