802.11ac uses QAM, which means that 802.11ac uses the fact that two signals do not arrive at the same time.
yeah, but they're supposed to be in quadrature and I'm sure they are designed to preserve the desired phase relationships.B
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Teardown of Apple's New AirPort Extreme Reveals Hard Drive Slot, but No Connectors
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yeah, but they're supposed to be in quadrature and I'm sure they are designed to preserve the desired phase relationships.B
the harddrive is the bottleneck. unless you are using an SSD you won't even reach 200 Mbps.
more like 100
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/usb-3.0-external-2.5-hard-disk,3218-8.html
well this is it isn't it? why would apple offer you a usb 3.0 functionality instead of you just buying the time capsule? This is apple we're talking about.
Isn't is already a simple NAS when you add a USB HDD or thumbdrive, obviously without the same DIY factor?
B
NO. Apple calls it a "Time Capsule" not a "NAS". I thnk it is clear they use the work "Time" in the name to go with Time Machine.
If you read the Apple Airport Extreme web site they don't really even talk much about the fact that you can plug in a disk. They do talk about plugging in a printer. IT is clearly NOT being marketed as a NAS.
The Time Capsule web site talks only about time machine backup, and printer sharing not NAS usage.
You can be disapointed that Apple is not selling a fast NAS for $200 but serioously NOBODY sells a fast nAS for $200. The problem is the tiny CPU and lack of RAM. a fast NAS is in fact a high-end file server and needs a reasonable CPU and a few GB of RAM. A Mac "Mini" makes a good file server.
Fair enough, so what's the point of having one?
Presumably 802.11ac isn't going to make your internet browsing any faster.
The SoC supports USB 3, yet the spec is USB 2. Not that it matters for a backup device or printer.
Also, the SoC doesn't seem to have a SATA controller, nor is there one elsewhere on the PCB. Guess the Time Capsule version will have a different brain.
Also, the SoC doesn't seem to have a SATA controller, nor is there one elsewhere on the PCB. Guess the Time Capsule version will have a different brain.
That makes no sense considering the last-generation Airport Extreme. Do you realize how low it sits?
Um, what engineering decisions for the form factor? The have a fan inside pushing heat downward; going against the understanding that the Mac Pro was designed for. Heat likes to go up right, so why push it down? I don't see any vents on the top of this AirPort Extreme or worse off the Time Capsule.
I think if I do get one of these, it'll have an SSD for the TC to replace stock HDD just for speed and longevity.
I don't know how many of you realize it but Apple has campuses dedicated to research. Apple electronics are probably the most thoroughly researched and engineered consumer and professional grade products on the market. My point is this, Apple = quality. I don't understand why so many of the commenters are ready to jump ship without thoroughly doing your own research on the product. I want to believe Apple is not selling us a 'bill of good'. I am reading the same negativism over in the Mac Pro forum. 
Fast hard drives can reach up to about 200MBps (bytes not bits). So that's 1600mbps.
Extreme AC as a Time Capsule
Currently I use my Airport Extreme with a plugged in external drive as a Time Capsule. Did Apple by any chance eliminate our ability to do that with this new version or is that feature still in tact (despite not being officially supported)?
Currently I use my Airport Extreme with a plugged in external drive as a Time Capsule. Did Apple by any chance eliminate our ability to do that with this new version or is that feature still in tact (despite not being officially supported)?
Ummm .... ok?
Because one is black and cylindrical while the other is bright white and rectangular?
Because one is black and cylindrical while the other is bright white and rectangular?
Now think about a full bottle of brandy on the table, and your baby crawling over the carpet. You'd have a backup of the pictures, but not of the baby.
And hard drives are actually quite robust, and at least the ones in laptops have sensors for acceleration, so dropping and destroying your MacBook will most likely not destroy the hard drive.
then you should have no problem accepting that because thats exactly what they said in the keynote about this device. and from their site:
"For the all-new design of AirPort Extreme, we took an approach that centered around performance. We made it taller and put the antennas at the top, creating a higher platform for dispersing the signal."
did you watch the keynote video? their intro video also specifically said they design things for purpose, not just for the sake of change. why do you doubt it? why would they lie to you?
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The previous versions did, but I am not sure if this version will. I don't see why it would not though.
...which has nothing to do w/ the people complaining about the new design, does it? my previous Extreme has a hard time reaching the bathroom & kitchen in the back of the house, or the backyard.
hahah. 5 years...good one.
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re: what's the point?
802.11ac should improve your overall wi-fi experience. The theoretical speed maximums they've quoted for ALL the wireless protocols (ever since 802.11b) are WAY above what you get in real world usage.
As the signal encounters interference (everything from your microwave oven getting used to cordless phones or baby monitors, not to mention OTHER nearby wi-fi access points), your speed is also degraded.
On top of that, there are issues with "holes" in the reception. If you walk around your typical home or office with your wireless device, you'll find weak spots where the signal is getting blocked by something in a wall or ceiling -- or where you're just close to the edge of its usable range.
The "beam forming" thing in the new 802.11ac should help some of this by trying to direct the signal in the direction of the device, rather than just blasting the signal out in all directions equally.
So this isn't really about "making your web browsing experience better" necessarily, but it is about keeping your wireless signal going more reliably without dropping out randomly in parts of a room. And it's about keeping large file downloads going at the speeds your broadband connection is capable of downloading them at, too -- especially with services like Verizon FiOS or some of the cable companies, who can offer speeds above 100mbits/second.
802.11ac should improve your overall wi-fi experience. The theoretical speed maximums they've quoted for ALL the wireless protocols (ever since 802.11b) are WAY above what you get in real world usage.
As the signal encounters interference (everything from your microwave oven getting used to cordless phones or baby monitors, not to mention OTHER nearby wi-fi access points), your speed is also degraded.
On top of that, there are issues with "holes" in the reception. If you walk around your typical home or office with your wireless device, you'll find weak spots where the signal is getting blocked by something in a wall or ceiling -- or where you're just close to the edge of its usable range.
The "beam forming" thing in the new 802.11ac should help some of this by trying to direct the signal in the direction of the device, rather than just blasting the signal out in all directions equally.
So this isn't really about "making your web browsing experience better" necessarily, but it is about keeping your wireless signal going more reliably without dropping out randomly in parts of a room. And it's about keeping large file downloads going at the speeds your broadband connection is capable of downloading them at, too -- especially with services like Verizon FiOS or some of the cable companies, who can offer speeds above 100mbits/second.
the tower designer is *not* for the hard drive. it's to raise the antennas up higher for better performance...as they said in the keynote and on the product page. so why would they make the non-time capsule version a poorer performer w/ a smaller design? they wouldnt.