In testing: Time Capsule

Update:

After spending some time with Apple's Time Capsule this afternoon, we have some impressions for you. We'll dig deeper before our full review on Monday, but here are some initial thoughts.

We paired the Time Capsule with a MacBook Pro with a home cable modem providing the Internet connection. In order to keep it simple, we relied on hard-wired Ethernet all the way, linking the cable modem to the Time Capsule, and the Time Capsule to our laptop. Setup is easy. All you need to do is plug all of the appropriate cables in for your network and then plug in the Time Capsule's power cord. There's no power switch, so it comes right on.

The first software screen you see when you insert the Time Capsule disc

(Credit: CNET)

The screen above pops up when you insert the Time Capsule's CD, and from there you click on the Time Capsule icon to install the update to your Mac's AirPort Utility. The AirPort Utility serves as the primary software interface for the Time Capsule. Most of the software setup is easy, but a few screens might puzzle you if you're not that network savvy.

Not every Time Capsule setup screen will make sense to the average user.

(Credit: CNET)

Assuming you make your way through the setup process (the default option on each screen was usually the right one, at least at home), you'll know it's successful when Time Machine, Apple's automated backup software, finds the Time Capsule's drive. "J Boogie" in the screen below would be our music-loving Associate Testing Analyst Julie Rivera, who's testing the MacBook Pro laptop we're using.

We have Time Machine turned off here because when it's on it gives you a 2-minute countdown before it performs a backup. We wanted to investigate the software some more before losing it to the hours-long backup process, but we'll turn it on tonight to see how that goes.

When Time Machine finds your Time Capsule, you know you set it up correctly.

(Credit: CNET)

One feature Time Capsule offers is the ability to add more storage via its USB port. We connected a simple USB flash drive (the "NO NAME" volume in the shot below), and it popped up almost instantly on the Time Capsule's devices screen. The only stipulation is that you have to enter the Time Capsule's password, which you establish during setup, before it will allow you to access the new drive.

Adding external storage to the Time Capsule is easy.

(Credit: CNET)

Even though initial set up at home was relatively easy, we hit a few snags. We were able to use the Time Capsule successfully as a router for our home network, and we got online on both the MacBook Pro as well as a Windows XP desktop in the other room. We hoped the Time Capsule's hard drive would just pop up in Windows, but it didn't. And after we reconfigured the drive properties and restarted the Time Capsule, per its software instructions, it hung. Every time you make a settings change it seems to want to reboot itself, which takes a while. Worse, whenever it failed a restart, the Time Capsule and our Macbook seemed to lose each other, and we had to go through the whole setup process from scratch.

We're going to spend more time with the Time Capsule tomorrow and we'll have our full review up by Monday. In the meantime, Flickr user nakedmac posted a gallery of the Time Capsule's internals (seems you can swap in a new hard drive). And Schmittroth, to answer your question in the comments about the power cable, nope, no brick. Just a thin white cord as you can see from the shot below.

No clunky power brick here.

(Credit: Rich Brown/CNET Networks)

Original post (by Matthew Elliott):

Time Capsule: Time for your close-up.

(Credit: Phil Ryan/CNET Networks)

Apple's Time Capsule began shipping yesterday, and after a run to The Westchester mall in White Plains, N.Y., this afternoon, we now have one in hand. Stay tuned for our full review, which we plan to bring you on Monday. In it, we'll discuss throughput of the 802.11n router, transfer speeds of the 500GB drive (call us cheap--we bought the lower-end $299 model), and how it jibes with Leopard's Time Machine feature for wireless backups. Anything else you want, let us know. In the meantime, read Rich Brown's breakdown of Time Capsule here.

From the left: the power cord, a USB port, one Gigabit WAN port, and three Gigabit LAN ports.

(Credit: Phil Ryan/CNET Networks)

[JustinGN]

Media Streaming? Hackability?

I'd like to see some notes in the review or such on the Time Capsule's server and
media streaming capabilities, if any. I know it's designed to be the central
backup solution for Macs, but if I can get a 500GB File Server for $300, that's
not a bad deal.

[Schmittroth]

Power Brick?

Is there a power brick or is the power supply contained in the unit?

[JT9011]

Additional USB disks

From the pics on Apple website, looks like there is support of adding additional USB disks....Am I wrong?

[restoration85]

USB Disk???

Buddy maybe you should clarify what a "USB Disk" is, because I have never heard that term before.

[jhgny]

Apple Store in White Plains

After reading this post yesterday, I went to the Apple Store in White Plains early this morning so I could purchase my Time Capsule. The store sold out of both Time Capsule models yesterday shortly after they went on sale. The sales rep. said demand for the product was extremely high. He was kind enough to call the Apple Store at the Palisades Mall in West Nyack. The West Nyack store sold out of the 1 TB model but I was able to purchase the 500 GB model. My hunch is that other stores are going to experience similar demand for this exciting new product.

[ServedUp]

Not a really informative review

I do think you should really spend more time with it before even forming an
opinion. Seems like whenever you make a point its so vague and non-definitive
then you make the excuse you need to spend more time with it. So why don't
you do just that!

[aaanouel]

Agree...!!!!!

I do agree with you.
The article ddidn't tell me anything either but about someone to bought an
Apple Time Capsule and just unwrapped it from the box and just was trying to
plug it on the wall outlet...

[aaanouel]

Agree...!!!!!

I do agree with you. (spelling corrected)
The article didn't tell me anything either but about someone who bought an
Apple Time Capsule and just unwrapped it out the box and was trying to plug it
on the wall outlet...

[aaanouel]

Did you say anything...?

If you want to say something about anything, please wait to have something to
say about it.
Please don't make us loose our time.
(Sorry Rick)

[daiku1]

Would like to see expansion capability

Was wondering if you can attach a USB hub and multiple USB drives to see if they
will work as 1) Expanded Time Machine capability and 2) Contiguous NAS
storage. Can you include that in your test?

Thanks

[fleurya]

Is Apple paying you guys for this coverage???

Honestly, this is the third posting you guys have made about Time Capsule, and
you haven't even really fully tested or reviewed it yet!! The only reason I can see
such a relatively insignificant product getting such attention is that Apple is
paying you to boost it's exposure to your audience. It's really distasteful and
soils your reputation for providing legitimate, unbiased information.

[make_or_break]

Since WHEN is CNET "unbiased"???

According to the Redmond-haters, they LOVE MSFT too much.

According to the Apple bashers, they LOVE Cupertino too much.

As for all the rest of the companies...well, they probably LOVE THEM too much as well.

So I suppose they could be deemed "unbiased", considering all the LOVE they're throwing around.

However, reading completely through the report (not a review), it sounds like Time Capsule is getting SOME beatdown. So...not as much LOVE as you may have thought.

[treester13]

I Appreciate the Updates

I actually appreciate the updates, particularly this product. I wanted to get one
this weekend so I was hoping for as much info as possible before Monday. So
thank you for whatever you guys have uncovered so far about Time Capsule.
Please don't listen to d-bags who have nothing better to do than to come up
with conspiracy theories about how CNET/crave are shills for Apple.

I look forward to your full review.

[ski3211]

Where's the update?

According to your blog, the full review was due out Monday. It is now Tuesday.
Where is the full review?