Windows Home Server soon gets supercharged to better support Windows 7.
(Credit: Screenshot by Dong Ngo/CNET)Microsoft announced Thursday its latest update to the Windows Home Server, the Power Pack 3. Originally, this upgrade was planned to be rolled out prior to the launch of Windows 7, but it was delayed due to a problem found during testing.
Power Pack 3 is much like a service pack to Windows Home Server, which is a special version of the Windows operating system designed specially for network-attached storage devices, such as the HP MediaSmart servers.
Judging from a few Windows Home Server-based NAS servers we've reviewed, Windows Home Server significantly helps new consumers familiarize themselves with network-attached storage devices by providing a similar management console, features, and file system support to those of the Windows operating system for desktop computers.
According to Windows Home Server Team's blog, the Power Pack 3 will be available next Tuesday in all shipping languages (including Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish). The pack will be free and can be downloaded via Windows Update.
If you plan to manually download it, the Power Pack 3 requires Windows Home Server with Power Pack 2 already installed. However, if your NAS server is connected to the Internet, Power Pack 3 will be automatically installed as part of automatic updates. Make sure you turn this feature on.
The major improvement the Power Pack 3 delivers is support for Windows 7, especially in the realms of backing up and media playback. The breakdown:
- Windows 7 Libraries integration: Now users can access Windows Home Server shared folder from within Windows 7 libraries.
- Windows 7 Action Center backup warning suppression: Windows 7 Action Center now recognizes Windows Home Server as a legitimate backup solution and stops warning you that a backup has not been set up.
- Windows 7 power settings: Windows Home Server can wake a Windows 7-based computer to do a backup, then put it back to sleep once the backup is done.
- Windows Search: Power Pack 3 includes Windows Search 4, which improves query search times, indexing times, and reliability. Files encrypted with EFS are now supported.
- TV archive: Windows Home Server can automatically archive recorded TV by moving your recordings from a Windows Media Center computer to your home server in the format of your choice. This is actually a very handy feature if you want to play back recorded TV shows to multiple devices, including portable ones.
For the complete details of what you can get from the Power Pack 3, check out the release documentation. It seems if you move to Windows 7, the Power Pack 3 upgrade is a must for your Windows Home Server-based NAS servers.
(Credit:
Timbuk2/CNET)
Netbooks are generally small enough to fit in most any bag you've got, but if you want something small to carry around your Netbook (and your Netbook only), Timbuk2's new T-Pack does the trick. This bag can be used in one of three ways: as a standalone, padded case to be thrown in another bag, as a shoulder bag, or as a backpack-style bag, which in the above photo looks kind of ridiculous.
Along with holding your computer, the bag also has a zip pocket on the bottom that can be used to stash your power adapter, along with a few odds and ends like a wireless card, mouse, or USB sticks. The bag costs $30 and can hold Netbooks up to 10 inches in size, although buyers on Timbuk2's site report that some machines with extended life battery packs don't fit.
Need lots more power for your iPhone? This 1,900mAh power pack should keep it running all day.
(Credit: Meritline)Update: Looks like this is sold out already. You can find what looks to be an identical battery (in black) for $17.99 from HandHelditems--where you'll also find some very positive user reviews.
Until Apple sees fit to outfit iPhones and iPods with user-replaceable batteries (meaning never), travelers have no choice but to pack battery packs.
After all, the last thing you want in the middle of your playlist, movie, game, e-book, or audiobook is a dead battery. (It's not real convenient when you need to make a call, either.)
Meritline has a Mobile Power Station Battery for iPhone and iPod for $9.99. That's after applying coupon code MLC262362. Shipping is free.
What's the big deal about this particular battery? In a word: capacity. The Mobile Power Station packs a 1,900mAh lithium ion cell, which should power your device for--let's see, carry the one--ever.
OK, not forever, but a mighty long time. To put this in some perspective, the $10.99 iPhone battery pack I wrote up last April has an 800mAh battery. The $80 Energizer AP1500 I reviewed last month tops out at 1,200mAh.
Needless to say, a 1,900mAh battery should outlast them all. And for only 10 bucks! (I might just grab two.)
A couple caveats. First, Meritline ships from Hong Kong, so plan on waiting a good two weeks or so for delivery. Second, I've heard from several readers who aren't happy with Meritline's customer service, mostly because of lost or delayed shipments. I've never had a problem with them, but I wanted to pass along the concerns.
Of course, if you're looking for supplemental power because your iPhone barely lasts a day anymore, consider replacing its internal battery. That's something you can do yourself for as little as $6.
What do you think? Is this the battery deal of the century (hey, it's been a fairly short century), or does it sound too good to be true?
The Energi To Go AP1500 double as an iPhone case. Sort of.
Planning a long trip? iPhone battery not lasting as long as it used to? Want backup power for emergencies? Whatever the situation, you need a battery pack.
Energizer's Energi To Go AP1500, which I tested on a recent trip, promises to double your iPhone battery life. I have a few minor quibbles with it, but I'll never again leave home without it.
Slimmer and sleeker than Energizer's original Energi To Go for iPhone and more case-like than products like the iPWE SuperPack, the AP1500 cradles your iPhone on the bottom and backside, with textured grippers on either side to keep the iPhone secure and, ostensibly, keep the whole kaboodle from slipping out of your hand.
However, the grippers aren't rubberized: they're the same smooth, fingerprint-attracting plastic as the rest of the AP1500, and therefore still a bit slippery. And unlike the similarly priced Mophie's Juick Pack Air, it doesn't provide total protection by enclosing the top.
Stocked with a 1,200mAh battery (like the Mophie), the AP1500 charges via a standard mini-USB port. it's admirably lightweight at just 3.9 ounces, and it has a cool blue gauge that, with the push of a button, shows the charge status of the pack itself. However, as with the Mophie, the LEDs weren't always accurate--I found that the pack had power even when the gauge showed empty.
On the other hand, I used the AP1500 to fully recharge my nearly depleted iPhone 3G, after which it still showed about 25 percemt of its own power remaining. As a supplemental power supply, it should indeed fulfill Energizer's claim of doubling overall battery life.
That fact alone makes this a worthwhile product for power-hungry iPhone owners. However, the $80 price tag, while competitive, strikes me as high. Hopefully, when it's available for sale from Amazon and other vendors later this month, you'll be able to find it for less.
On the other hand, if you're shopping for a battery pack solely because your iPhone battery is old and no longer holding much of a charge, consider replacing the battery yourself--which you can do for as little as $6.
(Credit:
Mophie)
Not everybody may be thrilled that the new iPhone 3G S looks exactly like the old iPhone. But its unveiling brought some good news for iPhone accessory manufacturers, especially those that make iPhone protective cases: they won't have to retool and create new accessories for the iPhone 3G S.
Case in point: Mophie's Juice Pack Air, an iPhone battery extender that doubles as a case and happened to be last week's Crave Giveaway of the week. (You can flip the battery on and off, so it'll only draw power when and if you want it to.)
Mophie claims the Juice Pack Air ($79.99)--which contains a 1200 rechargeable mAH battery and comes in black, white, or purple--nearly doubles the battery life of the iPhone 3G S. According to Mophie, here's the additional battery time provided by Juice Pack Air:
- Standby Time: Up to 270 hours
- Talk Time: Up to 4.5 hours (3G) Up to 10 hours (2G)
- Internet Use: Up to 4.5 hours (3G) Up to 8 Hours (Wi-Fi)
- Audio Playback: Up to 27 hours
- Video Playback: Up to 9 hours
(Credit:
Mophie)
Update: This week's winner is David P. of Burlingame, CA.
For this week's Crave giveaway, we've got the Mophie Juice Pack Air, a rechargeable battery case for the iPhone 3G. It's a great "twofer"--a protective case that also delivers extra battery life to your iPhone. (You can flip the battery on and off, so it'll only draw power when and if you want it to.) Normally, the Juice Pack Air goes for $80, but you've got a chance to get one gratis.
So, how do you try to win yourself a free Mophie Juice Pack Air? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.
- Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, no need to register again.
- Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
- Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
- Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Mophie Juice Pack Air. Approximate retail value is $79.99.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
- Entries can be submitted until Monday, June 8, at 11:59:59 AM EDT.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 11:59:59 AM EDT on June 8, 2009. See official rules for details.
Good luck.
Do you need power for your cell phone, MP3 player, digital camera, and other portable gadgets? Our friend Mr. Sun has an endless supply (well, not endless--5 billion years and kaput!). What you need is a way to harness those rays and turn them into energy you can use.
GoldenGadgets has just such a harness: the Portable Hybrid Solar Charger, currently on sale for $19.99--shipping will run you about $5.
What makes it a "hybrid" charger? Simple: It can draw energy from the sun (8-10 hours buys you a full charge--bad news for those of us who live in Michigan, where we're lucky to get 8-10 minutes of sun. Hey-oh!) or from a USB source like your PC, which does the job in about 4 hours.
The charger comes with a generous assortment of tips: BlackBerry, Motorola, Nokia, Mini-USB, USB, and iPod/iPhone. (Unless my eyes deceive me, there's also one for Palm, though the product listing doesn't mention it.)
Speaking of which, the product listing doesn't specifically mention iPhone 3G compatibility, either; however, one of the user reviews claims it works fine. (The demo video up top shows an iPhone getting charged, but it looks like a first-generation model.)
Sure, you can get an iPhone battery pack for as little as $6.99, but that powers one device and one device only. This eco-friendly charger can juice just about everything in your carry-on bag. Until someone invents a teeny little windmill, it'll have to do.
Following a long wait after my first blog, I finally got my hands on Mophie's Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 3G. The company announced the availability of the accessory Tuesday with a price tag of $79.95.
If you own an iPhone 3G, you know how bad the device's battery life is, especially when you have 3G, GPS, and Wi-Fi turned on. For this reason, extended batteries, such as the original Juice Pack from Mophie are a must. However, this juice pack is rather bulky and doesn't cover the top of the phone. This is where the Juice Pack Air comes into play.
The new Juice Pack Air is thinner, though not by much, and has a top part to make it a complete protective case for the iPhone 3G while doubling the phone's battery life.
Unfortunately, the Juice Pack Air comes with a Micro-USB port, instead of the Mini-USB port that's used in many handheld devices, including the original Juice Pack. This makes it a little inconvenient to use. Other than that I liked it.
Before making the purchase, make sure you read the full review of the unit here.
Extend your iPhone's runtime by nearly 70 percent.
(Credit: Meritline)Got power? Scratch that. Got enough power? Oh, who are we kidding, there's never enough. That's why no self-respecting iPhone owner should travel without an external power pack, a battery that clips on to provide extra juice just when you need it.
There are dozens of such products available, often with price tags in the $30 to 40 range. However, Meritline has an 800mAh external iPhone 3G battery pack for $10.99 shipped. (It normally sells for $35.99.)
The iPhone 3G Power Station plugs into the bottom of your handset to recharge the internal battery or supply emergency power. (My definition of "emergency" is a battery that dies halfway through your flight.)
How much extra runtime can you squeeze from the Power Station? Well, it's an 800mAh battery. Your iPhone 3G has an 1150mAh battery. Math isn't my strong suit, but I'm guessing you should get nearly 70 percent more runtime--not too shabby.
The Power Station recharges with a standard iPhone connector: USB cable, speaker dock, or whatever. According to the Meritline Web site, which is pretty light on details, it takes three hours to fully charge.
The only real downside here is that the Power Station "ships in 2-5 days via Hong Kong Air Mail," meaning it could take a full two weeks to arrive at your door. If you don't mind the wait, this looks like a mighty sweet deal on an iPhone battery pack.
The new Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G.
(Credit: Mophie)If you've been waiting for the Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 3G, it's still not out yet. However, you can now get Mophie's latest Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G that the company announced on March 19.
The new Juice Pack gives iPod Touch owners twice as much time to use their player for music, video, or surfing the Internet. According to Mophie, the pack will give the iPod Touch 2G up to an additional 42 hours of music playback and up to 7 hours of video playback.
The Juice Pack is certified by Apple to work as a battery extender and as a protective case. It sports an ergonomic design with a soft-touch, nonslip rubberized finish, and it comes fully charged and ready to go out of the box.
Similar to the original Juice Pack for the iPhone 3G, the new Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G has a pass-through design. This lets you simultaneously charge and sync with iTunes via a USB cable (included) without having to remove it from the Juice Pack.
The pack features advanced battery technology that intelligently instructs the iPod Touch to drain the Juice Pack first before tapping its own battery. It uses a highly condensed lithium polymer battery with built-in overcharge, short circuit, and temperature protection.
The back of the Juice Pack has four LED lights that let you know how much juice is left, and it also displays how much time remains during the charging process.
The new Juice Pack for the iPod Touch 2G is available now for $99.95.
