Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on November 6, 2024 by itnerd
Other World Computing today announced it is making it easier than ever for Mac users to maximize their devices’ performance with the OWC 10G Ethernet Adapter, delivering lightning-fast 10G Ethernet connectivity to any Mac with Thunderbolt (USB-C), including the latest M4 series. The plug-and-play adapter offers a high-performance, reliable solution for Mac models without built-in 10G Ethernet – allowing users to connect at 10G speeds and leverage faster local networks and network-attached storage (NAS).
To complement this upgrade, Other World Computing offers its OWC Thunderbolt Pro Dock, which transforms any workspace with versatile port expansion and 10G Ethernet capabilities. The Thunderbolt Pro Dock – with the ability to power a Mac laptop and add essential ports through a single Thunderbolt cable – is the ideal accessory for users needing high-speed network connectivity and streamlined connectivity for multiple devices.
Product highlights:
OWC Thunderbolt 10G Ethernet Adapter – The Portable Ethernet Supercharger
Blazing-fast – Over 900MB/s real-world tested transfer speed for large file transfers, video editing, and live-streaming gaming sessions
Compatible – Use with any Thunderbolt-equipped Mac or Windows computer
Capable – Up to 100-meter cable distance with Cat6a for 10G, Cat6 for 5G, and Cat5e for 2.5G
Smart – Supports auto-negotiation for 10Gb/s, 5Gb/s, 2.5Gb/s, 1Gb/s and 100Mb/s Base-T Ethernet standards
Accessible – Wake-on-LAN ready for remote access of home or work computer
AVB ready – Perfect for use in pro audio and video applications where synchronization of data streams is critical
Securable – Features Kensington-compatible lock slot for anti-theft cabling
OWC Thunderbolt Pro Dock – The Best Networking, Media, and Docking Solution for Pro Creatives
Fast & diverse – Transfer files in a blink, daisy chain up to five Thunderbolt devices, use USB-C accessories, and add an HDMI display with two Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports
Full throttle bandwidth – Share and stream up to 90% faster with a 10Gb/s Ethernet port
AVB ready – Perfect for use in pro audio and video applications where synchronization of data streams is critical
Ingest content – Easily handle multiple video and photo card uploads at up to 1630MB/s with CFexpress and SD card readers
Full-speed connectivity – Use your devices and accessories at their max speed with one USB-C and three USB Type-A 10Gb/s ports
Add more viewspace – Connect two 4K displays or up to a single 8K display via Displayport 1.4
Powerful – Keep your notebook mobile use ready with 85W charging power
Silent and secure – Fanless cooling mode and locking power connection for on-set use
Certified – Thunderbolt certified for Mac and Windows
Dante compatible – Easy Plug and Play – no software needed – into networks designed for bit-perfect audio with super low latency and sample-accurate synchronization
Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on October 31, 2024 by itnerd
Other World Computing today announced the full compatibility of its OWC Thunderbolt 5 innovations – including its OWC Envoy Ultra SSD and OWC Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cables – with the latest Mac mini powered by the new M4 Pro chip and MacBook Pro powered by the M4 Pro and M4 Max family of chips. With these cutting-edge OWC solutions, Apple users are empowered to unlock the full potential of Thunderbolt 5, and enjoy a new era of speed, reliability, and connectivity.
The OWC Envoy Ultra is the first and fastest Thunderbolt 5 Portable SSD. Built for those who refuse to slow down, it is:
Faster than Fast – Revolutionary speed over 6000MB/s – up to 2x faster than Thunderbolt 4 and USB4
A Machine Maximizer – Gets the most speed possible from Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 machines
Ready for Anything – Easily handle daily data needs to pro-level creative projects while matching internal storage performance
Versatile – Works with Macs, PCs, iPad Pros, Chromebooks, and Surface devices
Weatherproof – Protects data from dust, drops, and downpours
Convenient – Bus-powered with built-in Thunderbolt cable
The OWC Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cable is the only cable you’ll ever need. Built for speed, power, and compatibility with every device, past, present, and future, it is:
100% USB-C Compatible – Connect to today’s, tomorrow’s, and yesterday’s Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, Surface, and other devices with a Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, or USB-C port
Lightning Quick – Work and play faster with up to 80Gb/s of bi-directional data speed and up to 120Gb/s for higher display bandwidth needs
Versatile – Connect to millions of docks, displays, eGPUs, PCIe expansion, external SSDs, RAID storage, and accessories
Powerful – Lab certified to safely deliver up to 240 watts to charge the most power-hungry device
All About Stunning Visuals – Connect to the latest and future Thunderbolt, USB-C, and DisplayPort displays for incredible 4K, 5K, 6K, and up to three 8K displays
Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on October 31, 2024 by itnerd
Other World Computing today announced that its OWC USB-C Dual HDMI 4K Display Adapter offers seamless compatibility with Apple’s latest iMac with M4 release. For iMac users seeking dual-display capabilities, this OWC adapter empowers them to easily connect two 4K displays via a single USB-C port – especially useful where native support is limited.
The OWC USB-C Dual HDMI 4K Display Adapter is compatible with Apple’s newest iMac M4, as well as previous models such as the M1 and M3 iMacs, M1-M3 MacBook Air, and 13″ and 14″ MacBook Pros equipped with M-series chips. While Macs with Pro, Max, and Ultra processors natively support multiple displays, this industry-unique OWC adapter unlocks the ability to use dual external displays on Mac models limited to a single monitor, expanding productivity for users across the Apple ecosystem.
Scalable – easily solves the one external display limitation of Apple silicon standard M1, M2, and M3, M4 Macs
Expansive – connect up to two 4K displays via a single Thunderbolt or USB-C port on any Mac or Windows PC, or add a second adapter for up to four displays
Flexible – choose either Extended or Mirror display modes
Convenient – bus-powered via integrated 13-inch USB-C cable for use anywhere
Comprehensive – certified pass-through power delivery so you can fully power/charge your Apple silicon M1/M2/M3 MacBook Pro or M1/M2 MacBook Air and run dual displays all through a single port
Portable – about the size and weight of a compact smartphone
Complete – one easy, affordable solution vs costly hassle of multiple adapters and cables
HDMI Pass-Through Support – Allows audio signals to pass through the adapter to the connected displays
Posted in Products with tags OWC on September 30, 2024 by itnerd
When my MacBook Pro is set up at my desk, I use a dock to create a “1 cable solution” to charge and provide extra ports like USB ports and card reader ports. I do that because it’s a lot easier to access the dock’s ports rather than the ones on the MacBook Pro. And a dock often adds additional ports that I didn’t have before. With that background out of the way, I was intrigued by the OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock that OWC sent over for me to review. And after using it for the last few days, I can conclude that it is a dock that you should go out and buy if you want a dock that provides a load of functionality.
Let’s look at the dock:
The dock is 1.4″ x 9.5″ x 3.6″ and has some heft to it. But not so much heft that it would deter you from tossing it into a backpack to take it someplace. It’s made of aluminum which when in use gets warm to the touch. I point that out because I’ve tried docks that get outright hot to the touch which doesn’t exactly give me a good feeling as I wonder if the dock in question will die at some point because of the heat, or if it will have some other issue that would be a problem. I don’t have that feeling with this dock as clearly the heat is being managed well given that it is warm and not hot.
On one side you get a Thunderbolt 4 port that does 90W power delivery. You also get a Kensington slot to make sure that the dock doesn’t grow legs and walk away. This is the Thunderbolt 4 port that you use to connect to your laptop. In my case an M1 MacBook Pro. 90W of power delivery is a win because any laptop that requires a lot of power is going to be able to be charged quickly with this dock. Now if you look just above the Thunderbolt 4 port, there’s a hole there. That’s actually for a cable stabilizer that you can buy separately that makes sure that the Thunderbolt 4 port doesn’t disconnect by accident.
On the back you get two Thunderbolt 4 ports that do 15W of power delivery, a HDMI port with the ability to drive an 8K display at 60Hz, a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port which is handy if you have a network that supports that speed. Two USB-A 3.2 10 Gb/s ports that do 1.5A of power for bus-powered drives and device charging, and a plug for a power cable. Here’s why that power plug is cool. The power adapter that’s built into the dock. And that means no ugly power brick to deal with. It also means that you can use this dock worldwide. As in it covers 100~240V. And the plug itself is a 2 prong power cable. That’s important because if I want to travel with this dock, I simply have to figure out what cable I need for the country that I am going to and buy it off Amazon as a 2 prong power cable is very common and easy to find. Above each Thunderbolt 4 port are cable stabilizer ports.
On the front you get an UHS-II SD card slot, a 1/8″ audio jack (it’s a combo port by the way), a USB 2.0 port and a USB-C 3.2 10Gb/s port. The other thing that I note is that there’s a fair amount of ventilation on this dock. Clearly that helps in terms of keeping it cool. Above the USB-C port is another cable stabilizer port.
I am going to flip over the dock to point out two things that I thought were cool. The first is that there are lights that tell you what’s going on from a power and Thunderbolt perspective are on the bottom. Because they’re on the bottom, it means that they will not light up a dark room. But will still be noticeable if you’re looking for them. People who work in dark rooms who don’t want the LED’s from their devices glowing all the time and bothering them rejoice!
To encourage you to RTFM, OWC has a sticker with a QR code that takes you to online versions of the manuals for the dock and a piece of software called Dock Ejector. More on the latter in a moment.
Also included in the box is a power cable and a Thunderbolt 4 cable. Both should be long enough for any use case that you might have. I should also note that the Thunderbolt 4 cable is a high quality cable that I would expect to last a long time.
So right off the bat, there’s a lot of good things here. Starting with the fact that it does 90W of power delivery to your laptop which means that you won’t be waiting for it to charge. And you have more than a healthy selection of ports to cover pretty much any use case. In terms of speed, from my testing you seem only to be limited to the speed of the devices that you connect to this dock to a point. For example, I connected an OWC Envoy SSD to do some testing with it and this is what I got:
If you compare these results to what I got when I reviewed it, having the OWC Envoy SSD connected to this dock results in roughly a 10% speed hit versus connecting it directly to my Mac. So while there is a a bit of a speed penalty, it’s a minor penalty that I am not going to lose any sleep over as you likely won’t notice it or care over the long term as this is still plenty fast.
OWC has a unique use case for this dock that allows you to use the Apple SuperDrive USB-A CD/DVD burner with this dock. Typically, docks don’t play nice with the Apple SuperDrive because of the power that they require. That usually means that you have to connect them directly to a Mac and that defeats the purpose of having a dock. To exploit this use case, you need to install a piece of software from OWC called OWC Dock Ejector. That does two things, it installs a driver that allows the SuperDive to run with this dock and consume more power, and it gives you a menu bar icon that allows you to eject discs easily. But to use this software, you need to change security modes on your Mac as per this YouTube video.
Now after watching this video, some of you might have an issue with this as lowering the security of anything is bad in 2024. So let’s go into the weeds for a bit to illustrate why this isn’t an issue.
Macs can have three possible security polices to choose from:
Full Security: This is the default and safest boot policy, with no security downgrades permitted. Your Mac ensures that only actively signed versions of macOS can be installed. (Fun fact: On iOS, this is used to prevent downgrades to previous versions.)
Reduced Security: Any compatible macOS version can be installed, as long as it was previously signed by Apple. You can also permit the following:
Allow third-party kernel extensions to run
Allow MDM (Mobile Device Management) to manage kernel extensions and software updates
Permissive Security: This is the most dangerous level and is hidden for safety reasons. Any compatible operating system can be installed, such as custom macOS builds or Linux. You can also permit the following:
Allow third-party kernel extensions to run
Allow MDM (Mobile Device Management) to manage kernel extensions and software updates
If you really want to go into the weeds on this, Apple has this document for Apple Silicon Macs, and this document for Intel Macs that can help you with that. But here’s where I’m going with this. Reduced Security which is what OWC needs you to set your Mac to in order to install Dock Ejector, or more specifically the driver that allows the SuperDrive to work with your Mac via the dock. And using Reduced Security could introduce a theoretical risk that you could get pwned by something because the security level is reduced from the default level that your Mac ships with. But the reality is that the chances of getting pwned in while you’re in this mode are somewhere between slim and none. I should also note that OWC’s driver is notarized by Apple. So it’s not some sort or rogue piece of software. And all of that is on top of the fact that anything else that runs in that mode has to be notarized by Apple. That in effect means that no rogue piece of code should be able to pwn your Mac.
Now having said all of that, I am going to go out on a limb and say that a few of you will still have a problem with this. Let me help you with that. I was able to hop onto a Zoom call with OWC and they explained two things to me:
The current driver that is part of Dock Ejector was was written in IOKit . Long story short, as macOS security tightened up around the kernel with every iteration of macOS, it forced OWC into a position where they had to ask users to do what I described above because this driver is a kernel driver which lives in layman’s terms in the core of the operating system.
There is an upcoming version of Dock Ejector that should ship by the end of the year that includes a driver that has been rewritten in DriverKit. By using DriverKit, the driver runs not in the kernel, but in the user space. Which means that you don’t have to do what I described above to install it. Or put another way, you can use this new version of Dock Ejector to get your SuperDrive working without having to do anything that affects what I will call your “perceived level of security”. That’s a total win as far as I am concerned.
Let me point out one more thing. What the above illustrates is that OWC is a top shelf company to deal with. I highlighted a concern to OWC about something that their product did. They hopped onto a Zoom call with me and gave me their side of the story. They were completely transparent and open and I walked away with the feeling that I could confidently recommend this dock to those who find this to be a non-issue, and to those who might have a concern as that concern has been fully addressed from where I sit. I’m pointing this out because I rarely get this level of response and transparency from a company whose products that I review. And I am someone who among other things reviews products for a living. So you would think that because of that, companies would want to talk to me. But that’s not the case. I’ve had situations where companies have blown me off in similar situations. OWC didn’t do that which suggests to me that if you buy one of these docks, which you should if you have a use case that this dock can address, you’re going to be taken care of over the long term.
Now with that out of the way, Dock Ejector has a handy feature where if you try to eject a volume that has a file open by an application for example, it will not only tell you that is the case, but it will tell you what application is keeping it open. Thus allowing you to take action as you will be presented with the option to force eject the volume. That’s very cool. And makes it totally worth running if you have this dock.
I will end this review by saying that I really like this dock and I highly recommend it. During my week of testing it, I found zero issues with it and it is solid. Not to mention that it is well designed and thought out to make sure that it appeals to the broadest set of users possible. And at a cost of $299.99 USD, this dock is an excellent value given what OWC has brought to the table feature wise. And if that Dock Ejector thing bothers you, when the new version ships I’ll update this review with a download link to that new version in order to address your unease. If you need a dock for your desk setup, there’s really no reason why the OWC Thunderbolt Go shouldn’t be your first choice.
UPDATE: Dock Ejector 2.0 has launched. More details here.
Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on September 12, 2024 by itnerd
Other World Computing today announced the launch of the Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD – ready for pre-order today (shipping in October). Designed to maximize the performance of Mac and PC devices with Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4 Thunderbolt 3, and USB4, this groundbreaking SSD sets a new benchmark with revolutionary speeds exceeding 6000MB/s – making it up to twice as fast as Thunderbolt 4 and USB4.
Providing unparalleled speed and versatility for professionals and enthusiasts alike, the Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD is:
Faster than Fast – Revolutionary speed over 6000MB/s…up to 2x faster than Thunderbolt 4 and USB4.
Machine Maximizing – Gets the most speed possible from Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, and USB4 machines.
Ready for Anything – Easily handle daily data needs to pro-level creative projects while matching internal storage performance.
Versatile – Works with Macs, PCs, iPad Pros, Chromebooks, and Surface devices.
Rugged – Water-resistant, dust-resistant, and crushproof.
Convenient – Bus-powered with built-in Thunderbolt cable.
Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD – Availability and Pricing
The new Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD will be available in 2.0TB and 4.0TB capacities for $399.99 and $599.99 respectively. It is available now for pre-order and will start shipping in late October.
OWC Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cable
In related news, OWC also announced today the general availability (GA) release of the OWC Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cable. This high-performance cable is designed to deliver the full potential of Thunderbolt 5, offering up to 80Gb/s of bi-directional data speed and up to 120Gb/s for higher display bandwidth needs. Compatible with Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, USB4, and USB-C devices, the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Cable ensures seamless connectivity and unparalleled performance for all your data, video, and power needs.
OWC Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cable – Availability and Pricing
The OWC Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) cables are available now in lengths of .3M, .8M, and 1.0M for $22.99, $27.99, and $39.99, respectively.
IBC2024
The new Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD and the OWC Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cable will be on display at IBC2024, taking place September 13-16 at the Auditorium Complex at the RAI in Amsterdam (Hall 7, Stand 7A.60).
Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on September 12, 2024 by itnerd
Other World Computing today announced two groundbreaking product launches at this year’s IBC2024. During the event, taking place September 13-16 at the Auditorium Complex at the RAI in Amsterdam, OWC will unveil its latest innovations — the new Jellyfish Studio and Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD.
Visitors to OWC’s exhibit in Hall 7, Stand 7A.60 will have the opportunity to see firsthand how the new, cost-effective Jellyfish Studio redefines media-centric workflows with its enterprise-level performance, unmatched redundancy, and user-friendly management software. Tailored specifically for content creators and filmmakers, as well as media professionals, Jellyfish Studio delivers first-of-its-kind features that simplify collaboration and increase productivity, including:
Enterprise Ready — Powered by a Linux OS and ZFS File System, Jellyfish Studio combines file system, RAID, and volume management in one – offering a fast, secure, and scalable storage solution
Easy Setup and Management — With the Jellyfish Manager, users can easily set up, manage permissions, and connect to the cloud with just a few clicks – while Jellyfish Connect ensures secure access to assets from anywhere
Specialized Media Software — The Jellyfish Media Asset Management (MAM) and Jellyfish Media Engine provide powerful tools for media organization, transcoding, and remote access – enabling teams to work seamlessly from ingest to delivery
In addition, OWC will be unveiling the new Envoy Ultra SSD, a cutting-edge Thunderbolt 5 SSD that promises to set new standards in speed and performance. Tailored to meet the needs of media and entertainment professionals today and tomorrow, the Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD is:
Faster than Fast – Revolutionary speed over 6000MB/s…up to 2x faster than Thunderbolt 4 and USB4.
Machine Maximizing – Gets the most speed possible from Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 machines.
Ready for Anything – Easily handle daily data needs to pro-level creative projects while matching internal storage performance.
Versatile – Works with Macs, PCs, iPad Pros, Chromebooks, and Surface devices.
Rugged – Water-resistant, dust-resistant, and crushproof.
Convenient – Bus-powered with built-in Thunderbolt cable.
The new OWC Envoy Ultra will be available in 2.0TB and 4.0TB capacities for $399.99 and $599.99 respectively. It is available now for pre-order and will start shipping in late October.
First-Time Showcasing at IBC:
OWC will also be displaying several innovative products for the first time at IBC2024, including:
OWC Express 1M2 — compact, high-performance storage solution designed for professionals on the go
OWC Thunderblade X8 — ultimate external SSD for demanding workflows, offering unparalleled speed and reliability
Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on September 11, 2024 by itnerd
Spoiler alert: If you want a fast and high quality portable SSD that will fit a number of use cases, and will likely survive a zombie apocalypse, the OWC Envoy SSD is the one that you should get. You can stop reading the review now.
I’m just kidding. This is why I feel that way. Let’s start with the size of the drive:
I put this SSD next to a mouse so that you can get an idea of the size. It’s tiny. In fact, my wife saw this and said that she could carry a couple of these in her purse. It’s made of aircraft-grade aluminum which makes it not only rugged, but it dissipates heat as well. In fact, during my testing, it was warm to the touch versus other SSD’s of this type that can get very hot to the touch. It’s also very light. On my wife’s kitchen scale it was 45 grams.
The drive comes with a cable and OWC didn’t cheap out on it as you can see here. This cable which is about a foot in length, does 60W power delivery and up to 20 Gb/s in speed. I am pointing this out because this is one area where companies often cut corners. OWC not only didn’t do that, but they went overboard in terms of the cable that they provide. Thus that has to be noted as a big plus.
The drive is bus powered and is USB-C only with a light to right of the USB-C connector. That means that it has a theoretical maximum speed of 10Gb/s.
OWC quotes a speed of “over” 1000MB/s for this drive. As you know, I take any speed claims for any device with a grain of salt. But when I tested this drive, I was pleasantly surprised:
The read speed is pretty close to 1000MB/s, and the write speed is above that speed on my M1 Pro MacBook Pro. Thus I can see this drive doing better than the speeds I got. It also means that OWC wasn’t just throwing a number into the product’s web page to get your attention, and hoping that someone like me wouldn’t call them on it when those speeds didn’t measure up to reality.
Another interesting thing that I want to point out is this:
If you look at the top right corner of this picture, you’ll see a picture of the drive rather than some generic macOS icon. It’s a little thing, but a nice thing.
I’ll also note that the drive comes with a piece of software called Drive Guide which will help you to format it for anything from APFS for use with modern Macs, to exFAT for cross platform compatibility, to HFS+ for older Macs. What’s nice about this is that it saves novice users from having to figure out how to use Disk Utility on Mac to format the drive. OWC also has an app called Copy That Mobile to copy photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to the drive. I am pointing that out because using this drive with a phone that has USB-C like the iPhone 15 series is a use case that I can see this drive being used in.
The OWC Envoy comes in 1 and 2 terabyte sizes. I have been using the 1 terabyte model and that’s $129 USD. The 2 terabyte model is $249 USD. And I have been impressed enough by this drive that it is going into my Tech Sling as part of the toolkit that I bring to customer sites. It’s small, fast, rugged and decently priced. Simply put, it checks all the boxes for me. And I believe it will check all the boxes for you as well.
Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on August 24, 2024 by itnerd
Other World Computing (OWC), a trusted leader in delivering high-performance, secure, and sustainable technology solutions that enhance and extend the life of Macs and PCs, today announced its much-anticipated Labor Day Sale. This year, customers can take advantage of incredible savings on a wide range of OWC products, designed to power their creativity, productivity, and digital workflows.
Exclusive Labor Day Deals Include:
OWC Travel Dock E – $10 off, only $49.99 – The best mini-sized dock to connect, charge, display, and import on-the-go via one integrated cable
OWC Thunderbolt Hub – $20 off, only $119.99 – More Thunderbolt. More USB-C. Simple.
OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock – $30 off, only $269.99 – The first full-featured Thunderbolt dock without a bulky, heavy power adapter, so you can go anywhere easily and connect it all with Thunderbolt and USB-C Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, and Android devices.
OWC Envoy Pro mini – Up to $50 off – Full-sized SSD performance that fits in your pocket.
OWC Envoy Pro FX – Up to $100 off – The Fastest Most Compatible Drive Ever Made with Speeds up to 2800MB/s.
OWC Gemini – Up to $200 off – Thunderbolt Dock and Dual-Bay RAID external storage enclosure for 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch SATA drives.
In addition, OWC is also offering deep discounts on used Macs and iPads, with some deals reaching up to 72% off. Such as:
69% off the Travel-Friendly 13-inch MacBook Pro – Retina / Touch Bar / Mid 2020-Late 2021 – Combines impressive performance in a sleek design, featuring a powerful processor, an enhanced keyboard for an exceptional user experience, and all day battery life.
Perfect-Sized iMac Perfection – from $239.00 – Retina 4K / 21-inch – This iMac is a hit with its compact size, powerful performance, and stunning Retina display.
Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on June 15, 2017 by itnerd
OWC has announced SMART Alec https://www.smartalec.biz/, an essential Mac utility that constantly monitors and checks your Mac hard drives, SSDs, Firewire disks, and USB drives, warning you in advance if drives are failing or about to fail, so you’ll have plenty of time to back up and replace a bad drive. SMART Alec can help you avoid losing years of sensitive, irreplaceable data from databases, word processing, Excel, PowerPoint and other business files, precious photos and videos, music compositions, and more. SMART Alec is currently available in beta at: smartalec.biz/beta_test. The free final version of SMART Alec and $9.99 upgrade with additional features will be available in July.
Drives Frequently Fail — Why Wait Until a Disk Drive Fails to Take Action?
Although users expect hard drives to last forever, drives can frequently fail for numerous reasons, including overheating, power failures, surges from lightning strikes, water damage, and more. Once a drive fails, it can be virtually impossible or cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to reconstruct sensitive data through a computer technician or data recovery forensics company. Daily back-ups to a secondary drive are also risky, since unknowingly you may be backing up data from an already corrupted drive or to another drive with problems. Instead of waiting for the drive to fail or just hoping it won’t happen, users rely on SMART Alec’s continual background disk monitoring to protect sensitive data –Why wait until a disk drive fails to take action?
SMART Alec Free Version – Basic Features:
PREDICTED-TO-FAIL DISK: If your disk is likely to fail in the near future, you’ll get a “predicted to fail” warning.
FAILING DISK: If your disk is already failing, SMART Alec will tell you right away, giving you time to replace your disk and save your crucial data.
TEST YOUR DISK: SMART Alec will display a green bar by all disks that are healthy. Still worried? Get SMART Alec to re-test disks at any time.
KNOW YOUR DISK: All the information about your disk is readily available with a disk log to track your disk’s history.
SMART Alec $9.99 Upgrade – Additional Features:
• “SMART Over USB”: the free version is for SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) drives only, not USB/FireWire drives. The upgrade adds failure prediction for most USB or FireWire connected drives, including most USB 3 devices.
• Email Notifications: in addition to desktop alerts, notifications are also emailed to you about failing or predicted-to-fail disks in case you are away from your disks.
Blink Disk Light: a light blinks on the actual disk corresponding to the disk tile you have selected in the Smart Alec application.
Available through iTunes App Store
The free SMART Alec essential drive utility and $9.99 SMART Alec upgrade with USB/FireWire disk monitoring and other additional features will ship July 2017, with the free version available through the iTunes App store. A Windows version is in development. For more information, see https://www.smartalec.biz/ or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMARTAlec.biz/.
Free Beta Version Available Now
SMART Alec is currently in its final beta testing stage. To sign up as a beta tester, go to smartalec.biz/beta_test. In future releases of SMART Alec, users will be able to opt-in to share data about disk reliability and performance with SMART Alec’s self-learning disk failure prediction system, an algorithm which will analyze disk data from users to more accurately predict likely disk failure. Once opted in, users will get access to the most up-to-date statistics about the safest—and least safe—disks available and the reliability of the disks they are using. The latest beta, SMART Alec 1.0 b26, offers support for OS X 10.9 (Mavericks).
Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on May 23, 2017 by itnerd
OWC has announced the launch of SoftRAID v. 5.6 RAID software featuring SoftRAID Easy Setup, which now makes it super easy to create a RAID system (redundant array of independent disks) from scratch to keep your precious files protected against disk failure and achieve faster data access. SoftRAID’s software RAID system is ideal for everyone who needs to safely store and backup massive amounts of data, including photographers, videographers, editors, audio producers, database and media managers, advertisers, archivers, and more. SoftRAID’s Easy Setup guides less technical users through the process of creating SoftRAID volumes, automating the process of configuring disks and making recommendations to help users setup their SoftRAID system. All users have to do is decide what the RAID volume will be used for and how much space to use (with hints from the application) — SoftRAID Easy Setup does the rest.
Additional new features in SoftRAID include the ability to monitor USB and FireWire disks for failure and impending failure and translation to Simplified Chinese (for both the application and documentation), in addition to the 5 other languages SoftRAID already supports: English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese. SoftRAID is available to purchase from www.SoftRAID.com/store for SoftRAID lite at $49 and the full SoftRAID at $179. A 30 day fully functional Free Trial of SoftRAID or SoftRAID Lite is available to download immediately from www.SoftRAID.com/freetrial.
New Features in SoftRAID 5.6:
SoftRAID Easy Setup: helper application guides less technical users through the process of creating SoftRAID volumes.
SMART over USB proprietary driver: extends disk checking and monitoring to most USB drives, including most USB 3/3.1 and many USB 2 drives, FireWire enclosures and FireWire 400/800 connected drives.
Supports 6 languages: now translated to Simplified Chinese, in addition to English, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese.
Supports Thunderbolt 3 devices: with sustained throughput of over 2.5GB/s on a single Thunderbolt 3 bus. You can even use two ThunderBolt 3 buses at the same time and create a volume which can read and write at over 4 GB/s.
Email Notifications: updated to support recent security enhancements in SMTP servers, includes support for almost all third party email servers.
Quick Start Guides: updated for both SoftRAID and SoftRAID Lite to include an entire section on using SoftRAID Easy Setup.
Features improved failover handling: in the event of Mirror (RAID 0), RAID 4, RAID 5, and RAID 1+0 disk failure scenarios.
Extends disk certification: to all 4Kn (4 KB sector) drives.
Compatible with all versions of Mac OS X: from 10.6.8 through the latest release of Mac OS 10.12 (Sierra).
Includes bug fixes: details of which can be found in the release notes.
General SoftRAID Features:
Support for all Intel based Macs with Core Duo 2 processors or later.
Supports Thunderbolt 1, 2 & 3, eSATA, SAS, FireWire and USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1 and USB-C.
Converts AppleRAID stripe (RAID 0) and mirror (RAID 1) volumes to SoftRAID.
Supports RAID 0, 1, 4, 5 and 1+0 (and non-RAID volumes) – (RAID 4, 5 and 1+0 volumes not available with SoftRAID Lite).
Supports TRIM (for SSDs) on all SoftRAID RAID levels.
All SoftRAID volumes can be startup volumes.
Supports volumes up to 4 petabytes (4,000 TB).
Supports up to 16 disks per volume and up to 32 volumes per Mac.
Automatic rebuilding of out-of-sync RAID volumes.
Fast Rebuilds for accelerated rebuild times.
Disk error reporting: SoftRAID monitors and logs all disk errors (often ignored by Mac OS).
Email notifications (not available with SoftRAID Lite).
Predictive failure analysis: gives advance warning of imminent disk failure on all disks which support SMART, most USB 3, 3.1 and USB C disks (enclosures) and also many USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and 800 disks.
Certify Disk: guarantees disk reliably read and write data (destructive, ideal for new disks).
Verify Disk: ensures entire disk can be read (non-destructive test for any-time use).
Validate volume: confirms your entire volume is readable and all parity data is correct.
I/O and error counters for every SoftRAID disk and volume.
Extended disk information, including hours of use, reallocated sector counts and media wear for SSDs.
Disk labeling and LED blinking to aid in disk identification.
Extensive logging of SoftRAID events.
Command line interface with dedicated man page (CLI not available with SoftRAID Lite).
Built-in recovery tools for recovering severely damaged partition maps.
SoftRAID version 5.6 is available now as a fully functional 30 day free trial at SoftRAID.com/freetrial, with pricing at just $179 through www.SoftRAID.com/store, Apple Certified Consultants, and retail outlets worldwide. It includes one year of free technical support via email. In addition, SoftRAID Lite is available for just $49 and includes support via online forum. SoftRAID Lite supports only non-RAID, stripe (RAID 0) and mirror (RAID 1) volumes. Users of SoftRAID version 4 can purchase an upgrade to version 5.6 for $89.SoftRAID requires Intel running Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later. Support for TRIM commands on SSDs require Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later. SoftRAID is known for their exceptional tech support, available nights and on weekends, in addition to standard hours.
Other World Computing Announces Plug-and-Play 10G Ethernet Adapter & Thunderbolt Pro Dock
Posted in Commentary with tags OWC on November 6, 2024 by itnerdOther World Computing today announced it is making it easier than ever for Mac users to maximize their devices’ performance with the OWC 10G Ethernet Adapter, delivering lightning-fast 10G Ethernet connectivity to any Mac with Thunderbolt (USB-C), including the latest M4 series. The plug-and-play adapter offers a high-performance, reliable solution for Mac models without built-in 10G Ethernet – allowing users to connect at 10G speeds and leverage faster local networks and network-attached storage (NAS).
To complement this upgrade, Other World Computing offers its OWC Thunderbolt Pro Dock, which transforms any workspace with versatile port expansion and 10G Ethernet capabilities. The Thunderbolt Pro Dock – with the ability to power a Mac laptop and add essential ports through a single Thunderbolt cable – is the ideal accessory for users needing high-speed network connectivity and streamlined connectivity for multiple devices.
Product highlights:
OWC Thunderbolt 10G Ethernet Adapter – The Portable Ethernet Supercharger
OWC Thunderbolt Pro Dock – The Best Networking, Media, and Docking Solution for Pro Creatives
The OWC Thunderbolt 10G Ethernet Adapter is available now for $199.99 – learn more and purchase here: https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TB3ADP10GBE/.
The OWC Thunderbolt Pro Dock is available now for $349.99 – learn more and purchase here: https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-thunderbolt-pro-dock.
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