HP launches home server for Macs, PCs
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Dec 29, 2008 at 7:01am
Hewlett Packard has launched a home server designed for use with both Mac and Windows computers. Based on the Microsoft Windows Home Server platform, the HP MediaSmart Server ex485/ex487 is a central repository for automatically backing up and accessing digital music, videos, photos and documents from multiple computers on a home network.
The MediaSmart Server automatically organizes files across all computers, streams media across a home network and the Internet, and publishes photos to social networking and photo sharing sites.
“A growing number of digital-savvy households have both Windows and Mac computers, with hundreds and sometimes thousands of media files and documents scattered across these devices,” says Jason Zajac, vice president of strategy, Worldwide Attach Group, HP. “The HP MediaSmart Server protects, stores and organizes this content from anywhere on a network so consumers can access and share it any place they are connected.”
MediaSmart Server ex485/ex487 features include:
° HP Media Collector: conveniently schedules the MediaSmart Server to copy and centralize digital files and libraries from networked computers;
° Media Streaming: remotely streams photos and music to any Internet-connected Mac or PC;
° Server for iTunes: it centralizes iTunes music libraries on the server for playback to any networked Mac or computer running iTunes;
° HP Photo Publisher, for uploading photos to Facebook, Picasa Web Albums and Snapfish;
° HP Photo Viewer, which allows sharing of photos with friends and family;
° Mac Hard Drive Backup: backs up Macs running Mac OS X 10.5 (“Leopard”) using Apple’s Time Machine software;
° Server Backup: duplicates designated shared folders to a separate hard disk drive;
° Online Backup: duplicates designated folders to Amazon’s S3 online backup service for an additional layer of protection;
° Smart Power Management: you can schedule times for server to go to ”sleep” and ”wake up,” saving on energy costs
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the HP MediaSmart Server ex485 with 750GB of hard disk storage is US$599 while the HP MediaSmart Server ex487 with 1.5 TB is $749. The HP MediaSmart Server can be pre-ordered beginning on Jan. 5, 2009, from Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Buy.com, Frys.com and NewEgg.com; it’s expected to ship in February.
The first 200 consumers who visit HP Home & Home Office or call 1-888-271-2982 between Jan. 5-11 to reserve a MediaSmart Server and use coupon code “AC5674” will receive a $50 savings off their purchase. More information is available here.
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 10,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
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