Appletell

Time Capsule is Apple’s answer to network-attached Time Machine backups within a local area network. It allows multiple people to back-up wirelessly or wired, making it ideal for laptop users. However, online backups are far more secure - as they’re stored in a datacenter away from your own home.

A company called Macminicolo.net has been offering Mac Mini-based backups for a while now, and is now offering a brand new service with Time Machine in Leopard. “Transport” will allow you to purchase a Time Capsule unit which will be hosted at their datacenter - all of your future backups will be stored in this secure location. Their plans start at just $29 per month, with a set-up fee of $25. You have the choice of either asking a hosting provider to purchase and install a Time Capsule, or the option to send one to Macminicolo.net for installation in their server farm.

Which do you prefer, local or network backups?

Via [Macworld UK]

After a recent Firmware Update causing Time Machine preferences to see Hard Disks attached to Airport Extreme Base Stations, many AEBS owners were ecstatic over the Time Capsule-like ability to do wireless backups. But as I personally found out when the Disk refused to mount on the fifth backup, this solution is not fully baked and Apple recently announced that it is not supported at all.

With the announcement of Leopard, Apple said that backing up to AirDisks was supported. Then they pulled the feature, leaving those who had bought External Drives solely for this purpose in the lurch. Then they introduced Time Capsule, severely hindering hope of having the AirDisk feature replaced. This increased the anger, many feeling that Apple was trying to make a fast dollar off of them by forcing them to buy the new product. When Apple released the Update allowing Time Machine to see AirDisks, many thought Apple had listened to it’s customers. As backups start failing all over the place though, anger will grow.

A word to Apple: you need to get this fixed. It is already overdue, and you have many seething customers over this issue. While it may result in some loss in Time Capsule sales, those who want a seamless integrated backup will still buy Time Capsule, and you will retain your current Airport Extreme customers. You’re working on borrowed time here.

Sound off in the comments below if you are one of these customers, or you have had your backups fail.

Apple today rolled out a Time Machine and Airport combo update. It’s fixes some stuff, blah blah blah. But as soon as I saw “Firmware Updates,” I had a gut feeling that Apple had restored a long lost feature: backing up to Hard Drives attached to the Airport Extreme Base Station.

It turns out my gut feeling might have been right. TUAW is reporting that reader Peder was pleasantly astonished to find that “after downloading the latest Airport-update I checked for updates for my AirPort Extreme. After upgrading to version 7.3.1, Time Machine recognized the attached USB-drive.”

This means that those of you who rushed out to buy an external drive for wireless backups only to get shortchanged when Apple pulled the feature can now use that drive.

Please sound off in the comments with your results. Here’s hoping that this works for everyone!

Read [TUAW]

Time Capsule is Apple’s answer to wireless Time Machine backups: A 500GB or 1TB hard drive enclosed in an Airport Extreme base station. Announced at this year’s Macworld keynote, it was one of the less-exciting but useful nonetheless products Apple released. Apple confirmed on Thursday that it would start shipping Time Capsule pre-orders. Customers that did pre-order Time Capsule should start receiving notifications of shipment this week.

Time Capsule is a great alternative to a regular external FireWire/USB drive for laptop users. It means you have the ability to backup (slowly) without the need for any wires. Of course, through gigabit ethernet, the speed will increase dramatically. Time Capsule is priced at $299 for 500GB, and a 1TB version for $499.

Via [Macworld]

Apple’s two in one wireless backup and Airport Extreme Base Station product, Time Capsule, may be shipping Sunday according to MacNN. Although the online Apple Store lists shipping time as simply “February” for Time Capsule, next week’s Best Buy circular lists the item as shipping “Feb. 24,” and says that most stores will have three or four in stock. However, I have never seen any circular tell customers when the product would be discontinued or updated.

Overall, the MacNN post was a bit confusing, at one point referencing a “tip” that was not previously explained or referenced. This, combined with the fact that it is unlikely that Best Buy would notify customers of product discontinuation, is why the question mark remains on the title. We’ll see how this all turns out tomorrow, but we’re not 100% sure a simple Best Buy advert gives us enough proof.

Read [MacNN]

Apple seems to have been changing their ways a bit recently. The iPhone price drop was where it all started. Then they gave us an upgrade to the iPod Touch that we should have had in the first place - but they charge existing customers $20. I’m not sure what’s going on in Cupertino - but I’m not liking it. I hope Apple makes up for all of these mishaps some time soon. Maybe refunding the $20 to everyone that paid, and giving it for free? It worked with the iPhone. The latest controversy with early adopters is from the Airport Extreme users. They are not too happy about Time Capsule. In the keynote, Steve promised that existing Airport Extreme base stations would be able to work with external hard drives and back up wirelessly. All of the Airport Extreme owners would have been looking forward to that features. Unfortunately, they found that there was no such thing.

I hope Apple does give an update to Leopard that allows wireless backups from an Airport Extreme base station. I don’t own one myself - but I know a lot of people that do. Apple gave absolutely no indication of releasing a new product like this, that would mean their current one is out of date and won’t work with a feature that was promised.

Via [MacUser]