Lots of new SSDs this week, especially from Other World Computing,
which now offers IDE/ATA 2.5" notebook SSDs for PowerBooks and iBooks
as well as SSDs for all versions of the MacBook Air. We have a separate
section for SSD press releases this week.
General Apple and Mac desktops is covered in The Mac News Review. iPad, iPod, iPhone, and
Apple TV news is covered in The iOS News
Review. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Products & Services
SSD News
News & Opinion
Marvel Chip Makes SSD and Hard Drive Work Like a
Hybrid
Hardmac's Lionel says we all know the advantages and detriments of
SSDs - extremely fast but expensive and don't have huge capacities
(although Micron will release a 512 GB 2.5" SSD next month -
ed). On the other side, regular hard drives are cheaper and have
a bigger capacity but are much slower. In order to combine the
advantages of both, Seagate made the Momentus XT, and now Marvel has
decided to go the next step and unveiled a controller that can direct
both an SSD a regular hard drive simultaneously.
The Marvel chip decides whether data will go to the SSD or hard
drive, and the computer sees the two as a single drive.
Link: Making an Hybrid
Disk with an SSD and HDD
How to Run OS X on a Chrome Notebook
TG Daily's Trent Nouveau says:
"Booting Linux on a Chrome notebook? Well, that's to be expected.
Running Mac OS X Snow Leopard on the Cr-48? Now that's downright
impressive!
"But YouTube user Damis648 has done just that."
Link: Video: How to Run
OS X on a Chrome Notebook
Use an Old Laptop as a Second Display
PCWorld's Rick Broida says a couple of annoying hardware problems
recently forced him to get creative, and he explains how he worked
around these problems, including a great tip on how to turn an old
laptop into a secondary display using MaxiVista (€30
demoware), a utility that lets you turn a second Windows PC into a
second monitor.
Editor's note: On the Mac side, ScreenRecycler
($30 demoware) does the same thing, letting you use a Mac or Windows PC
as a second display. If you want to run two or more Macs sharing the
same mouse and keyboard, putting the power of each computer to use,
look at Teleport, which
we use at LEM headquarters. A program called Synergy lets you do this
cross-platform. dk
Link: Hardware Tips: New
Use for an Old Laptop, and More
Reduce SSD Wear by Using a RAM Disk for Your
Browser Cache
Mac OS X Hints contributor QuickSander says that while installing a
new OCZ Vertex II SSD in an old 2006 iMac really speeds
things up, he was was searching for ways to limit the wear of his SSD,
given the technology's limited lifetime with regards to writes. One
solution is to store your browser's cache on a RAM disk that will only
be written to the SSD at logout.
To that end, QuickSander has created a Mac OS X application
(actually a simple Bash script) that you can place in your login items
folder to create a RAM drive and store/restore Safari cache on
login/logout. You can modify the script for other apps.
Editor's note: QuickSander's script sets aside 1 GB of RAM as a RAM
disk, which may be excessive if you have less than 3 GB of RAM. Also
keep in mind that when your Mac runs out of physical RAM, it will use
virtual memory, so reserving a big block of memory as a RAM disk could
have the unintended consequence of increasing SSD writes and reducing
SSD life. dk
Link: Prevent
SSD Wear by Using a RAM Disk for Cache
Products & Services
QuickerTek Apple Juicz Solar Charger Release 2
PR: In an effort to provide Mac uses with the widest possible
range of power options, QuickerTek has expanded its solar chargers to
include the recently announced 11" and 13" Apple MacBook Air 3rd
generation laptops. These Apple Juicz solar power products now reach
all Apple MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. In addition, two
Apple Juicz solar products provide the level of power and performance
users require.
The Apple Juicz Solar Charger panel folds into
an easily transportable size, yet unfolds to gather maximum sunlight to
power the MacBook. It also uses the original MagSafe power connector,
so users don't need to worry about compatibility or damaging the laptop
in any way.
A 27 watt Apple Juicz Solar Charger is sufficient for many users to
charge the MacBook and MacBook Air. However, for those customers that
need faster charging with more power, the 55 watt version is also
available. The 55 watt version uses more solar panels (larger when
unfolded) to gather more solar rays providing faster charging.
Most users have seen those fragile solar panels that were also very
bulky, weak, costly and are a one-size-fits-all design. The Apple Juicz
is a much more refined product, designed to be use by active mobile
MacBook users. Often Apple Juicz Solar Charger users are in remote
areas where reliable power simply is not available~ like an Apple Juicz
Solar user who climbed the tallest peak in the world~ Mount Everest.
Whether you mountain climb or just want to take your MacBook camping or
to any remote location for vacation, or for work, freedom from the wall
outlet is a welcome development.
Because QuickerTek provides both power and wireless networking
options for Apple users, our customers can take a MacBook on a boat ~
powered by the Apple Juicz Solar Charger and also use one of the
wireless antenna upgrade products to reach out from the boat, camper or
RV to a access wireless access point.
QuickerTek understands the demands of working and playing when
mobile, so the Apple Juicz Solar Charger is designed to be used
outside. Not only does it fold for easy transport, but it also features
grommets around the outside of the solar panels, so that it can be
secured to the ground or other surface. Whether users want to spend the
day at the beach, remote camping or just out on the balcony or deck,
the Apple Juicz Solar Charger makes it possible.
QuickerTek now offers solar power now for the entire Apple MacBook
line of popular laptops. The two new models of 11" MacBook Air and both
new 13" models can be charged with the Apple Juicz Solar Charger. In
fact, these four new MacBook Airs recharge 30% faster then previous Air
models.
The Apple Juicz now powers all MacBook and MacBook Pro models as
well as all MacBook Air. MacBook users are no longer tethered to the AC
wall outlet. The freedom to work where you want, makes the solar
charger from QuickerTek very popular with all users ~ but especially in
tough environments.
The Apple Juicz Solar Charger is fully ready to use, with all cables
to make "going solar" as easy as it should be. No adjustments to
regular operation are required to take full advantage of the sun. Users
don't have to do anything different in order to use the sun's power ~
the Solar Charger power attaches to the laptop just like the stock
power cable. Apple Juicz Solar Charger users also have additional power
options. A 2.5 mm power connector allowing access to other QuickerTek
power products such as external batteries.
Specifications:
- Flexible and folding fully connected solar panels;
- 5 mm connector ~ for connecting QuickerTek solar and external
batteries;
- Original Apple MagSafe adapter;
- 12 volt female cigarette adapter;
- 3~foot extension cable with 2.5 mm connection;
- Grommets to secure the unfolded panels during charging
Pricing and Availability
The 27 Watt is $700. The 55 Watt is priced at $1,200. Like most
QuickerTek products, the Apple Juicz Solar Charger is backed with a
one-year warranty on parts and labor.
Link: Apple Juicz Solar
Chargers
Sonnet Yin-Yang FireWire Mini Hub Enables
Simultaneous Connection of FireWire 800 and 400 Devices to One FireWire
800 Port
PR: Are you a longtime Mac user? If so, you've probably
purchased a few peripherals along the way devices like DV camcorders,
external drives, and even an old iPod or two and some of them probably
have FireWire 400 interfaces (a.k.a. IEEE 1394a and iLink). Your older
Mac probably had at least two FireWire ports, so connecting more than
one of those devices at the same time was easy. But, if you've
purchased a new iMac, Mac mini, or MacBook Pro in the last couple of
years, you may have run into problems when you tried to connect
multiple FireWire devices; there's only one FireWire port, and the
FireWire 400 connectors didn't match. Sonnet's Yin "Yang FireWire 800
to FireWire 400/800 mini hub solves both problems.
Yin-Yang plugs into the single
FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b) port found on most new Mac computers and
enables you to connect and use a FireWire 400 device (the Yin) and a
FireWire 800 device (the Yang) at the same time. Yin-Yang doesn't need
a power adapter, yet will support a bus-powered 2.5" drive on either
port. Fully IEEE 1394 compliant, this mini hub requires no drivers,
supports all industry standard FireWire peripherals, and allows you to
plug in and disconnect devices without shutting off your computer.
FireWire 800 is a fast peripheral connection included on the latest
iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro, and MacBook Pro computers. These Macs (with
the exception of the Mac Pro) have only a single FireWire 800
(IEEE-1394b) port and no FireWire 400 (IEEE 1394a) port. The Yin-Yang
FireWire Mini Hub lets you connect two FireWire peripherals such as
external drives, DV camcorders, Webcams, audio interfaces, and
previous-generation iPod mobile digital devices can be concurrently
connected and used. No other adapters or cable swapping are
required.
Yin-Yang is small and portable and
supports one bus-powered device (on either port). The hub housing,
measuring just 1.9" x 1.5" x 0.6", is about the size of a matchbox, and
the attached host cable is only 3" (8 cm) long. Yin-Yang requires no
power adapter, needs no driver software, and works with all
manufacturers' FireWire peripherals.
Key Features
- Provides a simple way to connect both a FireWire 400 device and a
FireWire 800 device at the same time to a single FireWire 800 port on
your computer
- Supports concurrent data transfers to and from two attached devices
at 800 Mb/s and 400 Mb/s, respectively
- Operates without an external power supply
- Supports one bus-powered device on either port
- Allows you to plug in and disconnect peripherals without shutting
off your computer
- Small and rugged the hub case measures just 1.9" x 1.5" x .6", and
the attached cable 3" long
Yin-Yang (part number FHB-8284) is available immediately, at a
suggested retail price of $69.95.
Link: Sonnet
Yin-Yang
Seagate GoFlex for Mac External Drives
PR: Addressing the personal preferences of the Mac community,
Seagate has introduced a new collection of GoFlex for Mac external
drives designed to make it easy for those who use Mac OS X and Time
Machine to backup, shuttle, or share their digital content.
These new portable and desktop
solutions are HFS+ formatted out-of-the-box, making them fully
compatible with Apple Time Machine backup software, while maintaining
the ability to work across both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X
computers. A truly unique feature, GoFlex for Mac drives can also be
used with computers running Windows by simply downloading an HFS+
driver for Windows from Seagate.com, which will provide full read-write
access to the drive from a Windows computer.
Each GoFlex for Mac product comes bundled with FireWire 800 and USB
2.0 adapters and cables, the most popular interfaces for Apple
computers, but also delivers the flexibility to change the drive's
interface to USB 3.0 or powered eSATA for use with Windows computers.
The GoFlex interface cables help deliver the speed, performance, and
connectivity people need, as well as to help safeguard their
investments against changing technology. To deliver a fresh look that
fits seamlessly with today's Apple product line, each 2.5"
ultraportable drive in the family features a durable, soft-touch,
metallic finish, which is also designed to withstand scratches,
fingerprints, or other marks incurred from travel.
The new lineup of GoFlex for Mac external drives include:
GoFlex for Mac ultraportable drive
This 2.5" portable drive is now designed specifically for use with
Apple's Time Machine right out-of-the-box, easily go back in time to
access changes or file updates were before they were made. MSRP $199.99
for 1 TB, and $249.99 for 1.5 TB.
GoFlex for Mac Limited Edition ultraportable drive
The GoFlex for Mac Limited Edition ultraportable drive packs
1 TB of storage into the standardized 2.5" form factor, making it
the slimmest high-cap drive available on the market today. With a depth
of 12.5mm and shorter in length than an iPhone, the GoFlex for Mac
Limited Edition is perfect for use with GoFlex TV or GoFlex Net. MSRP
$199.95 for 1 TB.
GoFlex Pro for Mac ultra portable
This 7200 RPM, 2.5" drive delivers advanced performance for those
professionals who place high demands on their storage, such as graphic
artists, musicians, videographers or photographers. Using the included
FireWire 800 cable to achieve transfer speeds up to three times faster
than USB 2.0. MSRP $149.99 for 500 GB; $179.99 for 750 GB.
GoFlex Desk for Mac drive
This 3.5" high-capacity external drive includes a flexible design
that can sit horizontally or vertically to fit your workspace. Back up
files using Apple's Time Machine. Optional software displays the
drive's real-time capacity with lights on the dock and includes other
useful tools. MSRP $219.99 for 2 TB; $279.99 for 3 TB.
In addition, each GoFlex for Mac drive can be used with other
devices in the GoFlex Storage System such as the GoFlex Net media
sharing device and the GoFlex TV HD media player. These solutions
provide the flexibility to enjoy content on a TV or a mobile device,
such as an iPad or smart phone. There is also an option to download
additional software for use with all GoFlex for Mac drives that will
provide helpful utilities such as a control to turn the activity lights
off and a tool to verify that the drive is functioning properly. Each
drive in the family also comes backed by a Seagate three-year warranty,
helping to protect your investment and providing peace of mind.
"With over 10 billion songs downloaded from the iTunes store and
Apple's market share continuing to grow year-over-year, the growing
audience for Mac OS X will need external storage to backup all their
digital content," says Darcy Clarkson, vice president of Global Retail
Sales and Marketing for Seagate. "Today's product introduction
addresses these current market trends and underscores Seagate's
commitment to delivering flexible, easy-to-use solutions that meet
varying customer needs."
Link: Seagate
GoFlex for Mac External Drives
OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini: Industry's First
2.5" 1.5 TB Quad Interface FireWire/USB Bus Powered Portable Storage
Solution
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) has
announced that its OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini 1.5 TB model is the
highest capacity 2.5" Quad Interface bus powered portable storage
solution on the market and available for immediate ordering, with 12
models priced from $99.97. Featuring a Quad Interface of FireWire
800/400, USB 2.0, and eSATA interface connectivity for data transfer
speeds up to 300 MB/s, the fanless Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini delivers
the highest storage/backup performance available to Mac or PC users in
a portable, brushed aluminum, no AC adapter required Plug and Play
footprint.
In addition to the new 1.5 TB model, which offers 500 GB more
capacity than other competing brand portable drives, the Mercury
Elite-AL Pro mini is available in eleven other Quad Interface models
offering a variety of speed, capacity, and drive type options:
5400 RPM
- 250 GB, 5400 RPM, 8 MB Cache, $99.97
- 320 GB, 5400 RPM, 8 MB Cache, $109.99
- 500 GB, 5400 RPM, 8 MB Cache, $119.99
- 640 GB, 5400 RPM, 8 MB Cache, $144.00
- 1.0 TB, 5400 RPM, 8 MB Cache, $179.99
- NEW 1.5 TB, 5400 RPM, 8 MB Cache, $279.99
7200 RPM
- 320 GB, 7200 RPM, 16 MB Cache, $109.99
- 500 GB, 7200 RPM, 16 MB Cache, $134.99
- 750 GB, 7200 RPM, 16 MB Cache, $179.99
Solid State Drives featuring the OWC Mercury Extreme Pro SSD
- 60 GB SSD, $219.99
- 120 GB SSD, $329.99
- 240 GB SSD, $599.99
All OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini models, including the new 1.5 TB
model, are available for immediate ordering from Other World Computing
and are compatible with Mac OS 8.6 and later, including all versions of
Mac OS X, and Windows 98SE or later operating systems. Solutions come
ready for Plug and Play ease of use with all interface connecting
cables, an over
$100 retail value disk utility software bundle, and a three year
complete solution warranty.
Portable & Bus Powered for Mobile Lifestyles
Measuring a compact 3.8" W x 5.5" L x 1.1" H, the OWC Mercury
Elite-AL Pro mini offers storage capacity up to 1.5 TB enough space for
up to 1.5 million JPEG photos, 750 DVD movies, 115 hours of digital
video, or 526,000 MP3 songs in its fanless, aircraft grade brushed
aluminum enclosure. Because it's bus-powered, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro
mini doesn't require an AC adapter, which makes it ideal for
in-the-field business professionals, creative/entertainment
professionals, students, and anyone else needing to back up data,
transport large files between computers, gain additional storage
capacity, and even perform video editing and live music recording.
Built for Performance & Flexibility
Designed to emulate the award winning history of the larger desktop
sized Mercury Elite-AL Pro, the Elite-AL Pro mini portable storage
solution line features the fastest 2.5" SATA hard drive mechanisms up
to 7200 RPM as well as OWC's Mercury Extreme Pro SSD for demanding A/V,
digital photography, professional music, graphics, general data, and
Time Machine ready storage needs. With two FireWire 800 ports, users
can daisy chain multiple devices, connect legacy FireWire 400 devices
via an 800 to 400 connecting cable, and can even utilize the fastest
data transfer interface, eSATA, while bus powering via FireWire. The
Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini can also be used with storage capable digital
cameras and camcorders with FireWire and/or USB data ports for fast,
on-location backups of images and video.
"With 500 GB more capacity than other similar portable brand storage
solutions, the 1.5 TB Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini should be at the top of
anyone's list seeking the highest capacity and performance in a highly
mobile design, says Other World Computing Founder and CEO Larry
O'Connor. "Besides the industry's largest capacity, the 12 different
Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini models also offer choices of speed and drive
type to meet any particular need and/or budget."
Link:
OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini
SSD News
Micron RealSSD: Up to 512 GB of NAND Flash-Based
Storage for Notebooks
PR: Micron Technology, Inc. has unveiled a new portfolio of
what it claims are the industry's most advanced RealSSD solid-state
drives (SSDs) for the fast growing flash-based notebook market.
A new breed of
notebooks, such as the Gen-2 MacBook Airs, are entering the market that
have lightweight construction, snappier system responsiveness, and a
longer lasting battery, all made possible because of the innovations in
flash-based storage products.
"SSDs are bringing excitement back into personal computing," says
Dean Klein, vice president of memory system development at Micron.
"Micron is accelerating this enthusiasm with our new RealSSD portfolio,
providing even greater performance and higher capacities than our
previous generation SSDs."
The new portfolio is the first SSD product line to incorporate
Micron's 25-nanometer (nm) NAND flash technology, creating a broad
portfolio of capacities ranging from 64-gigabyte (GB) to 512 GB. The
drives will be available in 1.8" and 2.5" form factors.
As with its predecessor, the product line also supports the SATA 6
Gb/s interface, which opens up the data path between the host processor
and the SSD delivering improved overall system responsiveness including
faster boot times and speedier application loads. The new drives reach
read speeds up to 415 megabytes (MB)/second, which is 17% faster than
Micron's previous generation drives. With write performance varying by
capacity, the new 512 GB drive achieves up to 260 MB/second write
speeds, which is more than 20% faster than the fastest C300 drive. The
new SSDs also provide benefits that desktops, workstations, and
industrial applications can take advantage of including low power
consumption, lightweight construction, and resistance to shock and
vibration.
"At IDC we expect total portable PC SSD shipments to increase
significantly every year for the next three years," comments IDC's
research manager for Solid State Storage Technologies Jeff Janukowicz.
"The use of leading-edge NAND technology and product innovations, such
as in Micron's RealSSD drives continue to bring SSDs into the
mainstream by enabling higher performance and lower power consumption
in a more cost effective solution."
Micron is currently working with notebook manufacturers to qualify
its new RealSSD drives under the C400 product name. With samples of the
RealSSD C400 drives available now, Micron expects mass production to
begin in February.
Bringing the drives to business customers and consumers, Crucial, a
division of Micron, will begin selling the portfolio under the name,
Crucial m4 SSD. The Crucial m4 SSD product line is expected to be
available online at crucial.com and through select global channel
partners in the first quarter of 2011.
Micron Offering NAND Flash Design to System Solutions
As a NAND developer and manufacturer, Micron is in a unique position
to apply proprietary management algorithms to its RealSSD portfolio
that yield tremendous performance gains and maintain quality control.
Micron continues to push NAND process geometries the company is
currently at 25nm with visibility into several more generations which
brings great benefits to solid-state storage applications including
greater capacity and more cost-effective designs.
Link: Micron
Client SSD
OWC Mercury Legacy Pro SandForce Based IDE/ATA SSD
for Mac and PC Notebooks
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) has announced its new Mercury
Legacy Pro Solid State Drive (SSD) line as the first and fastest
SandForce processor based SSD available for pre-Intel PowerPC based Mac
notebooks, PCs, and other notebook/laptop computers that utilize an
internal 2.5" sized IDE/ATA drive. This announcement establishes OWC as
the most comprehensive US manufacturer of 
industry leading
SandForce processor based SSDs available today with OWC Mercury Pro
brand SSD models available for nearly every Mac and PC produced over
the past decade. OWC will be demonstrating the new Mercury Legacy Pro
and other first-to-market OWC Mercury Pro SSDs in booth #3935, LVCC
North Hall, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
Fastest 2.5" IDE/ATA Drive Available for Legacy
Notebooks/Laptops
With performance up to 41x faster than today's traditional hard
drives, the OWC Mercury Legacy Pro offers users of Mac and PC notebook,
laptop, and computers that utilize an internal 2.5" sized IDE/ATA drive
the fastest internal drive performance available today. It eliminates
tedious drive spin up wait time and delayed system responsiveness by
providing near instant data access, system boots, and app loads.
Four Models Starting at $199.99 MSRP
The new OWC Mercury Legacy Pro is available immediately in four
capacities compatible with pre-Intel PowerPC based Mac PowerBooks and
iBooks; as well as PCs and other notebook/laptop computers that utilize
an internal 2.5" sized IDE/ATA drive:
- 40 GB Mercury Legacy Pro, 7% over provisioning, 3-year warranty,
$TBA
- 60 GB Mercury Legacy Pro, 7% over provisioning, 3-year warranty,
$199.99
- 120 GB Mercury Legacy Pro, 7% over provisioning, 3-year warranty,
$299.99
- 240 GB Mercury Legacy Pro, 7% over provisioning, 3-year warranty,
$579.99
Doesn't Slow Down with Use Like Ordinary SSDs
Ordinary SSDs offer fast read/write performance during first initial
uses, but then experience significant write speed degradation over
repeated usage. Independent simulation tests by leading drive
performance experts Mac Performance
Guide confirm OWC Mercury Pro brand SSD's ultra-efficient Block
Management & Wear Leveling technologies are able to eliminate
virtually any reduction in data transfer speeds over heavy long term
usage of the drive and without dependency on less than effective OS
TRIM management.
Up to 100x Greater Data Protection
Utilizing SandForce DuraClass technology, the OWC Mercury Legacy Pro
is able to provide up to 100x higher data protection than provided by
ordinary SSDs as well as leading enterprise class hard disk drives. By
combining the highest level of Error Correction Code (ECC) and
SandForce RAISE (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements)
technology along with 7% over provisioning, the Mercury Legacy Pro
provides RAID like data protection and reliability without loss of
transfer speed due to parity.
"The Mercury Legacy Pro SSD line is like a performance supercharger
for older notebook and laptop users," says Larry O'Connor, Founder and
CEO, Other World Computing. "It can really wake up that trusty machine
and extend its usefulness at a fraction of the cost of a new
computer."
Link: OWC Mercury Legacy
Pro
OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express High Performance SSD
for 2010 MacBook Air Up to 22% Faster Than Factory SSD
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) announces its new Mercury
Aura Pro Express Solid State Drive (SSD) line is the first high
performance SSD available on the market for pre-ordering for all 2010
Apple MacBook Air models. This announcement establishes OWC as the most
comprehensive US manufacturer of industry leading SandForce processor
based SSDs available today with OWC Mercury Pro brand SSD 
models available
for nearly every Mac and PC produced over the past decade. OWC will be
demonstrating the new Mercury Aura Pro Express and other
first-to-market OWC Mercury Pro SSDs in booth #3935, LVCC North Hall,
at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), in Las Vegas, Nevada.
More Speed, Capacity, and Options than Factory SSD
The OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express offers owners of and those
interested in the 2010 MacBook Air models a SSD upgrade path that
delivers higher performance, functionality, and reliability. With peak
data rates of 275 MB/s, the Mercury Aura Pro Express offers 22% higher
speed than factory installed SSDs. The OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express is
available in three sizes -180 GB, 240 GB, and 360 GB for more upgrade
choices and nearly 3x higher data storage/backup capacity than factory
SSD options when compared to 11.1" model factory options up to 128 GB
and 13" model factory options up to only 256 GB.
Three Models Starting at $499.99 MSRP
The new OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express is available immediately for
pre-ordering in three capacities compatible with all 11.1" and 13.3"
2010 MacBook Air models:
- 180 GB Mercury Aura Pro Express, 7% over provisioning, 3-year
warranty, $499.99
- 240 GB Mercury Aura Pro Express, 7% over provisioning, 3-year
warranty, $579.99
- 360 GB Mercury Aura Pro Express, 7% over provisioning, 3-year
warranty, $1179.99
OWC is planning initial retail shipments of Mercury Aura Pro Express
orders to begin on/around Wednesday, January 12th.
Doesn't Slow Down with Use Like Ordinary SSDs
Ordinary SSDs offer fast read/write performance during first initial
uses, but then experience significant write speed degradation over
repeated usage. Independent simulation tests by leading drive
performance experts Mac Performance
Guide confirm OWC Mercury Pro brand SSD's ultra-efficient Block
Management & Wear Leveling technologies are able to eliminate
virtually any reduction in data transfer speeds over heavy long term
usage of the drive and without dependency on less than effective OS
TRIM management.
Up to 100x Greater Data Protection
Utilizing SandForce DuraClass technology, the OWC Mercury Aura Pro
Express is able to provide up to 100x higher data protection than
provided by ordinary SSDs as well as leading enterprise class hard disk
drives. By combining the highest level of Error Correction Code (ECC)
and SandForce RAISE (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements)
technology along with 7% over provisioning, the Mercury Aura Pro
Express provides RAID like data protection and reliability without loss
of transfer speed due to parity.
"It's very satisfying to continue a storied tradition of being the
first manufacturer to offer Mac users an upgrade path to get the most
from their machine," says Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World
Computing. "Now thanks to the Mercury Aura Pro Express SSD, 2010
MacBook Air owners and those interested in buying this machine can
upgrade for higher capacity and performance when they need it."
Link: OWC Mercury
Aura Pro Express
OWC Mercury Aura Pro MBA SandForce Processor Based
SSD for Pre-2010 MacBook Air Models
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) announces its new Mercury
Aura Pro MBA Solid State Drive (SSD) line as the first high performance
SandForce processor based SSD available for all 2008-2009 Apple MacBook
Air models. This announcement establishes OWC as the most comprehensive
US manufacturer of industry leading SandForce processor based SSDs
available today with OWC Mercury brand SSD 
models available
for nearly every Mac and PC produced over the past decade. OWC will be
demonstrating the new Mercury Aura Pro MBA and other first-to-market
OWC Mercury Pro SSDs in booth #3935, LVCC North Hall, at the Consumer
Electronics Show (CES), in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Go Faster, Store More Data Than New MacBook Air Models
With peak data rates of 275 MB/s, the OWC Mercury Aura Pro MBA
offers owners of 2008-2009 MacBook Air models up to 41x faster
performance than the factory original hard drive, over 3x faster
performance than the factory installed 128 GB SSD, and 20% faster speed
than even the latest 2010 MacBook Air models. Plus, with four models to
choose from 60 GB, 120 GB, 240 GB, and 480 GB - the OWC Mercury Aura
Pro MBA provides up to 4x the storage capacity compared to the factory
optional 128 GB SSD and nearly 2x more storage capacity than the
largest SSD offered in 2010 MacBook Air models.
Four Models Starting at $199.99 MSRP
The new OWC Mercury Aura Pro MBA is available immediately in four
capacities compatible with all 13.3" 2008-2009 MacBook Air models:
- 60 GB Mercury Aura Pro MBA, 7% over provisioning, 3-year warranty,
$199.99
- 120 GB Mercury Aura Pro MBA, 7% over provisioning, 3-year warranty,
$299.99
- 240 GB Mercury Aura Pro MBA, 7% over provisioning, 3-year warranty,
$579.99
- 480 GB Mercury Aura Pro MBA, 7% over provisioning, 3-year warranty,
$TBA
Doesn't Slow Down with Use Like Ordinary SSDs
Ordinary SSDs offer fast read/write performance during first initial
uses, but then experience significant write speed degradation over
repeated usage. Independent simulation tests by leading drive
performance experts Mac Performance
Guide confirm OWC Mercury Pro brand SSD's ultra-efficient Block
Management & Wear Leveling technologies are able to eliminate
virtually any reduction in data transfer speeds over heavy long term
usage of the drive and without dependency on less than effective OS
TRIM management.
Up to 100x Greater Data Protection
Utilizing SandForce DuraClass technology, the OWC Mercury Aura Pro
MBA is able to provide up to 100x higher data protection than provided
by ordinary SSDs as well as leading enterprise class hard disk drives.
By combining the highest level of Error Correction Code (ECC) and
SandForce RAISE (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements)
technology along with 7% over provisioning, the Mercury Aura Pro MBA
provides RAID like data protection and reliability without loss of
transfer speed due to parity.
Videos Prove the OWC SSD Performance Difference
Based on the popularity of its original Mercury Extreme SSD shootout
video series, OWC created new videos to demonstrate how much faster a
Mercury Aura Pro MBA equipped 2008-2009 MacBook Air 1.83 GHz model is
versus much faster processor based machines, including a 2010 MacBook
Pro i7. To view the side-by-side comparison videos, visit https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/internal_storage/Aura_SSD
"One of OWC's core missions is to help consumers maximize their
technology investment," says Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO, Other
World Computing. "By offering faster performance and higher capacity
than provided by 2010 models, the Mercury Aura Pro MBA SSD enables
2008-2009 MacBook Air owners to experience better than new performance
at a significantly lower cost than a new machine."
Link: OWC Mercury Pro
SSD
OWC Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" SandForce Based SATA SSD
for Netbooks and Subnotebooks
PR: Other World Computing (OWC) has announced its new Mercury
Aura Pro 1.8" Solid State Drive (SSD) line as the first and fastest
SandForce processor based SSD available for netbooks, subnotebooks, and
other computers that utilize an internal 1.8" sized SATA drive. This
announcement establishes OWC as the most comprehensive US manufacturer
of industry leading SandForce processor based 
SSDs available today with
OWC Mercury Pro brand SSD models available for nearly every Mac and PC
produced over the past decade. OWC will be demonstrating the new
Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" and other first-to-market OWC Mercury Pro SSDs in
booth #3935, LVCC North Hall, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES),
in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fastest 1.8" Drive Available Plus up to 16x Higher Capacity
With peak data rates of 275 MB/s, the OWC Mercury Aura Pro 1.8"
offers netbook, subnotebook, and users of other computers that utilize
an internal 1.8" sized SATA drive the fastest internal drive
performance available today. Plus, with five models to choose from 40
GB, 60 GB, 120 GB, 240 GB, and 480 GB - the OWC Mercury Aura Pro 1.8"
provides up to 16x the storage capacity compared to factory installed
hard drives.
Five Models Starting at $179.99 MSRP
The new OWC Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" is available immediately in five
capacities compatible with netbooks, subnotebooks, and other computers
that utilize an internal 1.8" sized SATA drive:
- 40 GB Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" with 7% over provisioning, 3-year
warranty, $TBA
- 60 GB Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" with 7% over provisioning, 3-year
warranty, $179.99
- 120 GB Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" with 7% over provisioning, 3-year
warranty, $279.99
- 240 GB Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" with 7% over provisioning, 3-year
warranty, $549.99
- 480 GB Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" with 7% over provisioning, 3-year
warranty, $TBA
Doesn't Slow Down with Use Like Ordinary SSDs
Ordinary SSDs offer fast read/write performance during first initial
uses, but then experience significant write speed degradation over
repeated usage. Independent simulation tests by leading drive
performance experts Mac Performance
Guide confirm OWC Mercury Pro brand SSD's ultra-efficient Block
Management & Wear Leveling technologies are able to eliminate
virtually any reduction in data transfer speeds over heavy long term
usage of the drive and without dependency on less than effective OS
TRIM management.
Up to 100x Greater Data Protection
Utilizing SandForce DuraClass technology, the OWC Mercury Aura Pro
1.8" is able to provide up to 100x higher data protection than provided
by ordinary SSDs as well as leading enterprise class hard disk drives.
By combining the highest level of Error Correction Code (ECC) and
SandForce RAISE™ (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon
Elements) technology along with 7% over provisioning, the Mercury Aura
Pro 1.8" provides RAID like data protection and reliability without
loss of transfer speed due to parity.
"The Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" SSD line is a performance game-changer
for netbook and subnotebook users," says Larry O'Connor, Founder and
CEO, Other World Computing. "By offering the fastest drive speeds
available with the industry's first SandForce processor based 1.8" SATA
SSD and storage capacity up to 16x higher than factory drives, the
Mercury Aura Pro 1.8" SSD line delivers big and measurable gains to
these smallest footprint computers."
Five models: 40 GB, 60 GB, 120 GB, 240 GB, and 480 GB offer up to
16x higher capacity starting at $179.99
Link: OWC Mercury Aura
Pro
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