Sony 20 GB Portable WiFi File Server

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/200302/03-0204/' target='_blank'>http://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/...200302/03-0204/</a><br /><br /></div>Anyone with a fluent grasp of Japanese want to tell us more about this device? I was able to piece together that this device is a Linux-based file server with a 20 GB hard drive and both 802.11b and hard-wired Ethernet built in. Very cool! No idea on pricing or when (if) it will appear outside Japan.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/200302/03-0204/img/fsv.jpg" />

[Paul]

Wow awesome, I would like to keep something like this in the car or my backpack to play music out of. Come to think on it, it could be handy in many places...

[Perry Reed]

I don't speak much Japanese either, but based on other sites' mentions of it, I think you got the basic facts straight.

Looks like the mass storage solution for my Jornada that I've been wanting! I hope they do release it in North America and that the price is reasonable.

Seems like they could throw in MP3 decoding and a headphone jack into it and it'd serve two purposes very nicely, although those of us with PPCs could just fire up withMP3 or similar and achieve the same effect.

[dean_shan]

This look awsome. It would be nice to stick this thing in my bag and be able to access my entire MP3 collection any where, anytime.

[garrans]

Careful if your putting your MP3 collection on a WiFi enabled device, the RIAA will be out after you. Or will they go after the WiFi consortium because the technology enables the sharing. :roll:

[dacs29]

Seems like they could throw in MP3 decoding and a headphone jack into it and it'd serve two purposes very nicely
Yeah right! Sony would never do that. Maybe they would allow for ATRAC with the dumb check-in/check-out feature...

David

[ThomasC22]

neat idea, although, with the iPod like MP3 players going up to 40gb I'd really like to see more storage given the size of the package.

But still, a move in the right direction!

[DrtyBlvd]

neat idea, although, with the iPod like MP3 players going up to 40gb I'd really like to see more storage given the size of the package.

iPods at 40G :?: :!:

Where did you see that? I've literally just pressed the 'send' button on an order for the 20G version :( at the Apple site - didn't see a mention of a 40G option/price though!?

[dh]

neat idea, although, with the iPod like MP3 players going up to 40gb I'd really like to see more storage given the size of the package.

But still, a move in the right direction!

Hey there we go!!

An 802.11b (or even BT) enabled iPod would be a super way to look after our music and use as storage as well.

Come to that, if Apple were to turn the iPod into a real PDA (it seems to be inching in that direction) they could make Palm and PPC relics of the past.

[ThomasC22]

iPods at 40G :?: :!:


Sorry, I should have emphasized the iPod-like part. I was actually referring to the Creative Labs Nomad 40Gb (http://electronics.cnet.com/electronics/0-6342420-1304-9723297.html).

[bsoft]

Come to that, if Apple were to turn the iPod into a real PDA (it seems to be inching in that direction) they could make Palm and PPC relics of the past.

Not likely. As Microsoft has learned, there is a lot more than just hardware to a PDA. Pocket PCs failed to make Palm OS devices a "thing of the past", so what makes you think that Apple will be any different?

[st63z]

That thing looks kinda huge. Non-WiFi portable 2.5" HDDs look much smaller, do they need all that extra real estate just for WiFi?

Even today's full-fledged 2.5" HDD MP3 players look a lot smaller, as do the recent photos of portable HDD video players like the RCA or Archos.

If this thing uses a 1.8" HDD, that's even worse...?

[shiok]

[quote="Jason Dunn"]Anyone with a fluent grasp of Japanese want to tell us more about this device? I was able to piece together that this device is a Linux-based file server with a 20 GB hard drive and both 802.11b and hard-wired Ethernet built in. Very cool! No idea on pricing or when (if) it will appear outside Japan.

This device has to be plugged into a mains socket. It has a UPS for graceful shutdown in the even of a power failure. Plus, there is no MP3 decoder built-in.

[R K]

I'd still be waiting for the Toshiba Bluetooth Hard Drive rather than this Sony WiFi Storage Server though.
On all the Pocket PCs I've used, WiFi eats 1.5x - 2.5x more power than Bluetooth. Bluetooth has enough bandwidth to play 96Kbps Windows Media Audio files, so with a Bluetooth HD (assuming you can use it as a file server), you could theoretically have about 100 hours of music and the battery life would only be a little shorter than playing the same music through a CompactFlash Card.

Speaking of battery life, I'm sure that's why this thing is as big as it is. You need to have enough battery to run the hard drive and the WiFi for a decent amount of time. They probably need to fit a 2000+ mAH battery on their for some decent runtime.

This Sony file server could be a decent alternative to the Microdrive users though, since I'd assume that running files off a Microdrive would take as much power as running them off WiFi, although I've never done any real testing to back this up.

[R K]

This device has to be plugged into a mains socket. It has a UPS for graceful shutdown in the even of a power failure. Plus, there is no MP3 decoder built-in.

Ok, then the battery's not the reason that this thing as big as it is.

[Daimaou]

As you said is a Linux server of 390g with build in Wifi (WEP 128...) and ethernet port you can plug upt to 250 clients there, he almost got the same function as any other Linux server(Nothing more to say)

With this you can creat where ever you are your owb office. also this Unit can have a craddle.

[Pat Logsdon]

This thing would be great if it could run Vinyl Server! You could keep all your MP3's and album art on the drive in your backpack or whatever, and just stream 'em to the PDA. 8)

VERY cool!

For those not in the know:
Vinyl: http://www.pocketwerks.com/

[DrtyBlvd]

iPods at 40G :?: :!:


Sorry, I should have emphasized the iPod-like part. I was actually referring to the Creative Labs Nomad 40Gb (http://electronics.cnet.com/electronics/0-6342420-1304-9723297.html).

Phew. :lol: Might have been faced with a cancellation issue there for a moment... :wink:

20G more is very attractive - but the Nomad isn't :D :D

[Jonathan1]

OK by the numbers just about everything Sony puts out has some aspect to it that is proprietary. So where is the.....BUT...in this product. There has to be at least ONE gotcha.

Sorry. Still erked about the memory stick thing. :?

[Janak Parekh]

OK by the numbers just about everything Sony puts out has some aspect to it that is proprietary. So where is the.....BUT...in this product. There has to be at least ONE gotcha.
Yes. I'm expecting some sort of Magic Gate functionality.

In any case, this looks like it's a 3.5" hard drive, ergo the size. It's a step forward, but still much bigger than the iPod.

--janak

[HTK]

How many times I have to tell you guys about this page ?!
http://www.worldlingo.com/products_services/wst_preview.html
8)

[pocketpcdude1024]

Interesting concept, but I like the idea of the Bluetooth hard drive from Toshiba. I think the idea of a Wi-Fi drive is NOT to be able to take it with you wherever you go, but an easy way to add a file server to an existing Wi-Fi network. Also, because of the power consumption of Wi-Fi vs. Bluetooth I imagine that this would have to be recharged often, making the mobility factor not so hot.

I don't know. This is just my 2¢.

[Paul P]

More information here:

http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/PGX/

...and here

http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/PGX/whats/index.html

...where you can see various scenarios demostrating the use of a portable server. Scene 5 is especially interesting, as it shows capability of the portable server to communicate with a Clie.

[Paul P]

I'd still be waiting for the Toshiba Bluetooth Hard Drive rather than this Sony WiFi Storage Server though.
On all the Pocket PCs I've used, WiFi eats 1.5x - 2.5x more power than Bluetooth. Bluetooth has enough bandwidth to play 96Kbps Windows Media Audio files, so with a Bluetooth HD (assuming you can use it as a file server), you could theoretically have about 100 hours of music and the battery life would only be a little shorter than playing the same music through a CompactFlash Card.

It is not practical to use this server just for mp3s. What about file sharing, movies, etc. This is a server afterall, not an mp3 player. Slow transfer speeds would cripple a similar bluetooth enabled device. You would have 20 gigs in your pocket (big pocket), but no way to take full advantage due to limited access.

[R K]

I'd still be waiting for the Toshiba Bluetooth Hard Drive rather than this Sony WiFi Storage Server though.
On all the Pocket PCs I've used, WiFi eats 1.5x - 2.5x more power than Bluetooth. Bluetooth has enough bandwidth to play 96Kbps Windows Media Audio files, so with a Bluetooth HD (assuming you can use it as a file server), you could theoretically have about 100 hours of music and the battery life would only be a little shorter than playing the same music through a CompactFlash Card.

It is not practical to use this server just for mp3s. What about file sharing, movies, etc. This is a server afterall, not an mp3 player. Slow transfer speeds would cripple a similar bluetooth enabled device. You would have 20 gigs in your pocket (big pocket), but no way to take full advantage due to limited access.

Hmm... The above scenario I mentioned was with the thought that most current PDA Bluetooth devices are limited 115Kbps. I know this limitation occurs on the iPAQ H3970/H3870, Socket Bluetooth CF Card, Toshiba BT SD Card, and maybe even the Fujitsu Siemens Pocket Loox.

I have an iPAQ H5450 but I gave away my old USB Bluetooth Adapter, so I haven't been able to test the speeds on it. If any current or future CF/SD Bluetooth Adapters or Pocket PCs can use the maxiumum 720Kbps bandwidth, then the Bluetooth HD still has big potential.

After all, 720Kbps can play DVD quality DivX files so that should be plenty of bandwidth for a Pocket PC to play a 200Kbps - 600Kbps / 320 x 240 movie file.

[Paul P]

Hmm... The above scenario I mentioned was with the thought that most current PDA Bluetooth devices are limited 115Kbps. I know this limitation occurs on the iPAQ H3970/H3870, Socket Bluetooth CF Card, Toshiba BT SD Card, and maybe even the Fujitsu Siemens Pocket Loox.

I have an iPAQ H5450 but I gave away my old USB Bluetooth Adapter, so I haven't been able to test the speeds on it. If any current or future CF/SD Bluetooth Adapters or Pocket PCs can use the maxiumum 720Kbps bandwidth, then the Bluetooth HD still has big potential.

But then you are assuming that power consumption will not change with the increasing bandwidth. Even Wifi may not suffice, as iPaq downloads range in the 1200 - 1400 Kpbs. That's not too far off from the maximum bandwidth Bluetooth is supposed to achieve. So not only does power becomes an issue, but also the range. The tradeoff of bluetooth maybe very small.

btw, you can test that download speed I meantioned here: http://www.satx.rr.com/support/speedtest/da.html

[MaximumPDA]

Here is a translation from a German news site http://networkworld.de/index.cfm?id=90392&pageid=156&type=detail


"Sony presented the miniature file server "Fsv-pgx1" in Tokyo, which can communicate directly by Wireless LAN with PCS or portable computers. The PDA similar equipment uses Linux as operating system. In the inside is 20 GByte a large non removable disk, from which 17 GByte are to the users at the disposal.

As wireless transmission technique the file server supports IEEE 802.11b with data rates of up to 11 MBit/s. At the same time according to Sony can access up to 250 Clients via ftp, CIFS (Common InterNet file system) or NFS (Network File System) the equipment. An optional Ethernet Cradle permits the direct connection to a hard-wired firm net. Over this way administrators can make possible the Clients also an InterNet connection.

Information on the PDA Dateiserver can be secured with passwords. For the protection of the transmission Sony uses incoming inspection (Wireless Equivalent Privacy) with 64 and/or 128 bits length.

As is to be seen in the picture right above, a Fsv-pgx1 can be kept loose in a hand. The integrated batteries serve however only for the protection of the stored data. To the full enterprise as file servers a direct current connection is necessary.

Sony presents the Winzling on the Net & Com 2003, which begin on Wednesday in Tokyo. Start of sales in Japan is 29 March. A Fsv-pgx1 will cost about 70,000 Yen (540 euro), the Ethernet Cradle about to 7000 Yen (54 euro). The decision over a selling in overseas was not made according to Sony yet (afi) "



Looks pretty cool, could be a bit cheaper or have a larger file store.

[R K]

Hmm... The above scenario I mentioned was with the thought that most current PDA Bluetooth devices are limited 115Kbps. I know this limitation occurs on the iPAQ H3970/H3870, Socket Bluetooth CF Card, Toshiba BT SD Card, and maybe even the Fujitsu Siemens Pocket Loox.

I have an iPAQ H5450 but I gave away my old USB Bluetooth Adapter, so I haven't been able to test the speeds on it. If any current or future CF/SD Bluetooth Adapters or Pocket PCs can use the maxiumum 720Kbps bandwidth, then the Bluetooth HD still has big potential.

But then you are assuming that power consumption will not change with the increasing bandwidth. Even Wifi may not suffice, as iPaq downloads range in the 1200 - 1400 Kpbs. That's not too far off from the maximum bandwidth Bluetooth is supposed to achieve. So not only does power becomes an issue, but also the range. The tradeoff of bluetooth maybe very small.

btw, you can test that download speed I meantioned here: http://www.satx.rr.com/support/speedtest/da.html

Power consumption will not change with increasing bandwidth--or it will be a very insignificant change. The only reason that some current Bluetooth hardware is limited to 115Kbps is because they're using serial UARTs to control the BT chip bandwidth.
I think the Belkin Bluetooth CompactFlash Card can achieve 720Kbps and it's trasmiting power drain is only 80mA. I haven't seen any WiFi Card yet that can drain less than 150mA in trasmit mode, even with power saving features enabled. Most WiFi Cards drain 250 - 350mA in transmit mode without power saving features enabled.

[rocuf]

I imagine that the killer AP for this device would me conferences and presentations. Imagine plugging it in to the wall and everyone in the conference can access your distributed date either via pda or laptop. No more passing out binders for all your attendees