Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra uses Orb, TiVo sharing

Netgear upgraded its ReadyNAS network-attached storage in a major form tonight with its first Ultra devices. The four-bay Ultra 4 and six-bay Ultra 6 are built for home users who want to move as much data to a network share as possible and adds an extended amount of media sharing as a result. Both boxes can serve as remote recording space for TiVos on the network, and the spaces can be shared through Orb to be played on iPads and other iOS devices as well as Android and BlackBerry smartphones.

They likewise support DLNA media sharing to the PS3 and similar hardware, but a deal with Skifta extends the sharing to the Internet.

To keep data moving, all of the devices have 1.66GHz Atom processors with 1GB of RAM, the teamwork of which Netgear claims can give the Ultras three times the transfer speed of its past NAS boxes. Each has two USB ports on the back and one on the front to extend the storage beyond what's inside as well as two Ethernet jacks.

Pricing is high but scales widely depending on the model and the amount built-in storage. A simple Ultra 4 with no storage costs $599, but it can be outfitted with two 2TB disks for $899. An empty Ultra 6 starts at that same price but can be had with 6TB of space for $1,349. Either ReadyNAS Ultra model ships by mid-July, and those who don't need the extra space will have the option of a two-bay entry version (likely the Ultra 2) by October.

By Electronista Staff