HP Adds ex485, ex487 MediaSmart Servers for PCs and Macs

HP has launched a pair of home servers for use with both Windows and Macs.

The ex485 and ex487, based on Microsoft Windows Home Server, back up media and other files on a home network and online.

The ex485 comes with 750GB of storage, while the ex487 has 1.5TB of storage. Both are expandable up to 9TB of storage.

Each server has an Intel Celeron 2.0-GHz 64-bit processor and 2GB of 800-MHz DDR2 RAM.

Other features:

• Back up on Macs running Leopard using Apple Time Machine
• Amazon's S3 online backup service for an additional layer of protection
• HP Media Collector to copy and centralize digital files and libraries from networked PCs
• Ability to remotely streams photos and music to any Internet-connected PC or Mac

Each server also aggregates music libraries for playback in iTunes and power management that schedules times for the servers to "sleep" and "wake up" to reduce energy costs.

Each HP MediaSmart Server can be preordered online beginning Jan. 5 from Amazon, Best Buy, Buy.com, Frys and NewEgg. HP says the units will ship in February.

"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, VP 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."

MSRP
ex485 — $599
ex487 — $749