The Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt external hard drive boasts both a USB 3 and Thunderbolt port.

It is the first device to do so, allowing you to connect to either a Mac or Windows based computer. You can choose between a 500MB or 1TB hard drive pre-formatted with HFS+.

If you’re connecting to a Windows based pc you can easily reformat the hard drive with FAT32 or NTFS.

A stylish aluminum body helps to dissipate any heat and because it is bus powered no external power adapter is required. Ideal when looking for a portable drive, the less to carry around with you the better.

Because the Buffalo external hard drive doesn’t use an SSD it is bigger than other portable hard drives, but it’s still pretty compact. The dimensions are W 3.17 x H 5.12 x D 0.91 inches, weighing in at 9.28 ounces.

Performance is affected by the lack of a SSD but is still impressive as expected from a Thunderbolt hard drive.

Not expected is the inclusion of both a Thunderbolt and USB cable which is a big bonus considering the price of Thunderbolt cables.

Although capable of being part of a Thunderbolt daisy chain, there is no pass through capability so it would have to be the end device. Designed as a portable hard drive this shouldn’t be too much of an issue for most users.

With a three-year limited warranty and lifetime 24/7 US based technical support, the Buffalo MiniStation is an affordable portable Thunderbolt external hard drive that has the added benefit of a USB 3 port.

The Buffalo Thunderbolt MiniStation is available from Amazon now:

BUFFALO Technology MiniStation 1.0 TB Thunderbolt/USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive with Thunderbolt Cable, Silver (HD-PA1.0TU3)

Due to the thinner design of the new breed of laptops, Apple have dispensed with some of the standard ports.

Both the MacBook Air and new MacBook Pro with Retina Display have no FireWire or Ethernet port. They do have a Thunderbolt port though.

Apple has released a Thunderbolt Gigabit Ethernet adapter with plans for a Thunderbolt FireWire adapter later this year.

Unfortunately the software 1.2 update that supplied the driver for the new Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter caused serious problems. This left many Mac users with boot problems afterwards.

Apple have published a support article with advice on how to resolve these problems:

Apple Support Document Link

Quickly withdrawn by Apple, a new release 1.2.1 is now available:

Apple Software Update 1.2.1

The update is compatible with a Thunderbolt enabled Mac running OS X Lion 10.7.4.

Slim, lightweight and stylish, the MacBook Air has been labelled by many as the original Ultrabook.

The new MacBook Air 2012 hasn’t really changed aspectically speaking, but there have been some significant changes in the system configuration.

As with the MacBook Pros, a major enhancement with all the 2012 MacBook Airs is the inclusion of the new Intel Ivy Bridge processors.

The 11-inch has a 1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 and the 13-inch a 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5. You can upgrade either model to a 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i7.

Both the USB 2 ports have been replaced with USB 3 that are now available along with the existing Thunderbolt port.

Flash storage is available up to 128GB on the 11-inch notebook and 256GB on the 13-inch model. It is configurable up to 512GB, depending on the specifications you choose.

The memory has been boosted with 4GB of onboard 1600MHz DDR3L, with the option to upgrade to 8GB. Graphics performance has been improved with an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor.

There is a Built-in, 35-watt-hour, lithium-polymer battery on the 11-inch model and 50 watt version on the 13-inch notebook.

All the new MacBook Airs also come with the new MagSafe2 power connector. The adapter is a different shape so is not compatible with older chargers. You can however purchase an adapter from the Apple website.

OS X Lion is along with a number of applications is installed as standard.

There is due to be a free upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion in the Summer of 2012.

There are still the 13-inch and 15-inch models with a choice of two specifications for each screen size. The 17-inch however, has been discontinued. No surprise as the trend moves towards smaller and more lightweight designs.

Like the new addition, the 15-inch Macbook Pro with Retina Display.

This has been generating a lot of excitement with its super-sharp 2280 x 1800-resolution. As Apple are stating “the world’s highest-resolution notebook display”. All others just seem blurry in comparison.

There are two specifications available as with the other 13 and 15-inch models.

The biggest changes have taken place with the new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Apart from the display which is stunning in its own right, this model is thinner and lighter than the other MacBook Pros.

It is only 0.71 inches thick (the same as the MacBook Air at its thickest point) and weighs just 4.46 pounds.

One of the ways that space and weight has been reduced is with the inclusion of Flash storage. Available in 256GB and 512GB capacities it is up to four times faster than conventional hard drives. Battery life has been improved offering up to 30 days standby time. There are also two Thunderbolt ports, whereas all the other models only have one.

Downside though, Apple have removed the optical drive and Ethernet port, although they’re still available on the 13- and 15-inch Pros. Apple also changed the charging port, or MagSafe 2 power port. The new adapter is not compatible with old chargers.

You can however purchase a Gigabit Ethernet adapter or MagSafe adapter from the Apple website.

On both the 13 and 15-inch models, there is an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor. The 15-inch can automatically switch to the new NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M processor when required.

One of the major enhancements with all the 2012 MacBook Pros is the inclusion of the new Intel Ivy Bridge processors.

The 13-inch notebook comes with either a 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 or 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 processor.

Both the 15-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Pro with Retina Display have a choice between a 2.3Ghz or 2.6Ghz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor.

There’s also the upgrade from USB 2 to USB 3 ports which is a bonus. Especially as the MacBook Pro already had a Thunderbolt port, (it was actually the first Mac to be Thunderbolt enabled).

All the MacBook Pros come with OS X Lion along with a number of apps, such as iTunes, QuickTime, iLife and FaceTime to go with the built-in 720p FaceTime HD camera.

The OS X Lion is due to be upgraded to OS X Mountain Loin in the Summer of 2012.

Although not scheduled to be released until September 2012 at the earliest, Belkin, Sunix and Matrox realise the importance of a Thunderbolt Docking Station.

That is why they are currently showcasing the Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock, Sunix Pili and Matrox DS-1 Docking Station, highlighting the benefits their new products can deliver.

The Thunderbolt Docking Station fulfils a role due to the design of the new generation of Ultrabooks, including the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

With more sleek and slim, lightweight designs, vendors are finding it difficult to include all the peripherals and ports we have become accustomed to.

Apple started this trend recognising that by utilising Thunderbolt technology they could attach up to six peripherals while utilising just one Thunderbolt Port.

They have their own Thunderbolt Docking station built into the 27” Thunderbolt Monitor, but it has no USB 3 ports. There is however a built in FaceTime HD Camera and Thunderbolt cable.

By connecting one Thunderbolt cable to a Thunderbolt Docking station you then have access to all the ports it has available. Not only does this deal with compatibility issues, (so you don’t require lots of different adapters), it cuts down on cables also. Plus all these products are compatible with Macs or PCs too.

All the Thunderbolt Docking Stations have Gigabit Ethernet ports.

The Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock and Sunix Pili do have a big advantage over the Matrox DS-1, in that they have two Thunderbolt ports.

This enables them  to be part of a Thunderbolt daisy chain. You could connect to the Thunderbolt docking station, then daisy chain onto other Thunderbolt peripherals like a Thunderbolt external hard drive. The Apple Thunderbolt Display has a built-in Thunderbolt cable, so although it only has one port it can still daisy chain up to six devices.

With an integrated hot-swap 3.5 inch SATA HDD enclosure, the Sunix Pili offers you a potential 4TB of storage. There is a slim Blu-ray writer, Multi-card reader (SD, MMC, MS & xD) and four USB 3.0 ports.

The Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock has three USB 3.0 ports and the Matrox DS-1 has only one but a further two USB 2.0 ports.

These inclusions do come at an additional cost though, so it depends on what your requirements are?

Below is a list of all four Thunderbolt Docking Station specifications to compare:

Belkin Thunderbolt Express

Sunix Pili

Matrox DS-1

Thunderbolt Display (Docking Station)

As anticipated, the first batch of Thunderbolt enabled motherboards have now been released, essentially opening up Thunderbolt technology to the PC market.

Initially the Thunderbolt-certified motherboards will be available from three different manufacturers, Intel, Asus and MSI.

Each motherboard will come with one Thunderbolt port, capable of attaching up to six Thunderbolt peripherals to the host computer.

All motherboards come with the Intel DSL3310 controller otherwise known as the Cactus Ridge Thunderbolt Controller. The DSL3310 Thunderbolt controller has two channels with a theoretical speed of 10Gbps.

There is more information about the motherboards via the links below:

 Intel DZ77RE-75K

Asus P8Z77-V Premium

MSI’s Z77A-GD80

Seagate GoFlex Wireless Firmware Update

Released in 2011, the Seagate GoFlex Satellite mobile was one of the first wireless external hard drives to become available.

It was designed for use with devices that required more storage but had limited connectivity options, like the iPad.

However, while accessing the GoFlex wireless external hard drive and streaming data you couldn’t connect to the internet. This could be quite frustrating.

Fortunately, there is now a firmware update that fixes this problem, version 1.3.5.015.

The new firmware update also potentially increases the battery life from 5 to 10 hours. This is more in line with the iPad that has a battery life of 10 hours.

In addition it also allows up to 8 connected clients at any one time. Although if streaming quality HD content it is advised to stick with the existing 3 client limit.

There is a link below, that includes the update and instructions on how to load it.

Seagate Firmware Update

Version: 1.3.5.015

• Ability to join an existing Wi-Fi network (Internet access while connected to the GoFlex Satellite)
• Support for more than 3 users
• Password change option located on main screen
• Support for M4A (MP4) meta data (album art, song title, artists, etc are now displayed in the various menus)
• A-Z scroll bars added to Movies and Documents screens
• Option for extended battery life when combined with the current iOS GoFlex Media App (download/play feature on settings page)
• The ability to toggle between the native video player and GoFlex Media video player for Android App on the settings page.

As speculated last year, Intel has now launched their new Ivy Bridge i5 and i7 processors.

This long awaited launch has created a lot of interest among hardware vendors and users alike.

Not least, because the new processors will offer support for both the USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt high speed interfaces.

Intel has always stated they envisage the two interfaces co-existing together as they both fulfil a particular niche. Consequently they have released new motherboard chipsets that will support both technologies.

Thunderbolt however does require additional components to enable its functionality, namely the new Cactus Ridge Thunderbolt controller.

The Cactus Ridge Thunderbolt controllers are available in four lane, DSL3510 and two-lane, DSL 3310 variants. Each controller measures only 12x12mm with a thickness of 1.35mm and features low power consumption, ideal for the new Ultrabooks.

Ultrabooks are the new laptops that include a set of specifications as defined by Intel. No coincidence then that the Cactus Ridge Thunderbolt controllers are smaller and use less power.

Most hardware vendors already have Ultrabooks available, be it without Thunderbolt ports at the moment:

Because the Ultrabook is designed to be compact and light, they come with few built in devices like a DVD drive. By utilizing just one Thunderbolt port it potentially offers access to up to six external Thunderbolt peripherals, like a Thunderbolt external hard drive or Thunderbolt monitor.

There is also speculation that a third controller known as the Port Ridge DS2210 will be available. This only has the capability to be an end device with no support for daisy chaining. However it is smaller than its big brothers measuring just 6x5mm by 1.5mm so would be well suited to smaller handheld Thunderbolt devices.

Intel is certainly pushing Thunderbolt and hope that up to 100 Thunderbolt peripherals will be available by the end of the year.

If pc hardware vendors and motherboard manufacturers decide to include Thunderbolt ports then this number is a distinct possibility and will only increase with time.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera

Blackmagic are a company known best for their creative video technology, with products like the Intensity Extreme and UltraStudio 3D.
However they have really put the cat amongst the pigeons with their new Blackmagic cinema camera.

Looking very stylish and boasting some impressive specs, this camera is a fraction of the price of its competitors.

It has a high resolution 2.5K image sensor that is fully compatible with Canon EF and Zeiss ZE mount lenses.

With 13 stops of dynamic range, the Blackmagic cinema camera claims that it can offer the user a true digital film camera experience.

All the file formats are open standard and used by NLE software. It supports uncompressed CinemaDNG RAW 12-bit capture as well as Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD compressed video formats, which are then stored on a built-in removable 2.5” SSD.

The Blackmagic cinema camera also comes with a Thunderbolt port. Therefore you can stream video straight from the SSD onto your computer via the high speed Thunderbolt port.
Included with the camera is the Blackmagic UltraScope software providing waveform monitoring. By utilising the Thunderbolt connection you could display 6 live scope views on a single monitor.

In addition, for things like colour correction, DaVinci Resolve software for Mac™ and Windows™ is also included.

The cinema camera comes with a set of standard connections with no proprietary ports, once again reducing compatibility issues.

There is a 5” touchscreen that allows you to view your shots, replay from the SSD and update your settings. Or you can take advantage of the other functions available such as adding metadata information compatible with editing software or simply checking the battery power level.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera is due to be available in July 2012.

As seen demonstrated at the CES and Macworld conventions earlier this year, the first Western Digital Thunderbolt hard drive has now been released.

Called the My Book Thunderbolt Duo, it is a Thunderbolt enabled version of the already popular WD My Book external hard drive range.

There are two versions currently available:

4TB (2 x 2TB)

or

6TB (2 x 3TB)

The two 3.5 inch hard drives come preconfigured with RAID 0 array as default. You can however reconfigure the two hard drives to utilise RAID 1 using the supplied software, WD Drive Utilities.

RAID 0: offers you all the drive space with the best performance, but there is no redundancy. If a drive crashes and you don’t have a backup, you lose your data.

RAID 1: essentially mirrors the drives. You half your drive space, but you have redundancy built in. If a drive crashes, you simply replace it and your data is still safe.

WD have installed drives from their SATA green range. They use less energy but this does affect performance to some extent.

Each My Book has two Thunderbolt ports, enabling you to add it to an existing daisy chain or link a number of My Books together if you wished.

With HFS+ formatted hard drives, the WD My Book Thunderbolt Duo is compatible with any Thunderbolt enabled MAC running OS X 10.6.8 or later. Just plug your Thunderbolt cable into your Macs Thunderbolt port and you are good to go.

You’ll have to purchase a Thunderbolt cable separately though, as this isn’t included with the My Book Thunderbolt Duo.