AppleInsider Staff
The new Thunderbolt cable measures 2 meters and supports the next-generation data port found on Apple's latest iMacs and MacBook Pros. Thunderbolt offers two independent channels of 10Gbit/s each.
The official Apple Thunderbolt cable allows users to connect Thunderbolt peripherals, but it can also be used for Target Disk Mode between two Macs. The cable can also be used to make a Thunderbolt-equipped iMac serve as a display for a new MacBook Pro.
Also available in Apple's online store are a handful of external RAID systems, all of which ship within 24 hours:
- The least expensive option is the Promise Pegasus R4 with 4TB of data. It features four 1TB 7200-rpm drives delivering over 500MB/s of disk performance.
- For $1,499, the Pegasus R4 can be doubled to 8TB, operating at the same 500MB/s.
- For more speed, Apple offers the Promise Pegasus R6. It includes six 1TB 7200-rpm hard drives that deliver over 800MB/s of disk performance for $1,499.
- Finally, the R6 can also have twice the storage with the 12TB offering, priced at $1,999.
Thunderbolt was launched in March, when Apple's new MacBook Pros went on sale. The technology, co-developed by Intel and Apple, utilizes the standard mini DisplayPort connector, but offers high-speed data transfers in addition to external monitor support.
Thunderbolt also appeared on the new iMacs launched in May, and is expected to rapidly appear on the rest of the company's hardware lineup. Tuesday's additions to the Apple online store mark some of the first Thunderbolt-capable accessories available for purchase.
Just last week, LaCie showed off a new Thunderbolt solid-state drive that it will release this summer. The system has two SSDs paired in a RAID 0 configuration offering read speeds of up to 870MB/s.
Though Apple cooperated with Intel on Thunderbolt, the technology is not exclusive to the Mac maker. This week, rival Sony showed off its own proprietary implementation of Thunderbolt, which will arrive on a new laptop in Europe this summer, dubbed the VAIO Z.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
80 Comments
Finally, the R6 can also have twice the storage with the 12TB offering, priced at $1,9999.
Apple, please make a Mac that is about the size of that RAID system. Perfect size for a Mac between the Mini and the Pro.
Not in the market for Thunderbolt yet...but I am glad so many are cause the early adopters that will spend $50 on a cable pay the R and D costs for guys like me who cant quite afford to be on the cutting edge...that said, even for cutting edge tech that cable should be no more than $25...Apple must model their cable business after monster...not a bad plan for stock holders
I get the feeling Apple have their decimal point in the wrong place. Mind you, this is Apple where they try to give the best bang for the buck with Macs and devices, then gouge you on accessories or upgrades such as memory.
We need a breakout box that has FW and USB ports. Stash all the peripherals in a corner and and just have a single cable going back to my Mac. Is anyone working on such a device?