They say Windows and Apple are as different as night and day, but the new MediaSmart EX490 and the EX495 models by HP are now wooing Apple-using folks to their fold with stellar new features. These handy dandy new media server do more than its fair share of the work – on a home network, assorted media can be collected from a Mac. Automation is about, so your photos, music and videos are updated and synchronized to the server in a jiffy.

More Stunning Offerings

The media server mix also comes with video converter software which you can also use for your iPod touch and iPhone. Some administrative functions for multiple users as well as local and remote access are within your control even on a Mac. In terms of backups, it is nice to note that Time Machine may also be configured.

Full Image Recovery

In the past, a system crash will mean loading your MediaSmart software and then wait eons for the applications to load. now, you can do bare bone restoration – where everything can be done right off the server itself. This also includes full imager recovery, according to future product manager of HP’s Charlie Shilling. Of course, the servers are still Microsoft-based. But once accessed, both administration and media interfaces look exactly the same whether you access them from a Mac or a PC.

Price and Specs

To get these goodies, a $549 price tag for the EX490 will merit ownership of the system that comes with 1TB worth of storage. The EX495 model is steeper at $699 but has 1.5TB storage and a faster processor. Both media servers have 2 GB RAM which are upgradeable to 4 GB, and very compactly designed at a mere 9.2 x9.7 x 5.5 inches. As a word of advice, it seems better to shell out almost seven hundred dollars for the EX495 because it comes with a dual core model – which means faster performance compared to the EX490’s Celeron processor. Both servers each come with four Serial ATA II bays, though out of the box one is already occupied. The secondary bay has up to 7TB worth of internal storage. Additional drives are also possible, because the drive bays itself come with front swings to let you slot in new drives into place.

For Whom is This, Then?

The target audience is, of course, environments that seek to harmonize the utility and functions of both Windows and Mac. Apart from the technologically enthusiastic, HP hopes to go beyond enthralling the market with an awesome product and making them see that it also solves a need and bridges two systems together for better productivity. A Windows-based computer is still necessary in order for the media servers to be up and running, so ownership of not just a Mac but a PC and a Mac is required as well – though after installation, you can still resume administrator rights straight off your Apple computer, which most Apple and Windows users tend to stick to anyway.

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