QNAP has new Turbo NAS home server models: the TS-x20 and TS-x21 series are designed around the company's new QTS 4.0 operating system, designed to make the set-up and management of network-attached storage simpler than ever.
The new OS allows multiple tasks to run simultaneously in a multi window web-based user-interface, adds cross-device synchronisation to allow data on phones, tablets and personal computers to be backed up and shared seamlessly, and can be used with a variety of smartphone/table apps for control and remote access of content.
The new multiwindow/multitasking interface allows users to switch between tasks on the fly, and includes a quick start menu for rapid access to applications, a smart dashboard with an overview of system status and drag-and-drop icons, and a smart toolbar.
Qsync allows files to be accessed from any device on the home network and also remotely using a web interface via the new portal myQNAPcloud.com, which can also be used for remote management of the Turbo NAS devices. The Qsync utility allows users to create a folder on each of their devices, into which files or folders can be dropped for synchronisation across all registered devices.
Other facilities include the usual server functions for music, files and video; QAirplay for playback of photo and video files to a TV via Airplay-enabled devices; file transcoding in the Media Library function; surveillance functions and automatic upload of pictures, internet-sourced videos and files.
In addition, extra applications can be added via the QNAP App Center, with more than 80 on-demand functional apps available.
QNAP general manager Meiji Chang says that 'QTS 4.0 is a major evolution of QNAP’s software design: it aims to reverse home users’ typical impressions towards the networked appliances as being complex and hard to use.
'QTS 4.0 integrates Turbo NAS hardware design and features multi-window intelligence and smart mobile apps, making home digital data storing and management easier and multimedia entertainment more fun.'
The two new series are available in one-, two- or four-bay versions, the main difference between the two being the processor and memory specification.
The TS-x20 models – TS-121 (£183), TS-221 (£265) and TS-421 (£400) – use a 2.0GHz CPU with 1GB of DDR3 RAM, and the TS-120 (£143), TS-220 (£183) and TS-420 (£343) have a 1.6GHz CPU with 512MB of RAM.
All models have two USB3.0 ports and Gigabit LAN – one port on the one- and two-bay models, and two on the four-bay – and hard-drives are hot-swappable on the multi-bay versions.
In addition the TS-421 has a display panel for server and drive status.
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Written by Andrew Everard
