Cadco Systems Inc is proud to announce that they are now a reseller and partner with Data Robotics Inc, the manufacturer of the highly popular Drobo external storage solution.  The Drobo is the world’s first storage robot that is a fully automated data storage that ensures our data is always protected.  Your disk capacity is unlimited and requires no special knowledge or expertise.  

Drobo is an easy-to-use desktop storage array that plugs into your Mac, PC or Linux system via hi-speed USB 2.0. Drobo enables users to reliably store up to 16TB of data, using any combination of 3.5” SATA I or II drives - within four drive bays. Drobo provides the data redundancy features normally associated with RAID such as mirroring and data striping, without the complexities of RAID. Drobo, will create one large pool of protected expandable storage, enabling you to avoid managing multiple external drives.

Drobo guards everything on it
Even when a drive fails or data becomes corrupted, you’re protected. There are many advanced data redundancy and integrity checks built into Drobo.

Drobo makes storage a breeze
If you can read a traffic light, you’re a certified Drobo expert. Drobo uses simple LED lights to inform you about free capacity and drive status.

Drobo offers unlimited capacity upgrades
Use ANY drive you want, regardless of SIZE. Need to add capacity? Pop in a new hard drive or pop out an existing one and replace it with a bigger one. Drobo has an insatiable appetite for adding storage capacity. It can even extend to 16TB as hard disk sizes increase.

Drobo does not require drivers or software
Use Drobo right out of the box – with zero configuration. You’ll never have to worry about using a management console either. Drobo has the familiar benefits of RAID, without the complexity.

DroboShare it on your network
Connect your Drobo to a DroboShare and share your data over Gigabit Ethernet (GigE). With DroboShare, everybody on your network can benefit from the storage capabilities of Drobo.

Drobo is Windows, OS X, & Linux Friendly
We don’t care if you’re a Mac, PC, or Linux*. We’re proud to support NTFS, HFS+, EXT3, and FAT32 file systems. If you connect your Drobo to a DroboShare, you can share with all three operating systems or other devices like media centers, regardless of the file system you’ve chosen for Drobo. *Linux support now in beta.

The updated all-in-one iMac introduced today offers the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and the most powerful graphics ever available in an iMac. The ultimate all-in-one desktop computer includes faster processors with 6MB L2 cache, a faster 1066 MHz front-side bus across the entire line, and 2GB of memory standard in most models. And the 24-inch iMac now offers a 3.06 GHz Intel processor and the high-performance NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS graphics as options. Available immediately, the new iMac starts at just $1,199.

 As usual, the rumor mill is hard at work with the release of the second-gen iPhone in July.  According to Engadget’s source:

• The first thing people will notice: the 2nd gen iPhone will be about the same size and shape as the first gen.
• It will, of course, have 3G. And proper GPS!
• The most noticeable physical difference is back of the phone is no longer metal — the whole thing is glossy black, from top to bottom. The volume buttons are now chrome.
• Because it’s got a little less metal to deal with, it doesn’t have quite as many angular edges. The battery is (still) not removable.
• The phone itself will be slightly thicker than the first gen device.
• The headphone jack will no longer be recessed, and will finally be flush with the body.
• The device itself uses roughly the same size and resolution screen as the first generation product.
• No solid word on battery life or storage capacity.

Apple Releases Aperture 2.1 with Powerful Image Editing Plug-In Architecture

CUPERTINO, California—March 28, 2008— Apple® today released Aperture™ 2.1, which introduces an open plug-in architecture that makes it easy for photographers to use specialized third party imaging software right from within Aperture. Available today as a free software update, Aperture 2.1 includes the Apple-developed plug-in, Dodge & Burn, which adds brush-based tools for dodge (lighten), burn (darken), contrast, saturation, sharpen and blur. Over the coming months, third party software developers will deliver image editing plug-ins for localized editing, filters and effects, noise analysis and reduction, fisheye lens correction and more.

“The image quality in Aperture 2 has won over the most demanding photographers,” said Rob Schoeben, Apple’s vice president of Applications Product Marketing. “Now, thanks to our open plug-in architecture, users can access an entire industry’s worth of imaging expertise without ever leaving Aperture.”

“To date, maybe two percent of my photographs needed to be touched up outside Aperture,” said John Stanmeyer, founding member of the VII Photo Agency and contributing photographer for Time and National Geographic magazines. “Now that I can dodge and burn right within Aperture’s new plug-in, I can’t imagine when I’ll have to open any other application to tone my images.”

By clicking on one or more images within Aperture, users can choose from a menu of installed plug-ins and apply specialized imaging operations to either TIFF or RAW images. Apple is working closely with key developers to bring the most requested plug-ins to Aperture such as:

• Nik Software’s Viveza plug-in, powered by U Point technology, which provides a powerful, precise and easy way for photographers to selectively control and adjust color and light in their digital images;
• PictureCode’s Noise Ninja plug-in that delivers advanced high ISO noise analysis and reduction;
• Digital Film Tools’ Power Stroke plug-in that features a simple, stroke-based interface to quickly mask and intuitively perform targeted adjustments;
• The Tiffen Company’s Dfx plug-in that provides an expansive suite of creative filters and effects;
• dvGarage’s dpMatte plug-in, which is a high performance chroma key tool for creating seamless composites, and the HDRtoner plug-in that enables the selection of multiple photos to create a single high dynamic range (HDR) image; and
• Image Trends’ plug-ins that include Fisheye-Hemi to quickly and effortlessly correct fisheye lens distortion, ShineOff which automatically removes shine from faces and PearlyWhites that automatically whitens and brightens teeth.

Pricing & Availability Aperture 2.1 is available immediately as a free software update to current Aperture 2.0 users. Full system requirements and more information on Aperture can be found at www.apple.com/aperture. Information and availability for third party imaging plug-ins can be found on www.apple.com/aperture/resources,www.apple.com/downloads and at the Aperture community site www.aperturepluggedin.com.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

This update extends RAW file compatibility for Aperture 2 and iPhoto ’08 for the following cameras: Hasselblad CFV-16Hasselblad H3D-31Hasselblad H3D-31IILeaf Aptus 54SLeaf Aptus 65SNikon D60Olympus E-3Pentax *ist DL2Pentax *ist DS2Pentax K100D SuperSony DSLR-A200Sony DSLR-A350 For detailed information on the security content of this update, please visit this site: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

AppleInsider is reporting that the Apple Mac mini will soon be upgraded to the new Penryn-3M-based Intel chip. It may receive the Core 2 Duo mobile processor starting at 2.1GHz, 800MHz front-side bus, and stepped-up Intel graphics processor comparable to the one found in the MacBook.

Its not Tuesday, but Apple released a new wireless base station today. The AirPort Express is now available in the “n” flavor. You can share a printer wirelessly via USB, stream audio wirelessly via the audio mini jack (both analog and optical), setup a WiFi network when traveling, or extend the range of your existing wireless network. All at the faster 802.11n speeds. For more details, check out AirPort Express at Apple’s site…

Today Apple announced the availability of their iPhone SDK. Now anyone can develop applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. If you watch the iPhone Event, it will amaze you. The iPhone truely is a Macintosh just in mini form. The operating system and core libraries are those of OS X. The v2.0 firmware should be released to the public in late June at no cost to iPhone owners. For more details about this event, below are links to the Event, SDK download, and Enterprise Beta program:March 6 EventiPhone Developer Program (SDK) iPhone Enterprise Beta Program

The rumors are rampant prior to Macworld 2008. MacRumors.com is reporting that the upcoming release of the iPhone firmware (1.1.3) will include Copy and Paste…Read about the rumor at MacRumors.

Woz is looking forward to using Leopard and likes the idea of third-party apps for the iPhone. Laptop Magazine has a long interview with Woz and he says, “I am really for the unlockers, the rebels trying to make it free. I’d really like it to be open to new applications. I’d like to install some nice games. Why in the world can I not install a ringtone that I’ve made?” We are with you Woz! Check out Laptop Magazine for the entire interview…

Tags: woz, iphone, leopard, apple, interview