Apple shook things up today announcing a new line of super-fast MacBook Pro’s featuring Intel i5 and i7 processors, and yet another peripheral interface: Thunderbolt.
According to Apple’s press release, Thunderbolt technology enables users to daisy-chain a number of peripherals via this new interface including monitors, printers, and yes external hard drives.
Developed by Intel and brought to market with technical collaboration from Apple. Thunderbolt technology is a new, high-speed, dual-protocol I/O technology designed for performance, simplicity, and flexibility With promises of a 10GB per second transfer rate, Thunderbolt technology will provide incredible flexibility.
The question being raised by many is whether Seagate is on board to support this new interface. According to a statement from Seagate…the answer is yes:
“When Seagate first introduced the GoFlex line of external hard drives in 2010, it was with the foresight and understanding that technology changes are rapid, including those associated with data transfer interfaces and external hard drives. To address this growing and evolving need for more data and faster performance, Seagate GoFlex storage devices were purpose-built to enable people with the ability to adapt to the introduction of new technologies such as LightPeak/Thunderbolt, announced this week by Apple and Intel. By virtue of an interchangeable interface and support for the new Universal Storage Module (USM) standard, GoFlex owners can take advantage of newer, faster interfaces by simply swapping the cable or adapter of their existing GoFlex drive; all without the hassle of copying or migrating their data. Seagate will support LightPeak/Thunderbolt, with products available within the calendar year. ”
So anyone who has already purchased a Seagate GoFlex portable drive is set to upgrade to Thunderbolt as soon as the adapter is made available in order to unleash a reported 10Gbps speed! For those who unfortunately decided to go with another hard drive manufacturer, be prepared to fork over more money to replace your external storage entirely, on top of the hassle of migrating the data from your current drive to the one with the new interface.
Related Posts:
The beauty of a Mac with a GoFlex to match
Seagate GoFlex removable media? It’s coming…
Intel’s Silicon Photonics…the storage interface of the future?
Images by Geek.com, Apple, and Seagate
Apple shook things up today announcing a new line of super-fast MacBook Pro’s featuring Intel i5 and i7 processors, and yet another peripheral interface: Thunderbolt.
So anyone who has already purchased a Seagate GoFlex portable drive is set to upgrade to Thunderbolt as soon as the adapter is made available in order to unleash a reported 10Gbps speed! For those who unfortunately decided to go with another hard drive manufacturer, be prepared to fork over more money to replace your external storage entirely, on top of the hassle of migrating the data from your current drive to the one with the new interface.
One more reason why I will always buy Seagate drives.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Seagate, brian_ziel and Kip Stephenson, kehindebadejo. kehindebadejo said: RT @Seagate: The Storage Effect [blog]: Seagate GoFlex to “adapt” to #Apple ’s #Thunderbolt technology http://ow.ly/43tMy […]
[…] Seagate GoFlex to “adapt” to Apple’s Thunderbolt technology The beauty of a Mac with a GoFlex to match Share and Enjoy: […]
[…] Seagate GoFlex to “adapt” to Apple’s Thunderbolt technology The beauty of a Mac with a GoFlex to match More server chips means more…guess […]
I was pleased to read this a few weeks back after recently acquiring a go flex pro, and subsequently a 2011 macbook pro.
No news since though…is there a release date for the Thunderbolt adapter??
@Ali Hi Ali – thanks for the comment. We are on schedule to release a Thunderbolt adapter by the end of the year. As additional info comes out, I will be sure to update via the blog. Thanks – Mark
[…] plans for external storage with the new console due out sometime in 2012. Perhaps a candidate for Apple Thunderbolt connection, or even USB 3.0 allowing the bandwidth for users to stream downloaded games from the […]
hey.
Thats all great news but one thing important is missing. When the thunderbolt adapter comes out it will be one cable with one plug. How are you meant to daisy-chain the hard drive and a monitor together to the laptop. What they should is include a thunderbolt/mini DP ‘double adapter’ or make the cable have another socket or something on it to connect the monitor. If that happens that would be cool.
Thanks
@Sebastian Chetcuti Thanks for the comment. The details are still being worked on the GoFlex adapter. I should know more in the coming month or two….stay tuned. Thanks – Mark
Does anyone have an ETA for this??
@Justin The latest I heard is that the Thunderbolt adapter is in design phase and is due out the 2nd half of the year. I would guess closer to Q4 (October to December). Thanks for the question. – Mark
I just got a MacBook pro and look forward to faster transfer speeds. I just purchased a Seagate FW800 portable drive and it’s a little too slow to work real time on my photos in Lightroom and Photoshop. So I can’t wait till I can get a Thunderbolt Drive to keep my photos on.
So how will this adaptor help the speeds of a Fire Wire drive? am I missing something?
Also, what’s Seagates plans to release a Thunderbolt Drive?
Thanks
Rich
@Rich Hi Rich – If you bought a GoFlex portable drive with the switchable interface adapter, you will be able to purchase a Thunderbolt adapter and replace the FW connection with a T-bolt connection. The Thunderbolt interface will provide faster transfer speeds than the FW800. It will be available late 2011. Hope this helps. – Mark
So Mark, your saying this drive will work as it is with the Thunderbolt adapter? That’s great news..
Will it need to be re formatted?
And will it provide the full claimed transfer speeds of 10GBPS? If so that going to be great.
It’s such a bummer to get a new Mac with TB but nothing is available for it.
Mark, I also have another situation I could use help with.
As a photographer I edit photos for other photographers that use PC and they give me hard drives where I can get the files on to my Mac and edit them but I can’t get them back on the drive. I understand this. The best suggestion so far has been to use a drive that has been formatted to FAT32. The problem is, I have been told that you can’t deal with any file larger than 4GB.
That’s fine except that some of the file folders are over 4GB..
Is there anything else I can do other than making a patrician?
Are there any drives that will truly read and write between Mac and PC?
Right now my workaround is to put the edited files onto a Jump Drive and put the Jump and Hard Drive into my PC and transfer them. It works fine but takes so long and so many steps.
Your help will be great.
Rich
Sebastian, great point.. that’s one thing I will be interested in, how we daisy chain TB devices.
What about a TB Hub? Any word on that? This is really important as I have my monitor plugged into the TB port.
@Rich
Why would the drive need to be reformatted. Do you reformat drives when switching from USB to FireWire?
As far as the transfer speeds are concerned, the optimum 10GBPS speed that has been stated is unlikely except for optimum conditions.
With regard to daisy chaining v. a hub, daisy chaining is meant to be an efficient way of utilizing multiple peripherals without needing multiple ports or a hub.
I can get the files into my Mac and edit them but I can’t write them back to the HD unless i reformat it to FAT32 which is fine but it can’t deal with any file over 4GB and many time we deal with files quite a bit larger.
This is great news. I got worried by this post that Seagate are not interested in Thunderbolt http://www.macworld.com.au/news/seagate-says-too-early-for-thunderbolt-26464/
I love the GoFlex system, and true to the system, an interface for Thunderbolt would be brilliant.
I believe Seagate could really gain traction in the burgeoning Apple Mac market if they push Thunderbolt GoFlex.
Many people (myself included), use various machines, and the ability to use a drive on a different machine with a different interface is one massive reason all my drives will be Seagate if they release a Thunderbolt interface.
Oh yeah, just to iterate a previous comment that I’d need to be able to daisy chain an external monitor so it would need two Thunderbolt ports.
Will an adapter be released for the go flex slim. It is much thinner so I dont even know if the port would fit on the drive.
Mark, sorry to beat this like a Dead Horse but can you clarify, If i get the Thunderbolt adapter for my Go Flex drive meant for the Firewire 800, it will in fact run at the much higher speeds of Thunderbolt?
Also, what are realistic speeds I should expect?
@Rich
I’m just a consumer, not a Seagate employee.
You asked, “If i get the Thunderbolt adapter for my GoFlex drive meant for the Firewire 800, it will in fact run at the much higher speeds of Thunderbolt?”
The GoFlex drive may, currently, be used with a FireWire 800 adapter. Seagate has said that, by the end of 2011, they will offer a Thunderbolt adapter for use with the GoFlex drives.
I’m sure that Seagate is unable to state the transfer speeds until the Thunderbolt adapter is released to the market. 10GBps is the optimum speed. But I expect less. Hopefully, it will allow 5GBps, which is a little bit more than six times the speed of FireWire 800.
I’m currently using a GoFlex Desk drive with the FireWire 800 adapter. And I look forward to using the Thunderbolt adapter, assuming that it’s reasonably priced.
well good thing goflex is stay flexable with new ports. 🙂
Although for those curious on speeds on thunderbolt, You dont have to look any farther than the esata 3Gbs speeds. (which is about 80 to 90MB/s.)
Unless im misinformed, the HDD that GoFlex uses are internal Sata 3 Gbs speeds. So anything beyond it means there no major speed increases. (like how you dont see much of a different between USB 3.0 and Esata)
While i love the flexibly of the goflex drives (happy with my month old 750GB goflex drive 😀 ) think they need SDD goflex drives that can use these higher bandwidth ports.
I’m assuming adaptors will be made for the desktop range also? I have 2 3TB drive that I would need Thunderbolt adaptors for.
Is there a timetable for the release of a Thunderbolt adaptor for the GoFlex line Drives?
@chiumeister Hi Billy – I don’t have a specific date for you. All I am hearing is Q4 of this year which is sneaking up on us….keep you posted. – Mark
Release date?
News?
[…] a Mac, I’ll be ordering my GoFlex FireWire adapter for a measly $25.00, and potentially a Thunderbolt adapter when it arrives hopefully by the end of the […]
Currently, I have the Firewire 800 Interface. I’m waiting for the Thunderbolt adapter for my GoFlex Desk 2TB. Any word on a release date?
The Thunderbolt adapter for the GoFlex Desk drives is due no later than December 31, 2011.
[…] I first blogged about it, the questions about when Seagate will release a Thunderbolt adapter for GoFlex have seemed like […]
[…] in February, Seagate announced its plans to release a Thunderbolt adapter for its GoFlex drives. And though it has yet to ship, it did make an appearance at IDF (or at […]
[…] in February, Seagate announced a skeleton to recover a Thunderbolt adapter for a GoFlex drives. And nonetheless it has nonetheless to ship, it did make an coming during IDF […]
Lets Go developer with TB.
The agrement to have only Mac equiped with TB for one year exclusivity is coming to finish soon.
So far the best computers in the world will be equiped with TB,
Of course Mac products then I just read on a french site that in the PC computers:
http://s208270930.onlinehome.fr/wordpress/?p=8127
Acer and Asus should put TB in 2012. (Those are recognized by experts as the best PC)
Now it will be a big plus to have Thunderbolt everywhere.
Rich, Thunderbolt Will be significantly faster than Firewire 800. But the drive won’t be fast enough to read/write data the full speed of Thunderbolt.
As for reading *and writing to* Windows (NTFS) drives, you can get both free and commercial NTFS drivers for your Mac.
Here’s the paid one: http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/26288/ntfs-for-mac-os-x
Google “NTFS Driver OS X” to see the various options. Some are easier than others. If you’re using this for your business, getting the paid one may be the way to go because presumably it is better designed and supported.
Also, be sure to keep at least three copies of all important files / photos, with one off-site (such as Carbonite). Microsoft’s NTFS is proprietary, and Microsoft doesn’t support using it outside of Windows. That makes backups even more important.
That said, I’ve used one of the free ones (light use) with no problems.
Doug
By the way, the Paragon NTFS driver from the link in my last message is $20.
The ThunderBolt drive and adapter market is proving to be very different from other computer interface rollout and adoption sequences. Intel and Apple control so much of the ThunderBolt Intellectual Property and chipset manufacturing that it’s just a different game than, say, the way the USB-IF consortium fosters product development with it’s member companies.
Unless striping across multiple conventional drives, clearly solid-state SSD drives and T-Bolt are the ideal match. It’ll be interesting to see if Seagate starts leaning towards Hybrid ThunderBolt drives like the Momentus XT in some of it’s future backup drives to keep in step with T-Bolt’s insane bandwidth capabilities.
When are we getting this Thunderbolt adapter? It’s taking too long?
@Lord Balloon Prototypes were shown at the Intel Developer Forum last week. We expect availability in the next couple months. Thanks – Mark.
Paragon NTFS for Mac is free if you purchase Seagate GoFlex. You can find it inside the GoFlex. Can’t wait the release date of TB. Go Seagate ! GoFLex:)
I know this is few months old, but I did want to reply to Rich about “cross-platform” drives.
I have a better solution than the suggested NTFS plugins and paying for anything.
There is a caveat though and here it is. You must be running Mac OS 10.6.7 or later. On Windows 7 native drivers are installed by default. Windows XP machines require a free download from Microsoft )http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=19364) to support the format I am about to mention.
ExFAT. Use it.
Mac OS can format a drive with Disk Utility to ExFAT. Win 7 it is native. It is superior in a lot of ways to NTFS and supports even larger file sizes.
Macs and Windows have full read/write access to the drives.
Yes, it is even possible to format USB sticks to this format, removing all FAT32 limitations from larger sticks like 64 GB ones.
As I said, you just have to watch out if you are moving data to older Windows XP machines, but all it takes is a small free download. I carry around an old 256 MB USB stick with the driver on it just in case.
Move away from the headaches of NTFS add ons and use something native to both platforms.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
When do you think the thunderbolt interface will be available and what will the price be?
@Max Hi Max. I do not know exactly when it will be available, but I know it’s within the next month or two (at the latest). The price? I have not heard, but I would think it will be comparable to the other GoFlex adapters available today.
I think that the Thunderbolt interface will be available in the next 66 days. The price will probably be between $20 and $100.
Thunderbolt = Vaporware.
I bought the GoFlex solely on the premise / and promise from Seagate that the Thunderbolt adapter would be shortly available. Mark, as the Senior Manager, Product Management, you should know the exact date of launch of the adapter. Yet following your comments, I think perhaps your true vocation should have been as a politician who talks but never answers the question. So, two specific yes / no questions for you (no commentary required). Has the Thunderbolt adapter been released for retail sale yet? (yes /no). Question 2, if the answer to question 1 is NO….will you guarantee that the Thunderbolt adapter will be available for retail sale within the next 41 days (yes / no)?
@George Hi George – 1). No and 2). No.
very disappointing … i was about to buy a go-flex HD, about a month ago but waiting was a goo idea .. mainly as when it will be available there will probably be other options
@Mark Wojtasiak
I realize that you’re probably not directly involved with getting the behind the scenes stuff done at Seagate. But a lot of people, including myself, have purchased Seagate Goflex Desk External hard drives based on what you and Seagate have said about a goal of having a Thunderbolt adapter base for the Goflex desk drives.
Seagate has had a looooooong time to produce these adapters. I assume that, if Seagate wants to keep the price as low as possible, to maintain consumer interest, the Thunderbolt cable would be sold separately through Apple. So the adapter base should be $20 to $25.
I’m sure that we would all like a little bit of visibility as to when these adapter bases will be forthcoming.
What do you know, Mark?
If you don’t know much about it, please ask someone who does, or let us know who to ask and how to contact him/her.
Thanks.
So, I asked Mark a very important question to which a lot of people are interested in the answer.
And all that we hear is:
http://is.gd/gdzVcV
Mark:
My dear old Mom taught me that a man is only as good as his word. Here is what you said on June 30th (see you entry on that date above)…….. “It will be available late 2011”.
Mark an apology is due all your loyal readers in all your various blogs. Your credibility is at stake. People buy product based upon your word, your reputation.
Fess up, either you were blowing smoke without knowing your facts or something has happened in development and production that you are not willing to disclose.
Grow a pair, be a man, fess up tell the truth and try to win back some of your credibility with your readers
The Seagate Goflex Thunderbolt adapter is not yet available.
But this will probably be Seagate’s part # for it: STAE121.
Google this part number to find more information.
Thanks for the information. Hope this is not the actual adapter as the initial prices show it as being as or more expensive than the original hard drive.
Wish we would hear back from Mark with some credible facts. Guess he has gone silent in that his credibility is some what dubious based upon his previous statements. You got to think he must be, or at least should be, embarrassed.
Perhaps you should apply for his job given you seem more forthcoming and interested in finding a solution than he obviously is. Got to wonder about his other blogs, are they just propaganda for Seagate?. Come on Mark, we are all waiting for you to step and tell the truth. Anyway, thanks DCJ001 for at least caring enough to respond.
Hey, SEAGATE , is anyone listening ?
@George Somers My apologies for the delay in answering your question…my bad. I want to be sure what I post will in fact answer all of your questions, and not appear as any sort of “propeganda” for Seagate. No spin, no gray areas, just the facts. There is an adapter coming? – yes. The adapter is late? – yes. The adapter does work? – yes. Have I seen it in action? – yes. Please give me just another day or so to put everything together in one succinct post. I sincerely appreciate your candor, and DCJ001’s as well. Do I like to be called to the carpet on this? – no. Do I want to get the story straight and give you the answers you deserve? – without a doubt. And I will. Thanks again! – Woj
Well, here’s some news that the Goflex Desk Thunderbolt adapter will be available next month:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5345/seagates-goflex-thunderbolt-adapters
Hopefully, it will come with at least one Thunderbolt cable.
Also, Mark said that the Goflex Desk Thunderbolt adapter should cost about the same as the FireWire 800 adapter. I bought a FireWire 800 adapter for $19.99 from Best Buy. I’m probably going to be disappointed when I see the prices of the Goflex Desk Thunderbolt adapter.
Just found this Youtube info on the Seagate Thunderbolt Drive Adapters at CES 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NL-4vwcqZA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NL-4vwcqZA
I’ve read a handful of news articles about the Goflex Thunderbolt adapters in the last day. Some have said that they will be available by the end of next month. Others said that the Goflex Thunderbolt adapters for the portable drives will be available by the end of March, and that the Goflex Desk Thunderbolt adapters will be available by the end of June.
Do you know what he actual time of release, Mark?
I’ve also read that the Goflex Thunderbolt adapters do not come with Thunderbolt cables. So I guess that $50 needs to be added to the cost of each Goflex Thunderbolt adapter.
The Seagate rep at CES was interviewed for a few minutes (audio at the below URL). He said that the portable Goflex Thunderbolt adapters will be available in two weeks, and the Goflex Desk Thunderbolt adapters will be available in five weeks.
http://is.gd/orzgHm
Mark.
I know that you’re in a bad spot, being asked questions, and not being able to answer them. But why does the fourth graphic in the slide show at:
http://www.seagate.com/goflex-for-mac/
say, “Thunderbolt – Winter 2012.”
Regarding my previous post, Winter 2012 happens early in 2012 and late in 2012. Wouldn’t it be best to say Q1 2012?
Mark.
As I mention four posts ago, some news articles have been saying:
“The GoFlex Thunderbolt Adapter will be available during the first quarter of this year and the GoFlex Desk Thunderbolt Adapter is expected to be available before the second half of this calendar year.”
http://is.gd/5YVTuY
Is this an accurate expectation? I’d like to think that the other sources that have said are correct:
“The portable Goflex Thunderbolt adapters will be available in two weeks, and the Goflex Desk Thunderbolt adapters will be available in five weeks.”
http://is.gd/orzgHm
So what’s the truth, as you know it to be, Mark?
@DCJ001 Thanks again for all of your due diligence with this. The latest I heard from the product team is that we could see the portable adapters as early as the end of January, and the desktop adapters by the end of February. I am going with those closest to the product and that would mean we should see them sooner than later. If I hear anything more, I will let you know. Thanks again – Woj.
[…] going to give it to you straight. Lord knows, I personally have been called to the carpet on previous posts as to the reality of the adapter, with deserved questions and concerns as to when it will be […]
What a mess. I ordered the Go-flex Thunderbolt Adaptor and waited. Then I called to find out why I had not received it and I was told the orders had to be hand entered at the warehouse, it would be 1-2 days before mine would ship. That was Monday, I called today (Thursday) to followup and now I’m being told 7-10 days before they will even begin filling the orders.
What gives? When will I get my adaptor, or will I?
Since my last post things have gone from bad to worse. Now sales has canceled my order. They even told me the Thunderbolt Adapter will not be shipping until late March at the earliest. However, I was told I could get it at the Apple Store in the next day or two. It has been almost two weeks now and it is not at the Apple Store, web or brick and mortar.
I have replied back to sales as to what is going on but they will not even answer. SEAGATE, you have a lot of bad PR on this release. How do you plan to get out of this one? When will the adapter ship and why can’t you get your facts straight?
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