QNAP Systems releases Turbo NAS TS-x21 and TS-x20 series for home users and home offices

QNAP Systems, Inc. recently announced the release of the Turbo NAS TS-x21 and TS-x20 series for home users and home offices. The new models in the TS-x21 series are equipped with 2.0 GHz CPU, 1GB DDR3 RAM, and the TS-x20 series with 1.6 GHz CPU, 512MB DDR3 RAM. Both series deliver superior performance for daily routines in file storage, sharing, and data backup, and serve as ideal media centres for storing and sharing huge multimedia files.

The TS-x21 and TS-x20 series feature the brand-new Turbo NAS operating system QTS 4.0. The new QTS 4.0 integrates multi-window operations into the web-based user interface, adds cross-device file synchronisation, several smart mobile apps, and more. In an era where almost everyone has at least one mobile phone or tablet device, the QTS 4.0 fulfills people’s needs of mobile data access and synchronization, and storage for huge quantities of data. What’s more, the QTS 4.0’s multi-window user interface introduces users to an unprecedented NAS management experience. In addition, the multimedia applications and multi-tasking designs not only increase management efficiency but also transform home entertainment.

“The QTS 4.0 is a major evolution of QNAP’s software design,” commented Meiji Chang, general manager of QNAP. “It aims to reverse home users’ typical impressions towards the networked appliances as being complex and hard to use. The 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.”

Multi-window operations

The QTS 4.0 offers innovative desktop design to compliment smooth working efficiency. The multi-window design allows multi-tasking concurrently, and enables users to switch between each task to increase productivity. The QTS 4.0 intelligent desktop also includes a quick Start menu to quickly find desired applications, smart Dashboard with overview of system status, drag-and-drop icons to create desktop shortcuts or group shortcuts, multiple desktop to extend desktop work space, the smart Toolbar, and so on.

Cross-device file synchronization

Nowadays almost everyone has multiple devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers and desktop computers. The combination of Qsync and the Turbo NAS fulfills seamless file synchronization, enabling users to get the most recent files with their computers and mobile devices. It is useful for frequent travelers who wish to manage files and always wish to have the most recent files on each device. Qsync provides multiple ways of file synchronisation and group file sharing, greatly enhancing the flexibility of collaboration.

Smart mobile apps

Users can easily access the Turbo NAS through mobile apps. The Qfile app allows remote access to the Turbo NAS and sharing files stored on the Turbo NAS. File uploading, downloading and management with Qfile is easy. The new Qfile function “auto upload from photo gallery” enables users to take photos with a mobile device and have the photos automatically uploaded on to the Turbo NAS. It works as a real-time backup for precious photos. The new Qfile HD app is specifically designed for iPads with an enhanced user interface. The Qmanager app is useful for remotely monitoring and controlling the Turbo NAS’s system status, services, downloading and backup tasks anytime, anywhere.

Integrated multimedia entertainment

The Turbo NAS provides versatile multimedia applications and acts as a media hub at home. The support of DLNA and AirPlay allows users to enjoy a TV experience in diverse ways. The rich applications make it easy and convenient to collect, manage and share huge collection of photos, music, and videos, enriching home entertainment.

QTS 4.0 key features include:

• Intelligent desktop: multi-window, quick Start menu, smart Dashboard, drag-and-drop icons, multiple desktops, personal wallpapers, and smart Toolbar with desktop preferences, online resources, quick search, event notifications, event notifications, external device and background tasks

• File Station: supports photo thumbnails, photo setup with properties and privileges, moving files from local computers to File Station by drag-and-drop, recycle bin categorized by shared folders

• Photo Station: provides a new user interface, customised virtual slideshow by dragging and dropping photos, auto-sorting photos in a timeline, and photo tagging, photos and videos backup with Smart Import

• Music Station: provides new user interface and lyric editing

• Media Library: supports file transcoding

• HappyGet: as a third party application that supports backing up YouTube videos, Facebook photos, and Vimeo videos

• Surveillance Station Pro: provides new user interface, cross-browser support on PC with IE, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox

• App Centre: provides more than 80 install-on-demand apps to increase diverse applications on the Turbo NAS

• myQNAPcloud.com: a new QNAP membership portal for managing registered Turbo NAS devices, accessing published NAS services, and quickly linking to start.qnap.com for online system setup without using a CD

• Qsync utility: creates a specific “Qsync” folder for users to simply drop files into, and automatically synchronizes the files to all of the devices that are linked to the Turbo NAS, with multiple ways of file synchronization and group file sharing

• QAirplay: supports browsing videos and photos stored on the Turbo NAS and playing on the TV via AirPlay-enabled devices

• Qfile/Qfile HD: supports auto upload from photo gallery

• Qmanager: supports remote setting for Wake on LAN and user permission for the Turbo NAS

Key Specs of New Models

• TS-x21 series – tower unit, available in 4, 2, 1-bay, 2.0 GHz CPU, 1GB DDR3 RAM, SATA HDD/ SSD, hard drives hot-swappable (TS-421, TS-221), 2X USB 3.0, 2X Gigabit LAN ports (TS-421), 1X Gigabit LAN port (TS-221, TS-121), LCM panel (TS-421);
• TS-x20 series  – tower unit, available in 4, 2, 1-bay, 1.6 GHz CPU, 512 MB DDR3 RAM, SATA HDD/ SSD, hard drives hot-swappable (TS-420, TS-220), 2X USB 3.0, 2X Gigabit LAN ports (TS-420), 1X Gigabit LAN port (TS-220, TS-120).