CES 2009: PogoPlug--An Easy Way to Create Your Own Cloud
At first it just looks like an undistinguished little white box, but the PogoPlug might be the easiest way yet to create your own file cloud for your photos, music, videos, and data.
It looks like an oversized AC adapter with two inputs: a USB port to connect your storage media, such as an external drive or a NAS, and an Ethernet port to connect your storage to your router. Once these are connected you simply plug it into the wall, set up your web portal with a username and password, and you're good to go. The unit itself contains a 1.2 GHz processor and uses an open web API that claims to be 50% faster than Samba (the current standard for cross-platform file storage and sharing).
Everything in PogoPlug is managed via a web interface. Looking similar to database-driven apps such as iPhoto, PogoPlug pulls the metadata of your files and shows you a GUI organized by type (music, movies, data, etc.), with thumbnails and previews where applicable. It's not just a media server though, as it can serve any file on your attached storage.
It is optimized for media, and with their associated iPhone app streaming content from your home network is a breeze. You simply right-click on a video file, for example, select "make available for streaming", and PogoPlug will automatically transcode the video to a bandwidth-friendly format. So you can watch an original HD file on a PC or TV on your home network and then watch a lower-quality version of the same file on your iPhone, with no work necessary.
In addition, you can create shared public folders and albums and send links to your family and friends. Recipients will be able to access and view only those files in your PogoPlug cloud that you explicitly give them access to.
There's no software installed unless you choose to install a small proxy program that will place an icon on your desktop, allowing you to access your attached storage like a regular drive anytime, anywhere.
The PogoPlug will be available in early March at a $99 price point, but they are taking preorders on their website at $79 for a limited time.
--Aric A.
Jerry Whiting on July 09, 2009 at 04:25 PM
Well, I bought two at the pre-sale price of $79.
The first one is now a web server, www.AzaleaRSS.com/Pogoplug/
The second one may end up a Tor box, a Squid box, or a web cam server.