Merax eSATA Xpress TM Connects Growing Markets
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA (October 20, 2006) — Merax (www.merax.com), a
pioneer in connectivity and storage solutions, announced today the
release of its eSATA Xpress TM. The eSATA XpressTM supports the
connection of eSATA RAIDs and hard drives to a PCI ExpressCard slot,
providing a 2.5GB/s interface on the host side and dual, fully
compliant 3GB/s ports on the device side. It includes drivers for Mac
OS X and for Windows, and so provides the only solution that can
benefit both MacBook Pro users and high-end PC notebook users.
Who needs an eSATA connector?
Aside from expensive SCSI solutions, eSATA is the best and fastest
connection method available to anyone needing to read, write or move
large files on external hard drives. So who might these users be?
Demand for high-speed storage has mushroomed in recent years, as
access to digital video, music and images has become increasingly
universal. This digital revolution has not only greatly enhanced the
capabilities of professional filmmakers, editors and sound designers;
it has also spawned a multitude of non-professionals who are shooting
digital footage, recording digital sound and editing at an
unprecedented level and quality, whether purely for enjoyment,
education or work-related purposes.
Merax — The Only eSATA Solution for Both PCs and MacBook Pro
Merax has developed eSATA Xpress for these mobile editors —
professional or recreational – working on high-end Notebook or
MacBook Pro laptops. Macs released since the MacWorld expo in San
Francisco in January 2006, have incorporated Intel processors, and
all MacBook Pro laptops now come with an ExpressCard slot. The bad
news has been the complete absence of Mac-compliant eSATA
ExpressCards on the market.
Merax has changed that, and all MacBook Pro users working with
software such as Apple FinalCut Pro and Avid Xpress will be heartened
to hear that their options are no longer confined to the pedestrian
pace of a USB 2.0 or FireWire external connection. The Merax eSATA
Xpress card is the only product that provides an eSATA connection for
MacBook Pro users, as well as Windows-based notebooks and desktops
featuring an ExpressCard/34 or ExpressCard/54 expansion slot.
ExpressCards and the Merax Mission
ExpressCards are becoming the standard for high-end laptops, and
Merax’s goal is to set the standard in ExpressCard design.
Merax Product Marketing Manager, Ivan Randall, explains their
objectives, “ExpressCard slots are a fairly new development but they
are becoming the status quo in high-end laptops. Merax is developing
a number of ExpressCard products, and our decision to prioritize the
eSATA Xpress was to fill a complete gap in the market, as there was
no eSATA connector available to MacBook Pro users. If you consider
that MacBook Pro is the laptop of choice for a large number of Avid
and FinalCut Pro users, that means that an increasing number of
people who could benefit most from an eSATA connector could not use
one until now.”
Merax plans to follow the eSATA Xpress with several other ExpressCard
products, including a Gigabit Ethernet card, as well as FireWire and
USB 2.0 solutions which will be available in the near future.
Availability, Pricing
Designed for Mac OS X 10.4 and above as well as Windows 2000, XP,
Server 2003 & Vista Capable, eSATA Xpress TM is available though
Merax’s network of online and retail channels with an MSRP of US
$119.99. eSata Xpress includes a twin, independent serial ATA host
adapters and CD containing device drivers and a eSATA RAID solution.