Apple Introduces Time Machine Companion Hardware

Taking the keynote stage at Macworld Expo on Tuesday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs wasted no time in introducing Time Machine, a new product designed as companion hardware to Mac OS X v10.5 "Leopard's" Time Capsule backup technology.

While Time Machine enables you to maintain persistent backups to a local hard disk drive, Time Capsule combines an 802.11n network access point and a hard disk drive. The device is a "full AirPort Extreme base station" combined with "a server-grade hard drive," according to Jobs.

Initially, Apple will make Time Capsule in two versions: one with a 500GB hard disk drive, for US$299, and a 1 terabyte model for $499. The new device is expected to be released in February.

Jobs also noted during the opening moments of his keynote speech that Leopard has been Apple's most successful Mac OS X release to date, racking up over 5 million unit sales in three months. Apple estimates that about 20 percent of its installed base has migrated to Leopard.

More to follow.