Sonnet today introduced the compact Presto Gigabit USB 3.0, a USB 3.0-to-Gigabit Ethernet adapter. The Presto adapter provides users with a simple way to add Gigabit Ethernet-wired networking connectivity to Mac and Windows computers with USB 3.0 ports, exploiting the 5 Gb/sec SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface to deliver full Gigabit speed performance with suitably equipped computers. This Sonnet adapter is also backward-compatible with USB 2.0.

With the introduction of thinner and lighter computers, manufacturers continue to remove ports that were once standard. One of the first to go was the bulky RJ-45 connector for Ethernet, the wired networking interface standard. The connector is no longer present on popular computers such as the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and many Ultrabook devices. Sonnet's Presto Gigabit USB 3.0 adapter instantly bridges the gap left by the missing onboard RJ-45 port, enabling wired file access and sharing at up to 1 Gb/sec.

By far the most comprehensive expansion dock we've come across, the Echo 15 from Sonnet plugs into your MacBook's 10 Gb/s Thunderbolt port, and then productively uses that bandwidth to hook you up with 15 connectivity options. These include a 3.5-inch SATA 6 Gb/s internal drive bay (2 TB HDD optional), a slimline optical drive (options include DVDRW and Blu-ray writers), two eSATA 6 Gb/s ports, 4-channel HD audio, four USB 3.0 SuperSpeed ports, gigabit Ethernet, and FireWire 800, each device is Mac OS X compatible. The device features two Thunderbolt ports, so it can be daisy-chained with other devices. Prices start at US $399.95.

Sonnet Technologies today announced the Fusion R400S RAID, a 1U rackmount, four-drive hardware RAID 5 storage system with an eSATA interface. The Fusion R400S RAID integrates a high-performance RAID controller for maximum versatility, critical data protection, and speedy file transfers, and its eSATA interface provides single-cable-to-host connectivity. Low-noise fans make this product suited for use in noise-sensitive environments.

Available in 8, 12, and 16 TB configurations, the Fusion R400S RAID SATA storage system features an internal RAID controller that supports RAID levels 0, 5, and 10, plus JBOD and Clone modes, offering maximum flexibility to configure the drives. Configurations include maximum capacity (RAID 0), data protection with optimum performance (RAID 5), most concurrent audio file editing (JBOD), or fast cloning of up to four drives concurrently (Clone mode) when it is necessary to send each drive to a different location for security. Selecting the RAID mode requires no application software and is simply a matter of setting a switch. Onboard RAID support eliminates the need for a specialized RAID controller card. For those who prefer to configure with separately sourced drives, Sonnet also offers a 0TB version of the R400S RAID, enabling the customer to separately purchase drives that best suit their needs.

Sonnet today announced the Echo Express II, the newest member of the company's popular Echo family of Thunderbolt expansion chassis for PCIe cards. Featuring two PCIe slots, the new Thunderbolt-to-PCIe expansion chassis enables the use of a wide variety of high-performance PCI Express cards, originally designed for use in desktop computers, with any computer equipped with a Thunderbolt port.

The Echo Express II was designed for users needing a compact solution to connect two PCIe cards to their computers, and supports the majority of Thunderbolt-compatible PCIe cards. Based on the original Echo Express expansion chassis, the Echo Express II adds a second slot to support two half-length (up to 7.25 inches long), full-height, single-width PCIe 2.0 x16 cards. Like its siblings, the Echo Express II expansion chassis has dual Thunderbolt ports to support daisy chaining of devices.