SmartStor Zero NS2600 NAS Revealed [New Network Storage Features Easy Setup, DLNA Standards, 2TB]

SmartStor has uncovered their newest NAS unit, the NS2600 which has a bunch of bundled software and other features to make setting up your own network storage easy. On the hardware side, it’s a two-bay NAS unit and they have full support of DLNA standards.

DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is a standard used by manufacturers to organize digital media devices across of a home network. From the players to connect to your TV, to network attached storage that saves your 250GB of ripped Simpsons DVDs to your computer that’s viewing content on Hulu. DRM is also a big part of the DLNA standard – as it could let providers put copyrighted content across of a home network.

The other attraction of the SmartStor Zero is the “ON” software. Setting up a NAS can be complicated work for some, as you have to setup the network, and then give users rights on various computers. SmartStor is changing that with their “ON” software which will come bundled with the NAS. As the press release for NS2600 says: “Unpack, power-on, install the ON software and the rest is completely automatic.” The ON software will take care of thins like mapping and opening the network sharing features.

SmartStor Zero will also have some social networking features, as it’ll let you upload a picture stored on it directly to Facebook without need for a computer. Why this would be faster/better than uploading your pictures to a computer is beyond me, but it’s a nice feature to have.

With all this focus on easy setup, it would of been nice to see SmartStor include some backup software – as that is a key use of NAS devices, but the SmartStor zero seems to be orientated for media sharing rather than backing up. It will start shipping in Q1 2010 for $279, with one 1TB drive included or $399 with two 1TB drives included.