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Set up doesn't get much easier than with Tripp Lite's BC600SINE, a new 375-watt UPS for Mac OS X, Windows and other operating systems from power protection company Tripp Lite.
The shoebox-sized unit delivers 600 volt-amps of sine-wave output in battery or line power modes, and is designed to provide backup power and protection for computer workstations, point-of-sale equipment, small telephone systems, audio/video and other business and residential electronic equipment.
The BC600 is ready to install out of the box. There are no battery connectors to attach, and if the target system is running Mac OS X, there's no software to install. Windows clients require an agent if automatic shutdown is desired. And if using the management console, Java's also required (it comes on the CD). The 600VA unit provides three AC receptacles of battery-backed-up power and another three for surge-protection only; receptacles are not very well marked. List price is $160 including a three-year warranty and $150,000 equipment insurance; it can be found on the street for around $115. The battery is user-replaceable.
Testers were impressed with the easy Mac OS X installation. The moment it was attached to a USB port on the test MacBook, a new power icon appeared in the menu bar next to the icon for the notebook's internal battery status. And in the Mac's Energy Saver control panel, a new "UPS" tab was installed next to the existing "Battery" and "Power Adapter" tabs, and it linked seamlessly with controls for system shutdown.
