Drobo has been out for quite some time and serves the purpose of a “set-it-and-forget-it” backup solution.  Drobo has added a few apps that bring a nice “value-add” to their storage capability.  Data Robotics has released 19 applications for Drobo, and they seem to be highlighting three of those specifically due to their value to the average consumer. First, there’s the DroboApps Admin Utility, which allows you to manage your DroboApps via a web interface.  The second is Yoics, which gives you remote access to your Drobo and DroboShare from a web browser or mobile device like the iPhone.  Lastly, they are highlighting the Firefly iTunes Media Server that allows you to store all of your music, TV, and video content on the Drobo, and then serve that content to iTunes devices or computers around your home.

If you don’t yet have a storage solution and need a very reliable backup which also serves your media, then you should check out Drobo.  They range in price from $349 to $1049 and offer USB 2.0 and Firewire depending on the model you choose. In order to take advantage of the apps, you’ll also need the DroboShare NAS module, which will run you $199, on top of the cost of the Drobo itself.