Yeah, I meant NAS. They are, functionally speaking, essentially the same thing.
I have the Synology DS110j with an internal 2TB drive. It’s amazing. The operating system it runs seems to be some variant of Linux.
Since I do have my computers connected to the 'net, I have my entire 25G set of ripped CDs on that drive. That plus my unlimited data plan (courtesy of my employer) plus Synology’s DS Audio iOS app means I stream my music directly from home rather than store it on the phone. Between that and Pandora I’m good to go as far as music is concerned. I do a lot of driving for work so this has been a life saver.
From a more practical perspective, Synology produces other apps too. DS File allows me to navigate the directory structure on the NAS and email them, etc. And, connected via No-IP, I can do the same via any Internet connected computer, i.e. I login to the NAS and can access music, files, etc.
The NAS has a number of software packages (for free) that you can install, many of which are built by Synology but some by 3rd parties: web servers, Wordpress, full blown CRM applications, etc. I could theoretically run an entire business with this device. The NAS is also DNLA compliant, so I can stream music through my Sony Blu-ray player and from that to my Sony At Home network for music around the house.
The device itself cost me $150, but it doesn’t come with any actual storage. You buy an internal drive of your choice and install it yourself. The installation took me 15 minutes. Best investment of my life.