If your computer has a USB 3.0 port, you’ll want a USB drive that can take advantage of the increased speed.  Verbatim has just released the new Store ‘n’ Go V3 USB 3.0 Drive that’s just what you need, with “10 times faster transfer rate than earlier generation USB 2.0 ports”.  Available in 8-64 GB models and in a variety of colors, the Store ‘n’ Go V3 is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers.  The capless design protects your drive without the hassle of keeping up with a separate cap.  The Store ‘n’ Go V3 drives are available now, starting at an MSRP of $19.99.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Flash Drive, USB 3.0

Verbatim’s New Store ‘n’ Go V3 USB 3.0 Drive Transfers Data Up to 2 Times Faster Than USB originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 2, 2012 at 10:00 am.

I like the AA battery style design of Duracell’s new 32 GB Rugged USB Flash Drive. They feature a solid, Black rubberized housing with the famous copper ring. You won’t have to worry about losing the cap because this drive has a twist mechanism like a twist flashlight that will extend or retract the USB connector from the body. It even has a corresponding ratchet sound when it’s twisted opened and closed. A 5-year warranty is also offered for each drive. It’s available in 16 GB and 32 GB capacities with prices from $12.54 – $24.60 on Amazon.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Flash Drive, USB

Duracell Flash Memory Introduces New Rugged USB Drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 26, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

The tiny Data Traveler 109 USB drive from Kingston comes preloaded with urDrive software “that gives you a new and exciting way to look at your data“, according to the maker. I am always interested in new and exciting ways to look at my data, so let’s take a look!

Kingston makes good stuff and the Data Traveler 109 thumbdrive is a nice piece of work:

• 2 capacities (8 and 16gb) and 7 colors
• 1.535″ x 0.486″ x 0.179″ (39.00mm x 12.35mm x 4.55mm)
• A bit more than a gram
• Compatible with any USB 2 system (urDrive is for Windows XP or newer)
• Convenient lanyard hole (that is pretty dang close to being bigger than the drive itself!)

The unit is very small in a plastic housing that would not be very tough in a larger unit, but is OK in the smaller package. The large lanyard hole makes it easy to slip on a keyring or, just maybe, a lanyard! In fact, I found I needed to thread a large rubber band in it during the review period just to keep it from getting lost in the detritus on my desk. No instructions are included in the packaging.

"Just how small IS it?"

I was sent an 8MG black and white unit to review, and it works perfectly as a thumb drive alone. It is pre-loaded with the 122MB URDrive software and applications suite which is designed to elevate the thumb drive experience. The site claims “Most USB Flash drives offer passive storage, which simply allows users to store and retrieve their data. urDrive offers engaged, active storage that allows you to easily access and organize your files, photos, videos and music.”

The urDrive is not bootable – it is not an operating system, more like a shell program that allows you to better use and view the files you choose to store on it. When launched from the screen icon or with autoplay, it displays several apps in the main screen, icons on the bottom, and some other scattered buttons or bars like ‘back’ and ‘search’.

The Home Screen

The large app buttons bring up several pre-loaded applications-

• Norton PC Checkup, which needs to be loaded onto your PC.
• Maxthon Browser, which needs an internet connection and can download data straight to the thumb drive.
• vDrive Backup, offering 6GB of free back-up. Needs to install on your PC and requires an internet connection.
• FoozKids Basic, a ‘kid-safe’ zone with educational activities and apps. Installs on the PC and offers a subscription service for more options.
• Games, similar to many on-line games sites, offering a selection of free and ‘for pay’ games.
• A store for apps and music, and apps for YouTube, Facebook and Twitter round out the offerings.

These programs are easily available on-line if you want them and there does not seem to be any benefit to getting them from the drive as opposed to loading them yourself – other than the portability of those that do not load onto your computer. You can also find reviews of each of these apps on-line to help you decide if they might interest you.

The ‘thumb drive shell programs’ are more interesting. Icons take you home, or to your files, photos, music, videos, (Kingston) news, settings, and help. You can use the ‘Import to USB’ button or just drag and drop files into the folder system. One small quirk is that you cannot drag to the Home screen with the apps, but you can to the ‘My Files’ screen. Note that if you drag and drop something like an MP3 there, it will not automatically go to your music file, but if you click on it, it will open with the included player.

The Maxthon Browser

The included players – photo, music, and video – are simple and work great. They seem to be based on Windows Media Player. They are nice enough that I would not mind using them on my laptop since they do such a nice job with such small footprints, but I suspect they actually use your computer’s copy of Media Player to do the job. When playing music or looking at photos, you can click on an icon for ‘Library View’, which taps into the entire media library on your computer – not just that on the thumb drive. This almost feels like a ‘back door’ since you cannot do this elsewhere in the urDrive, and I didn’t find a comment about it in the help.

The Music Player

The urDrive suite is nicely done – attractive, flexible, intuitive, and does everything it does nicely. I am not convinced it is helping me see my data in an new and exciting way, but it is sort of nice to have an on-board set of tools… even though I still have access to the needed tools on the main computer since this is not a bootable system. I suspect most Gadgeteers who are interested in this already have a thumb drive loaded with tools from places like PortableApps.com, which offers a wider range of customization, security, privacy, etc. (Just FYI- there does not seem to be anything in the urDrive that offers more security or privacy than what the Norton or other apps offer.) Regardless, the Data Traveler 109 is a pretty sweet drive!

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, Reviews, Travel Gear

Tagged: Flash Drive, Flash Memory, Security, USB Drive

Kingston Data Traveler 109 with urDrive Software Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 17, 2011 at 5:09 pm.

What looks like a Swiss Army knife but can’t cut you? It’s the Victorinox Slim USB Flash Drive which is available in five colors and in 4 GB to 64 GB (Victorinox Slim) or 2 x 64 GB (Victorinox Slim Duo) capacities. They sent me 4GB Orange version of this flash drive. Let’s take a look.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

When they say it’s slim, they aren’t kidding. The dimensions of the Slim drive are 58 l x 16 w x 7 h mm and it only weighs in at about 10 g, which isn’t even half an ounce. You won’t notice the addition of this little guy on your keychain or in your pocket.

It’s constructed of two anodized aluminum handles / grips. One side has the Victorinox logo and the other side (not pictured) has the word Victorinox embossed on it. The grips have a hatched pattern that give the Victorinox Slim USB flash drive a nice non-slip feel.

You’ll be happy to know that this flash drive is both waterproof and shock-resistant, as well as TSA approved due to the bladeless design.

The handles are held together by 2 brass pins on each end. The flash drive part of the device is secured in place by a plastic lock when it is folded closed. A split ring is attached to the lock.

To use the flash drive, you just swivel the plastic lock at the end of the ‘knife’, which pops up the flash drive like a blade. The flash drive then easily detaches from the handle as shown above. The flash drive is wrapped in a thin layer of aluminum, with a clear plastic hook at the end that attaches to the pins that hold the handles together. I can’t quite make up my mind if I like the fact that the flash drive detaches from the handle or not. I think I’m leaning more towards wishing it would stay attached like an actual pocket knife blade that folds out.

When you plug the drive into a free USB port on a computer, a Red LED will cause the Victorinox logo to glow and blink with activity.

If you happen to be a Windows PC user, you can take advantage of the included software that offers 256 AES data encryption technology for your files, along with a safe browsing feature, password manager, file backup and a self-destruct feature. Since I’m a Mac person, I wasn’t able to test the software… and I don’t know about the rest of you, but usually when I get a flash drive, the first thing I do is delete the included software.

I was surprised to find that the 4GB version of the drive actually offers 4GB of storage (even with the included files). Typically flash drives have less than the advertised capacity, but this one has 4.02GB available (16.3MB used). Kudos to that.

I’ve been using this flash drive for a couple of weeks now and have not had any problems with reading and writing files. It’s rated for up to 23MB/s (W) and up to 30MB/s (R). Here are a couple quick and dirty file copy tests:

Copy 1.15 GB (two 577MB .AVI files) from iMac to flash drive – 2 minutes 55 seconds
Copy 1.15 GB (two 577MB .AVI files) from flash drive to iMac – 44 seconds

I also tested the drive by plugging it into my Boxee Box and watching one of the 577MB .AVI files I copied directly from the flash drive. I didn’t have any problems with the video playback stuttering or pausing.

See it in action

At one point in the video it looks like I’m having problems removing the flash drive from the handle. In reality it is very easy to do if you open the ‘blade’ all the way as it will automatically detach. In the video, I was trying to unhook it when it wasn’t completely folded open.

Flash drives come in all manner of shapes, sizes and capacities. The Victorinox Swiss Army Slim USB Flash Drive works as expected, but is significantly more expensive than flash drives of the same capacity. That said, those cheaper drives might not be quite as stylish with the Swiss Army knife design. If you don’t mind paying a premium, the Victorinox Swiss Army Slim USB Flash Drive should perform your file storage operations and look good while doing so.

Filed in categories: Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Flash Drive

Victorinox Swiss Army Slim USB Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 23, 2011 at 11:00 am.

The Verbatim Clip-it is a 4GB USB flash drive that doubles as a paperclip. It’s available in 5 colors and has been designed to be resistant to static, dirt and water. Unfortunately, they are not availablity yet, but the price appears to be $14.49 through Adorama. I want one

[Via Likecool]

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Flash Drive, Spotlight Gadgets, USB

Paperclip or USB Flash Drive, You Decide originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 22, 2010 at 8:23 am.

The Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ series of USB flash drives provide the expected level of performance for a USB memory stick, with the added security of password protected access and 256-bit AES Hardware Based Encryption, for a slight premium in cost over non-secure storage. In exchange for this protection you give up the ability to boot from the stick, and the ability to use the device (or share data) with your Linux brethren. If you’re prone to leaving a trail of memory sticks (and the data they hold) behind you, then this could be the product for you. The plus (+) is significant, as it means this drive is 100% encrypted and password protected. There is a non-plus version where you can set aside some portion of the storage as “public” (viewable without password) – that’s not the version I’m reviewing here.

The Un-wrapping

The Locker is sold in plastic wrap packaging meant to hang with all the other memory at your local Buy More. Once you extract it from the package, you’re left with a 2” stick with a pivot cover, much like any other. You also get a few pages of instructions, which you can more or less ignore.

Setting the Code (first time use)

To get the ball rolling, plug the Locker into any available USB 2.0 port. On a windows box (Windows 7, for these screen shots) you’ll see the usually flurry of hardware detection and installation messages, and once that quiets down you will have two new removable drives. The actual storage drive isn’t available just yet because you have not unlocked it. Instead you open the read-only DTLplus “CD” drive, which should AutoRun the DTLplus_Launcher.exe application.

If AutoRun isn’t on, or you right click and open that drive, you can get to the launcher and also get to the user manual.

The first time you run the launcher app, or any  time after you’ve reset the device, you are prompted to establish a password:

If you’re on a Mac you’ll need to manually install the driver from the read-only drive in the Mac folder, but the procedure is similar.

Logging In

Phew, ok this seems like a lot of work just to get at your USB memory disk, but it’s actually much simpler in everyday use. Normally, you’ll stick the drive in, open “CD” disk that appears and launch the app (or AutoRun will do that for you), and then enter your password. After that, the other drive will show up.

After entering the password correctly, the drive is actually mounted:

From that point on until you eject the stick, or shutdown/reboot, the Locker just works like any other disk.

Changing Your Mind, or Losing It

The Login dialog has just two options. You can put in your password, phone a friend (in other words, give yourself your hint back.)  You can also display the contact info associated with the device (covered below) or admit you’ve forgotten your password. Admitting defeat means you have to format the drive and start over, but at least you can still use the drive. If you fail 10 times (or whatever you change the default to for retries) then the drive is locked and you can only format it and start over – there is no way to undo that lock. In other words, don’t forget your password.

On the login screen, clicking Forgot Password leads you here:

Clicking Ok takes you to the Password Setup dialog we started out with.

Options

When the Locker+ is unlocked and mounted, you will have a taskbar icon that lets you change the settings for the device:

Settings leads to this dialog with three tabs:

The Password tab lets you change your password and/or hint.

The second tab lets you enter the Contact Information that is displayed when “Contact Information” is clicked on the Login dialog. This would be useful if an honest person finds your lost drive. If a dishonest person finds it, they won’t get your data even if they get your drive.

The last tab lets you select the language used by the interface.

How Safe Is It?

In theory, it’s as safe as your password – if you make it too easy to guess, then it’s not any safer then an unprotected drive. The hardware encryption on the device is a nice touch – that should prevent a determined attacker from un-soldering the chips and getting access to the data that way. I’m not sure how many of us need that level of protection, but if you do here it is.

Performance/Ease of Use

On a Windows or Mac machine the Locker+ is only slightly more work to use then a regular drive – you only need to unlock it once and then it remains unlocked until it’s ejected. Once unlocked the data partition performs essentially the same as a non-encrypted drive. The hardware encryption/decryption doesn’t add a perceptible performance hit. For me the only drawback is the inability to use the device under Linux, but it has performed well even when used in virtual machines (Windows) and on the Mac mini.

Conclusion

The Locker+ is a drive with an effective protection system built in. The performance is on par with unprotected devices, and in actual use the password protection isn’t too difficult to deal with. If you need to carry important data on a USB drive, the Locker+ would certainly help keep it safe.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Flash Drive, Security, USB Drive

Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ USB Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 28, 2010 at 12:20 pm.

Being a self-confessed gadget freak, I’ve collected a large number of USB flash drives over the past few years and like most people, I use them for many purposes; storing pictures, documents, presentations, applications… you name it, it’ll be saved to one of my flash drives.

They are of course extremely handy, everyone knows that.  No bigger than a packet of gum, relatively cheap, nearly all are able to fit in your pocket or gear bag and with some manufacturers offering devices that can hold up to 256Gb of data, who doesn’t own one?!   However, have you ever thought about how secure this data is if you accidentally misplaced your flash drive?  I’ll be honest and say I have actually thought about it, but failed to look into it properly…..  until now.

Back in 2009 I read about IronKey, who looked at the security of flash drives and then took it to a whole new level.  The security offered is simply unparalleled compared to other USB flash drives that offer security to protect data.  To be honest, the security each key provides maybe a little over the top for the average user and is probably more suited to people who need to carry important data linked to government systems, corporate information or secret military files.

However, if you value your data, whatever it might be, then an IronKey is the flash drive for you.

For the purpose of the review I was sent the 1GB S200 IronKey Personal.  This particular version is the mid-range flash drive, sitting between the IronKey Basic and the more beefed up IronKey Enterprise.  The level of security remains the same across the whole range.

Specs

• Capacity:  1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB or 16GB (32Gb offered only in the D200 range)
• Speed:  Up to 27MB/s read & Up to 24MB/s write
• Memory:  Dual-channel SLC Flash
• Dimensions:  75mm X 19mm X 9mm
• Weight:  25g
• Waterproof:  To military standard (MIL-STD-810F)
• Temperature:  0° C to +70° C
• Operating Shock:  16G RMS
• Hardware:  USB 2.0 high speed
• Operating Systems:  Windows 7, Vista, XP SP2+, 2000 SP4, Mac OS X 10.4+ & Linux 2.6+

Hardware Encryption

• Data:  AES Cipher-Block Chained mode
• Encryption Keys:  256-bit Hardware DRNG
• PKI:  2048-bit RSA
• Hashing:  256-bit SHA
• FIPS Validations:  140-2 Level 3

As you can see from the specifications, this tamper proof, waterproof, crushproof, military grade flash drive isn’t just any ordinary flash drive!  So, lets take a closer look.

What’s in the box?

The IronKey arrived in a rather stylish black box, compared to most flash drives that are packed in plastic cases that are generally too big for them.  Inside the box you get your IronKey, an easy to read instruction booklet and a small lanyard so you can attach your IronKey to your keychain.

The IronKey in display box, along with the instruction booklet and lanyard

Features

• Build Quality

The first thing you’ll notice about the IronKey is just how tough it is.  Even just holding it, you can tell its solid metal casing means business.  The military grade material which contains iron and alloy, amongst other things, is then filled with a hardened epoxy compound, literally encasing the chips and processors inside.  There is a small but bright multi-colour LED, showing data access, and, as mentioned it’s fully waterproof, again to military standards (MIL-STD-810F).

The robust IronKey 1Gb S200 Personal

IronKey also claim to have tested how robust it is by attempting to crush it with a car!  They failed and the Ironkey stood up to the test.   So, we know it’s built well, but what about the security side of things?

• Security

IronKey have spent millions of dollars on the research and development of their flash drives and claim to have the only flash drive which has passed the level 3 FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2.  This means that the IronKey has the highest level of security placed into a flash drive…. ever.   The level three tests that were carried out included looking at how robust the flash drive was and also how data is secured once it’s stored in the memory.   The on-board ‘Cryptochip’, which is basically a mini processor, provides AES 256-bit hardware-based encryption to anything saved to the keys memory.  So, when it’s inserted into a computer, if the user is unable to provide the correct password that was used in the setup process, they cannot access the data.  Simple.

Be careful here though, as if you input the incorrect password 10 times, the key will ‘self destruct’ (not literally explode however!) and destroy all the data held in its memory.  The self destruct sequence will also occur if the key detects a physical attack  IronKey advise should this occur then the key itself is then fully disabled and cannot be used again.  I took the option to save my chosen password during the setup process at the IronKey Password Website, which allows you to retrieve your password should you ever forget it.

• Use

When you first plug the IronKey into your PC you’re prompted with a setup screen to intialise your key.  Without doing this your key is pretty much useless to be honest, as it appears only as a read-only drive in Windows.   During setup you’re asked to provide a nickname for your key and then a password, which you can store at the secure data-center, just in case you forget it!  And, unlike some passwords for systems, the IronKey allows numbers, letters, special characters and spaces!

Don’t worry though, not even IronKey personnel can access this information.  And, as the key contains all the software it needs, nothing is installed locally to your computer during the setup process.

Once setup is complete you can then create an IronKey account by registering the keys serial number (As each key is completely unique) to the database held by IronKey.  This only takes a few seconds to finalise, then your key is ready for use.   Thereafter, each time you plug the key into your computer, you’ll be prompted to unlock it with the password you registered before you can use it.

At the unlock screen, you can actively choose to view any files stored on the key, unlock the key in read-only mode, login to your on-line IronKey account, or open the IronKey Control Panel.

The control panel is the hub of information for the IronKey and allows you to perform various functions, such as browse the data saved on the key, perform a secure backup of the keys data to a location on your PC or add any personal data such as owner information.  The control panel application itself is very easy to use.

Once in use, the key operates very efficiently and quickly.  I transferred data to the key (Which took around 30 seconds for a 500Mb batch of jpegs) and used the secure backup feature to create a backup file.  I can use this encrypted data file and restore it to a new key, should my current one be lost or stolen.

Once you’re finished using the key, you lock it using the ‘Lock Drive’ button on the control panel, or by pressing CTRL+L on your keyboard (‘Lock & Quit’ on a Mac).  The software shuts down and the key can be safely removed.

• Secure Web Browsing

IronKey have even gone one step further with the key, as it also allows you to browse the web using its built-in FireFox browser.  This can be used by simply clicking the Mozilla Firefox icon in the control panel.  The browser opens a secure internet connection and connects to the web using the IronKey Secure Session Service.  The service uses high performance ‘Tor’ (The Onion Router) servers to enable a fast and secure browsing experience.   This prevents hackers from obtaining your IP address or any useful information, such as banking details or information relating to your PayPal or EBay accounts.  Basically, you can browse the internet securely and anonymously on any PC and unplug the IronKey, safe in the knowledge there is no trace of your web browsing stored anywhere for other people to see.

• Identity Manager

When you use either IE or Firefox (or even another browser) with the key plugged into your system and you enter a website that requires personal details to be entered, i.e. username/password, you can store these automatically using the IronKey’s Identity Manager, which helps prevent key loggers from accessing your passwords.   The Identity Manager can also be accessed using the new keyhole icon, which will show in your browsers toolbar when you have your IronKey running.  Simply click the icon for a drop down menu of functions available to you.

And, as well as these features, the IronKey also offers a Virtual Keyboard (Windows only) which appears on screen, to further prevent against key loggers and even screen loggers as keys on the virtual keyboard can be randomized after each use.  And, it even has its own Password Generator to help you generate long and complex passwords with relative ease.

Currently, IronKey only ships to the United States.  However if you don’t reside here you can find an international reseller by clicking here.

In conclusion, you can see that this is much more than just a straight forward USB flash drive, as it goes beyond this and offers features that are not matched to any other USB flash drive on the market.  Ok, so maybe it’s a bit over the top for the average user, but if you value your data and the level of security on offer here and can benefit from using the vast array of features, then the IronKey is definitely the flash drive for you.

However, with all this research and development into creating this ultimate flash drive comes great cost to the end user and the IronKey does not come cheap.  With the 1Gb S200 key starting at $79.00 with the top end 32Gb D200 key priced at $299.00  you really have to ask yourself, are you prepared to spend that extra money for the peace of mind it can offer??

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Flash Drive, USB

IronKey Secure Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 25, 2010 at 11:30 am.

With an enthusiastic nod to the original 80’s TV show and toys, Takara will soon release the Transformers Device Label line of functional tech gadgets that transform into heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons.   Fans will recognize Ravage, the panther-like Decepticon who originally transformed into an audio cassette (remember those?), and has now been updated to transform into a 2Gb USB memory stick ($42.99).  There are 5 total in the Device Line, which also includes Grimlock, the robot T-Rex who now changes into a laser mouse ($59.99), and perhaps the most impressive is Blaster, whose updated alternate form is a mini-laptop that is actually a USB hub ($59.99)!  All are available for preorder from BigBadToyStore, ToyWiz and other e-tailers.  Transform, and geek out!

Filed in categories: Geek Toys

Tagged: Flash Drive, Mouse, USB

“Ravage, eject!” originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 9, 2009 at 3:54 pm.

The Data Locker from Origin Storage is a device that combines a external USB hard drive with an added layer of security. It has a touch screen interface that can be programmed with a password of up to 18 digits. There’s also a self destruct response feature if it detects a brute force attack. There are 160GB, 320GB and 500GB versions available with 128 or 256-bit AES Hardware Encryption.

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Flash Drive, Spotlight Gadgets, USB

Keep your data safe with a Data Locker drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 7, 2009 at 5:05 pm.

Do you regularly backup your important files? If you answered no to that question, then you deserve to be spanked. Seriously, it’s just a matter of time before disaster strikes. When it does, I’ll be there to say I told you so… unless you get smart and start backing things up. Today I want to show you a super easy way to get started with the SanDisk Ultra Backup USB drive.

The Ultra Backup drives are available in 8, 16, 32, and 64GB capacities and range in price from $49.99 up to $277.99.

According to SanDisk, this is the first USB drive with a built in backup button. Other than that unique feature, it looks like a typical USB flash drive. It’s made of Black plastic and has a sliding USB connector. When you slide the connector out, it enables you to press the backup button. When the connector is retracted, the button will not depress.

There is a lanyard attachment point on the corner of the drive.

The only other notable physical feature is that the connector slider latch thingy (that’s a technical term) has a Red LED built into it, that blinks during file activity and pulses when idle.

I was sent the 16GB version of this Ultra Backup to review. Of the 16GB, 14.9GB is free for file storage. The backup feature is completely plug and play as long as you are running Windows XP or Vista. It also has U3 functionality, which allows the drive to appear as an autostarting CD. If you’re a Mac or Linux person, you’re left out of all the fun as the flash drive will only function as a regular old, boring, file storage device.

This device is

When you plug it into your computer, the SanDisk backup software program will automatically launch. This app will allow you to choose which types of files that you want to backup (all, images, music, documents, presentations, spreadsheets) and which folders.

There are various advanced backup options that you can set, like only backing up files after a specific date or files that are smaller than a certain size.

You can also have the backup process start automatically when you insert the drive into the computer. For me that takes away the fun of being able to press the built in backup button on the drive

After the backup procedure is complete, you can browse through the file list. This software will save multiple versions of the files, which is a nice feature. You can define the number of versions to keep. Three is default.

When needed, you can restore individual files or folders to the location of your choice. One feature I found surprisingly missing is the ability to restore multiple individual files. You can only choose individual files or folders to restore.

All in all, the SanDisk Ultra Backup USB Drive is super simple to use and works as advertised. It easily backs up the files you want and restores them with equal ease. The price is kind of steep when you compare this product with a regular USB flash drive of equal capacity, but the ability to save multiple versions of files and back them up with the press of a button is very convenient. If the price doesn’t bother you, it’s a handy little backup system that will fit in your pocket.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Backup, Flash Drive, USB

Sandisk Ultra Backup USB Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 28, 2009 at 8:15 pm.

EDGE’s mega high-capacity 128GB DiskGO Flash Drive can store approximately 85,000 photos, 128 hours of video, 32,000 MP3s, or 1,280,000 documents. The drive is housed in a rugged aluminum casing that provides protection against wear and tear. It includes CryptArchiver Lite encryption software, a trial version of CryptArchiver which allows users to encrypt up to 25MB of data using 128-bit AES encryption. The full version of CryptArchiver is available for purchase on EDGE’s site and encrypts up to 32GB, and exceeds the U.S. government standard for encryption strength and allows users to choose which cipher method they prefer: 256-bit AES or 448-bit Blowfish encryption. The 128GB DiskGO is available for pre order today and will ship on 7/31. The price is a staggering $389.95. But hey, shipping is free!

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Flash Drive, Spotlight Gadgets, USB

128GB’s on your keychain originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 16, 2009 at 12:52 pm.

If you don’t like carrying a USB flash drive in your pocket or on your keychain, here’s one that is so thin that it will fit in your wallet. The Slim Data USB flash drive from Top Tech Products is available in 1GB or 4GB capacities and is the same thickness as a credit card.

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Flash Drive, Spotlight Gadgets, USB

Slim Data USB flash drive is credit card thin originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 12, 2009 at 5:10 pm.

Ok, I know this is in bad taste (Meredyth put me up to it, blame her), but check out this USB flash drive from Brando that’s in the shape of a syringe. No, it won’t protect you or your computer from any nasty infections, but it’s certainly unique.

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Flash Drive, Spotlight Gadgets, USB

Protect your computer from the Swine Flu originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 28, 2009 at 7:00 am.

Super Talent makes some of the best micro USB flash drives currently available. What sets their Pico line of thumb drives apart from the rest is their rugged durability while maintaining such a small form factor. A few months ago I reviewed the Sony 8gb Micro Vault Tiny USB Flash Drive and while it is a great thumb drive it is extremely fragile and a bit slow. Super Talent’s Pico C drive has neither of these shortcomings.

Hardware Specifications

The Pico C’s casing is constructed of a durable, chromed metal. There is a relatively strong loop integrated into the end of the drive allowing you to attach it to your keys or lanyard. I find these factors a definite plus especially compared to the Sony Micro Vault which I was having to consistently plan where I was going to keep/carry it (for safety and find-ability).

Other than capacity, there is no difference between the 1gb, 2gb, 4gb, 8gb and 16gb versions of the Pico C. Along with chrome, the Pico C also comes in nickel and 24 karat gold (for those desiring a bit more bling in their flash drives). The part of the drive that is inserted into the USB port is a bit thicker than others. And while it goes into and out of my Macbook Pro and work laptop easy enough, it took a good amount of force to insert it into & remove it from my Macbook Air’s USB port.

Depending on how you calculate the dimensions, I do believe the Pico C takes the title of the smallest flash drive (I have ever seen/heard of) from the Sony Micro Vault Tiny. Although, it is a hair heavier and thicker than the Micro Vault, it definitely makes up for it in durability.

As stated above, along with being very small and light weight, the Pico C is extremely durable. Now I will not be abusing it quite as much as Julie has done in several of her past thumb drive reviews but I trust that it will survive the day to day abuse of my hectic schedule. The Pico thumb drives are ‘water resistant’ which I believe is more than the ‘I forgot my thumb drive in my pocket, accidentally washed it, let it dry, and it worked’ that most of us have lived through. Super Talent has actually engineered them to be more water tight (vs many other flash drives on the market).

The Pico C’s upload/download speeds are relatively zippy for such a small drive. My unofficial speed tests showed that it was definitely faster than my other small flash drives (Sony and Lexar).

Like Sony’s Micro Vault, the Pico thumb drives can be transported almost anywhere (and lost forever in the blink of an eye). Historically, I have preferred to carry my smaller thumb drives in the coin pocket of my pants/jeans. But for now, I am planning on keeping this thumb drive on my key ring. And while my keys scratch up the chrome a bit, it is more than a fair trade to not only have it with me more but connected to something easier to find. Other than its ability to become very lost, there really aren’t any noteworthy cons associated with the Pico C and will become my primary thumb drive of choice.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Flash Drive, Thumb Drive, USB

Super Talent 16gb Pico C USB Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 26, 2009 at 1:00 am.

LaCie has just announced the iamaKey, itsaKey and passKey USB flash drives. They have a design that I can’t believe hasn’t happened until now. They are shaped like – keys. Lacie sent me a 4GB iamaKey to test drive.

Available in 4 and 8GB versions, the iamaKey has a metal body and Gold SIP connectors, making it both water and scratch- resistant. It is also ReadyBoost compatible.

It comes with a protective plastic clip for the Gold contacts, but this is probably something that will get lost really quickly. The body of the flash drive feels really solid and I am betting that it will be able to easily survive on a keychain with other keys. If you have a worry about the contacts, you can opt for the itsaKey. It has a thicker body with a covered connector. I like the look / size of the iamaKey better.

As you can see, it is similar in size to regular keys that you keep on your keychain. To give you an idea of the size overall size, here we see it next to an over-sized car key.

I tested this flash drive with my iMac…

…and with my HP mini 1000 netbook. Its performance was on par with other USB 2.0 flash drives that I use on a daily basis. LaCie claims up to 30MB/s transfer rates. My informal tests clocked the transfer speeds a little slower than that…

I think the LaCie key shaped USB drives are an idea that should have appeared a long time ago. Kudos to LaCie for creating them. Now, just bring out some higher capacity versions please

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Flash Drive, USB

LaCie iamaKey Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2009 at 10:32 am.

USB flash drives are not something we would typically consider as collector’s items. That is until now… If you are a collector, a geek and someone that needs to carry around a flash drive, then you will want to take a look at the MIMBOTS from Mimoco. They recently sent me the 2GB Pink Meletta drive by tokidoki (Italian designer Simone Legno). It’s cute and Pink, which makes it a perfect gift for your favorite geek girl on Valentines day.

Boston based Mimoco offers USB flash drives that come in all kinds of fun characters, from Star Wars and Domokun, to Happy Tree Friends. The tokidoki series from designer Simone Legno has been inspired by Japanese pop culture and blends pop fashion with consumer electronics

I was sent the limited edition Pink Meletta and a spacesuit protoHoodie keychain accessory.

The drive is 2.5 inches long and about 1 inch wide. The case is made of Black molded plastic, with characters painted on both sides. Meletta is a sprite with a Pink monkey on her head. Why is the monkey on her head? Ummmm… I have no idea.

The cap / head pops off to reveal a standard USB connector. A status LED is located at the bottom of one side and blinks Red when data is being accessed.

To protect your MIMOBOT from scratches and the cold, you can purchase an optional hoodie for it. This is just a little zip-up see-through case that you can attach to your keychain.

The flash drive comes preloaded with digital content and artwork (screensavers, wallpapers, icons, avatars, etc.) by the man himself, Simone Legno, as well as MimoZine Issue #2. The MimoZine includes some fun video reports from a comic convention. You can copy this info to your computer to free up space on the drive.

All in all, the MIMBOT flash drive operates just like any other flash drive. I tested it on both a PC and a Mac without any issues. If you are cool with paying a premium for the design, the Pink Meletta is a fun little USB flash drive. And it has a monkey on it! Everything is better with monkeys.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Designer, Flash Drive, USB

tokidoki MIMOBOT Designer USB Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 3, 2009 at 10:13 am.

Are you rough on your gadgets? What if you had a device that contained all kinds of important data, but one that you didn’t have to worry about destroying no matter how hard you tried? The ToughDrive USB Flash Drive from ATP might be that device for you. I wasn’t content to trust their claims, so I put one through several torture tests.

The ToughDrive is available with a regular Black case, or in a special Camo version. ATP sent me the Camo version to review. Capacities are 1GB – 8GB. These days, 8GB almost sounds whimpy (see my Kingston 32GB DataTraveler review). This drive is also ReadyBoost compatible.

Included in the package is the flash drive and a nifty mini carabiner clip.

The casing around the ToughDrive is a synthetic polymer that makes the drive shock and waterproof. It feels like rubber and doesn’t have any seams to split apart like the typical plastic shells used in other USB flash drives.

photo courtesy of ATP

ATP uses a special packaging process called SIP (System-In-Packaging). This helps to protect all the components from damage due to water, shock, etc.

The first thing I did with this drive was to plug it into my Mac to make sure it worked fine BEFORE I started my torture tests As you can see from the image above, the ToughDrive has a large Blue status LED on the front.

7.45GB of space available, with 500MB being used by some password protection software (for Windows). This can be deleted.

I copied several files to the drive so that I would have something to access after each test.

Water and Heat Torture Test

I decided that I would kill two birds with one stone by testing both the ToughDrive’s ability to be waterproof and heat resistant. But before I got started, it occurred to me that maybe any old USB flash drive could also survive the tests that I would be doing. So, I sifted through my stash of flash drives and pulled out a junky old 512MB Lexar drive.

The Lexar looks like it’s already seen its better days, but it would do.

For the first test, I filled a small pan with water, plopped the ToughDrive into the pot and turned the burner up to HIGH. Once the water reached a rolling boil (212 degrees F), I set the timer for 5 minutes and waited for my flash drive soup to finish. When it was done, I did the same test with the Lexar. Then I took the sufficiently cooled drives back to my Mac to see if they were still alive.

Lexar – PASS

ToughDrive – PASS

Frozen Tundra Torture Test

Boiling had no effect on either flash drive, so I decided to do the opposite – Freeze test! And what better way to freeze something then stick it outside in the good old Indiana winter night.

Last night at 8:41pm my wireless thermometer displayed an outside temp of -2.2 F. Yes, that’s negative 2. Can you say brrrrrrr? I put the ToughDrive and Lexar flash drives in a ziploc baggie, opened my front door and threw them on my porch. At 11pm when I went to bed, I checked the temperature again and it had dropped to -5. The next morning at 7am, the temp was a mind numbing -12.2 degrees Fahrenheit. I brought the drives back in the house (the plastic bag was a little icy) and took them down to my Mac to test them.

Lexar – PASS

ToughDrive – PASS

Hmmm, they won’t freaking die! I’m actually getting somewhat disappointed…

Shake and Bake Torture Test

I’ve boiled them and froze them… Next up, let’s see how shock proof they are by running them through a load of wash!

I put some clothes, the uncapped ToughDrive and Lexar flash drives and a cup of detergent (poured right on top of the drives) in the washer and ran them through a 6 minute cycle. Then I put the clothes and drives in the dryer. For the next 30 minutes, I could hear them both banging against the dryer drum. When the buzzer went off, I took the drives to my Mac to test them.

Lexar – PASS

ToughDrive – PASS

Gah! Come on, die already!

USB Drive Meet my Tire Test

I know how to kill at least one of these drives – I shall drive over them with my car! The Lexar’s plastic case will definitely break. I just know it!

Don’t judge me by my dirty tires… I live down a gravel road So anyway, I placed the USB drives side by side behind one of my back tires and backed out and then forward over them. I got out of my car so sure that I’d see little silver pieces of plastic laying there. But no! They both were unscathed except for a little dirt. Grrrrrr…

I put their caps back on and I brought them back into the house to test with my Mac and guess what happened when I pulled the cap off the ToughDrive…

Destruction! The metal USB connector casing pulled right out of the body of the drive along with a thin plastic spacer that fell out as well. It was easy to reassemble the pieces, but when I tested the ToughDrive with my Mac, this is what I saw.

Whoops… This is not what I expected at all folks…

Conclusion

The ATP ToughDrive is definitely tough. It did survive boiling, freezing and clanging around in a hot dryer for 30 minutes. But ummmm, so did an older than dirt Lexar drive with a two piece plastic shell body and exposed components just like the image from ATP above. The only thing that finally killed the ToughDrive was driving over it with my car. So that begs the question, is it really worth spending around $50 for an 8GB ATP ToughDrive when you could spend less than $20 for an 8GB Sandisk or Kingston flash drive that will probably survive all the abuse that you can throw at it? What do I think? I think that…

Lexar – PASS

ToughDrive – FAIL

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Flash Drive, USB

ATP ToughDrive USB Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 16, 2009 at 8:24 pm.

I have been using a 4gb Micro Vault Tiny USB Flash Drive by Sony for about a year now. And while I have other higher capacity thumb drives, I typically reach for my Micro Vault Tiny on the way out the door. This extremely small USB flash drive is not only incredibly portable but incredibly losable as well. So, when I found out Sony had released a 8gb version of the Micro Vault Tiny I started looking for a good deal.

It is a shame that there is so much plastic in Sony’s consumer packaging, many times more material than the flash drive itself….but I digress.

Package Contents

• Sony 8gb Micro Vault Tiny USB Flash Drive
• Slipper Case
• Virtual Expander (automatically compress and decompress data) application
• Operating Instructions

Hardware Specifications

Other than capacity and color, there is no difference between the 1gb, 2gb, 4gb and 8gb versions of the Micro Vault Tiny.

The Micro Vault Tiny is the smallest flash drive I have ever seen/heard of. It weighs almost nothing and is more or less the volume of a quarter. A device only in spy movies a few years back.

Along with being extremely small and light weight, the Tiny flash drive is relatively fragile compared to other drives on the market. It could easily be snapped off in a USB port or cracked if too much pressure is applied to it. I recommend carrying it in its slipper case or something else to protect it.

The Micro Vaults upload/download speeds are typical compared to other flash drives.

Speed test:
File used: a 85.1mb folder of 39 jpg images.
Copying file from Macbook Pro to the Micro Vault Tiny took 18 seconds
Copying file from Micro Vault Tiny to the Macbook Pro took 6 seconds

The Tiny comes preloaded with Virtual Expander, a Windows application that automatically compresses and decompresses data during the upload/download process. According to Sony’s website, this application allows you to store up to 3 times as much data.

The Micro Vault Tiny really can be kept anywhere (and lost forever in the blink of an eye). I prefer to carry mine in the coin pocket of my pants/jeans. The slipper case that Sony provides is okay, but I am hoping to find a small, rugged container that can carry both of my Micro Vaults.

As I have stated above, Sony’s Micro Vault Tiny is my thumb drive of choice. I wish Sony had a 16 or 32gb version of this flash drive. But for now, I am happy with the 8gb version (12gb if I carry both with me). If you are looking for one of the smallest and lightest USB flash drives around, the Micro Vault Tiny is definitely worth considering.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Flash Drive

Sony 8gb Micro Vault Tiny USB Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 10, 2008 at 5:45 pm.

Right now, all I want to say is “Nyah Nyah Nyah, my USB flash drive is bigger than your USB flash drive!”. Don’t believe me? Then check out my 32GB DataTraveler 150 from Kingston. Yes, you read that right, a 32GB USB thumbdrive. Whoo hoo!

I’ve reviewed Kingston DataTraveler flash drives before, but they were only in 2 and 4GB capacities.

This drive has a plastic body and comes in one color – Orange. It has a cap on one end, that can fit on the opposite end when it’s in use. There’s a small Blue LED on the end that blinks when data is being read or written. There’s also a small eyelet that you can use to attach the included thread loop that you can use to connect the drive to a keychain.

The 150 is a full sized USB flash drive. It’s not tiny like the Kingston Mini Fun that I reviewed a year or so ago. It’s actually probably the largest (physically) USB flash drive that I have right now. It measures in at 3.06″ x 0.9″ x 0.47″ (77.9mm x 22mm x 12.05mm). That said, it’s not huge and will fit in any pocket, purse, gear bag, etc., with no problem at all.

Here is the drive plugged into my Kensington USB hub.

It was immediately recognized by my iMac. As you can see, out of the box, the DataTraveler 150 has 30GB free. I like the fact that this drive doesn’t come with pre-installed ‘junk’ on it. I don’t know about you, but I always delete those freebie backup, security, etc. apps that some manufactures like to include on flash drives.

Here are a few timed file copy tests to and from the DataTraveler and my iMac.

1 min 32 sec – to copy a 920mb iMovie project file from my iMac to the DataTraveler 150
1 min 13 sec – to copy a 920mb iMovie project file from the DataTraveler 150 to my iMac
53 sec – to copy a 505mb folder of .jpgs from my iMac to the DataTraveler 150
40 sec – to copy a 505mb folder of .jpgs from the DataTraveler 150 to my iMac

I didn’t have any issues copying files or accessing files with this flash drive. For most people, 32GB should have way more than enough room for their every day file transport. But, if 32GB isn’t enough for you, you can get 2x the capacity (64GB) for an additional $61. That’s enough room for some people to carry their entire collection of data (email, music, documents, etc.). Amazing huh? I sure think so. )

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Flash Drive

Kingston DataTraveler 150 USB 32GB Flash Drive Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2008 at 6:45 am.

Late last year I reviewed two of Kingston’s DataTraveler USB flash drives. The Mini Fun and Mini-Migo. Today I’m back to tell you about three more of their DataTraveler drives: the 110, 400 and Style. Let’s find out if you might want to add one of them to your keychain or gear bag…

All three of these flash drives are available in capacities ranging from 1GB – 8GB (The DataTraveler 400 starts out at 2GB) and come with a 5 year warranty.

USB drives tend to be extremely simple devices that do not require instructions for operation. For this review, I tested each drive with my 24″ iMac and 15″ Macbook Pro. Here are the specific details about each one…

Kingston DataTraveler 110

This drive is available in capacities of 1, 2, 4 and 8GBs. According to the Kingston website, each capacity is designated by a different body shell color: 1GB (purple), 2GB (blue), 4GB (red) and 8GB (green). However, the one I was sent to review is Black and 4GB, so your mileage may vary. The 110 is a plastic bodied drive with a footprint of 2.142″ x 0.836″ x 0.512″ (54.41mm x 21.24mm x 13.00mm). It’s a little chunky, but very light weight (0.48 oz / 12g), which makes it feel a little cheap in hand.

It might be difficult to see in these images, but the outer shell of the drive is Black plastic and the inset is a see-thru Red plastic.

At one end is an attachment point for a lanyard or keychain.

As you will notice, there isn’t a cap to lose with this drive. Instead there is a nice strong slider mechanism that clicks in place when you slide it up to reveal the USB connector. The slider is strong enough that when the connector is extruded, it will not accidently slide back into the case when you try to insert the flash drive into a USB port.

The 110 is the most basic of the three drives I’m showing you in this review. What you see is what you get. I had no problems copying files back and forth on my iMac or MBP with this drive. The only issue that I did run into was that the drive was not recognized when I plugged it in the Kensington USB hub connected to my iMac. It worked fine when connected into a USB port on my keyboard and also the port on the MBP. Also, the status LED did not blink when connected to the port on the keyboard. All in all though, the 110 is a nice inexpensive USB 2.0 flash drive that anyone would find handy to have in their gear bag or pocket.

Price: $10.00 (1GB), $17.00 (2GB), $29.00 (4GB), $62.00 (8GB) – These prices are from Kingston. It is possible to find better deals elsewhere.

Kingston DataTraveler 400

Available in capacities of 2, 4 and 8GB, the DataTraveler 400 has a 2.57” x 0.71” x 0.41” (65.4mm x 18.0mm x 10.4mm) footprint.

It also has a capless design, which I appreciate. The USB stick portion of the device is slightly rubbery textured Black plastic, while the cover is a Grey aluminum.

The cover swivels around the center axis point of the stick, making it very easy to expose the USB connector when needed.

This cover is sufficiently tight to keep it from swinging freely. Two tiny star head screws hold the cover in place. I suppose if the cover would become loose with time, that it would be possible to tighten it if you have a matching tool. A small slit in the cover allows you to see the Blue status LED when the drive is in use.

The end of the cover has an attachment point for the included thin cord (more like thick thread – see image in the Style review below) lanyard.

The DataTraveler 400 is a step up from the 110 in three ways. The most obvious difference is the physical design. The 400 feels considerably more robust than the 110. The second reason is that the 400 comes with the MigoSync and SecureTraveler software preloaded on it (uses 24mb of space). MigoSync is basically a Windows application that allows you to sync your Documents and Settings, Desktop files, Email from Outlook Express or Mozilla Thunderbird, and your bookmarks from Internet Explorer or Firefox to the flash drive. That way you can take your settings, emails and bookmarks with you where you go. When you plug the drive into another Windows computer, it will transform it into your computer with the settings saved on the drive. SecureTraveler allows you to create and access a password protected secure area, called a “Privacy Zone” on your 400. Lastly, the 400 has data transfer rates of up to 20MB/sec. read and 10MB/sec. write.

Of course I had to do a quick speed comparison test between the 400 and 110 drives…

File used: a 57.5mb compressed file.
Copying file from Macbook Pro to the DataTraveler 400 took 5 seconds
Copying file from DataTraveler 400 to the Macbook Pro took 3 seconds

Copying file from Macbook Pro to the DataTraveler 110 took 6 seconds
Copying file from DataTraveler 110 to the Macbook Pro took 4 seconds

File used: a 247mb folder of 125 .jpg images.
Copying file from Macbook Pro to the DataTraveler 400 took 2 minutes 33 seconds
Copying file from DataTraveler 400 to the Macbook Pro took 31 seconds

Copying file from Macbook Pro to the DataTraveler 110 took 28 seconds
Copying file from DataTraveler 110 to the Macbook Pro took 16 seconds

Wow, look at that! The 400, which touts fast read/write speeds is slower than the cheaper 110 when it comes to copying more data. Go figure… I thought something must be wrong, so I did the test again and came up with the same results. As such, if I were trying to choose between the Kingston DataTraveler 110 and 400 drives, I would definitely choose the less expensive and faster 110.

Price: $31.00 (2GB), $56.00 (4GB), $137.00 (8GB) – These prices are from Kingston. It is possible to find better deals elsewhere.

Kingston DataTraveler Style

Available in capacities of 1, 2, 4 and 8GB, the DataTraveler Style has a 2.35″ x 0.88″ x 0.37″ (59.7mm x 22.3mm x 9.5mm) footprint.

This is yet another capless USB flash drive. So you won’t have to worry about misplacing the cap. ) It has a Black plastic shell and a locking slider switch is located on the side of the drive to expose and store the USB connector.

A lanyard connection point is located on the end of the drive.

You’ve no doubt heard of “skinning”, when it comes to customizing gadgets. You can skin the display of your phone, PDA and computer. You can skin an iPod or other audio player with special stickers. And now you can skin your USB flash drive.

The DataTraveler Style has a plastic window that can be removed to in order to switch out small graphical card inserts. The drive comes with eight cards. Six are printed with various designs, and two are blank so that you can draw on them yourself. You can even go to the Kingston site for more images and the ability to create your own. I wanted to use the website to create a card with the gadgeteer logo. Unfortunately, no matter how many times that I tried, my uploaded image never successfully transferred. It’s either a compatibility problem with Mac browsers, or it just doesn’t work yet.

Anyway, I think that having a way to make your USB flash drive unique is a cool idea.

After testing the DT400, I was curious about the speed of the Style. Test below:

File used: a 247mb folder of 125 .jpg images.
Copying file from Macbook Pro to the DataTraveler Style took 43 seconds
Copying file from DataTraveler Style to the Macbook Pro took 27 seconds

Not bad… Out of the three DataTraveler USB flash drives that I’ve reviewed here, I would have to say that the Style is my favorite. It’s slim, fast, has a retractable connector and can be customized.

Price: $9.00 (1GB), $16.50 (2GB), $28.00 (4GB), $85.00 (8GB) – These prices are from Amazon.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Flash Drive

Kingston DataTraveler 110, 400 and Style USB Flash Drives originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 20, 2008 at 1:30 pm.

Kingston, long known for their computer memory products, have added some new USB flash drives to their DataTraveler line of offerings. Today I am going to tell you about their Mini Fun and Mini – Migo drives.

Both models come housed in hard to open plastic packaging. Shears are required for extraction.

Left to Right: Mini – Migo, Mini Fun

The Mini Fun and Mini – Migo are both available in 3 memory capacities (1GB, 2GB and 4GB) which correspond to specific body colors. With the Mini Fun, the 1GB is Yellow, 2GB is Purple and 4GB is Red. The Mini – Migo comes in Light Blue (1GB), Light Purple (2GB) and Dark Blue (4GB). As you can see from the image above, I was sent the 4GB versions of both drives.

The Mini Fun DataTraveler flash drive is 1.5 inches from end to end. Its design will remind any gadgeteer of one of our favorite building toys: LEGO.

The cap comes off and can plug into the other end for safe keeping while the flash drive is inserted into a USB slot on your computer.

There is a small Green LED located in the main half of the drive. It will blink during activity.

So, what gives the Mini Fun drive it’s fun? It is pre-loaded with two free Windows XP (or later) games from Big Fish Games.

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

I’m not sure if each Mini Fun drive comes with the same two free games, but mine came pre-loaded with Atlantis and Sudoku. Atlantis is a fun arcade style game and Sudoku is the popular puzzle game. I’m not a big fan of Sudoku, but I really liked the Atlantis game (sorry, I couldn’t get a screen shot as it will only run in full screen mode). It has good graphics and sound. Nice little freebie. The games are installed on your computer, so you can delete them off the flash drive after they are installed, to make more room for files.

The Mini – Migo flash drive is slightly shorter than 1.5 inches tall, and it has a unique design that allows you to slide an attached protective cover over the USB connector end. The sliding mechanism is a bit stiff and as such, I prefer a regular detachable cap like the Mini Fun drive.

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

The Mini – Migo comes loaded with Migo software. We’ve looked at that software before in another flash drive review, here on The Gadgeteer. It’s basically a Windows XP application that allows you to sync your Documents and Settings, Desktop files, Email from Outlook Express or Mozilla Thunderbird, and your bookmarks from Internet Explorer or Firefox to the flash drive. That way you can take your settings, emails and bookmarks with you where you go. When you plug the drive into another Windows computer, it will transform it into your computer with the settings saved on the drive.

Here they are in action…

Both of these USB flash drives are small and will easily fit in a pocket or gear bag so that you can take your files with you where ever you go.

Price: Either style drive 1GB, 2GB, 4GB : $15.00, $26.00, $61.00 respectively.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Flash Drive

Kingston DataTraveler USB Flash Drives originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 27, 2007 at 10:30 pm.

I’m such a loser. All my friends and family agree with me: I have a terrible habit of losing USB thumb drives. Not only have I left them in the most unlikely of places, but I have also laundered them, stepped on them, and even left them out in the rain. A few of the drives I’ve owed over the years have included a neck lanyard, but I’ve never used them because they look so ugly.

Cyber Snipa, a company known for their PC modification and gaming accessories, has taken a fashionable stab at solving this common dilemma by integrating a USB thumb drive and a mini-toolkit into military-chic dog tags.

Initial impressions

The Cyber Snipa Dog Tags are attractively packaged in a cardboard box with a plastic film cutaway that allows you to view the actual product. The uniform shape as size of the box appears to be easy to gift wrap.

The box contains the two aforementioned tags along with several lengths of beaded chain. As I have never had the honor of serving in the military, the proper assembly of the tags on the chain confused me for a few moments.

Both tags are made of etched metal, surrounded by a semi-soft “bumper” of rounded plastic around the edges.

The first tag’s sole function is a USB drive. The dongle portion slides away from the protective case with little resistance, but not so easily that it could be accidentally removed. I was given the 512 MB capacity version for testing, but all of the offered versions are identical to mine in size and design.

Engraved on the back of this tag is a serial number that can be registered with Cyber Snipa to expedite the recovery process in the event of its loss.

The second tag contains a set of mini-tools: a flat-head screwdriver with file, a Philips head screwdriver with bottle-opener and mysterious divet, a tiny set of pliers with groves along the inside that are excellent for stripping wire, and a led light bright enough to cause spots when I accidentally shined it near my eye. Each one of the tools are similar in quality to those in a multifunction knife: not my preferred tools, but quite serviceable

Although none of these tools in the second tag are especially dangerous (or even sharp) I imagine that the TSA would not not allow then to be carried on a plane. Luckily the design of the beaded chain allows for easy removal of either tag.

Product Testing

I have been wearing these tags intermittently for the past few months and I must say that I’ve found them rather useful. The length of the chain and weight of the tags make them comfortable to wear all-day.

During testing, I have experimented with adding my Secure-ID tag to the chain as well. The extra tag adds a bit to the awkwardness factor, but not prohibitively so, if you need to carry a similar tag at work or play.

While the capacity of the USB is not enormous, it is large enough for me to carry important day-to-day files with me wherever I go. To date, I have not lost (or even left behind) the USB dongle.

Although the tools are useful, I have found them to be most helpful in situations where I would never think to bring a set of tools, but somehow found myself in need of them, such as my last road trip where I needed a small flashlight to read directions. Overall a handy little set.

Cost: MSRP $39.00-149.00 US, depending on size of thumb drive.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Flash Drive, Flashlight

Cyber Snipa Dog Tags with USB Flash Drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 18, 2007 at 12:30 pm.

This device is Brando’s 21st-century equivalent to the Swiss Army Knife, as it contains a raft of semi-related features in a compact package:

It’s a 1GB USB thumb drive!
It’s an MP3 player!
It’s a voice recorder!
It’s (supposedly) an FM radio!
It’s a pen!
It’s a floor wax!
It’s a dessert topping!

(floor wax and dessert topping sold separately)

Physically, it resembles a fat-barrel pen:

Photos courtesy of Brando

The two halves unscrew, exposing the USB connector:

In the package comes a tiny instruction manual, a USB extension cable, an unlabeled mini-CD, a USB-AC adapter (for charging the device away from a computer), and earbuds – all packaged nicely in a gift tin.

This device is a classic “jack of all trades/master of none”, in that while it does a wide variety of things, it doesn’t do any of them terribly well. Let’s start with its most refined, best implemented feature:

It’s a Pen

The pen writes fairly well. I have slightly above average hand size, and I could hold and write with it fairly comfortably, though I’m not a huge fan of fat pens. People will smaller hands may find it a bit unwieldy. That’s in part because it’s a it heavy, due to a chrome and brushed aluminum construction.

The ink cartridge can be removed and theoretically replaced. However, it’s unclear if replacement cartridges are available and what styles/sizes would necessarily be compatible. It would be nice if the manual would indicate replacement options (e.g., “compatible with Cross such-and-so pen refills”), but the manual is silent on the issue…a theme which I’ll come back to repeatedly.

Next up:

It’s a Voice Recorder

Through a series of button presses, the device will record your voice through a microphone located at the end of the pen, above the buttons. The recordings are saved to flash memory as WAV files, and so they should be compatible with all flavors of computer (Windows, Mac, Linux). Four minutes of recording time takes up about 1 MB of memory, so if the flash is otherwise empty, you could hold up to ~4000 minutes of recording time, which is a minor eternity.

The microphone picks up a voice fairly well when the pen is held close to the face. It might not hold up as well for recording at a distance, such as a classroom lecture. I tested mostly as a note-taker while driving, and it had no problems overcoming road noise.

To listen to the recordings, you can either use your computer when you use the device as a USB thumb drive (see below), or you can plug headphones into the 2.5mm jack at the top of the pen. Since it’s a 2.5mm jack, you can’t use ordinary headphones, which use a 3.5mm jack. A mobile phone headset would work, as do the earbuds supplied with the device.

However, all is not perfect. There’s no way to tell the device what the date and time is, so the recording files get stamped with some random time in the past, so you can’t use the file time to tell you when the recording was made. And, since the recordings themselves just get sequentially numbered, the file names aren’t going to mean much either. So, you’ll want to plug the device in as a USB thumb drive and archive your recordings relatively frequently, or else you’ll just have a mass of unidentified WAV files to deal with. Plus, there’s no way to tell how much battery charge you have remaining, and no way to replace the battery – you just have to recharge it via a USB port (or the included AC adapter).

And then…

It’s a USB Thumb Drive

As a thumb drive, it’s rather unremarkable. 1GB capacity is good, but not top-of-the-line nowadays. Recordings from the voice recorder show up under a top-level RECORD folder.

There are two drawbacks to its use as a thumb drive:

1.It is slow. It’s difficult to get good accurate times, due to operating system considerations, but I got 1.0MB/sec for reading data off the drive, compared to 7.9MB/sec for PNY Attache 512MB thumb drive. You’ll feel this most when loading up the device with MP3 files for playback (see below).

2.When you detach the drive from the PC, the device stays on. “On” means it is playing back music, or ready to record a voice. When on, the device draws down the internal rechargeable battery. Hence, if you’re not paying attention, you’ll drain the battery just by unplugging the device and forgetting about it. This counterbalances the fact that, when plugged into a USB jack, the device recharges.

Moving along…

It’s an MP3 Player

Volume is surprisingly good through earbuds, and playback time is significant (6-7 hours at reasonable volume). However, it only plays back in sequential mode, not shuffle play. Considering the relative success of the iPod Shuffle as an LCD-less MP3 player, you would think Brando would have gone with shuffle-only instead of sequential-only.

Also, the 2.5mm audio jack will be much more of a problem here, as you’ll either need a 2.5mm-to-3.5mm adapter (to use your favorite headset or earbuds) or you’ll need to find a 2.5mm set that you like. The earbuds that come with the device, while functional, aren’t exactly top-notch.

Finally…

It’s an FM Radio. Maybe.

The manual says that FM radio functionality is optional, so it may be this unit lacks the radio. Or, it could be that I couldn’t figure out how to tune without a display. Or, it could be that it doesn’t pick up FM signals well and it couldn’t latch onto a station. Regardless, I couldn’t get this feature to work.

Miscellaneous

The mini-CD is not mentioned in the manual, and it includes no README or other documentation. Taking a PC’s life into my hands, I installed the Windows software, which turned out to be a utility for reformatting the thumb drive plus some sort of audio conversion utility. Without any clear idea how to use them, I left them alone.

Because this charges via USB, anything that charges USB devices should be able to recharge this one as well. This means if you have a car adapter, solar charger, or the like, you should be able to use them here.

Summary

This device has many features in a compact package, and some people might find the sheet set of capabilities worth the price tag. However, it’s not going to join my stable of gizmos:

My cell phone is a better MP3 player
I already have a smattering of thumb drives
I’d rather have a voice recorder with an LCD display and replaceable batteries
I have plenty of pens

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Gear

Tagged: A/V, Audio, Device, Flash Drive, Video

Brando USB MP3 Pen + FM Radio + Voice Recorder originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 19, 2006 at 2:23 pm.