While maybe not as versatile as a Leatherman or similar multi-tool on your keyring, you’ve got to admit that this is pretty cute.  The Tool Tank from Spinning Hat Playful Design includes three heads ( large and small phillips and flat ) cleverly disguised in its tracks.  Each head magnetically fixes into the turret and it’s available in green and red. Might not be the best design for getting into those tight places but what do you expect from a tank ?

Available for preorder for £9.99 ( $15 )

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Keychain, Multi-tool

Tool Tank – Is that a tank in your pocket or are you just… originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 16, 2012 at 9:00 am.

Are you like a bazillion other people that use their car keys to open boxes? Don’t you hate it when tape particles stick to your car key. The Key Knife can solve that problem because it has a retractable snap-off blade built into the key shaped holder. The Key Knife is available from World Tools for a whopping $1.35 each.

Filed in categories: Car Gear, Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain

Key Knife Opens Boxes Without Annoying Tape Residue originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 4, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

The Switchkey is an automatic key fob made of aluminum. It comes with one key blank that you can take to most hardware stores for duplication. Grind the blank, assemble the parts and you’ll have a nifty spring action switch blade style key. The Switchkey is priced at $33, which includes free shipping.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain

Switchkey – Another Keychain Gadget You Don’t Need, But Will Want Anyway originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 31, 2011 at 6:01 pm.

The guys that brought us the Keybrid Key have a new product due out this Fall. It’s the Carabiner Key and it’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s a key with a carabiner clip built into the top for easy attachment to a belt loop, backpack loop, keychain, etc. The Carabiner Key comes as a blank. Just take it to almost any shop that sells keys and they can grind the key for you. This product will be available via Amron Experimental in the Fall for $7-$10 each.

Filed in categories: Car Gear, Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain

Carabiner + Key = Carabiner Key originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 18, 2011 at 5:30 pm.

Sometimes it’s hard being a gadget lover.  Here at The Gadgeteer, we’ve told you about and/or reviewed a ton of keychain tools over the years, and I’d be lying if I told you that for at least half of them, I’ve found myself flush with new-gadget-frenzy, my cursor hovering over the “buy” button, only to change my mind, close the browser tab, and never look back.

Why, you ask?  Well, as much as I love gadgets, I also love simplicity.  And when it comes to my keyring, the simpler the better.  It’s something I have to lug around in my pocket all day, after all, so unless it’s something I’ll use on a regular basis, its presence on my keyring simply isn’t justified.

That said, the Hookeychain from Megawing (the same designers that brought us oddities like the Armed Notebooks) may be the first bauble to make it onto my keyring in a long time.  Appearing to be a simple cylinder of aluminum, the Hookeychain has a magnet embedded in its angled end, allowing you to stick your keys to any ferromagnetic surface.  It’s not clear just how strong the magnet is, so while you probably can’t use the angle of the Hookeychain as a hook to hang your jacket on, you probably can hang a lightweight hat on it, and you can certainly use it to pin up a self-reminder note for later.

The Hookeychain is available from various online retailers, I found it for $16 at Molla Space.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Keychain, Spotlight Gadgets

Hang Your Keys Almost Anywhere With Hookeychain originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 15, 2011 at 10:00 am.

As Julie wrote a few posts down, here at The Gadgeteer, we can’t get enough keychain tools and gadgets.  So here’s another, the Swiss+Tech Micro-Plus EX 9-in-1 Key Ring Tool.  As the somewhat lengthy name implies, 9 tools are embedded in this little gem, including pliers, bottle opener, 4 screwdrivers, and wire cutter/stripper/crimper.  All stainless steel and folds down into a pocket-friendly oval shape to attach to your keyring.  $9.99.  Got a favorite keyring multi-tool?  Sound off!

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Keychain, Keyring, Multi-tool, Spotlight Gadgets

Micro-Plus EX puts 9 tools on your keyring originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 8, 2011 at 3:00 pm.

Here at The Gadgeteer, we can’t get enough keychain tools and gadgets. But sometimes it’s tough to find them at the bottom of our gear bag when it’s dark. TEC Glow Fobs might help solve that problem. They are cool little stainless steel or aluminum tubes that are filled with a light emitting resin. Expose the fobs to the light and they will glow. The longer you expose them the longer they glow (up to 12hrs). They can be recharged over and over with virtually no loss on their glowing effect. If you don’t want to deal with exposing them to light, you can opt for a Glow Fob Pellet kit that will help you to replace the included pellet in the fob with a self-luminous tritium vial (you’re on your own for actually obtaining the tritium). Prices for the Glow Fobs range from $18-$22 and the replacement pellet kit is $4.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain

Let there be light with the Tec Glow Fob originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 5, 2011 at 12:28 pm.

Do you carry a full sized pen in your pocket or gear bag, or do you keep a mini pen on your keychain? If you’re looking for a new mini pen, check out these great looking offerings from Sunshine Products USA. They are available in Titanium, Brass, Aluminum or Stainless Steel with your choice of a Brass, Copper or Aluminum cap that can be attached to a keychain clip. These mini pens use Lamy Pico M22 Refills and are 2 15/16 Inches with the cap and 3 9/16 Inches when extended. The Titanium version will set you back a whopping $225, but the other versions are only $60-$65 depending on the cap type and style.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain, Pen

Sunshine Products have Mini Pens back in stock originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 27, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Your title of retro gaming geek would be in question if the sight of this alien didn’t immediately bring you back to battling through endless lines of the Invaders.  Now you can have a memento of those hard-fought battles with this stainless steel Invader replica multi-tool keychain.  On each articulated arm is a mini flat head and mini philips screwdriver.  The aliens have invaded Art Supply Warehouse and can be purged for a mere $15.39.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, News

Tagged: Keychain, Multi-tool, space invaders

Space Invaders in Your Pocket originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 20, 2011 at 10:00 am.

It has been 5 months since my review of the Keyport.  Since then, I’ve been in contact with one of their representatives who has kept me in the loop with new colors and products.  Keyport recently sent me a few new items to review.

Keyport has a whole new set of colors to choose from.  The new colors are black, abyss, azure and spectrum.  I was sent the black colored one.  It looks just as great as the silver one that I reviewed awhile back.  The protective coating feels a bit different and the representative did tell me that they are using some new coating techniques to protect the new Keyport.  More about the coating later on.  Prices for the Keyport are the same as before and start at $79.

I also was sent a bottle opener which slides out like the keys.  This is a great accessory to bring out on your next BBQ.  Using the bottle opener from the Keyport would make great conversation.  And it only costs $5.99.

Next up, Keyport decided that they could fit in a USB flash drive in the blade slots.  And that’s what they did!  Currently the USB flash drive comes in 4 GB and 8 GB options but higher capacities will come in the future.  The 4 GB will cost $18.99 while the 8 GB will be $28.99.

And lastly I was sent a mini-reel which attaches to the end of the Keyport and will keep the Keyport safely tethered.  The mini-reel is priced at $4.99.

Keyport also invented a LED flash light that fits in one of the blade slots also.  Listing price of $9.99.

Seems like Keyport is coming up with more and more accessories.  So it’s hard to decide which choose as far as having keys or accessories inside my Keyport.   Or maybe I should carry 2 Keyports?

 
Here’s my follow-up review of the original silver colored Keyport that I got 5 months ago.  It has been working great!  There is a great weight difference between having just a Keyport versus having 6 individual keys.  There hasn’t been any problem with my Keyport and I totally will agree that it’s a wonderful product to have.  There is something of note though.  It’s probably my fault on it happening.  The coating on my original Keyport has been shedding and scratches have shown up on my Keyport.  That’s probably caused by my other individual keys on the same keychain as the Keyport.  I actually don’t mind the scratches at all.  It gives my Keyport some “character”.  I’m sure most people have less than 6 keys, so they should have nothing to worry about.  All in all, Keyport is a great product!

Filed in categories: Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Keychain, keyport

Keyport Revisited originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 11, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

They may look like an alien instrument of torture, but they are really a pair of stainless steel tweezers for your EDC (Every Day Carry) gear. PockeTweez tweezers are precision made and super sharp. They fold up into a small 2.5 inch long package that makes them perfect for your keychain, gear bag or pocket. They are available for $25.00 at PockeTweez.

[via Gear Patrol]

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: EDC, Keychain, Spotlight Gadgets, Tools

PockeTweez – Splinters and eyebrows should be afraid originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 12, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Standard pocket knife not cutting it for you?  Need a few more tools your pocket, but not more bulk?  Only 2.5 in long, the Leatherman Squirt PS4 is a little gem that packs no less than 9 tools into a keychain-sized package.  In fact, it’s one of a very few multi-tools that includes both pliers AND scissors.  Anodized aluminum handles available in black, red or blue complete its sharp look.  $25 from Amazon, and also available at several other online retailers.

Got a favorite mini-multi-tool?

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain, Multi-tool, Spotlight Gadgets

Leatherman Squirt PS4 Packs a Lot into a Little originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 25, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

When I reported about the Keybrid keyring key blank back in July of 2009, I knew instantly that I wanted one. It’s good thing I’m a patient person because it took over a year before they finally became available. Scott Amron recently sent me a sample to test and now I can tell you all about it.

The Keybrid is available in a Kwikset or Schlage style key blank, which should fit 95% of locks in the US. If/when you order a Keybrid blank, make sure you order the right style for your lock.

This is a real working key blank, like the ones you can buy at Lowes, Walmart and other stores that offer key grinding stations. The only difference is that the Keybrid has a split keyring where you would normally find the top of the key.

I took my sample blank to Walmart and asked them to make a copy of one of my keys. At first the sales guy said he couldn’t do it, but then I told him it was a standard key blank and he said ok. It was a simple operation that took less than 60 seconds and didn’t cost me a dime since they charge for the blanks, not the grinding. Of course, if you would buy a dozen Keybrids and ask a store to grind them all into keys for you all at one time, they might not be so agreeable.

Here we see the finished key, which works perfectly in the lock it was made for. The keyring works as expected as well. The Keybrid site mentions that you can clip this key to your belt loop and even use it as a money clip. I guess you could do those things, but this is a stiff keyring. It requires some effort to pry the rings apart to insert a key, let alone slide it on your belt loop or use to hold cash. Not to be a stick in the mud, but in my opinion, it’s best when used just as a keychain.

The only negative aspect I can find with the Keybrid is that if you carry your keys in your pocket, they won’t lie as flat as they would with a regular keyring. Since I throw mine in a gear bag, I don’t really notice.

Right now, Keybrid key blanks are currently only available in Silver. But they will soon be offered, in Black, Gold and other colors. They get two thumbs up from me.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, Reviews

Tagged: Keychain

Keybrid Keyring Key Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 2, 2011 at 4:30 pm.

How many keys are on your keychain?  One?  Two?  Three?  As for me, I carry 10 keys at any given time.  It might sound a lot but it’s actually the bare minimum for me.  Daily I carry 2 car keys, 2 PO Box keys, a house key, garage door key, 3 office keys, and a key for the old house.  And yes, 10 keys make a very big and heavy load in my pockets.  So how does the Keyport help in my situation?  It does so by fitting 6 keys into a nice and neat slot-based enclosure.

Having 10 keys on a keychain not only looks ugly, but it’s also a tough job having to carry it around the whole day in my pockets.  So that’s why I decided to review the Keyport when I found out that they were releasing it.

What is the Keyport?  I read about the Keyport 3 years ago when they first released a few graphical designs of the Keyport product.  My initial reaction was that the Keyport looked great, and the idea of it holding 6 keys was amazing.  Then I found out that their suggested price was $300 and that I would have to send my keys to them to be cut and put into the Keyport.  That didn’t sound reasonable from a consumer’s point of view.  Many people online had the same reaction and gave negative feedback on forum sites.  I  forgot about the Keyport, thinking it was just some vaporware – just a rendering of a nonexistent product.  But that was 3 years ago . . .

In 2010, I got an email from Keyport stating that they indeed have designed the Keyport and are ready to ship.  I clicked on to their site and read up on their product again.  First, they lowered the price of the Keyport to $79 and $99, depending on what model you choose.  Secondly, they don’t require the consumer to ship their keys to them to be cut.  The 2 main problems that everyone on the forums complained about have been solved!  And that’s why I give their R&D and PR departments an A+ grade.

The whole ordering process starts by printing out a PDF document that you place your keys on and use as the background as you take pictures of both the front and back of your keys.  This will allow them to determine what key blanks to send to you.  You just email the pictures of the form to them, and you’ll get a reply in a day or two telling you which key blanks correspond to which key.

I was sent the key blanks and the Keyport.  I took the blanks to a local hardware store to have them cut.

Included with the Keyport are 6 color-coded nodes.

There are 6 ports that the 6 keys will slide out from in the front.

Keyport also etched in a serial number to help identify your keys if you happen to lose them.

The 6 color-coded nodes have tiny springs in them.  They are placed on the cut keys.

To assemble, you remove the end cover, then you slide the keys, with the nodes facing out, in through the back of the Keyport.

A 2” lanyard is included to attach to a loop on the rear cover of the Keyport.

I noticed that the plastic rear cover of the Keyport where the lanyard is threaded through doesn’t look as strong as it should.  I have a bad feeling that the lanyard will rip the rear plastic cover.  I know most people probably won’t use the lanyard, since having 6 keys will be probably enough for them.  They will just carry the Keyport by itself without it being hooked up to another keychain, but I have a few more keys to carry along with the Keyport.  The earlier design (see the last two pictures, above) of the Keyport 3 years ago shows a metallic-like loop for the keychain, which looks like it would be more durable in the long run.

For my tests of the Keyport, I arranged the cut keys so the ones needing the strongest turning torque  were in the middle of the Keyport.  The reason for that is that the Keyport flexed a tiny bit if I located a key that required a lot of turning torque on the outside of the Keyport.

Here’s a picture of the Keyport with all 6 keys exposed.  And one with the Keyport on the keychain.

Size comparison of the Keyport with my other car key fobs.  Left to right, 2000 Benz ML320, 2007 BMW 760Li, Keyport (with a 2003 Toyota Rav4 key inside), 2009 Aston Martin DB9, and 2008 Porsche Cayman S.

The Keyport comes in 4 metallic colors: blue, pink, gunmetal, and brushed stainless.

Keyport also offers a $99 bundle that will allow you to put in a transponder-chipped key for those cars that require it.

For $79, some might think that it’s still pretty expensive.  But personally, I think it’s reasonable for having something this stylish, and it does reduce the weight of my keychain.  There is less metal in my pockets.

Filed in categories: Car Gear, Gear, Miscellaneous, Reviews

Tagged: Keychain, keyport, keys

Keyport Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 14, 2010 at 10:00 am.

The MyArk Ti-6Al-4V Alligator Wrench is a key ring multi-tool made from Ti-6Al-4V, which is an alpha-beta titanium alloy with medium to high strength. The tool features a bottle opener, a ratchet wrench for nut sizes from 3/8”- 3/16” on one end and metric 10mm- 4mm on the opposite end (perfect for car battery terminal nuts) and a built in PK and flat head screw driver. It’s available now for $49.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain, Spotlight Gadgets, Tool

An Alligator for your Keyring originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 24, 2010 at 1:31 pm.

The Key Tool and Shackle Set from I want one of those is a small tool kit that fits over a standard sized key. It is constructed of stainless steel and offers 8 different tools including three screwdrivers (small, medium and large), a file, bottle cap lifter, nail cleaner, tweezers and a wire cutter. Price – £9.99. Also available through Vat19.com for $7.95

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain, Spotlight Gadgets, Tool

Another keychain tool – You know you want one originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 14, 2010 at 11:00 am.

I’m starting to become an ECD (Every Day Carry) enthusiast.  While tons of items fit into this category, one that caught my eye is the Piranha from PocketToolX, which specializes in what I call keychain multitools.  It’s a single-piece, stainless steel, multi-purpose pocket tool with a built-in neoprene bit holder that secures up to 1.5″ long bits, such as the included double-ended Phillips/flathead.  Tighten screws, loosen bolts, pry things open and pop the tops on your favorite BEvERages.  And since you’ll barely notice this 1.9 oz, super-slim multi tool in your pocket, it’s perfect for everyday carry.  $49.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: EDC, Keychain, Tool

PocketToolX Piranha packs a lot into a keyring tool originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 14, 2010 at 10:59 pm.

Take heed, fans of keyring tools!  The Micro-Max 19-in-1 pocket tool kit from Swiss+Tech may be your next ally.  Made of stainless steel, it features a patented, quick-release self-lock mechanism to keep it securely attached to your keyring.  Includes 2 hex wrenches, 6 screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutter, wire stripper, wire crimper, hand drill, file, bottle opener, 2 rulers (mm & inch), and 2 ruler extensions.  $19.99.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain, pocket tools

Swiss+Tech Micro-Max 19-in-1 keyring tool originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 14, 2010 at 2:48 pm.

The Inchworm is an EDC (Every Day Carry) tool from TEC Accessories that you keep on your keychain. It’s a 3 inch long 6Al-4V grade titanium rod of 3/16″ diameter with grooves cut at 1/8″, 1/2″ and 1 inch increments with a bead blasted matte finish surface. Having a small ruler always at your fingertips can be really handy. The Inchworm costs $18.00 and is available now from TEC.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: EDC, Gear, Keychain, Spotlight Gadgets, Tools

Inchworm – A Ruler on your Keychain originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 25, 2010 at 1:00 pm.

You’ve no doubt heard of skeleton keys. They were keys from many years ago that were made to open any lock regardless of the make or model. The TAD Gear Skeleton Key won’t open any lock, but it does have a skeleton engraved on it. It’s a titanium keychain tool that has a built in bottle cap lifter, flat screw driver tip, and a nail pry bar / puller. There are two versions of this key. One with a spanner wrench tip for strider folders (pocket knives) and one with an e-key to open electronic cover panels. It’s expensive at $100, but it might make a nice gift for the EDC fan on your Christmas list.

[Via The Awesomer]

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain, Spotlight Gadgets, Tool

Modern version of the skeleton key from TAD Gear originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 6, 2009 at 10:55 am.

Everyday carry fans will love the Screwpop tool. It’s a 4 in 1 keychain tool shaped like a key, that has a Phillips screwdriver tip #2, flathead screwdriver tip #2, 1/4” hex. nut driver, and a bottle opener. At only $4.95, it would make a great little stocking stuffer.

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Keychain, Spotlight Gadgets, Tools

Screwpop 4-in-1 Keychain Tool originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 30, 2009 at 1:50 pm.

Those crazy gadget guys over at ThinkGeek.com are offering a cute little keychain speaker shaped like an oversized original iPod earbud. It has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and doesn’t require any batteries. It might make a fun little stocking stuffer and will only set you back $8.99.

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

Tagged: Keychain, Speaker, Spotlight Gadgets

Earbud Keychain Speaker originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 17, 2009 at 8:41 pm.

Are you an EDC (Everyday Carry) junkie who is always on the lookout for cool new keychain tools, flashlights, pocket knives and storage gadgets? I am That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to take a look at the Mini Cash-Can and Toothpick Case from Sunshine Products USA. Go ahead and get out your credit card now, you’ll be needing it in a few minutes.

I was sent three different products, the Mini Cash-Can, Mini Cash-Can II and a Toothpick Case. Let’s first take a look at the Mini Cash-Can.

The only difference between the Mini Cash-Can and Cash-Can II is size. The Cash-Can is 1 1/2″ inches long and can hold one bill. The Cash-Can II is 2 inches long and can hold two bills. Both are available in your choice of Brass, Copper or Aluminum.

You can see the Aluminum Mini Cash-Can II in the image above (click it to see a larger view). You’ll notice the wonderful engraving of The Gadgeteer logo, which I just love. You can opt for your own engraving for an additional charge ($15-$20).

The Cash-Can is comprised of two parts. The outside housing and an interior spindle. The parts are machined from a single bar of material. In the image above, you can see the seam at the bottom…

…and around the keychain eyelet.

When I first tried to open the Cash-Can, I stumped for a few seconds, till I figured out that you have to pop out the spindle.

This is done by removing the keychain split ring and pressing the spindle top on a hard surface.

With some pressure, the spindle pops out of the bottom of the Cash-Can.

Bills can be folded and wrapped around the spindle.

The top and bottom of the spindle have a rubber O ring, that will make the interior of the Cash-Can waterproof. There’s also no worry that the Cash-Can will open accidentally, as long as you keep it on a keyring.

Mini Cash-Cans are a handy way to carry some extra money with you on your keychain. Always have an extra $20 with you at all times.

Mini Cash-Can – $25.00
Mini Cash-Can II – $35.00

The Toothpick case holds… toothpicks It can also hold cash, small pills etc. It’s significantly larger than the Cash-Cans, at 2 7/8 inches long.

I was sent the Stainless Steel version, but it is also available in a two-tone Copper and Brass version. Look at that lovely engraving (click the image to see a larger version). This case is available with a keychain cap or a plain cap.

Both are threaded caps. An O ring on the case keeps the contents dry.

Toothpick Case – $47.00

I love all these little cases because they are unique and useful. Any of them would make a great gift for your favorite gear head.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: EDC, Keychain

Mini Cash-Can and Toothpick Case Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 18, 2009 at 12:00 pm.

I love free stuff and I know you guys do too, so here’s something that might actually be useful. It’s a free keychain pillbox from FreeStuffWave.com. What I’m thinking is that it could be used to hold  something other than pills. It’s hard to see exactly how wide it is, but maybe it’s large enough to hold SD cards. If not, I’d bet it’s plenty large enough to hold MicroSD cards I signed up for one.

Filed in categories: Uncategorized

Tagged: Gear Diary, Keychain

Free Keychain Pillbox originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 22, 2009 at 3:40 pm.

The days of carrying around your family photos in your wallet seem to be over. Now when we want to show someone a picture of our new baby, puppy or house, we whip out our mobile phone or laptop. But, not everyone has a mobile phone or laptop. That’s where the Insignia Digital Picture Keychain can help keep your snapshots ready for viewing.

Hardware Specifications

Display: 160 x 128 pixels
Screen size: 1.8 inches (45.7 mm)
Capacity for up to 40 photos
File format: .jpg

Package Contents

Photo keychain
USB cable
User Guide

The Insignia keychain is a non-symmetrically shaped 2.3 x 1.7 x 0.4 inch plastic module that is available in Red, Blue and Black.

The metal keychain can be easily detached from the viewer. This makes it more convenient to let people view your photos without having your keys or other items hanging from the chain. It’s also nice to be able to detach the viewer when you need to charge its internal batteries with the USB cable.

Along the top edge there are four control buttons for the viewer that allow you to toggle power and cycle through your photos.

On the Left side, is a mini USB connector that is used for charging and transferring photos to the viewer from your PC.

click thumbnail to see full sized screenshot

Putting your images on the keychain is an easy task. Just plug one end of the included USB cable into the keychain and the other into your Windows PC. Sorry Mac users, you’re out of luck. You can’t drag and drop photos to this device as you would a USB drive. The keychain contains software that will automatically run when you plug in the keychain to your computer.

The software allows you to see or delete the photos currently installed on the viewer and add new photos.

With a resolution of only 160 x 128 pixels, the image quailty for this little viewer is pretty ummm… how can I be kind here… crappy. I mean you can’t really expect to see much with that small of a photo, so don’t use the viewer for landscape type pictures. The images are also sort of fuzzy and I thought maybe it had to do with the way their software was resizing the original image before transferring it to the viewer. So I used Photoshop to resize some images down to 160 x 128 before copying them to the viewer. It didn’t make any difference in the image quality though.

It does a better job of displaying close up face pictures.

When it’s all said and done, I would really only recommend the Insignia Digital Picture Keychain for someone that does not already carry a cellphone or a PDA and has a Windows based PC.

What do you use to display your personal photos?

Manufacturer: Insignia
Retailer: Best Buy

Price: $19.99

Pros:
Easy to use
Charges via USB
Software for copying images is stored on the viewer

Cons:
Low resolution
Can only hold up to 40 images

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous

Tagged: Keychain, Photos

Insignia Digital Picture Keychain Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 2, 2009 at 10:21 am.