Moshi calls itself the purveyors of electronics fashion. Like fashionable clothing, the Moshi Cardette Ultra has style, but what’s more, the Cardette Ultra is a card reader that holds many capabilities in a small package. The new Moshi Cardette Ultra has been redesigned from the original Cardette to be sleeker and complement iMac’s and MacBooks.  Made of a light, slim and compact aluminum body, the 3 slot Cardette Ultra functions as a USB hub and high-speed card reader capable of supporting all existing memory card standards available.

The Cardette may easily be mistaken for a PDA.  It measures 4.3″ x 2.4 ” x 0.65″ (11.0 x 6.0 x 1.65 cm).  It is light as a feather at 4.41 oz.  Color options include graphite, silver and red and are compatible with Mac, PC and Linux systems. The Cardette also comes equipped with an advanced memory controller IC compatible with next generation high speed/high capacity memory cards.

The bottom panel slides out like a keyboard on a PDA to reveal a display that shows you the supported card types directly under each of the 3 slots. Flip it over and the movable panel reveals a short USB cord neatly tucked within the body. The USB cord can be bent back and held into place using a thoughtfully placed cord holder.  The cord measures 3 inches. The panel slides backover to keep the cord in place. I found that the cord can get in the way of the closing panel.

The built in USB cord is key to making this device an all in one enclosed package. A 15” USB extender is included to give an extra reach. Although it comes with the USB extender it may not be needed (but is nice to have).

The ‘i’ in moshi is dotted with a data access indicator light, which turns white when the Cardette is powered and blue when busy reading a card.  If more than one card is plugged at a time, each will display as removable storage.  Having multiple card support makes this ideal for photographers using several card types.

As a big plus, Moshi Cardette offers a two port USB 2.0 Hub, thus replacing the USB port it takes up and giving you another. The Cardette can supply up to 300mA of power. No external power is needed to run the Cardette or typical USB devices linked through the Cardette (e.g., flash drives, MP3 players, mouse, keyboard and PC cameras).  Separate power may be required for devices such as external hard drives or DVD drives when attached to the Cardette.

Card types supported: All series of CompactFlash (CF) and MicroDrive, all series of Memory Stick (MS,MS Duo, MS PRO Duo), M2, MultiMediaCard (MMC),SecureDigital (SD), micro SD / TF, eXtremeDigital (xD-Picture), and SecureDigital High Capacity (SDHC).
*Adapter required for miniSD.

I ran a test on the Cardette Ultra and got the following results using

PNY brand Optima Pro UDMA Compact Flash 266X (45 MBps (read) 40 MBps (write)) card to transfer 8.13 GB of video files (.mov).

Using the Moshi Cardette Ultra took 3:56 (mins:secs)

Using a Belkin Card Reader took 4:26 (mins:secs)

Cardette Ultra was a full 30 seconds faster.  Read/Write speeds also depend on the speed or class of the memory card. The Cardette does not have a firewire port, which could make upload speeds faster.

Compared with other card readers, the Cardette is smaller, more compact, stylish, accepts all standard card types, faster and provides a USB hub. If you need to carry a card reader around this is a good choice.

The Moshi Cardette Ultra sells at a reasonable $35.00 and is available at http://www.moshistore.com/ and http://store.apple.com/us

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

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

Moshi Cardette Ultra Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 20, 2010 at 7:11 pm.

I wouldn’t normally find a USB card reader interesting enough to post as a spotlight gadget, but this one from Epraizer caught my eye for a couple of reasons. First of all, it’s small and has a swivel USB connector. I like the fact that you don’t carry a cable with you to use it. Another handy feature is the fact that it can read SIM cards. You can use it to back up a GSM phone’s contact list.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Card, Memory Card Reader, Spotlight Gadgets, USB

Epraizer card reader – compact and reads SIMs originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 20, 2009 at 8:00 am.

If you prefer your desktop to be as uncluttered as possible, one of Griffin’s
newest products can help you out. It is the Simplifi iPod / iPhone USB dock and
card reader. Let’s take a closer look…

One thing to be aware of, if you decide to purchase this product, is to check
for an iPhone 3G badge on the box. If the box doesn’t have this badge and you
happen to have an iPhone 3G, you’ll need to shell out $1.99 for the 3G dock
adapter.

Package Contents

Simplifi dock
6 dock adapters
USB cable
AC adapter
Instruction guide

The Simplifi dock looks very Apple-ish (is that a word?), with its brushed
Aluminum wrap around shell and White plastic body.

The bottom has a large rubber pad that helps to prevent the dock from sliding
around on your desk.

The front has two card slots that can accommodate the following card formats:
Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SD, SDHC, xD and CF (CompactFlash). I really
wish a MicroSD slot also included as I find it a hassle to use an adapter with
them.

On the back side, you’ll find two USB 2.0 ports, a power connector and a mini
USB connector. The addition of the two USB ports is a nice touch, but I would
prefer that they be located on the front of the device instead of on the back.
You don’t have to use the included AC adapter with the Simplifi, if you’re only
going to be using it to charge your iPod / iPhone and read memory cards. Just
plugging in the mini USB cable will suffice for those tasks. The only time you
need the AC adapter is if you use the two USB ports for devices that require a
powered hub.

For the last several years, I’ve been using a similar iPod dock / card reader
from Edge
Corp. (seen above on the Left). While that product works just fine for
charging my iPods and iPhone, it lacks one important feature that the Griffin
Simplifi offers – an SDHC compatible card slot. So as soon as the Simplifi
arrived, I unplugged the Edge dock and plugged in the Simplifi in its place.

I don’t like to use the little dock adapters that ship with iPod type devices
such as this one because I am always swapping between the new
iPod Nano,
the Touch and…

… the iPhone.
However, if you just have one iPod or iPhone device, it’s probably a good idea
to use one of the dock adapters because it will prevent you from putting undue
stress on the connector.

I tested this dock / card reader with the nano 4G, Touch and iPhone. It
charged all of them without issues and was recognized by iTunes as soon as I
plugged one into the dock. As for the card reader, I tested several different SD
and CF cards and again, I had no problems accessing and writing data to them. I
was even able to copy files back and forth between the two card slots while
charging a device in the dock.

I like the Griffin Simplifi’s design because it blends in well with my other
Apple products like my iMac. But, at $70, I think it’s definitely way
overpriced. You can find the Edge
Corp. dock / card reader that I was previously using for $9.95. It can’t
read SDHC cards, but for that price, that fact might not be important to you.
Atech sells a dock
/ reader that looks just like the one from Edge, but it DOES have SDHC
support and costs $19.99. If money is no object, I’d rather have the Griffin
Simplifi because it just looks snazzier. But in these tough economic times,
every little bit of savings can be a big deal.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: Cable, iPod, Memory Card Reader

Griffin Simplifi USB Dock / Card Reader Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 30, 2008 at 1:00 pm.

boynq designs products that are functional while also looking cool. Could there be anything cooler than a USB card reader that looks like a toaster? I didn’t think so ;o) Looks aren’t everything though, so let’s take a closer look at the boynq Toastit.

Hardware Specifications

USB 2.0 device
480 Mbps with USB 2.0
Self powered
Dimensions: 3.54 x 2.17 x 1.18 inches (90 x 55 x 30 mm)
3 Card slots: xD, Memory Stick, MMC, SD, CF I & II, and Microdrive

Package Contents

Card reader
Mini USB cable

The Toastit looks just like a little retro toaster…

Right down to the molded handles on the sides.

Made of plastic, this card reader is available in either Black or Pink. As you can see from the images above, I was sent the Black version.

The Toastit has three individual card slots. A slot for xD cards, a slot for MMC, MS and SD cards and then a slot for CF I & II and Microdrives. That’s why the reader claims to be a 7 in 1 card reader. With various adapters, you can also read MicroSD and MiniSD cards. I wish it had a dedicated MicroSD slot as I seem to always misplace the adapters. That’s why I keep Brando’s 55 in 1 card reader in my gear bag.

When a card is plugged into a slot, an LED on to top of the reader will glow Amber. It will flash slowly whenever data is transferring.

To get an idea how fast this reader can copy files, I tested it by copying files to and from my iMac and to and from other cards inserted into the reader. The file I used for all the tests was a 118mb .WMV file. The reader was plugged into a USB port in a powered a hub.

Media used:

4GB 133x SanDisk Extreme III CF card
1GB Transcend 80x SD card

12.43 seconds to copy file from computer to CF card

8.99 seconds to copy file from CF card to computer

26.89 seconds to copy file from CF card to SD card
23.01 seconds to copy file from SD card to CF card

Not exactly speed of light results… This card reader is cute, but I think I’ll stick with my Brando 55 in 1 reader.

What is your favorite card reader?

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

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

boynq Toastit 7 in 1 Card Reader originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 28, 2007 at 1:44 pm.

Brando has a new flash card reader available. The 55 in 1 Hi-Speed USB Five-Slot Flash Card Reader/Writer lets you plug in MicroSD/T-Flash, miniSD, Memory Stick Micro (M2) cards without needing to use an adapter. It also supports new SDHC / SDHC 2.0 cards.

Hardware Specs

USB 2.0 transfer rate up to 480Mbps
No external power required, bus powered
Dimensions: 3.15 x 2.28 x .47in (80 x 58 x 12mm)
Plug-n-Play and hot swapping support

Package Contents

Card reader
USB cable

This card reader is compact and made of White plastic. It matches my 24″ iMac perfectly ;o) Labels above each of the 5 cards slots show which type of cards fit in each slot.

Three slots on the front side accommodate MicroSD/T-Flash, SD, miniSD, Memory Stick Pro Duo, and XD.

Two slots on the back are for Compact Flash and Memory Stick Micro (M2) cards.

When a card is plugged into a slot, the LED on to top of the reader will glow Green. It will flash slowly whenever data is transferring.

To get an idea how fast this reader can copy files, I tested it by copying files to and from my iMac and to and from other cards inserted into the reader. The file I used for all the tests was a 118mb .WMV file. The reader was plugged into a USB port on the back of the computer, not through a hub. I ran each test 5 consecutive times and recorded the results below.

Media used:

4GB 133x SanDisk Extreme III CF card

4GB 150x AData SDHC Turbo SD card

1GB SanDisk Ultra II MicroSD card

Test results with my current card reader:

35.26, 34.23, 34.26, 34.22, 34.52 seconds to copy file from computer to CF card
18.05, 17.54, 17.55, 17.51, 17.57 seconds to copy file from computer to MicroSD card

1.98, 1.76, 2.33, 1.74, 1.84 seconds to copy file from CF card to computer
1.85, 2.79, 1.68, 1.64, 1.65 seconds to copy file from MicroSD card to computer

18.05, 17.57, 17.68, 17.56, 17.55 seconds to copy file from CF card to MicroSD card

34.21, 34.25, 34.20, 34.22, 34.00 seconds to copy file from MicroSD card to CF card

Test results with the 55 in 1 card reader:

9.13, 9.19, 9.16, 9.41, 9.14 seconds to copy file from computer to CF card
16.00, 15.85, 15.51, 15.62, 15.50 seconds to copy file from computer to SD card
14.92, 14.52, 14.55, 14.59, 14.54 seconds to copy file from computer to MicroSD card

1.70, 1.85, 1.66, 1.65, 1.64 seconds to copy file from CF card to computer
1.78, 1.71, 1.62, 1.64, 1.69 seconds to copy file from SD card to computer
1.79, 1.74, 1.87, 1.64, 1.72 seconds to copy file from MicroSD card to computer

14.52, 14.62, 14.53, 14.50, 14.63 seconds to copy file from CF card to MicroSD card

9.05, 9.15, 9.19, 9.08, 9.36 seconds to copy file from MicroSD card to CF card
16.25, 15.58, 15.58, 15.69, 15.59 seconds to copy file from CF card to SD card

9.00, 9.10, 9.18, 9.09, 9.24 seconds to copy file from SD card to CF card

The results speak for themselves. You can see that Brando’s new card reader is quite a bit faster at some of the file transfers, while only slightly faster at others.

During my tests, I discovered that if you plug in a MicroSD card and an SD card into the reader at the same time, only one card (the one that was plugged in first) will be recognized. I asked Brando about this because I feared that the reader might be defective. He explained that both slots use the same channel, so only one of the cards can be accessed at a time. This may or may not be an issue for some people. If you anticipate needing to copy files between those two formats, then you will not be able to use this reader.

This is a nice / fast little card reader. Besides the issue with the using the two SD slots at the same time, it does a great job. The best part for me is not needing to use adapters for Micro and Mini SD cards. This reader has earned a permanent spot in my gear bag.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

Brando 55 in 1 USB Hi-Speed Card Reader originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 22, 2006 at 11:27 am.

Flash card readers come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Today I’m going to tell you about the 51 in 1 USB Slim Card Reader that was sent to me by Brando. The ability to read 51 different card formats really sounds impressive doesn’t it? Well, things are not always what they appear to be…

Hardware Specs

USB 2.0 transfer rate up to 480Mbps, backward USB 1.1 transfer rate up to 12Mbps
No external power required, just powered by USB connection cable
Dimensions: 87 x 25 x 13mm
Fully Plug-n-Play and hot swapping support
Lower power consumption

Package Contents

Card reader
USB cable

The best thing this reader has going for it is its compact size. It can easily fit in even the smallest gear bag.

Upon first glance, this reader immediately made me think of the original Apple iPod shuffle. It’s just too bad that the bottom of the reader does not pull off like the shuffle to reveal a USB connector. Instead, to connect the reader to your computer, you must use the included USB cable.

Although this product is billed as the 51 in 1 card reader, it has just 4 card slots. On the left side you will find a Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro slot, with a Compact flash slot next to it.

On the right side there is a Secure Digital (SD)/MultiMedia Card (MMC) card slot and a xD slot next to it. In order to read 51 card formats using the available slots, you will need to use various adapters. For example, MicroSD and MiniSD cards typically come with SD sized adapters that they can fit in. Personally, I would be much happier with this card reader, if it had a MicroSD or MiniSD slot instead of the xD slot. I’ve never owned a device that requires xD cards.

As far as inserting and removing cards, I only had a problem with the MS/MS Pro slot. I found it to be extremely tight.

As soon as you connect the reader to a USB port, the circle on the top will glow Blue. It does not flash to signify activity, it just glows steadily.

To get an idea how fast this reader can copy files, I tested it by copying files to and from my iMac and to and from other cards inserted into the reader. The file I used for all the tests was a 118mb .WMV file. The reader was plugged into a USB port on the back of the computer, not through a hub.

Media used:

1GB 80x Lexar CF card
1GB Kingmax SD card (no idea about speed)

Test results:

42.57 seconds to copy file from computer to CF card
29.89 seconds to copy file from computer to SD card

2.06 seconds to copy file from CF card to computer
1.79 seconds to copy file from SD card to computer

72.73 seconds to copy file from SD card to CF card
29.48 seconds to copy file from CF card to SD card

I’m not really sure what to make of the numbers… But in all reality, this reader feels about as fast as other readers that I’ve used in the past. If you need a small reader and primarily use CF and SD cards, then this one can go with you almost anywhere and won’t put a dent in your billfold.

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

Brando 51 in 1 USB Slim Card Reader originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 24, 2006 at 10:00 am.

I have found what may very well be the perfect device for unloading flash memory cards on the road. The VP3320 XS-Drive by Vosonic has every feature that I need as a photographer and includes at least one seemingly inconsequential feature that you might not know you need … but you do.

Hardware Specs

Material: Aluminum/plastic
Size: 12 x 7.7 x 2.6 cm
Weight: 274g
Internal Battery: Lithium Ion Rechargeable
External Power: 110V AC Adapter
Hard disk size: 2.5in/9.5mm
External Interface: USB 2.0
Card Formats Supported: CF (Type I & II), Microdrive, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SD/MMC, xD, SM(with adapter – not included)

Package Contents

VP3320 Shell (can be purchased with hard drive installed)
AC Adapter
USB cable
Carrying case (nicely padded with belt loop)
CD with drivers
Quick Start Guide
Screwdriver & screws
Ear Buds
Audio Cable (to connect to stereo or speakers)

I will not tease you anymore (that is not the way I roll), the special feature is a simple little smiley or frowney face. I used to use a similar device, the Sony HDD Photo Storage HDPS-M1. At the time I was thrilled by the HDPS-M1′s simplicity, but not so happy about the short battery life. The other main problem I had with the Sony product was the auto power off. I understood that this was necessary to preserve battery life, but, after setting it to copy a card, I would get distracted. After a while, I would look down at the device and see that it had shut down.

Did the battery run down? Did it copy all of my files? I had no way to know.
With my Vosonic XS-Drive (which also shuts down automatically after a short period of inactivity), I need only turn on the unit to determine whether or not all of my files were copied from my card.

If the last operation (e.g., the card copy I initiated before seeing something shiny and becoming distracted) failed to complete, the device will display the little frowney face shown above.

If the previous operation was successful, the device will display the smiley face shown above.
A copy can fail on occasion. I think that jostling the device during a copy operation is the most likely cause for failure. Either the connection to the card gets broken or, most likely, the laptop hard drive trips out because it doesn’t like the vibrations.

While I am on this subject, let me drift for just a moment. The VP3320 uses a laptop drive. Although laptop drives are designed to stand up to a certain amount of abuse, you are going to need to keep the device as still as possible while it is actually operating. Otherwise the copy will fail; or worse, the hard-drive may fail altogether. This happened to me once with my Sony portable and the first hard drive that came with my Vosonic.

I recommend that you buy the Vosonic VP3320 as a shell (no hard drive) and then purchase a laptop hard drive from solid manufacturer (e.g., Western Digital or Seagate). I fear that any drive that comes included will be the cheapest drive available the day they were assembling your unit. I am using Western Digital’s Scorpio 60GB drives in both of my VP3320′s.

So far these drives have performed flawlessly. Although I try to keep the shocks, bumps, and dings to a minimum, I shoot sports for my website, iphotosports.com, and these drives get beat around some. I have been using one for over a year and the other for just under a year.
Installing the drive is pretty easy. You just remove the four tiny Phillips head screws (see below) with the very decent screw driver that ships with the VP3320 and remove the cover.

Inside you slide the drive onto the pin connectors and then (don’t forget this step) put the little rubber block included with the unit between the inside of the case and the back side of the drive. The block keeps the unit connected and provides a bit of shock absorption as a bonus. Put the cover back on and replace the screws and you can move on to formatting the drive.

Using the included transformer, connect the VP3320 and charge the unit. A red light displays on the upper right hand corner of the drive’s face. It goes out when the unit is fully a charged. A green light might have been nice here, but why quibble? The transformer plugs in to hole indicated by the red arrow below.

After the device finishes charging, connect a USB cable from the port indicated by the blue arrow above to any open USB port on your computer. Before we go forward, I am going to give you some information I learned the hard way.

The VP3320 comes with a utility that allows you to beat the 32GB limit for FAT32. It was pretty cryptic, but I was eventually able to apply formatting to my 60GB drive using a single all-encompassing partition. It seemed to work this way, but it was flaky. Windows didn’t always want to read it and I could not reformat the drive without the utility. This turned out to be fairly important because the drive needs to be reformatted occasionally – particularly if you ever make the mistake of filling it to capacity.

Whatever internal operating system is used for operating the VP3320 in stand alone mode just will not recognize free space after deleting some or all of the files. The drive must be reformatted to correct this issue. I recommend reformatting the drive on a regular basis. After several aggravating issues and even lost data, I also decided to repartition my drive so that the first partition had 32GB and the remaining space was put on a second partition. This second partition is not available in stand alone mode, but I use it plenty as portable hard drive space. That way I can reformat the drive with any Windows XP or Mac and I have not experienced any issues reading data on my Windows PC.

The Vosonic VP3320 comes with instructions for partitioning and formatting the drive using Windows XP. If you have trouble, post your questions on the review forum and I will provide detailed instructions. This review is getting away from me, so I won’t include instructions here.

Moving on.

Once you have charged and formatted the VP3320, it is time to disconnect it from AC power and your computer (the built in OS will not function while tethered to your PC via USB). Press and hold the red power button next to the unit’s USB port for about 3 seconds and then release.

The initial screen shows the three basic functions – File, Radio, and Voice Recorder – as well as battery charge status, hard drive status, and the result of the last operation (smiley – good or frowney – bad).

The Vosonic VP3320 can read Compact Flash (CF) types I & II (using the covered slot on the top as shown in the previous two photos), as well as Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick Pro (MS Pro), Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), and xD cards using the multi card slot on the side (see below). For Smart Media you will need to purchase a Compact Flash slot adapter.

When you insert a flash card in the appropriate slot, the display will display the card format (see red arrow indicating Compact Flash card insertion below).

To copy the contents of the card over to the portable drive, just click the “Copy” button.

The display will change to the following dynamic dialog to show you the ongoing progress of the copy operation.

When it completes, for those of you who are still paying attention, the unit either displays the following “OK” screen for a successful copy …

… or this “NG” (No Go) screen if something bad happened (I pulled out the card in mid-copy to generate this error). Either screen is only displayed for a short time to conserve the battery, but you can get the same information by powering the unit back on and checking for the smiley or frowney face.

Looking back to the illustration before the No Go screen, you will notice the words “Sure-> OK key” at the bottom of the screen. This brings up the verify screen shown below.

If you press the OK key, the unit will compare each copied file the counterpart on the flash card as sort of an extra verification. Then you get the progress screen …

… and hopefully the successful verification indication when this operation completes.

I found this last feature to be a bit redundant. After all, the unit has already told me that the copy operation was successful – either with the “OK” screen or the wonderful smiley face. When I first started using the unit, I ran the verify, but I don’t use it anymore As far as I know, I have never lost a file.

The VP3320 automatically creates a new folder every time a copy operation is initiated, so there is no need to worry about overwriting an existing photo with the same name. In fact, if you initiate a copy of the same card, you will end up with two complete identical copies of the same card in separate folders.

As if the VP3320′s abilities as a portable file card reader and storage unit were not enough, it can also function as an FM radio (and recorder), a voice recorder, or an mp3 player! Below are a couple of screen captures from the FM radio mode and the Voice Recorder mode.

I don’t have a great deal of experience with mp3 players. I have only used my little JetAudio iAudio4 MP3 Player that I reviewed for The Gadgeteer quite some time ago, but the VP3320 strikes me as a pretty simple, yet serviceable player. I don’t think I would buy it for it’s audio capabilities but they are a really nice bonus!

I highly recommend this device. They are kind of hard to find in the US, but worth the effort to track one down.

Filed in categories: Digital Cameras and Gear, Gear, Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

Vosonic VP3320 XS-Drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 24, 2006 at 2:39 pm.

Recently, Judie reviewed the iMONO SD / MiniSD card reader from USBGeek. Today I’m going to tell you about another card reader from USBGeek and iMONO. This one has a MicroSD / T-Flash (Transflash) slot and also a slot for the SIM card from your GSM phone. With the included software (WinXP only) you can add, delete and modify the phonebook on your SIM.

This USB device is small and compact. A swivel cover protects the USB connector when it is not in use. A small status LED is located on the face of the reader. This LED blinks during data activity.

The end opposite the USB connector has a snap open lid that reveals a spring loaded MicroSD / T-Flash slot. By the way, can anyone tell me what the difference is between MicroSD and T-Flash cards?

The SIM card slot is located on the right side of the module. Regarding the slots, I had some trouble with both card slots. I felt like I had to wrestle with each one to get the cards to insert correctly.

I should mention that unlike the other iMONO USB reader that Judie reviewed, this one does NOT have any memory built-in.

Here you see the iMONO plugged into a Dell laptop, with my Cingular SIM card inserted. A 1gb MicroSD card is also installed, but you can’t see it in the picture.

I doubt if I have to mention this, but I will anyway… When you plug this reader into a USB port, it will show up as removable drive (if you have a MicroSD or T-Flash card installed). If you only have a SIM card installed, nothing will happen. You must first install the SIM editor software which is included on a mini CD.

This is an error that I received right off the bat… Hmmmmm… I clicked YES and the installation quickly finished.

Click thumbnail to see full size image

Once the software is installed and launched, you can plug the iMONO into a free USB slot. The software will see the SIM and will load in any information (phone numbers) that you have saved to it. These numbers will show up on the right side of the screen. The first time I used the software, my card showed as empty. I then added 2 test numbers as a test. You can see the numbers in the image above.

Click thumbnail to see full size image

The software is VERY simple. Pretty much all you can do is is Add numbers, Edit numbers, and Delete numbers. The records just have a name and a phone number. If you try to add the ‘-’ character to the phone number, the software complains.

One nice feature is the ability to back all your numbers up on your PC for archival purposes.

Click thumbnail to see full size image

You can also add messages to the SIM card. I have no real clue what these are for though. You can’t specify who the messages are for. But they save just fine and when I put the SIM back into my Treo 650 and powered it on, I got the notice you see below.

Choosing YES seemed like the logical answer to the question above, but I was unable to find the saved message anywhere on my PDA. Go figure. Maybe this feature isn’t compatible with the Treo…

That wasn’t my only issue though… The phone numbers that I created on the PC using the SIM Editor, come into the Treo with the name field set to “Invalid Character Set”.

I think this has something to do with the error I received when first installing the software. I was able to edit the names on the Treo though.

In my opinion the only good thing about this $17 USB reader / software combo, is the ability to back up your SIM to your PC. Creating and editing names using the software is pointless if it doesn’t show up correctly on the phone once you insert the SIM.

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

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

iMONO microSD/T-Flash, SIM Card Reader/Writer originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 16, 2006 at 3:20 pm.

One of the results of my sending out that
blanket Linked-In email
last month was that I got replies from people I had not corresponded with in
ages. One of those respondents,
James Porter, happens to be the inventor of a product that I reviewed last
year, the handy 

iPorter xSD Memory Card Case. He mentioned that he had two new products on
his site, and asked if I would like to give them a try. These new
ePorter products are compact USB
readers that accept various flash memory cards.

The first reader we’ll talk about is the

Single Slot SD / MMC USB Card eReader. According to the web site blurb, "This
handy USB 2.0 card reader allows you to swap files fast. No driver required for
Win2000/ME/XP, Mac OS 9.x & 10.x Reads and writes to SD/MMC without adapter.
Will read and write to RS-MMC/MiniSD/Micro SD with adapter."

The card reader measures approximately 3" long x 1.3′ wide x 0.5′ thick, and
it weighs just 0.7 ounces. It is available in either red with brushed aluminum
trim, or green with brushed aluminum trim as seen here.

One end is a cap that when removed reveals the USB connector.

The other end features a hinged lid that covers the SD/MMC slot.

The hinged lid will snap closed, protecting and completely enclosing any
inserted SD sized card or adapter.

The hole visible in the aluminum clad shell is actually an LED status light.

Transfer time for a 161MB music file to an older 256MB SanDisk SD card
installed in the reader was 3 minutes 13.60 seconds. Hmmm – that didn’t seem
very speedy at all! Inserting a much newer SanDisk 1GB MiniSD gave a respectable
total of 46.22 seconds to move the same file. So obviously transfer speeds will
greatly depend on the particular memory card used.

The

Single Slot SD / MMC USB Card eReader retails for $14.95.

The second device sent was the

Matrix Multi-slot 2.0 USB Card eReader. This reader is approximately 3.0"
long x 1" wide x 0.6" thick and weighs 0.6 ounces and it has a matte silver
plastic body with slots for three types of cards, Trans Flash (T Flash) / Micro
SD, Memory sticks & SD cards. It is also available in black.

According to the site blurb, "This is the ultimate reader in capability
and portability. Multi-slot flash card reader. Reads and writes without adapter
to SD/MMC/MiniSD/Micro SD (T-Flash) All styles of Memory Stick, including MS,
MS-Duo, MS Pro, MS Pro Duo Turn your card into a full fledged disk drive. No
Drivers needed for Win2000/ME/XP, Mac OS 9.x & OS 10.x."

The bottom side of the reader has an indention that looks like it is ready
for a branding sticker. This reader would probably be a very welcome form of
schwag, should a company be searching for that perfect customer appreciation
give-away.

The reader will accept T-Flash cards / micro SD cards without an adapter, as
well as SD/MMC cards, Memory Sticks and any of the smaller cards that can fit in
adapters made to fit those two larger slots. Worth noting is that there is no
flashing LED to remind the user when the reader is plugged in or when the cards
are being accessed.

Transferring the same 161MB music file to an older 256MB SanDisk SD card
installed in the reader gave a time of 3 minutes 20.20 seconds. Inserting a much
newer SanDisk 1GB MiniSD gave a total of 53.13 seconds to move the same file. So
once again, I reiterate that transfer speeds will depend at least in part upon
the particular memory card used.

The

Matrix Multi-slot 2.0 USB Card eReader retails for $19.95

And let’s not forget the product that started it all, the

iPorter xSD Memory Card Case, which

I reviewed in April 2005.

As a refresher, the iPorter is a memory card holder which can carry and
protect up to three cards.

The

iPorter xSD is available in a pack of two for $9.95.

The ePorter line of products are great for anyone that needs a compact and
portable way to access media stored on memory cards, or a product that can store
said memory cards. These gadgets are attractively priced, and they perform
exactly as advertised.

ePorter products may be

purchased here.

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

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

ePorter Memory Card eReaders originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 20, 2006 at 5:26 pm.

What happens when you merge a 512MB USB flash memory device with a memory
card reader? You get a product like the
iMONO SD/miniSD
Card Reader + 512MB Flash Drive, available from
USB Geek.

Measuring just 3.3" long x 1.2" long x 0.5" thick, the iMONO manages to pack
a lot of features into its itty-bitty white plastic package.

Specifications:
Fully support USB 2.0
Built-in 512MB Flash Memory.
Support: Micro SD, T-Flash, mini SD, SD, MMC micro, MMC, MMC Plus, RS-MMC, MMC
4.0, RS-MMC4.0 memory card, without any card adapter.
High speed transfer rate up to 480Mbps
USB Mass Storage supported, Hot-Swap, fully plug & play
Supports directly data transfer between different types of memory cards
Supports Windows Server 2003/XP/2000/ME/98SE/98, Mac OS 9.0 or above.

The iMONO looks like many other USB flash memory devices, although perhaps a
little bit wider. The removable rotating cover protects the USB connector.

On it’s own, the USB 2.0 512MB flash memory device is a handy gadget for
transporting files from one computer to another, and its Hi-Speed transfer rates
of up to 480Mbps are the fastest possible.

Transferring a 79.7MB music file from my PC to the iMONO’s internal flash
drive took 58.33 seconds.
Transferring a 180MB movie file from my PC to the iMONO’s internal flash drive
took two minutes and 02:58.24 seconds.

But as I mentioned, this gizmo is also a card reader. On the bottom portion
of the device is a swinging door…

…which opens to reveal two slots. The top slot will hold SD and MMC cards,
and the bottom will hold T-Flash cards without an SD adapter.

Being able to use the SD card adapter that accompanies many miniSD cards
would be convenient enough…

…but it is totally unnecessary with this reader. Not only will the top slot
accept SD & MMC cards, it will also accept miniSD and MMC micro cards without
an adapter. Brilliant!

The iMONO has a blue LED that will glow when it is plugged into a USB port;
the LED will blink when any of the reader’s drives are being accessed.

The iMONO drive shows up as its own removable storage, and any inserted cards
will appear as separate drives.

The iMONO drive can also be renamed, formatted or controlled through the
drive’s "Properties" menu option.

The only immediate limitation I can see regarding the iMONO, is that there is
no built-in security for data stored on its flash drive. A valuable future model
addition would be the built-in option to partition the 512MB with a password
protected side and a public side.

Also included in the package with the iMONO device are a card storage case…

…and a neck-strap for those that need immediate access to their reader. I
may have spooked some readers by saying that the USB connector cover was
removable, seeing that the neck-strap is attached directly to that cover, but
there is no need to worry. Unless someone purposefully yanks the reader
from the wearer’s neck, the cover should stay securely attached.

The ability to combine a flash memory device with a card reader while using
only one USB port should especially appeal to people who own laptops without
PCMCIA ports. Overall, I think that the iMONO is a well priced bit of convergent
gear.

The iMONO
Mobile Express Card Reader, which is essentially the same device but without
the internal flash memory is also available from USB Geek for $12.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

iMONO SD/miniSD Card Reader + 512MB Flash Drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 16, 2006 at 10:01 am.

As is the way with most electronic items, flash memory cards are getting more
and more miniscule. Although the smallest ones usually come with an SD adapter,
keeping one handy is not always convenient. Two of the tiniest formats
available, MMC Micro and T-flash, are the special targets of the new
USB Geek
Q-Reader that
I’ll be looking at today. With it’s six individual sockets, including one each
for those tiny aforementioned formats, the Q-Reader boasts the ability to read a
total of 31 different memory card formats.

Available in blue, white or black plastic and measuring approximately 4" long
x 2.5" wide x 0.75" thick and weighing just 2.2 ounces, this portable adapter
can be easily tucked into an empty spot in any gear bag.

The MMC Micro slot is on the left, the T-Flash on the right.

I still find it hard to believe that there are memory cards as tiny as the
T-flash. I mean…wow!

The mini-USB connection is on the bottom of the
device.

When the reader is plugged in and receiving power, the green light will glow.
As the inserted card is accessed, the red light will blink, and the red light
will simply glow steadily otherwise.

The various ports on the card reader are not labeled in the "My Computer"
view, so this is one of those times when keeping each memory card formatted with
its own name can help.

This card reader boasts USB 2.0 transfer rates of up to 480 Mbps. To see if
this number makes a big difference in the real world, I decided to test it while
transferring a 713MB movie file. The Q-Reader did the transfer from computer to
card in one minute 23 seconds and from card to computer in one minute 14
seconds. For comparison, the

Atech iDuo did the transfer from computer to card in one minute 52 seconds
and from card to computer in one minute 23 seconds. The memory card used was a
2GB SanDisk Ultra II., and obviously even larger files would have resulted in
larger time differences.

All told, the USB Geek Q-Reader is yet another twist to a familiar story –
four card slots which service just under 30 different flash memory cards as long
as the user has the proper adapter for the more exotic versions. However, the
slightly faster read/write speeds and the addition of the two extra readers
built into the side will add a level of convenience that T-Flash and MMC Micro
users may find hard to resist.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

USB Geek Q-Reader originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 11, 2006 at 9:44 am.

One of the fun things about finally owning an iPod is that I can now start
enjoying all of the nifty devices creative manufacturers are introducing to
further integrate the iPod into everyday life. While I have seen some strange
items that I wouldn’t personally have a use for, like
the iGuy that
Julie reviewed, I have found one item which I was more than happy to add to
my desktop. The Atech Flash Technology
iDuo iPod Dock and Card
Reader is a free-standing device which reads the following types of memory
devices:

1. (CF) Compact Flash™ Type I,
2. (CF) Compact Flash™ Type II,
3. (MD) Microdrive™
4. (MMC) MultiMedia™
5. (xD) xD-Picture Card™
6. (SM) Smart Media™
7. (MS) Memory Stick™
8. (MG) MagicGate Memory Stick™
9. (PRO) Memory Stick PRO™ (true 4-bit support)
10.(SD) Secure Digital™(true 4-bit support)

All of these formats are worked into the three slots on the face of this
approximately 3.9" wide x 2.35" deep x 1.2" thick device. Included in the
package are the iDuo dock, a mini USB to full size USB cable, the setup disk and
a user’s manual. I use Windows XP, so the disk was not necessary, but anyone
using Windows 98 or 98 SE will need the drivers included on the disk. The iDuo
will also work with Mac computers running OS 9.2 or later.

Available in either black or white, the iDuo I received is composed of glossy
milk colored plastic which will nicely match the front of white iPods. Located
on the top of the dock is a slot which will hold an iPod, iPod Photo or iPod
mini. A sliding plastic slug coming from the top rear of the iDuo may be slid
forward to support the thinner iPod mini, or slid into the rear position for the
iPod and iPod Photo.

The card readers on the front of the iDuo use USB 2.0 and they have a reader
transfer rate of  up to 480Mb/sec via USB 2.0 or up to 12 Mb/sec via USB
1.1. Perhaps one of the most convenient features of this card reader is that
instead of having to guess which drive belongs to a particular card, they will
all be conveniently labeled upon the host computer. Even better, the currently
used drive will be colored blue instead of being gray.

When a card is plugged into the reader, the blue light will glow on the side.
The light will flash as the card is accessed, but even when the card is
sitting idle the light will glow.

The only issue I had with the reader was that it would not open my Sandisk
2GB SD card. It recognized it and it showed it as being present, but it would
not open and read it.

The iDuo requires 5V DC, which is receives from the included USB cable. In
order to use the iDuo with an iPod, the iPods sync and charge cable must be
attached to the rear of the dock, which will require the use of another free USB
port on the computer.

Located on the back of the iDuo are ports which will allow the user to plug
in a set of speakers and an S-Video cable for viewing pictures on a TV screen.

To use the Line Out or S-Video out options, the iPod cable should not be
attached to the rear of the cradle, as it will cause the iPod to display it’s
"Do Not Disconnect" screen as it tries to sync with the computer. It probably
should be obvious, but I feel the need to state that when the iPod is docked in
the iDuo without its sync and charge cord connected, it will not be charging.

I have found it very convenient to use the iDuo as a cradle for my iPod. It
is very nice to have a place to set it , although I was a little surprised to
find that the blue LED which blinks as card info is being exchanged with the
computer does nothing when the iPod is docked. It’s probably wisest to think of
the iDuo as two separate devices – a card reader with blue LED which is powered
by the included mini USB cable, and an iPOD sync and charge dock which is
powered by the iPod’s USB cable.

I have been using the iDuo for a little bit over a month and other than the
fact that it can’t read my iPAQ’s 2GB SD card, I haven’t run into any other real
shortcomings, although I wish that there were a way to operate it with only one
consolidated USB cable. Otherwise, it has been extremely convenient, especially
since it does accept the xD card which my camera uses.

Update 12/10/05: My contact at Atech Flash wrote to tell me that after
this review appeared they confirmed that there was a problem with 2GB SD cards
and their engineers have
completed and posted a Firmware update. I have used the update and can
confirm that it works perfectly – be sure to download it!

If you have been looking for a card reader which can do more than just read
memory cards, or if you have been looking for an iPod cradle that does more than
just look pretty, then you may want to check out the
Atech Flash Technology
iDuo iPod Dock and Card
Reader.

Julie’s comments:

Edge Tech Corp, another company that sells this same exact dock / reader combo contacted me asking if I wanted to take a look at it. Even though I knew that Judie already had one to review, I agreed to test it with my iMac, the iPod nano and my new Video iPod.

Here you see my nano in the dock. The size slider switch on the dock doesn’t really help when inserting the nano, so you just have to be careful how you remove the player, so that you don’t torque the connector.

I gave it a test with the Video iPod too. No problems at all… The size slider is not needed here either.

I really like this device. It’s combined two items that I already had on my desk to just one. But like Judie, I’m not thrilled that 2 USB connections are required. I’ll deal with it though.

FYI: Edge Tech Corp sells the iDuo for less than Atech.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear

Tagged: iPod, Memory Card Reader

Atech Flash Technology iDuo iPod Dock and Card Reader originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 17, 2005 at 9:56 am.

USBGeek.com sent me a tiny 2.5 x 2.5. x 0.5 inch USB 2.0 card reader that is not much larger than a standard Compact Flash card. This reader is compatible with 21 different media card types. No, I’m not kidding, I said 21! They include: CF-Type I, CF-Type II, CF-Ultra II, Micro Drive, SD, SD-Ultra, SDC, Mini SD, MMC, HS-MMC, RS-MMC, MS, MS(MG), MS-Pro, HS-MS-Pro, MS-Duo, MS-Pro Duo, HS-MS-Pro Duo, SM, X Card, and T-Flash. Some of the types I’ve do not even recognize. For example, what the heck is T-Flash?

I came to understand that most of the formats listed above are really just different names for the same thing. CF-Ultra II is not an actual card type, it’s just a designation that some card manufacturers give their faster CF cards. The same goes for SD-Ultra. SDC is the same as a regular SD (Secure Digital) card. HS-MS Pro and HS-MS-Pro Duo also are just speed ratings for MemoryStick Pro cards. HS-MMC (aka MMC Plus) is a speed rating too. It should also be pointed out that this reader doesn’t really support some of those formats without an adapter. There are 4 slots that can accommodate CF-Type I, CF-Type II, SD, MS, and SM cards.

The reader is constructed of what I think is aluminum. It’s very compact and will fit easily into any gear bag. Included with the reader is a USB cable and users manual.

This reader is totally plug and play if you have a modern OS (read: not Windows 98 or something equally ancient). When you plug it in, an extremely bright blue LED in the bottom left corner will turn on to let you know you have a connection to your computer. This LED glows constantly when the reader is idle, and will blink when file transfers are in progress.

Like most multi-card readers, you can insert more than one card at a time and copy files between them. Speed-wise, this reader feels about the same as other USB 2.0 readers that I have reviewed in the past. I conducted a quick and dirty file transfer speed test with this reader, a 1GB LEXAR 80X Compact Flash card and a 17.8 MB file. Copying the file from my G5 iMac to the LEXAR card too less 3.5 seconds. Copying the file from the Compact Flash card back to the iMac took about 2 seconds. FAST! The same test using a very old 48MB Kingston Compact Flash card took 20 seconds copying from the iMac to the card and about 15.5 seconds going from card to iMac. Still not bad!

I like this reader because it’s so small that I don’t notice it in my gear bag. If you’ve been looking for a really small reader to stuff in your tool pouch, take a closer look at this one.

Price: $22.00

Pros:
Small

Cons:
None

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

21 in 1 USB 2.0 Card Reader originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 22, 2005 at 8:12 pm.