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#154618 - 10/04/2003 08:35 Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"?
Dylan
addict

Registered: 23/09/2000
Posts: 498
Loc: Virginia, USA
One of these types of things.

I want to keep it on my keychain so I'd like something as small and durable as possible with a loop for a keyring and a top that won't easily fall off. Any recommendations?

-Dylan

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#154619 - 10/04/2003 09:06 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: Dylan]
Dylan
addict

Registered: 23/09/2000
Posts: 498
Loc: Virginia, USA
Here's my current choice. No loop for a keyring but small enough to keep in my wallet.

http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80975
http://www.majid.info/radio/2003/04/01.html

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#154620 - 10/04/2003 09:15 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: Dylan]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
All I can tell you is that I got a USB Drive and what my opinions are of it. At the same time, they seem to have modified their product a little, so this may no longer be accurate.

The keychain attachment they provide is this tiny, weak spring clip that died within days (literally) of keeping it in my pocket. I finally was able to force a small split ring through the tiny, tiny, hole provided, scarring up the body quite a bit along the way, and that seems to have held. (I went through a number of other possibilites before I came to this.)

The top, on the other hand, was an even bigger laugh. It was held on solely by the friction of a few vanes inside the top pressing against the USB plug. It would fall off if you looked at it funny. I finally had to dremel out those vanes, slice off the socket of the USB extension cable that they sent along with it, and epoxy it inside the top. It holds on very well now.

Not to mention that they sent me one with McAfee's logo on it for some reason.

The actual function seems very good. I've used it under Windows, Linux, Solaris, MacOS, and MacOS X with no non-standard drivers with no problem.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#154621 - 10/04/2003 09:18 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: Dylan]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
That's very cool.

The keyring thing is nice, though, as you're less likely to forget your keys.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#154622 - 10/04/2003 10:45 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: Dylan]
robricc
carpal tunnel

Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
I currently have this Lexar one on my keychain. It is great, and the USB 2.0 really speeds things up on machines equiped with USB 2.0. I usually try to keep 30MB free on it for things that are only temporary, but I keep a lot of programs on there that I need access to all the time. Comes in very handy. I can't imagine how I did without it.
_________________________
-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736

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#154623 - 10/04/2003 10:58 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: Dylan]
David
addict

Registered: 05/05/2000
Posts: 623
Loc: Cambridge
I've been looking at these recently as I want to get one for a friend as a birthday present as he is always pissing around with floppy disks.

While the Sony and Iomega models are some of the nicest looking, Lexar and Plextor have recntly started doing USB2 drives. I've also seen drives with bult-in fingerprint readers (I think they were by Sony).

The cheapest drives I've seen in the UK are PQI 'Travelling Disk' models which ebuyer.com have listed at £25 for 128MB. Bargain.

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#154624 - 10/04/2003 11:00 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: David]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
Do you know anywhere that sells the PQI Intelligent Stick in the UK? I can't find anybody at all that does them.
I'd prefer to have something that fits in my wallet than on my keyring as everything just gets scratched badly if they're anywhere near my keys.

- Trevor

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#154625 - 10/04/2003 11:07 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: tman]
David
addict

Registered: 05/05/2000
Posts: 623
Loc: Cambridge
Can't see anything on any of the stores that I usually frequent. It'll probably be available in a month or two.

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#154626 - 10/04/2003 11:59 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: David]
Dylan
addict

Registered: 23/09/2000
Posts: 498
Loc: Virginia, USA
I came across this fingerprint reading one.

http://www.trekstorusa.com/thumbdrive_touch.htm

I went ahead and ordered that PQI Intelligent Stick. I should have it in my little sausage fingers within 2 days.

-Dylan

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#154627 - 10/04/2004 14:27 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: Dylan]
andym
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
Instead of writing a new thread I thought I'd just drag this one up instead....

I'm looking for a USB pen drive, 256MB and upwards, USB2.0 and it has to fit on my keyring, it'll get lost really quickly otherwise.
_________________________
Cheers,

Andy M

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#154628 - 10/04/2004 15:09 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: andym]
CrackersMcCheese
pooh-bah

Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2489
I like the micro mini drive

Or this one

Can't seem to find any in the UK though. I really like the micro mini one - shame its only 128MB just now.

Edit: This PDF says 256 MB available in early 2004. If anyone knows where to get one can you let me know?


Edited by PhilipOHare (10/04/2004 15:12)

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#154629 - 12/04/2004 01:08 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: Dylan]
gbeer
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/12/2000
Posts: 2665
Loc: Manteca, California
For keychain use, be sure to get one that the ring is on the body, not the cap. I still have the cap of the first one I bought. While only the cap is missing from the second.
_________________________
Glenn

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#154630 - 12/04/2004 07:16 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: andym]
robricc
carpal tunnel

Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
I currently have two Lexar JumpDrive Sport 256MB dongles on my keychain. I thought the rubber cap was a good idea since the hard plastic cracked on my last dongle. So far, so good.

Cheap too. I got them for $39 a piece at a CompUSA sale. Currently they're $69.99 there.
_________________________
-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736

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#154631 - 12/04/2004 16:06 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: andym]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
I came across this today while browsing my favorite gadget sites:
http://www.akibalive.com/archives/000546.html
I suspect they'll be charging a premium for it at the moment. Also, Fry's had the 256mb tiny PQI ones on the walk of temptation this morning for I beleive $65.


Matthew

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#154632 - 12/04/2004 16:10 Re: Smallest/best/coolest USB flash "pen drive"? [Re: matthew_k]
andym
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
That's exactly what I want.

EDIT: Now to find one for sale in the UK


Edited by marria01 (12/04/2004 16:11)
_________________________
Cheers,

Andy M

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