Looking for info on USB memory sticks

[matrixshaman]

We like the SanDisk ones with the retractable port, no cap to lose. The only drawback I have found though is that when carried in a pocket, they seem to attract pocket lint. Not something you want to be cramming into your USB slots on your computer.

I found the cap from my Micro Cruzer fits fine on the extended tip of the new U3 retractable so if I'm going to carry it in a pocket I'd put the cap on. I also think they are leaving these open to being damaged from static discharge in the retractables which don't have a cap so I like to idea of putting on a cap even for the retracting type.

 

[bobisculous]

I usually like Newegg but their 2GB titanium seems to be $58.99 at this time not $43. $45 or so is closer to what they can be had at quite a few places. Can anyone verify that they also see $58.99 at Newegg (I remember when some online retailers were placing cookies or other markers for return customers and some people would see different prices and pay more than others depending on what you had bought before).

Huh, they must have raised the prices back up again. Just before I bought mine, it was near 80 bucks. Went down, now back up. Check out Amazon,

-C

 

[Minjin]

If you're looking for a drive to EDC (or would like to EDC one if it were small enough), I highly recommend the OCZ Roadster. I picked up a 1gb model for 11 bucks during a deal about a month ago. Its the smallest practical quality drive on the market.

OCZ Website

There are smaller USB drives on the market that don't have a real USB connector. They just use four leads on one side of the card and you just slip it into the usb receptacle. I personally don't care for them because they are far more fragile and I wanted something I could trust to live on my keychain, no matter whats its dropped on or in.

I'll post a pic of it on my keychain (next to a glowring and Photon Freedom) if anyone is interested. You'll have to remind me though.

 

[matrixshaman]

Thanks guys - you guys get me in so much trouble - just had to get one of those 2GB Titaniums so I could sell a couple others I don't need. So I find a real good seller on eBay, free ship and great price and order it this Thursday. I see the guys in NY and I'm in CO so I think no way will it arrive on the weekend so I'll be safe as the wife's at work. Geeez - it shows up today! 2 days from sale close later afternoon Thursday and it's already here Saturday! The one time I'd like slow to medium shipping and it's lightning fast. Of course I'm in the basement working when it arrives and the wife is answering the door The really scary part is she doesn't say a thing - not even a question :duck: oo:

 

[Grubbster]

I just wanted to share what I wound up with after this thread. After checking some of the links provided (thanks Sable) I decided on getting the OCZ Ralley 2G drive from Newegg. I had never heard of OCZ before reading these reviews.
Man, this thing is screaming fast! I have not checked the speed yet, but it seems like it is writing multiple times faster than my Lexar Firefly drive. I would guess 3 times as fast.
Newegg gave great service getting it out there door the same day as ordered. There is also a $14 rebate on this puppy now so the final price was very low.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Lit Up]

Easy as Pie - you can just format the whole drive IIRC - you don't even need their removal tool (but I'm sure that works fine too). It might be a second partition - forget what I did but it wasn't hard at all. Set mine up to boot Damn Small Linux (only 50 Megabytes includes browser, email nice GUI and about everything you could need). I added Opera and Wine so I can even run some Windoze proggies. With the USB drives getting as big as they are I've even thought of installing a limited size XP on one. Very cool gizmo's.

Agreed. I LOVE the small Linux OS'. I'm using Puppy Linux on mine. I booted through it on my PC then went into my windows partition and burned off a few files from there since I didn't have my CD/DVD tray tied up using a Live CD.
Worked flawlessly.

These kick *** and just the thing to save important files if your windows install doesn't want to boot.

 

[tiktok 22]

I think this has already been listed but worth mentioning again: http://portableapps.com/

 

[Robstorch]

I went to Staples last week when the 1gb Sandisk micros were on sale for $15. I went to Fat Wallet.com and found a $10 off coupon on these and Sandisk SD cards so I got a couple of each. I have a generic one from Microcenter that works fine too.
I found a hardshell jewelry case that I padded that holds 3 drives nicely and I could
probably stand on it and it would not break. They took down the coupon already...
Nice to get micros and 1gb SD cards for $5 each!

 

[GarageBoy]

OCZ Rally 2
cheap, INSANE fast..only problem is the cap gets lost easily

 

[mckevin]

For the Sandisk fans, SuperMediaStore has the 4 gig Micro (not Titanum) for $51.99 shipped.

I actually just lost one of these (on the same ring as my Jil 1.3 UP) and needed to replace it. IMHO it's a great drive!

http://supermediastore.com/sandisk-cruzer-micro-u3-4gb-usb-flash-drive.html

 

[gorn]

I picked up a lexar firefly 4 GB today at Fry's for $41.99. I can now replace a bunch of smaller ones and give them to my kids.

 

[Illum]

Sandisk Cruzer Micro here...have 3 so far no detection problems from the home, school, or work computers

 

[Jorge Banner]

Wikipedia (check out the "Transfer Speed").

USB 2.0 Support in Windows XP: High Speed at Last

Certified Wireless USB from the USB-IF


If I had to buy one today, I would go for a 4 Gb one, just planning for the future.

But my K-Byte "CY-03", 1 Gb, works with no problems of any kind. It spends about 22 our of every 24 hours plugged into some machine, either at work or at home and never a problem. BTW, it gets backed up, EVERY DAY into hard disk and once a week to a DVD. Can't afford to loose that info.

I have a Kingston "Data Traveler Elite", 2 Gb, just for those cases when I have to transfer larger stuff. Never a problem.


Transfer rate can be an issue if you're gonna use it a lot, so make sure you buy the fastest you can find. You can still get the ones with 1.5 Mbps. You don't want one of those. Again, check out the "Transfer Speed" on Wikipedia.

 

[pedalinbob]

My needs are minimal, as I just wanted enough to carry some small files around, including transporting digital camera pics.
The digital pics are 5meg each, so I wanted enough memory to carry all that the cameral could hold (1GB).

I got the Kingston Data Traveler 1GB...for $15 shipped (newegg)!

Works great, has upload/download speed of 3mbps/6mbps, or something like that. It is fast enough for me, anyway.

It has a little LED under the Kingston symbol which flashed to let you know it is engaged (I didn't notice it at first).
If you don't need huge capacity and blazing speed, it is a great deal.

 

[eluminator]

I got the Kingston Data Traveler 1GB...for $15 shipped (newegg)!

I think it is a good choice. And the price keeps dropping. I think yours is now $2 cheaper.

I bought the one that's 4 times as fast 2 months ago and it is now $4 cheaper.

I don't really need the speed, but they sucked me into it. The one like yours is so cheap it's irresistable. But for 7 dollars more there's one twice as fast, and it has encryption too. And for 4 more dollars there is one 4 times as fast. I don't know when to quit

It has a little LED under the Kingston symbol which flashed to let you know it is engaged (I didn't notice it at first).

I was vaguely aware of the LED, but I hadn't checked it out until I read your post. Sure enough mine has a blue LED that flashes for several seconds when plugged in. Mine is on the bottom when it's plugged in so I held my hand under it and my hand lit up. To see it in all it's splendor I would have to lie on the floor and look up at it, but I'm just going to take your word for it

 

[ks_physicist]

I have a Lexar JumpDrive Secure 128 MB that I purchased back in late 2002, IIRC. Still works fine, but I upgraded to a 2 gig PNY Attache drive for the extra room. That one is my daily 'stick'.

I also bought a Sony MicroVault Tiny 512 MB when it was on sale, simply because it is so...tiny. Thumbnail sized. I'm looking at buying a new car stereo with USB MP3/WMA functionality, and if I do I'll probably look into getting a handful of 1 or 2 gig MicroVaults. (Or, maybe a single 60 gig 2.5" USB HDD...)

Jim

 

[pedalinbob]

"But for 7 dollars more there's one twice as fast, and it has encryption too. And for 4 more dollars there is one 4 times as fast."

So, the Kingston DataTraveler II plus Migo edition is fast and only about $7 more than the regular Data Traveler? Encryption too?

Thanks for the tip! I think having a few of these drives is a good idea.

 

[65535]

I personally use a SanDisk Cruzer Micro, but I was told that ATP tough drives with 200x trsnfer rates are pretty freakin good, too bad they only had 512mb flavor were I went, but the guy swore by it. It's fast water proof and it's got a tough rubber outer coating.

 

[ks_physicist]

All USB sticks are encrypted when you use TrueCrypt.

 

[eluminator]

I wasn't very clear. The plus Migo would be $11 dollars more than the one you have (or something like that).

DataTraveler $8.99
DataTraveler II $15.99 (twice as fast + encryption)
DataTraveler II + $19.99 (4 times as fast as yours + encryption + Migo)

Shipping extra, of course.

But as the physicist says, you can probably get 3rd party encryption. Kingston's encryption can be a problem in some business situations. You need admin privileges to initially gain access to the encrypted partition.

Somehow the encrypted partition isn't visible to anyone until you login to SecureTraveler. Apparently to do the "now you see it and now you don't" trick, you need admin privileges to login to it.

I figure the prices will keep dropping so maybe in a few months I can get the 2GB without becoming destitute.