Mini/flash/usb Portable Drives????

I am interested in buying some mini drives: one for me, one for my spouse and one or two for at-home storage. Is this a good idea? A friend told me about the mini drives because she was our computer guru and was working on our poor computer. This computer now has 2 hard drives and we need to take a lot of info and programs off of it. It also has programs we would like to use (Word, Excel, etc.) and we would like to copy or transfer everything to a slightly better computer and in the future, to a new computer. I don't know much about mini/flash/USB drives, would you all please enlighten me?

Also, I am considering buying the following:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...id_7=1080297124&poid_8=1081798699&prodCount=8

What do you all think of these drives? Any links to websites that are like "Consumer Reports" for computer equipment? If that link doesn't work, here are the drives I am considering:



1. Compucessory USB Micro Drive, 256MB Capacity
Sears item #00330188000 Mfr. model #CCS91003
$57.99
Compucessory USB Micro Drive, 256MB

2. Sony USB Flash Drive, 1 GB Micro Vault Classic
Sears item #00371172000 Mfr. model #USM1GJ
$59.99
Ideal for exchanging data with colleagues, sharing PowerPoint presentations with clients, or transferring files from work to home. It's all made simple and convenient with Sony's latest line-up Micro Vault USB Flash Drives.

3. Lexar Media 1GB JumpDrive Mercury
Sears item #00341616000 Mfr. model #JDMC1GB-431
$64.99
Keep track of your important data with the JumpDrive Mercury from Lexar. This innovative data storage unit allows you to monitor its available storage capacity with an innovative on-board capacity meter that displays the amount of drive storage space and retains its display even after being unplugged from your computer.

4. Koutech Koutech USB 2.0-256MB Flash Memory Portable Drive w/Biometric Fingerprint
Sears item #00330914000 Mfr. model #KW-7289L-2
$79.99
The 7289L-2 is a biometric fingerprint security device that provides you instant computer & data protection with ease. Your important data, personal photos, confidential business transactions, etc. are protected and locked from other intruders. You may unlock and access these files with a touch of a finger. This 7289L-2 also comes built-in with 256MB flash memory for you to store important data on the road. There are no software installation necessary to use this biometric fingerprint device.

5. Lexar Media 2GB JumpDrive Secure II
Sears item #00341617000 Mfr. model #JDSE2GB-431
$89.99
Store your important files and take them with you wherever you go with the 2GB JumpDrive Secure II from Lexar. Easily create multiple password-protected areas on the JumpDrive or your host computer via the Secure II Dashboard utility; all data placed in these files is automatically encrypted for safety and security.

6. Compucessory USB Micro Drive, 512MB Capacity
Sears item #00330189000 Mfr. model #CCS91004
$98.99
Compucessory USB Micro Drive, 512MB

7. Verbatim Store'N'Go 2.0 Mini Drive, USB Port, 512MB
Sears item #00330338000 Mfr. model #VER95019
$109.99
512MB USB drive from Verbatim

Please let me know what you all think about these devices or if there are any that are better than these. THANKS! Hope I'm making sense . . .

 

In a word

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...=corsair+flash+voyager&Submit=ENE&N=0&Ntk=all

Good Luck

 

Make sure that you check out your PC, as to how the USB ports are laid out.
Are they vertical or horizontal where you plug the sticks in.
Are they very close together?

The reason I am saying this is that some USB sticks are fatter than others and 2 will not fit side by side, without difficulty.

Slimmest, and best, I have found so far are by LG USB drive.

Lexar Jump drives are fatter than LG, and 2 will cause difficulty side by side, or on top of one another (depends if your ports are vertical or horizontal)

Worst I have is a Transcend JetFlash. It looks great (boat shaped) but is fatter in the middle and is difficult to insert beside any other USB stick.

I know you are only going to buy 1 each, but you will eventually buy more. I'd make sure you buy 2 identical slim shaped ones so they will fit side by side in your PC.

Prices in Australia have plummetted recently, and thanks to Harvey Norman franchised stores, 2 gig sticks are selling for just under AUD$100 (or around USD$75)
Bazza

 

I try not to wash my USB flash drives.
I must have missed that in the Lounge forum. Bazza

===

 

There are many different types and sizes of USB and flash drives.

You may wish to try copying the files you are thinking of carrying around and see what the total size is. Then find a pen drive maybe twice that size or larger.

While most drives are USB 2.0 today, its a good idea to check and make sure that the drive you want to get supports 2.0 for best speeds.

If you're thinking of doing a data transfer from one computer to another or data backups, then a pen drive is probably not the best option. Look for an external USB 2.0 hard drive instead. These are available in sizes comparable to regular hard drives and are typically much faster than pen drives.

 

THANK YOU!!! You all are very, very helpful! I really appreciate the advice because I really know very little to nothing about this area of technology. I LOVE Majorgeeks! I have been helped so much here. Majorgeeks - the technological/computer OASIS!

Thanks again and have a wonderful, safe and peaceful Thanksgiving holiday!

 

One more thing. If you all had to pick from my list above, which ones are the best?

Bazza, you brought up some things I didn't think of. There are 2 USB ports in the back of my HP computer and they are both vertical and pretty close together.

Thanks again for the help and advice!

 

In the event that you are interested, I would still go for Corsair.

FYG their products include a usb extension cable, so instead of plugging in the usb drive directly into the usb port of your pc, you would connect the usb cable provided into the pc and then the usb drive into the cable. This elliminates any issues relating to usb port 'crowding' in the event that you would wish to plug 2 usb sticks into adjacent port on your pc.

Good Luck

 

Great idea, risk_reversal, about the separate cable.

I have 2 separate cables that end in a weighted half golf ball shape with a USB port and LED, in the top of each. No brand name, no model, no info on them that I can pass on unfortunately.

I purchased them from a PC shop some time ago and have never seen them anywhere else.

Think I'll check out the PC stores for a short USB extension cable that I can include in the stuff that I cart around with me. Bazza

===

 

Simple do what I do and run them through a hub.

 

I have a one-in, 4-out Targus USB "hub". It would still suffer from the same problems if you tried to use 2 x Transcend JetFlash USB sticks side by side. I know you could use them on opposite sides OK.

In my case I am using a laptop (not a desktop), and cart all my stuff with me to help out others. My laptop case is heavy enough now with all that I carry in case I need it.
A short extension cable would do the trick.
Bazza

===

 

Yeah I use both, I have a couple of 1 metre cables for 2 usb 2.0 connectors and a uh1401 hub for the data sticks. Eithers good.