Imation Corp USB 2.0 FLASH DRIVE 2GB Review
March 11, 2010 by admin
Filed under Cheap Flash Drives
This is a great product. I have the 1GB and will be getting the 2 or 4GB one soon.I love the swivel feature – I’ve lost caps to other drives before – and the USB 2.0 speed is decent as well.The drive works well with every OS I’ve tried: several Linux 2.4/2.6 distros (Gentoo, RH, Debian, and Slack based), Mac OSX, Sun Solaris, and yes, even Windows.
The clip-on mini lanyard (about 5cm long) is strong and easy to snap on and off for quick use.It uses a miniature version of the plastic clips seen on backpacks and sporting equipment.One end has a loop to put on a lanyard or keyring. Just squeeze the sides and two pieces separate easily from one another.Push the pieces back together, and there is a satisfying ’snap’ letting you know this thing isn’t going anywhere.
But the major selling point of this product line for me is the WRITE PROTECT SWITCH.It seems I cannot find any other brand of USB flash drive with this feature.I have a necessity for this; it is absolutely required on some systems I manage.For those in search of info on the WRITE PROTECT feature of flash drives, here is a mini-breakdown for Imation (3M) flash drives that have this feature:
original ‘Swivel’ line: has write protect
‘Clip’ line: has write protect
‘Pivot’ line: has write protect
‘Swivel Pro’ line: does NOT have write protect (who knows why they removed it?)
‘Pocket’ line: does NOT have write protect
‘Mini’ line: does NOT have write protect
‘Flash Wristband’ line: does NOT have write protect
I know that a small USB Memory Stick reader and memory stick (all m/s have integrated write-protect switches) would give the same benefit, but options I have seen are just too clunky and would be a bear to carry around, e.g. especially on a lanyard.This solution would also mean I would have to worry about the memory stick coming out of the reader during transport, and falling/hiding/going who-knows-where.
The only cons I can think of for this product are:
- That lint seems to get into the swivel mechanism, and is not easy to get out – they use some sort of grease in the pivot to keep it moving freely, even though the outside shell and pivot piece are plastic, not metal.
- The silvery ‘covers’ over the pivot/swivel pin come off after a few days’ use.This does not affect operation of the drive or the pivot, IMHO just a minor cosmetic flaw.I suppose you could re-attach it/them with superglue, but I have not tried.
- It is not more available in larger capacities.Few vendors are selling the 4GB version at this time (June ‘07), probably due to cost. Imation’s website states that they have an 8GB version, but I haven’t seen it for sale anywhere yet.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Imation Corp USB 2.0 FLASH DRIVE 2GB ( 17474 )
Product Description:
The Imation USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive is a compact, powerful flash drive. Featuring a proprietary swivel cap design to give you the sophisticated, professional look you seek from your personal technology. Weighing only one ounce, the drive fits easily around your neck on a lanyard, or in your pocket or briefcase, giving you convenient access to your data – anytime, anywhere you are. With an ultra-fast USB 2.0 connection – data can be read up to 8MB/second and written up to 7MB/second – you save valuable time when transferring, sharing or storing your critical data. It’s the quickest and easiest way to transfer or share large business presentations, digital photos and videos, or other large files. Available in four capacities ranging from 128MB up to 2GB to meet your personal and professional storage needs.The easy to use, plug-and-play format allows you to drag and drop with ease on any computer with a USB 1.1 or 2.0 port. The public/private area drive partitioning and password security (Windows only) protects your data from accidental erasure or unauthorized access.
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