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First Impressions
Let me tell you, this thing is small! About half the size and weight of a fat highlighter, the EasyDisk can easily be mistaken for one itself--of course, taking the cap off and noticing the USB plug will always re-affirm that this is much more than just a highlighter! My only complaint with the design of this device is that I find it hard to un-cap--some grips on the cap might help.
Picture to scale
It comes with quite a bit of accessories for something as simple as this tiny removable drive with no moving parts. I really like how EasyDisk included an extra USB cable, so to allow the user to plug and unplug the device without having to reach around to the back of a computer where there are no USB ports on the front. Another nice accessory is the included EasyDisk carrier, which is basically a pouch that can be hung around the neck, etc. Of course, with the EasyDisk being so small, most people would just prefer to stuff it in a pocket or maybe even in a binder.
The product also comes with an installation diskette. This disk is used when the device is being installed on an operating system that is not USB 1.1-compliant; Windows 98 is an example. Just for your convenience, Windows ME, Windows 2000 and Windows XP are all USB 1.1-compliant and will never require the use of the installation disk.
Finally, a user's manual is included, but provides very little information--not that the product requires any more instructions due to its ridiculously easy installation process.
Powering Up
Installation, as mentioned before, is just ridiculously easy. This thing is literally a plug-and-play device, since, when installed under Windows ME, 2000 or XP, no drivers are needed to be provided! Once the device is plugged in, Windows simply adds a drive letter, and access to the EasyDisk will be through that drive letter.
The performance of the EasyDisk was astonishing. I tested it by copying an MP3 file of about 6MB, and it took just under 10 seconds to copy! This speed, of course, is very much limited to the slow effective transfer speed of the USB interface, but is still very good. I mean, it's not as fast as a hard drive, but it's still great for a removable device.
Conclusion
With its main advantage being its compatibility with all current USB-equipped computers, it's pretty obvious that the EasyDisk has a lot of potential. This device, which is able to be taken anywhere because of its small size and light weight, can be great for mobile workers or even students looking to find an easy way to move transfer files from their home computer to the workplace or school. Although the 256MB version costs quite a lot, the other versions, from 16MB all the way up to 128MB should give the user a lot of choices as to how much they want to spend and how much storage space they need--of course, the 256MB version is still there for anyone who needs it. Although not the only USB-based removable solid-state disk drive in the industry, its great data transfer performance and instant, no-special-drivers-needed installation process makes EasyDisk a must-have for the multi-location-computer user.
Pros
- USB connection allows EasyDisk to be used on almost any computer
- 16MB-256MB storage space provides plenty of choices
- No drivers required for USB 1.1-compliant operating systems
- Very small and light-weight
Cons
- Cap is a little hard to pull off sometimes (-0.5)
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