mb

Whoever designed this thing was thinking. Given what's likely to happen to these things in use, I think Sandisk hit the nail on the head. A metal device with a clear plastic overshell. It's small, and it will hold a ton of pictures or files, whatever you need to drag around. I could put this on my keychain and not have to worry about it breaking. If this device is as good as the other Sandisk flash products I have from an operating perspective, this will be a real winner for them.

Nice job Sandisk....

If you need or want a USB flash drive, get this one...

Sandisk's site claims you only need drivers for 98SE. I have only used it on XP and a co-worker's 2000 Pro. It plugs in and works the first time without a reboot. Sandisk claims Windows ME will also use it without drivers.

The loop-hook is metal inside the slightly soft plastic covering, so it's not going to break. You are far more likely to break the included string lanyard or plastic quick-disconnect hook for the included necklace. Put this on something with a good metal ring and it's not going to break and fall off.

The Blue LED is bright, and stays on when idle (in the computer, see below re: MP3 Companion). That helps you remember to take it with you. It blinks when read/write operations are happening, reminding you not to pull it out until it's done. There is a note in the included quick-start guide about which operating systems you should use the "remove device" tool with.

The MP3 Companion works well, I gave it 4 our of 5 stars. The blue LED is only on when the player reads in the whole track as it starts to play it, otherwise it's off to conserve the AAA battery's life.

All guys have a minimal set of items that are always with them, for me these are: keys, wallet, glasses, and cell phone. Since the number of items in the set is directly proportional to the comlexity of a guy's life, adding an item to the list requires life-altering benefits in return. For example, adding a wedding ring brings with it a wife, 2.7 kids, and one more anniversary date to remember. As convenient an USB drive may be, it doesn't meet the requirement to become a "minimal set item".

So I took a look at the existing 4 items and determined that my keychain is the thing that can be "enhanced" with a USB drive, and for that the small and rugged Micro Cruzer is the best choice out there. At just over 2" long, it is only slightly longer than a standard house key, and that length includes the integrated key chain ring. Combined with .75" width and .3" thickness, it is one of the smallest USB drives you can find on the market.

You can find smaller USB drives out there, but they are simply too fragile. The Cruzer Micro has a brushed stainless clam shell steel body that extends from the keychain ring to the USB connector in one continuous and seamless slab. And over this steel body is a thick plastic jacket that has a slight rubbery texture to it. Two USB connector covers are included, a thick one and a slim one - choose your level of protection. The thick one pretty much sleeves the entire drive and make it impervious to anything this side of tank treads.

Add to this tidy and tough package the speed of USB 2.0, 512MB of storage, and a very bright blue status LED, it's a complete package that simply outdoes any other USB drive out there, including the Cruzer Titanium, which incidentally looks more like a mini cigar sleeve than a proper USB drive. Dont be a poser - be a guy - buy the Cruzer Micro.