[ort888]

Here's what I want

USB 2
256 - 512 megs
Small
Not butt ugly
Able to fit on my keychain
Has a high qualiity cap that doesn't come off easily

...and is preferaly available on Amazon.com so I can add it too my wishlist and have someone buy it for my birthday.

Any suggestions?

So far I'm thinking this may be my winner.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cus...;s=electronics

[Kenneth]

I like the current offering from SanDisk.

[iREZ]

I like the current offering from Apple.

[Macola]

Yeah, really, why not just get a Shuffle?

[ort888]

Originally posted by Macola:
Yeah, really, why not just get a Shuffle?

Because I already have an iPod, it doesn't attach to a keychain and it costs twice as much.

[Randman]

It can attach to a keychain and for a thumbdrive, the shuffle is very affordable.

[Apfhex]

Get a SanDisk Cruzer Micro 256MB for around $30, or the 512MB for around $50 (damn, that's cheap, I got my 256MB for like $40 last fall).

BTW, I just noticed this same topic a couple posts down... er... ^^;;
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=183129

[ort888]

Where does the Sandisk attach to a keychain? How would it hold up to a year of banging around in a pocket?

[Apfhex]

The opposite end of the Cruzer has a hole that you can attach to a key chain. It comes with a small one with a clip attached to it, that then attaches to a neck strap if you like. The only problem is that the plastic cap comes off really easily (it usually manages to stay on inside my pocket, but I don't keep it on my key chain and only carry it around once a week maybe). I'm not sure if other models of the SanDisk drives have better caps (I think they do, though).

[Kenneth]

Originally posted by Macola:
Yeah, really, why not just get a Shuffle?

I bought the iPod shuffle after my SanDisk 256mb Cruzer got stolen. I know most PC box are running Windows 2000 or XP, but the iPod shuffle doesn't want to talk to the Windows 98/ME box.

[Anilan]

I think this is really cool:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/drives/6ec2/

It may not have a place for you to put it on your keychain but you can shove it in your wallet!
I was thinking of getting that.

[Cadaver]

My vote is for the SanDisk Cruzer Micros. Very small; perfect for the keychain. And they have a bright blue LED at the end that flashes with disk activity. They're pretty fast, too, and USB 2 compliant.

Here's a (rather large) image.

I've got the 512MB version; there is now a 1GB version. I paid about $65 three months ago for the 512MB unit, so I'd expect prices to be lower now.

[mbryda]

Originally posted by ort888:
Where does the Sandisk attach to a keychain? How would it hold up to a year of banging around in a pocket?

You'd be surprised. I had a Trek that was on my keys for a year and a half. Was thrown around and generally abused. Lost it in a snowstorm and 2 months later found it and it worked fine for 6 more months until a trip through the washer and dryer finally killed it. It looked like hell but worked. I'd imagine the Sandisk would hold up well.

[galarneau]

Originally posted by Apfhex:
The opposite end of the Cruzer has a hole that you can attach to a key chain. It comes with a small one with a clip attached to it, that then attaches to a neck strap if you like. The only problem is that the plastic cap comes off really easily (it usually manages to stay on inside my pocket, but I don't keep it on my key chain and only carry it around once a week maybe). I'm not sure if other models of the SanDisk drives have better caps (I think they do, though).

I have a SanDisk micro 512MB, and indeed, the cap is very easy to come off. My solution was to take a single piece of scotch tape and line the inside of the cap with it, with the sticky side facing the inside of the cap. It makes the cap 10x snugger, and isn't at all noticeable in terms of looks.

In my opinion, this is THE one to get. Tiny and stylish. Sony makes one just as small, but they put the hook for the keychain on the lid. How stupid is that? With the SanDisk, the worst that can happen is you lose the lid, but with the Sony, you lose the drive. Duh. What were they thinking?

[tooki]

I also have a 512MB Cruzer Micro, it's great. I've had no trouble with the cap, though I don't keep it on my keychain.

One thing that nobody here has mentioned: some thumb drives will work on a Mac's keyboard USB port, many won't. The Cruzer Micro is one model that does.

tooki

P.S. Staples had the 512MB Cruzer Micro on sale last week for $29 after MIR, so use that as a price guide.

[turtle777]

Originally posted by tooki:
I also have a 512MB Cruzer Micro, it's great. I've had no trouble with the cap, though I don't keep it on my keychain.

One thing that nobody here has mentioned: some thumb drives will work on a Mac's keyboard USB port, many won't. The Cruzer Micro is one model that does.

Wish I had known that before. I hate that flimsy behavior of USB.

-t

[southtdi]

The lexar ones also work off the keyboard ports.

for the guy who said that his shuffle will not work with windows 95/98. You need to enable the shuffle to be in disk mode. Once it's there I would be surprised that iwndows 95/98 can't use it as a thumb drive since the shuffle uses ms-dos as it's native file system. Man, it still feels weird to type that.

[iREZ]

Check this page out Passwird. It has the cruzer for 9.99 after rebate. Hurry though.

[2¢]I'd still get the 512MB shuffle[/2¢]

[tooki]

Originally posted by southtdi:
The lexar ones also work off the keyboard ports.

You have to specify the model. Every thumb drive manufacturer has made some models that draw more power than the keyboard port can provide. In fact, in some cases, different revisions of the same model have different power requirements.

For example, the largest SanDisk Cruzer Mini didn't work on keyboard ports, while smaller sizes of the same model did.

So yeah, you can't generalize by brand.

tooki

[southtdi]

Originally posted by tooki:
You have to specify the model. Every thumb drive manufacturer has made some models that draw more power than the keyboard port can provide. In fact, in some cases, different revisions of the same model have different power requirements.

For example, the largest SanDisk Cruzer Mini didn't work on keyboard ports, while smaller sizes of the same model did.

So yeah, you can't generalize by brand.

tooki

Lexar JumpDrive and JumpDrive secure both previous generation (looks pregnant) and current generation. All were 512mb ones that I tried.

[turtle777]

Originally posted by iREZ:
Check this page out Passwird. It has the cruzer for 9.99 after rebate. Hurry though.

[2¢]I'd still get the 512MB shuffle[/2¢]

Thanks. Gonna give that a try.

-t

[Dog Like Nature]

Get a FireWire flash drive -- then you can boot from it!