flash choices: USB stick or card reader with (cheap) flash?

[bulge]

Hi guys
It turns out I'm finally sick of burning CDs for movement between
non-networked PCs

I want something faster and more convenient. No multisession waiting,
lead ins/outs, etc and a more compact form factor. I have had a look
around and want to make a choice between:

1) regular USB stick
2) 4-in1 (or 5-in1) multi-card reader with some cheap compactflash/SD
loaded inside it (512MB to 1GB - it's so cheap now!)

I don't need the (really) small size of the USB sticks. It's not a
requirement, but sure it's nice to have. So that's why option 2 is an
option; I'm happy to carry the reader around if it means similar
no-hassles as the USB stick as far as compatibility and so on.

The advantage with the multi-card reader is I can 'upgrade' the ram
and also take advantage of nice price drops (seems to be cheaper, in
other words I can also stick my camera's card in there.

Your thoughts and recommendations on which you think is the better
choice?

If there are any brands to avoid, that would be nice to know, too. I
seem to remember some talk of some card readers giving blue screens
when booting up Windows in the past (or something like that), but I
haven't kept up to date with things here, so it could be I'm going
senile.

Thanks for any help!

 

[John Doe]

It turns out I'm finally sick of burning CDs for movement between
non-networked PCs

The tiny USB stick also carries easier than a CD.

The advantage with the multi-card reader is I can 'upgrade' the
ram and also take advantage of nice price drops (seems to be
cheaper, in other words

I bought a 256 MB USB stick for twenty nine dollars. By the time I
need more memory, it will cost about the same.

I can also stick my camera's card in there.

That's a good point I guess.

If you carry it in your pocket, you are going to want less breakable
material.

Good luck.

 

[MJP]

Hi guys
It turns out I'm finally sick of burning CDs for movement between
non-networked PCs

I want something faster and more convenient. No multisession waiting,
lead ins/outs, etc and a more compact form factor. I have had a look
around and want to make a choice between:

1) regular USB stick
2) 4-in1 (or 5-in1) multi-card reader with some cheap compactflash/SD
loaded inside it (512MB to 1GB - it's so cheap now!)

I don't need the (really) small size of the USB sticks. It's not a
requirement, but sure it's nice to have. So that's why option 2 is an
option; I'm happy to carry the reader around if it means similar
no-hassles as the USB stick as far as compatibility and so on.

The advantage with the multi-card reader is I can 'upgrade' the ram
and also take advantage of nice price drops (seems to be cheaper, in
other words I can also stick my camera's card in there.

Your thoughts and recommendations on which you think is the better
choice?

If there are any brands to avoid, that would be nice to know, too. I
seem to remember some talk of some card readers giving blue screens
when booting up Windows in the past (or something like that), but I
haven't kept up to date with things here, so it could be I'm going
senile.

Thanks for any help!

You can attach a USB stick to your car keys, that way you will almost
certainly always have it with you without having to consciously remember it.

MJP

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

Hi guys
It turns out I'm finally sick of burning CDs for movement between
non-networked PCs

I want something faster and more convenient. No multisession waiting,
lead ins/outs, etc and a more compact form factor. I have had a look
around and want to make a choice between:

1) regular USB stick
2) 4-in1 (or 5-in1) multi-card reader with some cheap compactflash/SD
loaded inside it (512MB to 1GB - it's so cheap now!)

I don't need the (really) small size of the USB sticks. It's not a
requirement, but sure it's nice to have. So that's why option 2 is an
option; I'm happy to carry the reader around if it means similar
no-hassles as the USB stick as far as compatibility and so on.

The advantage with the multi-card reader is I can 'upgrade' the ram
and also take advantage of nice price drops (seems to be cheaper, in
other words I can also stick my camera's card in there.

Your thoughts and recommendations on which you think is the better
choice?

If there are any brands to avoid, that would be nice to know, too. I
seem to remember some talk of some card readers giving blue screens
when booting up Windows in the past (or something like that), but I
haven't kept up to date with things here, so it could be I'm going
senile.

Thanks for any help!

You might want to go with a USB stick. I have heard some of them can now
use removable memory modules like SDRAM.

Check out the multi-card reader and make sure it does not require you to
install drivers in order to be used on the computers you service. If
drivers are not needed and you have a camera to support it might not be a
bad way to go.

Another choice, one that I took, was to purchase an external USB IDE hard
drive case (got mine for $20 at a clearance sale in my local Wal-Mart) and
stuck a left over 15 gig hard drive in it. It works just fine and the case
even came with a driver disk in case I have to support an old W98 system.
With low capacity drives being sold off pretty much at salvage prices you
should be build a complete external drive system cheaper or at a similar
price as a 1gig USB stick drive and you can later upgrade (replace) the hard
drive with something larger as it comes along.

Some of the external drive cases come with both USB and Firewire ports on
them making them even more universal when it comes to loading software onto
new systems.

I liked my first external case so much I went back and purchased a second
one, the last they had on the discount shelf at the time, and stuck a 300
gig drive in it for archival backup of my personal system. I let Acronis
back things once a week, or sooner if I plan on testing software, and keep
it in the closet for later use. It has come in handy when my system drive
was trashed during some software testing. The restore went much faster than
needing to reload everything from floppy or DVD disks.

 

[bulge]

Thanks for the help, all!

I've decided on the card reader.
External HD choices are tempting (and cheap enough too), but I just
don't trust mechanical devices when it comes to shock.

Thanks again

 

[John Doe]

This is thanks for advice that wasn't taken?

 

[rhys]

Hi guys
It turns out I'm finally sick of burning CDs for movement between
non-networked PCs

This worked for me: I got a 1 GB capacity MP3/FM/voice
recorder/player. I got a Creative model for about $200 Cdn. I use a
standard USB cable to transfer files as it is recognized as "just
another drive" by Windows. Some models actually ARE "thumb" drives,
with a surround contains a single AA battery and little menu controls,
jacks, etc.

Some people don't seem to get that a drive is a drive, and that MP3
flash players are using the same technology as cameras, "keychain"
drives, and so on.

Plus, because I use it to transfer work files, it's a business
write-off even as I use it for music, etc.

Convergence at its finest.

R.