PNY's Outdoor Attaché ruggedized USB flash drive
posted Jul 5th 2005 7:31AM
We can understand the need for
ruggedized laptops, and even
ruggedized hard drives. But a ruggedized USB flash drive?
What's the point? After all, with no moving parts and thick plastic casings, most flash drives are pretty sturdy. Okay,
we wouldn't try driving over one with a car, or swimming with it in our pocket, but otherwise, they seem pretty
well-suited to keeping data safe on-the-go. However, that hasn't stopped PNY from introducing the Outdoor Attaché, the
latest in the company's Attaché line of flash drives. According to the company, the drive is a "crash-proof, weather
proof" unit suitable for "various outdoor uses from cycling to the office to backpacking around the world." Too bad
it's not hype proof; at £50 for a 512MB version in the U.K., the Outdoor Attaché easily goes for double the price of a
standard Attaché drive.
i'm convinced this is the same as my drive made and sold for a lot less by a-data, only repackaged. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820211203
PC World ran over the Lexar JumpDrive Sport with a BMW, and it did no damage, and that is a rubberized plastic case. SanDisk's Titanium Cruzer should be able to withstand a nuclear bomb. Buy.com is selling the 512MB version for $20 after $20 rebate.
Corsair have had a rugged usb memory stick for a while now. I bought a 2Gb model last week for £85.
If you look at various review sites they tell you that it's very resilient to damage and it's also one of the fastest devices with speeds of 20Mb/sec.
Here's one review that put it through the washing machine to test corsair's claims. It faired well.
http://www.bigbruin.com/reviews05/corsairvoyager/index.php
A quick google should review many other reviews that all say the same thing - it's great and fantastic value.
I personally enjoy throwing mine at a wall at every availble occasion - it has a rather nice bounce.
Nj
As long as you let them dry before using them again I think every USB stick is water-resistant.
I found my cheap USB-stick in a puddle of water outside our office two weeks after I lost it and the thing still works.
My wife recently (and unintentionally!) washed an older 64MB USB stick with no consequences whatsoever. Just let it dry completely before using it again!
I don't care if it's sturdier than the one I have now, but I need camo. Badly.
i have a crucial 128mb stick that has been throught the clothes wash 2 times because i'm forgetful. I let it dry and it still works.
Same here. I had a really cheap stick that went through the washer and dryer, and it works fine.
As a Marine who was in Iraq, I can tell you that it would have been really nice to have a ruggedized flash drive over there. Sand storms and electronic equipment just dont mix.
The only thing I've ever heard of physically failing with a flash drive is the usb plug breaking off the circuit board. Thats why I really like my sandisk mini cruzer because the same steel that forms the usb plug runs all the way around the circuit board as a casing. pretty awesome design in my opinion.
Yeah,
I have a flash with a big, "ruggedized" case. It won't fit into most USB ports w/o removing plugs in adjacent ports because it's too big.
I'm with Wayne. It's Camo man!!! Now I can compute in the middle of the forest and not scare off the native wildlife.
My 128 MB attache seems a bit cooked after a ride in the laundry machine. Luckily I have the iPod Shuffle that I found in the street.
--adam
This looks identical to my jogr drive - except mine is 1 GIG. I've had a couple usb connectors break off in the pc. I wish the titanium or the jogr came in 4GIG - i've had too many clients with PST files that exceed 2G.
If anyone knows of one that is coming out that is 4gig such as a 4 gig cruzr please let me know.
Same as my USB Flexi-Drive™ (http://sharkoon.com/all_eng.htm). I bought my 512mb for less than 50 euros.
Looks and works very well, the only minus in this design — it's a bit too wide and blocks the second USB port on my 12'' Powerbook.