Author Topic: Flash drives are tough little critters (Read 5469 times)

Balog · « **on:** February 15, 2009, 06:00:20 AM »

A Popular Mechanics test. http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/reviews/4215802.html

A Gadgeteer test, that includes boiling them! http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/01/16/atp-toughdrive-usb-flash-drive-review/#more-11697

I must say, my respect for these humble devices has greatly increased. And if you're thinking of shelling out for the fancy up-armor version this might give you a reason to pause. Given how abuse resistant they are to start with, is the extra $ for armor or titanium etc really necessary?

KD5NRH · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2009, 06:53:23 AM »

Quote from: Balog on February 15, 2009, 06:00:20 AM

I must say, my respect for these humble devices has greatly increased. And if you're thinking of shelling out for the fancy up-armor version this might give you a reason to pause. Given how abuse resistant they are to start with, is the extra $ for armor or titanium etc really necessary?

If you're worried about it, buy a cheap one, crack the plastic shell off and epoxy it into a steel casing of some sort.

I've thought about putting a larger one into the nice aluminum shells of a couple of 64M ones we have laying around, but most of my nicer ones are the retractable plug type, which IMO beats the heck out of anything that requires an easily lost cap.

Thylacine · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2009, 08:55:32 AM »

I put one through the washer and dryer, it still works.

Nitrogen · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2009, 09:01:56 AM »

Quote from: Thylacine on February 15, 2009, 08:55:32 AM

I put one through the washer and dryer, it still works.

Dangit, I came here to post this and you beat me to it.
I guess thsi happens more than I expect it to.

Cromlech · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2009, 10:54:42 AM »

Tough indeed! One of the reasons I can't wait for cheap SSDs is the sturdiness of them, less heat, less noise et cetera. Speed too - lots of speed!

Manedwolf · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2009, 11:37:24 AM »

They can still be blanked by a static zap, though.

roo_ster · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2009, 12:32:19 PM »

I recall a torture test done a few years back with CF or SD cards.

No reasonable household or business screw-up phased them.

But, about 1/4 died after being nailed to a tree.

Regolith · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2009, 04:32:56 AM »

Quote from: Nitrogen on February 15, 2009, 09:01:56 AM

Dangit, I came here to post this and you beat me to it.
I guess thsi happens more than I expect it to.

I've done it as well....several times, in fact, to the point where the glue that was holding the plastic casing on pretty much disintegrated. The drive itself still works though.

Quote from: Manedwolf

They can still be blanked by a static zap, though.

So can your computer. Especially fun is when you discharge static electricity into your wired mouse and end up destroying your motherboard.

PTK · « **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2009, 04:47:51 AM »

This prompted me to look at prices for flash drives.

DANG when did they get so cheap? I recall buying a 512mb for ~$45 a while back, now I see 4gb for $10?

Regolith · « **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2009, 04:56:48 AM »

Quote from: PTK on February 16, 2009, 04:47:51 AM

This prompted me to look at prices for flash drives.

DANG when did they get so cheap? I recall buying a 512mb for ~$45 a while back, now I see 4gb for $10?

I got a 8 gig at walmart for $25 recently. It's a good drive.

It seems like prices really started dropping about six months to a year ago. Probably about the time that solid state hard drives started taking off, making the technology for larger flash drives (which operate based on the same technology) cheaper.

KD5NRH · « **Reply #10 on:** February 16, 2009, 04:59:57 AM »

Quote from: Regolith on February 16, 2009, 04:56:48 AM

I got a 8 gig at walmart for $25 recently. It's a good drive.

Which model? I think that's what I paid for the 8G PNY I'm carrying now, but I'd prefer something with the retractable plug like my Sony 4G or my 1G and 2G Sandisk Cruzers.

Regolith · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2009, 05:03:07 AM »

Quote from: KD5NRH on February 16, 2009, 04:59:57 AM

Which model? I think that's what I paid for the 8G PNY I'm carrying now, but I'd prefer something with the retractable plug like my Sony 4G or my 1G and 2G Sandisk Cruzers.

It's a Sandisk Cruzer Micro.

Edit: It should be noted that this is a different drive than the one I put through the wash. The one I washed several times was a 256mb Sony that I bought just before I went to college almost 4 1/2 years ago.

KD5NRH · « **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2009, 05:13:33 AM »

Quote from: Regolith on February 16, 2009, 05:03:07 AM

It's a Sandisk Cruzer Micro.

Oh boy! Now I'll have to run and buy one on payday so I can be royally p****d Thursday when I see a 16G for $5 more

PTK · « **Reply #13 on:** February 16, 2009, 05:25:56 AM »

I figure, buy for $15 or less for a "decent" amount of space and I'm happy. That "decent" amount of space gets ever-larger, is all.

seeker_two · « **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2009, 10:10:17 AM »

Quote from: Regolith on February 16, 2009, 04:56:48 AM

I got a 8 gig at walmart for $25 recently. It's a good drive.

I got the same for $20 at Wal-Mart....swapped it out with the 4GB I was using as a backup drive on my home PC & now carry the 4GB in my pocket to listen to music & podcasts at work. Even with all my audio on it, it's only half-full...

Can't wait until the 32GB get that cheap....

bmitchell · « **Reply #15 on:** February 16, 2009, 11:18:58 AM »

I've had dryers ruin flash drives before. Lots of static going on in there.

Ben

AJ Dual · « **Reply #16 on:** February 16, 2009, 11:42:01 AM »

Slightly OT, but my Samsung WEP200 Bluetooth earpiece has been lost in snow, (went through the snowblower too...) and found/chipped out of a small ice-flow underneath my garage downspout a month later in spring, and it's been through the wash twice, and it still works, once I let it dry out for a few days.

I'm kind of in awe...

grislyatoms · « **Reply #17 on:** February 16, 2009, 11:57:16 AM »

My little 1G Firefly has been dunked and stepped on. Still works like new.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2009, 12:35:19 PM »

Quote from: seeker_two on February 16, 2009, 10:10:17 AM

I got the same for $20 at Wal-Mart....swapped it out with the 4GB I was using as a backup drive on my home PC & now carry the 4GB in my pocket to listen to music & podcasts at work. Even with all my audio on it, it's only half-full...

Can't wait until the 32GB get that cheap....

Over the weekend I saw 16GB units advertised at $29.

Brad

zahc · « **Reply #19 on:** February 16, 2009, 12:47:43 PM »

Microcenter has the 16GB flash drives all day for $30, maybe $25 by now. I just got a email from them pricing a 1TB HDD at $90, and a 1.5TB at $110. I hate buying computer stuff, my TB was $160 only 6mo ago.

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #20 on:** February 16, 2009, 12:49:18 PM »

bigger might not be better as the small ones require removing peter to load paul

next thing you know you loose a durable SIXTEEN GIGS of data at the coffeshop...

Bogie · « **Reply #21 on:** February 16, 2009, 09:07:37 PM »

You know what I'd like to see? A dealie where you can plug in five USB devices (keychain drive to HDD, just so it's USB 2.0 and all the same size), and you've got instant RAID5...

RevDisk · « **Reply #22 on:** February 16, 2009, 09:23:17 PM »

Quote from: Balog on February 15, 2009, 06:00:20 AM

I must say, my respect for these humble devices has greatly increased. And if you're thinking of shelling out for the fancy up-armor version this might give you a reason to pause. Given how abuse resistant they are to start with, is the extra $ for armor or titanium etc really necessary?

I recommend these flash drives : http://www.corsairmicro.com/products/flash.aspx Check out the Survivor series.

My section pretty much only uses the 32 gig versions. Very durable, not too big, not too small. Not extremely expensive either. I don't plan on buying any other type for a long while. Their Voyager series are quite nice as well, especially if you're looking for 64 gig thumb drives. Very ergonomic.

crt360 · « **Reply #23 on:** February 16, 2009, 10:12:30 PM »

Quote from: RevDisk on February 16, 2009, 09:23:17 PM

Check out the Survivor series.

I got my brother the 8GB one. Newegg had them for 29.99 several months ago plus a $10 rebate. It's a little bulky, but well made and pretty indestructible.

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #24 on:** February 16, 2009, 10:53:44 PM »

here ya go bogie:
http://macguild.org/raid.html

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Author Topic: Flash drives are tough little critters (Read 5469 times)