TechRadar Verdict
This flash drive is great for the travelling business person or anyone who wants more out of a USB stick.
Pros
- +
Small and easy to use
- +
Works with multiple operating systems
- +
Wi-Fi support
Cons
- -
Web-based Wi-Fi configuration is basic
- -
Wi-Fi needs to charge for two hours before use
- -
Expensive
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I buy USB drives all the time. I either lose them, constantly, but I'm also prone to purchasing new USB drives for newer technology. I remember ditching all my old USB 1.0 sticks when USB 2.0 came out, but, as I'm starting towards USB 3.0 there is a wonderful glitch in the path, and that is the SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive.
Why pay for a USB drive when it's just USB 3.0, and why not get the Wi-Fi USB stick? There have been a ton of instances where I've been using a USB drive that is formatted in HFS+ (Mac OS X's file system) and I need to read something on a Windows machine – and there's always a problem. Sure, I could have originally formatted my USB drive in another more prominent operating system but who pre-plans for that? Regardless, the SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive allows you to share content anywhere, with or without an existing Wi-Fi source, to any device.
How much does this SanDisk stick cost? Well, the 16GB drive is £40 (it's priced at $50 in the US, which is around AU$65), the 32GB model is £45 ($60 in the US, which is around AU$79), and the 64GB drive is £68 ($109 in the US, which is around AU$145).
The price points are high – £40 for a 16GB flash drive? I understand the concern that you can buy a regular 16GB USB 3.0 stick for way less than that, these days. But you lose the functionality that SanDisk incorporates into the SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive, of course.
Tech specs
The Connect Wireless Flash Drive is a normal-sized USB flash drive, or maybe slightly bigger. The dimensions of the device are 2.79 x 0.84 x 0.45-inch (7.09 x 2.13 x 1.14cm).
The system requirements do call for a USB 2.0 interface or higher, though what type of USB connection the Connect Wireless Flash Drive actually uses isn't specified. In terms of operating systems, this SanDisk device works well with Mac OS X 10.6 or higher and Windows Vista/7/8. The Wi-Fi mode that the drive uses is also not specified, but I would assume it's 802.11n. Furthermore, it's worth noting that this USB stick does allow for an optional password to be set for the Wi-Fi.
The SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive works with almost all mobile devices when it comes to sharing files. It supports all iOS devices that are running iOS 5.0 and higher, and Android devices on Android version 2.3 and better (as well as the Kindle Fire).
