Those 1-inch keychain USB HD's

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike S.
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike S.

CompUSA and Best Buy have gigabyte-plus 1" keychain-sized USB hard drives.
This weekend CompUSA had the 1.5 GB version on sale for $99. What's
inside? Is it a standard CF-footprint microdrive? Can it be removed and
re-used; e.g. in a digital camera?
 
CompUSA and Best Buy have gigabyte-plus 1" keychain-sized USB hard drives.
This weekend CompUSA had the 1.5 GB version on sale for $99. What's
inside?
Click to expand...

Most likely flash ROM and USB interface.
Is it a standard CF-footprint microdrive?
Click to expand...

Not likely.
Can it be removed and re-used; e.g. in a digital camera?
Click to expand...

Not unless the camera has its own USB port and can access USB storeage
device. And AFAIK none of them do.

Even though the keychain drive may have the same flash ROM used in
standard memory cards, it doesn't have the same interface. The ROM
chip in the drive are directly connected to USB controller.

There are keychain camera that can double as keychain drive like the
one by Phillips. The image quality is no different than from most $20
pen cams though. :P
 
Most likely flash ROM and USB interface.


Not likely.


Not unless the camera has its own USB port and can access USB storeage
device. And AFAIK none of them do.

Even though the keychain drive may have the same flash ROM used in
standard memory cards, it doesn't have the same interface. The ROM
chip in the drive are directly connected to USB controller.

There are keychain camera that can double as keychain drive like the
one by Phillips. The image quality is no different than from most $20
pen cams though. :P
Click to expand...

You obviously didn't read my posting before asking.

The device I am asking about is a 1" **HARD** DRIVE on a keychain.
 
The device I am asking about is a 1" **HARD** DRIVE on a keychain.
Click to expand...

Oh the actual mechanical hard drive? I don't have any experience with
those. A lot of the USB cards are often called hard drive even though
there's no mechanical part.
 
I think those drives are manufactured by Cornice (sued currently by
Seagate). Are used also in some inexpensive MP3 players.
 
I think those drives are manufactured by Cornice (sued currently by
Seagate). Are used also in some inexpensive MP3 players.
Click to expand...

Apparently there are several other players in this arena. The drive
mechanism comes from GS-Magicstor (http://www.gs-magistor.com) in either
USB or CF versions. It is glass-media, 4200 RPM, with a transfer rate of
3-6 MB/sec. It draws 300 mA when in use and 150 when idle.

The USB drive is packaged for CompUSA by AVC Technology Inc of Hong Kong.
They sell these drives under their own brand (www.soul.com.hk) as well as MP3
players etc.
 
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