Product Description

The SanDisk Cruzer is the world's first portable, pocket-size storage device with upgradeable flash memory. Its stylish, compact design can be slipped into a pocket or purse for easy transport of personal computer data files, image files, video and audio between homes, offices or any other location where one would want to transfer personal files and information.The Cruzer fills a void in the portable storage market that neither floppy disks nor CDs can address. The all-in-one unit plugs directly into the industry-standard USB port that is built into desktop PCs and without any additional components necessary. It's powered right from the USB port! The Cruzer is created for today's active, on-the-go lifestyle.

Product Details

• Brand: SanDisk
• Original language: English

Features

• Portable storage device with removable 256 MB SD card
• Measures only 3 x 1.75 x 0.75 inches
• Take valuable image, video, audio, or data files on the go
• Plug-and-play USB connection with no cables, external power, or drivers required
• Windows and Macintosh compatible

Amazon.com Product Description
The SanDisk Cruzer is the world's first portable, pocket-size storage device with upgradeable flash memory. Its compact size lets you slip it into a pocket or handbag whenever you need to move image, video, audio, or data files for personal use or for work. You can even use it as expansion memory for a digital media device like a camera or a portable music player.

The Cruzer comes with a removable, 256 MB Secure Digital memory card; most other USB drives come with embedded, nonremovable memory. This all-in-one unit plugs directly into the industry-standard USB port, and needs no additional components or driver. It gets its power directly from the USB port.

The Cruzer measures approximately 3 inches long, 1.75 inches wide, and 0.75 inches thick, and it's fully compatible with both PC and Macintosh computers (Windows 98 SE, 2000, Me, and XP; Macintosh OS 9.1 and later, and OS X 10.1.2 and later).

From the Manufacturer
The SanDisk Cruzer is the world's first portable, pocket-size storage device with upgradeable flash memory, and this unit comes with 256MB of Secure Digital RAM. Its stylish, compact design can be slipped into a pocket or purse for easy transport of personal computer data files, image files, video and audio between homes, offices or any other location where one would want to transfer personal files and information.

The Cruzer fills a void in the portable storage market that neither floppy disks nor CDs can address. The all-in-one unit plugs directly into the industry-standard USB port that is built into desktop PCs and without any additional components necessary.

Because it's USB-based, it needs no cables or power supplies, and is compatible with a wide variety of computers. Just plug Cruzer into any available USB port and copy your files from your hard drive to Cruzer. It's ideal for transporting MP3s, images, documents--even short video clips--from computer to computer.

Customer Reviews

Nice Idea, but...
Well...It started out being great. It saved me a lot of hassles moving large files back and forth between different computers during a business trip to the UK (Sept-Oct). In late November it started going south on me. Today it finally failed (Jan 23).

The memory card wouldn't seat, or lost connection when you slid the USB plug out (which also moves the card forward) - when set to the operating position it stopped working! At first, gentle pressure on the card helped. The more force. Then force applied with a blunt instrument. And finally nothing.

This device has a serious design fault. If the card could stay in place while the housing retracted to reveal the plug, it would work better, longer. SanDisk did it backwards.

Look for a device that doesn't move the memory card. Less cute, more work.

SanDisk says they'll replace it -- what I really need is a better device.

A few glitches, but it's ONE OF A KIND!
I first saw the Cruzer in a retail store and was immediately blown away at the value. In this case, they were selling it at $10 bellow the price of the SD memory card itself. I kept wondering why anyone would buy the card by itself, when they could get the Cruzer with the same exact card included in the box.

I've seen quite a few pocket sized memory drives out there, but thus far this was the only one I've ever seen that used regular removable memory cards.

Prior to getting the Cruzer, I used to load things into my PDA via the cradle. I took it for granted that it was slow. I assumed it was the nature of the beast. When I popped the card into the Cruzer, it copied information so fast I couldn't believe it was actually working. I double checked... the files were there and intact and it was done in seconds, not minutes.

That said, I have two issues.

1. I had to return my first Cruzer because it was from a bad batch of cards. SanDisk knew about the batch and was happy to replace it.

2. It's USB 1.1, not 2.0. I'm not sure if the card would work any faster under 2.0, but if it does, I would buy it.

The bottom line:

1. If you were shopping for memory alone, buy this instead. The price is almost identical, and you'll get both the drive and the memory card in the same box.

2. If you were shopping for a pocket drive, consider this one. It's got plenty of memory, and you can remove it.

SD Card great, problems with Cruzer drive
I use the SD card in my Palm (m505) with considerable success and am happy with it from a pure PDA expansion perspective. I have found that the Cruzer drive is unreliable, usually Windows sees it as "write only" which means the Cruzer is only useful to read what I can put on the card using the Palm. (I have checked the write protect slide on the card). This means I cannot use it to transport files, keep personal backups, etc. SanDisk tech support were very helpful and responsive, since I have been handed over to "customer relations", I have heard nothing in over a week.