Product Description

You've trusted Kingston's DataTraveler with your most important files. Now Kingston proudly introduces the sleek and capless DataTraveler 100. It holds all your documents in an affordable, convenient device and helps budget-conscious users break storage barriers, allowing them to easily store and move large files in a device no bigger than a pocketknife.DataTraveler 100 was built with simplicity in mind, allowing you to focus on your data. The USB connector is safely housed inside the sleek case, so you don't have to worry about losing a cap. DataTraveler 100 is available in capacities up to 8GB to give you plenty of room to hold just about any document, from term papers and theses to digital images, spreadsheets or other important documents.

Product Details

• Brand: Kingston
• Model: DT100/8GB
• Platform: Windows
• Format: CD
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 2.35" h x .37" w x .88" l, .3 pounds
• Hard Disk: 8GB

Features

• Operating System - Windows Vista, Windows XP (SP1, SP2), Windows 2000 (SP4), Mac OS 10.3.x, Linux 2.6 and above
• Dimensions - 2.35 x 0.88 x 0.37 (59.7mm x 22.3mm x 9.5mm)
• Weight - 0.48 ounces (12 grams)

Amazon.com Product Description
Built with simplicity in mind, the DataTraveler 100 contains up to 8 GB of storage and was designed to high-speed USB 2.0 specifications. Simply plug into a USB port and you're ready to go. Sleek and capless, the DataTraveler 100 holds all your documents in a convenient device that is no bigger than a pocketknife. The USB connector is housed inside the sleek case, so you don't have to worry about losing a cap. With up to 8 GB of storage, you'll have plenty of room for all your digital files, from term papers to images to spreadsheets, and other important documents. Backed by a 5-year warranty, DataTraveler 100 is a reliable solution for carrying digital files with you anywhere you go. This pocket-size flash drive measures 59.7 by 22.3 by 9.5 millimeters (LxWxH).

Customer Reviews

Kingston DT100 8GB Data Traveler - Nice Update to The DT USB Drive

This Kingston DT100/8GB Data Traveler 100 8 GB Drive attempts to achieve some of the features of the Sandisk Cruzer and comes pretty close. The several Kingston usb drives I own, such as the Kingston 8GB DataTraveler USB flash drive have done well for me so far. 8 GB capacity is very useful for large file backups or USB storage and transfer. Overall this is a good product. There are a few caveats though.

This is definitely an improvement over the standard design Kingston uses for the basic Data Traveler. Transfer speeds are better than the basic drive as well, but slower than the top end devices.

In order to enable encryption, there are a few ways but the best may be to use another tool to encrypt the drive after re-formatting it. This way you can test the drive as well as use the encryption you prefer.

The main real competition is from the SanDisk 8 GB Cruzer Micro which also has a retractable USB connector. The body is slightly smaller too, but it is more expensive though. In fact Kingston does compete well on price, which is probably the biggest draw to this drive.

Pros:
+ Kingston brand is perhaps under-rated, almost as good as Sandisk
+ Retractable USB head is convenient - No caps!!!
+ Nice capacity of 8 GB has you future proofed as smaller USB drives start to disappear
+ Durable body and NAND memory stands up to a lot of abuse
+ Compatible with old and new Mac and PC Operating Systems (XP, Vista, OS X)
+ Very light case
+ Rear bar to connect a lanyard or keychain
+ USB 2.0 connection is backwards compatible for older computers
+ Very quickly mounts and stops
+ Less scum-ware and needless apps than some other drives
+ Easy to format and enable encryption to protect your data
+ Enhanced performance is slightly better than the basic USB drive product

Cons:
- Lanyard or extender accessories not included
- Doesn't have the good looks of some drives like the Sandisk Cruzer Micro
- Still somewhat slow speed in copying large files, limited by USB transfer rate
- Drive is still larger than it has to be

Conclusion

If you must have the retractable head, give this Kingston a try. If you need the smallest drive available, go with the Sandisk Cruzer Micro.

Enjoy!

Decent speed, but not ReadyBoost-compatible
I like Kingston products. They are general of high quality. This 8GB Data Traveler 100 is no exception. It provides solid performance and seems well built. Please note, though, that this drive is not compatible with Windows Vista's ReadyBoost feature -- it says so on the packaging. This means it does not meet the read/write speed requirements of ReadyBoost. But in everyday file copying, it seems pretty fast.

The drive comes formatted in FAT32. If you share this across different OSes -- including Windows 98 or earlier, Mac OS, Linux, etc. -- you might want to leave it at FAT32. If you use Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Vista exclusively, you may want to convert it to the NTFS format for better performance, as well as for the ability to store files bigger than 2GB. (FAT32 cannot store files bigger than 2GB.)

To convert the drive safely (without losing any existing information already stored on it), follow these steps:

1. Open My Computer and find the drive letter assigned to the USB drive. You'll find the drive with the generic volume name "KINGSTON".

2. Go to Start -> Run, then type "cmd" (without quotes) to open the DOS window.

3. At the DOS prompt, type "convert F: /fs:ntfs" (again, without quotes) -- here I assume your Kingston drive is the F drive -- to convert the flash drive safely, without losing any information. This should take less than a minute.

Note: NTFS does not make your drive faster per se, but provides better behind-the-scenes file management and its biggest benefit is allowing >2GB files.

Gadgester's Review - 3-stars for all the wrong reason
With all due respect, Gadgester deducted 2-stars for the wrong reason. Ready Boost will only recognize flash-drives up to 4GB, so you wouldn't buy this 8GB drive for Ready Boost anyway. Save your money and buy a 4GB if you plan on using it for Ready Boost. If you're looking for a flash-drive that is fast, reliable and has the ability to hold a lot of info, this is a great drive! Highly recommended....