Product Description

Lexar's Single Slot Multi-Card Reader is both a card reader and a portable USB flash drive in one. Flexible enough to be expanded and upgraded simply by inserting a SD, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, MMC and xD-Picture cards and is compatible with USB 2.0 ports. . You can keep separate cards for separate uses. Since no drivers are required, it's easy to hook up to any computer with an available USB port.

Product Details

• Brand: Lexar
• Model: RW023-001
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 2.00" h x 6.25" w x 8.00" l, .28 pounds

Features

• Single-slot card reader with support for SD, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, MMC, and xD-Picture cards
• Compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1 ports
• Modern operating systems require no driver
• Part number RW023-001
• Measures 1.6 x 3.7 x 0.6 inches (W x H x D)

Customer Reviews

Great performance, mediocre design
I got this media reader for $15, since I had a couple of 1GB SD cards for my digital camera, and I figured it'd be worth it to check it out for that amount, rather than spending $70-80 on a 1GB USB flash drive.

The media reader has a slide-and-flip-top compartment where you insert your Memory Stick/Pro, SD, xD, or MMC cards. It obviously has to be large enough to accomodate the largest of the aforementioned cards--if it were for only SD cards, they could've easily shortened the length by 25%.

On my Win2K system, the reader (with a SD card in it) got detected right away as a removable drive, without any user intervention or driver installation. With a basic SanDisk (blue) 1GB SD card, via USB2.0 port, I was able to achieve a download throughput of 6.5-7.5MB per second. In every other respect, it works just like any other USB flash drive.

The physical size of the reader is about twice as wide AND thick as a SanDisk Cruzer drive. Or as thick as a Zippo lighter and twice as wide. You get the idea. There is no keyring hole built into the shell, nor does it provide for carrying strap like the Cruzers. You simply just pocket it and go. The plastic used for the shell feels brittle and flimsy and door mechanism for the memory cards feels less than sturdy (metal pins under plastic hinges).

For $15, I think this is a great gadget, especially if you have a number of memory cards that are not required in your digital cameras all day long. What would've made it even better (5 stars), in my humble opinion, is some sort of provision to carry it around your neck or attached to the keyring. A minor detraction, to be sure: The reader part of it works flawlessly as advertised.

Update 2005-06-21: After three weeks of light use (used once daily), the plastic cap that protects the USB connector on the reader is already failing to stay on. This reinforces my perception that while the actual reader itself works excellently, the physical design leaves much to be desired.

Poor physical design
I purchased this memory card reader for use with my digital camera's memory stick Pro. The reader does not have any kind of spring-loaded memory stick eject, or any eject button. You just have to pull the card out with your fingers. When a memory stick pro is fully inserted into the reader, the plastic edges of the reader are wider and longer than the card. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to grab onto the memory card - even with my tiny fingers. For someone who intends to use the reader with a card more-or-less permanently installed - it should be fine. The reader will close shut safely around the card. However, if you will need to insert and remove cards frequently, I DO NOT recommend this device. In my case, this physical design flaw makes the reader useless to me. I should note that although the plastic case design feels flimsy, it does open and close easily.

I gave it 2 stars because it DOES actually work for transferring data, and will suit the needs of SOME users.

Does its job well
I've had this for at least 8 months now. We've used it with xD, sD, Memory Stick Pro, Pro Duo(with the adapter) and a few misc. cards that friends' cameras may be using.

I've never had a problem getting cards in or out, nor any problems with reading the data on them.

My only possible complaint is that the cap for the usb connector doesn't stay on as well as I'd like or have a place to store it while the device is in use. Short of that, I can't place a single complaint about the unit. It has been a well spent $20!