Imation 256MB USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive

April 7th, 2004

Pros: Very compact; rugged; comprehensive software; included accessories; security features.
Cons: Software must be downloaded; poor documentation considering the advanced capabilities.
Verdict: The features and performance of the Imation USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive are quite impressive, but support and documentation leave something to be desired – especially considering the capabilities of this product.

The USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive is a very compact (1 ounce, 2” / 5cm) flash drive with an innovative swiveling cover. The cover can be slid as well as swiveled so that it can be set in place firmly against either end of the drive. It is small enough to justify the use of the nicely designed quick-release necklace/lanyard that is included with it. Imation thoughtfully threw in a 4ft/1.3m USB extension cord for those situations where the user only has remote rear USB ports to utilize.

Hardware Features
The drive itself has a handy activity LED and a small write-protect switch – each item on opposite edges of the drive. The sliding write-protection switch can be engaged accidentally while inserting the drive, so the user must be vigilant and keep this feature in mind. Windows XP warned me about the write protection being engaged and I assume that other operating systems will do the same. It’s a simple matter of sliding the switch back to get access to the drive.

There was precious little documentation with the drive. As of this date, there is nothing of consequence on the web site either, help-wise. Although the Disk Manager software appears simple, it is not. Help documents are needed. A comprehensive manual would be wonderful. If the software were more intuitive, the manual would not be necessary, Unfortunately, it is not intuitive. Imation really needs to address one of these points – more documentation or a better interface for the software.

Software Overview
The Imation Disk Manager Software needed is not included in the package or on the drive. It must be downloaded from the web site. It’s worth the download – the software can format the drive quickly, partition the drive into ‘public’ and ‘private’ partitions and salvage the drive in case of problems. The latter feature is provided by something called “RecoverDisk”. It is a sort of forced format. Needless to say, all data would be lost when using this feature. It also automatically deposits a copy of the software on the drive after formatting. There is a “USB Zip” selection when using it, but it’s not clear what purpose the USB Zip drive serves.

The Imation USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive is reportedly capable of booting up a system with its Bootup utility. The process did place bootfiles on the Imation drive (which would allow a PC to start DOS from the drive), but the motherboards on hand did not support booting from the Imation so the reviewer cannot verify that it worked. Suffice it to say that this feature needs comprehensive documentation if it is to be of value to the average user.

Private Partitioning
The most interesting feature of the drive is the private partitioning. If the user formats the USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive with this feature, he can create partitions with any ratio of public-to-private and establish a password with a reminder. For instance, the drive can be all public, all private or partitioned with equal or unequal partitions. When the drive is plugged in, one drive is visible – the public partition. When the software is installed (from the drive), the drive letter that is visible in the file manager now represents the private partition. The must now log out again to access the public partition. In short, even though you may have two partitions on the drive, only one will appear at a time in the file manager.

The Imation Disk Manager software has a small footprint. When the drive is disconnected, the icon for the software drops off. It returns as soon as the drive is reconnected. That is a nice feature.

Performance
The performance of the Imation USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive was about par for the current crop of flash drives. Transfers of 8MBs in both directions were common in actual use and when using HDTach to benchmark. SiSoft’s Sandra would not benchmark the drive for some reason – probably due to the security features. I performed an impromptu manual benchmark using 4x50MB files and 50MB of 10-50KB files.

• 4x50MB files write – 6MB/s
• 4x50MB files read – 8MB/s

• 50MB small files write – 6Mbit/s (8 minutes)
• 50MB small files read – 5Mb/s (9.5 minutes)

Small file performance is disappointing in comparison with other products, but it’s not outrageously slow. Still, faster product are available.

The drive was recognized and usable in every PC I used it with. The drive seems plenty rugged and reliable. Imation guarantees the USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive for one year.

Next Step: Compare other 256MB USB flash drives.

- William DeVercelly, Contributing Editor

Where to buy Imation 256MB USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive?


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256MB USB 2.0 Swivel Flash Drive Specs

Interface(s)	Hi-Speed USB
Released date	March 2004
Platforms	Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, MacOS 9.1, MacOS X
Dimensions	2.17" x 0.67" x 0.55"
Capacity	256MB
Read performance Average substained rate	8MB/s
Write performance Average substained rate	7MB/s
Data protection method	Software password lock
Software	Imation Disk Parition Manager
Additional media compatibility	None
Accessories	USB extension cable, neck strap
Extra function(s)	--
Material of casing	--
Power source	Bus-powered
Warranty	One year

Extras
Lost a USB cable? Get a replacement USB cable.
Running out of USB ports? Get an extra USB hub.
You may need a new USB card to achieve Hi-Speed USB speeds.
Confirm with our USB 2.0 FAQ if you have Hi-Speed USB on your PC.