Transcend TS2GJFV10 2GB V10 MLC USB 2.0 Jet Flash

List Price: $13.99 Discount Price: $3.75

Features:

• 2G JetFlash V10 USB Flash Drive

Customer Reviews:

A thumb drive that tests your thumb power. [Posted on 2008-03-11]
[Update: I'm resubmitting this review and replacing my previous 5-star with a 3-star rating. After keeping the drive on my key chain and using it successfully for just over a month, I came upon a USB port that was somewhat tight, offering more than the usual resistance. The USB connector on the Transcend really let me down by meekly retreating back inside its shell. Only by grasping the flimsy slide lever hard was I successful with the insertion. Later I observed that even moderate finger pressure applied to the tip of the connector would cause it to retract when it was supposedly in "locked" position. The Kingston 110 may be slow (see below), but it's no wimp: once extended, it holds its ground. The Transcend is fine for some applications, but it's not the rugged, all-purpose drive I had hoped for. It gets demoted to a drawer.]

Having lost, misplaced, and apparently broken several of these midgets, I'm not sure that the manufacturers are doing consumers all that much of a favor by coming out with 16GB models no bigger or heavier than a half stick of chewing gum (would that they would stick to the owner!). Here's my unscientific comparison (using a Macbook) of 4 available flash drives, all 4 with capless, retractable USB connectors and capable of being slipped on a key ring (my two requirements):

1. Kingston Data Traveler 110. Percentage of advertised storage space that's actually usable=96%. Time required to transfer a 15 mb folder=29 seconds. [Note: Kingston makes several other Data Traveler models, which may be faster than the 110.]

2. Transcend JetFlash V10. Percentage of advertised storage space that's usable=96%. Time required to transfer 15 mb folder= 9 seconds.

3. Last year's Sandisk Titanium Cruzer. Percentage of usable storage space=93%. Time to transfer 15mb folder=8 seconds.

4. New Sandisk Titanium Cruzer (4 gigs). Usable storage space=95%. Time to transfer 15mb folder=5 seconds.

Other considerations: The Sandisks are the most brightly lit and rugged in appearance but took slightly longer to appear on my desktop, the older one flickering before making contact. Once connected, they perform well with a Macintosh, despite their reputation as Windows-only drives. The slow Kingston 110 is the stubbiest of the 4, shorter but slightly wider (potentially problematic in some closely spaced ports) than the other three. It's the only one that doesn't illuminate upon connection, but once attached to a key ring (through a hole in a thick part of the drive), it appears to be there to stay. The Transcend, like the Kingston, mounts instantly on a Mac desktop. It comes with a driver installation CD for PC-Windows users, which in turn launches a program (JetFlash) compatible with Vista, and it offers the owner a lanyard necklace (almost disproportionate to the minuscule dimensions and weight of the drive but insurance against loss).

Conclusions: The Transcend looks like a good, affordable bet in a nice color, though the Sandisks' metallic look and weighty feel are reassuringly professional. And if any of the aforementioned 3 go AWOL, you can probably rely on the Kingston 110 to remain firmly attached to your key ring.

[Later: I located a lost Kingston DT1, and its speed is comparable to the newest Sandisk Cruzer as well as this Transcend. As for the Kingston Data Traveler 110, I retested it: it's still by far the slowest drive I've used in the past several years.]

works fine, like it should [Posted on 2008-04-19]
Bought this for my kid, who says it works fine, and likes the retractable feature. Also, delivered very promptly and well-packaged from the secondary vendor.

Fast Falsh Drive [Posted on 2008-05-18]
Great little drive. Slider feels a little flimsy, but no problems yet. Seems to be a bit faster than other units I've used. Definitely worth the money.

did the job well [Posted on 2008-05-31]
The transcend flash drive work fine for me, It transfar rate is fast for me. I am not a heavy user.

Exactly what I expected [Posted on 2008-06-19]
A very quick, well made flash drive. Pretty much got what I expected, which is a dependable, retractable 2GB drive, without paying a premium for the retractable feature which I love. Highly recommend it.

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