August 15, 2003

USB readers are becoming very popular nowadays. They serve as means of transferring images from your digital camera to your computer or simply as means of transferring any type of files from one computer to another. So what makes them so popular? Well, they are small and very portable, but most of all, since all computers now come with USB ports there is no compatibility issues. In fact, the new operating systems like Windows Me and XP automatically recognize the new hardware and there is no need to install any drivers.

One of the greatest things about USB readers is that computers treat them just like small hard drives and it is easy to simply open them as a window and copy or paste files into or from them just as if they were an additional hard drive. They usually serve as a means of transferring images from your camera onto your computer, but they can really be used to transfer any type of files.

With prices of memory media going down these readers are a perfect solution for file transfers. Another good thing about using a reader like this is that you no longer have to worry about installing complex software and drivers to make your camera connect to your computer. In fact, you don't even need any special cables that work with your camera model. Here is a hypothetical scenario. You are taking some photos at a friend's house and would like to place them on his or her computer and you just realized that you forgot to bring your cable to connect the camera to a computer. But even if you had the cable you would've needed the CD with the right software so that you could install it on this computer. And even if you had all this, why would your friend want some new software for a camera that would probably be never again connected to his or her computer. Ok, so now you see the benefit of having a USB reader. All you have to do is plug it into the USB port of any computer and plug your camera's memory card into the reader. Sounds simple? Well, it is. But, there are a few things to consider.

Different cameras use different memory types. So, while your reader may work for your camera now, if you decide to change your camera the reader may no longer support the new memory type used by the new camera. Luckily, there are readers that support various memory types. However, these readers are often bulky and not easy to carry around with you and that's where the PQI's 6-in-1 USB 2.0 reader comes in.

We like this reader so much that it's the only one we recommend. We were unable to find anything negative about it. It is small, inexpensive, accepts six different memory media types and is compliant with the latest USB 2.0 standard. It doesn't matter which digital camera you use. It also works with PCs and Macs and does not require any special software on newest Operating Systems. It is so easy to use that there is no learning curve at all and it's the only USB reader we were able to find on the marked that had all these qualities all in one package. We highly recommend it to any digital photographer, especially those who travel with a laptop and constantly need to transfer images to free up memory for new shots. It is also great for transferring files from one computer to another in an environment where two computers are not on a network. And, one of the greatest advantages is the compatibility and the fact that if you use at least 128MB memory card, you have much more space than a 1.44MB floppy disk. Most laptops today don't even have a floppy disk drive anymore. PQI's USB reader is the perfect substitute not only for a floppy disk but also for zip disks. It is small enough to fit in most camera cases so photographers don't even need an extra bag to carry it.

So what are the specs of this wonderful piece of hardware? Well, it weighs about 55 grams and is smaller than a wallet measuring about 3.75" X 2.5" and less than 0.5" thick. It is USB 2.0 compliant and can achieve maximum transfer rates of 60MB per second on USB 2.0 compliant machines. It comes with a built-in USB connector so no extra cables are required. This connector hides into the reader so it doesn't add to the dimensions. And, best of all it comes with an extra USB extension cable just in case it is difficult to plug the reader to computers that only have a USB port in the back.

Manufacturer web page: http://www.pqi.com.tw/product2.asp?oid=128&cate1=129&PROID=164