People
are loading their systems up with all sorts of data due to the prevalence
of Windows 95, the Internet and other sources of files and information.
Much of this data is of a temporary nature due to shareware, time-sensitive
information, or the increasingly popular 30-day evaluation versions of
software becoming available.
One of the easiest ways to manage this information without kludging up your hard disk is with a removable cartridge drive.
I first got my Zip100 by Iomega last year and it has more than paid for itself. It provided a parallel port interface and used 100 MB cartridges. Due to sophisticated marketing and tremendous public acceptance, it quickly became the number one removable system.
Syquest created the EZ 135 which is a similar system, technically superior, faster and easier for the end user but was not as readily accepted, mainly due to lackluster marketing which led to decreased consumer acceptance.
Syquest has also created the EZ 230 and I finally got one the other day. How does it shape up?
Like it's predecessor, it's faster, easier to set up for the end user and provides an easier backup and mounting routine. The 230 as it's name implies provides 230 MB per cartridge and can read,write and format the cheaper EZ 135 cartridges also. Cost per MB is also slightly less than the Iomega Zip drive.
Note that both companies have unveiled new higher capacity removable cartridge drives. Iomega is offering the 1 GB Jazz drive and Syquest is offering the 1.3 GB SyJet.
Which way to go? It depends on your needs and your friends. I'm a believer in the more is better but it seems a shame to use a 1 GB removable cartridge to share some files with a friend if a 230 MB cartridge will do the job. It is an ideal size for most mobile users.
The great wonder of all these devices is the portability of cartridges and the drives themselves. If the removable drive is for you to personally move data from machine to machine, pick the size that suits you best. If you're going to be sharing data with a friend or office out of town you'll have to agree on drives.
Little touches like the drive door which maintains a cleaner drive, a plug that extends past the adapter which allows you to use any receptacle without blocking one or two others, and the presence of a side-mounted on/off switch make the EZ 230 a better system all around.
"The EZFlyer 230MB has a suggested retail price of U.S. $299, and 230MB data cartridges are priced at U.S. $29.95. Multiple cartridge packs are priced at $80.95 for the three-pack, $124.95 for the five-pack, and $238.95 for the ten-pack. The price of the ten-pack reduces the cost-per-megabyte of the cartridges to 10.4 cents".
With the advent of the larger drives and the coming holidays look
for bargains on this drive.