Common Technical Aspects
The two drives are similar in technical appearance and are about three inches long by three quarters inch wide by three eights inch thick. Each is unique in physical appearance. This difference is for marketing purposes to set the unit apart from the competition. Both have a USB 1.1 connection that will plug directly into a USB port on the computer. Both have a cover that is part of the design to protect the USB connector when not plugged in. Both contain a pocket clip for transport when not plugged in. Both also have a lanyard capability so that the unit can also be carried by placing it around one’s neck. Each unit has LED indicators to show that the unit is connected and is receiving or sending data when being used. Both come in multiples of eight (8) MB storage sizes up to one (1) gigabyte at the time of COMDEX. Both manufacturers provide 8MB /16MB /32MB /64MB /128MB /256MB /512MB /1GB units. Larger units may be available by this time.

Both units operate with Windows 98 SE/Windows 2000/Windows XP. Each manufacturer provides drivers for Windows 98 SE. Both units install into Windows 2000 and XP without need to install any drivers, as the W2K and XP OS have the drivers already installed. I have tested both units on Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000 Pro, and Windows XP Pro. Each device will work with Mac 8.6 OS or higher and Linux 2.4x.

Both units transmit and receive at twelve (12) MB through USB specification revision 1.1. Both units are hot swappable and can be inserted or removed from the USB port on the computer.

Individual Device Aspects
The Universal Smart Drive by K&C Tech, Korea, is black in color and as noted above has sixteen (16) MB capacity. It came in a retail box with a Users Manual, lanyard and a mini CD. The CD contains the Win 98 SE drivers for compatibility with USB 1.1. The majority of the Users Manual is for the Win 98 SE driver installation. The unit is rectangular, three (3) inches by three quarters (3/4) inch by three eights (3/8) inch with a lanyard connection and pocket clip on the USB connector cover. A two color LED is in the other end of the unit. The LED flashes two (2) colors. Green indicates that the unit is inserted and active. Red indicates data transfer to or from the device.

The ClipDrive by Memory Experts International, Canada, is silver in color and as noted above has eight (8) MB capacity. It came in a retail box with a minor Users Manual for Windows 98, lanyard, 1.44 FD with the Windows 98 SE drivers compatible with USB 1.1, and a USB docking plug. The unit is tear dropped in shape, two (2) and three quarters (3/4) inches by seven eights (7/8) inch wide by five eighths (5/8) inch thick. The pull off USB connector cover has a pocket clip and the lanyard is attached to the main unit. An LED shows red when the unit is active or data is being transmitted. There is a recessed lock/unlock data switch in the main unit to protect data. It works like a floppy corner tab lock.

Install Process
Before installing either of the drives, do a <Start> <Settings> <Control Panel>, select <System> icon, double click for <System Properties>, select <Device Manager> tab, scroll down to see if <Universal Serial Bus Controllers> is present. If <Universal Serial Bus Controllers> is not present, rerun the Windows System Install Disk to install these drivers.

The USD (Universal Smart Drive) install process for Windows 98 SE was run from a mini CD. Insert the CD and let it run in auto install mode. Plug the USD into the USB port and follow the “Add New Hardware Wizard” clicking “Next” at each step in the process and “Finish” at the end. Next, open “My Computer” to see that an icon has been installed indicating the “Removable Disk: X” is really installed. (X being the next drive letter.)

The ClipDrive install process for Windows 98 SE was run from a floppy disk in the Computer Drive: A. Either open the floppy from “My Computer” and select <setup.exe> or run from the <Start> <Run> pull down menu and select <setup.exe> from a 'browse' button. Plug the ClipDrive into the USB port before running the <setup.exe> file. Follow the “Add New Hardware Wizard” clicking “Next” to confirm each step including “Finish” to complete the install process. You will be asked to “Restart the Computer” to complete the driver install and record it into the Windows registry.

Both devices install without any driver install in Windows 2000 Pro and XP Pro. All that is needed is to insert the device in the USB port and the computer recognizes the device. This is also the case with Mac OS 8.6 or higher and Linux 2.4 kernel.

When using with W2K Pro or XP Pro, follow the Wizard and watch the Tool Bar for install completion. To uninstall from either OS, click the icon in the right Tool Bar and follow the Uninstall Wizard steps.

Uses for these Devices
These lightweight devices are ideal for moving data from one computer to another. Simply insert the device in an open USB port and copy the data to be transferred to it. Then move the device to the second machine and copy the data to that machine. Data files can be moved from Windows 98 computers to other OS computers such as W2K or XP. With the proper exchange software utilities, files could be moved from Windows OS to Mac or Linux.

I have found them excellent devices to use when I am repairing driver utility software in a client’s computer. I download the drivers from my computer and then carry these devices (not hard to carry weighting in at about 2 ounces) to the problem machine and do the update. The client machine, granted, must be an OS that recognizes USB 1.1.

These devices would be good to move graphics files from cameras or other graphic media to the computer. The graphics device must have the ability to transfer through USB 1.1.

Conclusion
Both devices have been useful to me as data transfer media. As both fully comply with USB 1.1, they have proved interchangeable in the uses I have attempted. I would prefer devices with 32 or 64 MB storage sizes. This would be especially true if the task were graphics file transfer.

The ClipDrive data lock and USB docking station set it apart as a stand-alone device. A standard three (3) foot USB cable with USB port connection and device port also will make things easier when the computer USB port is at the back of the computer.