How can you use this portable hard drive? I will get to that in a moment but first let me explain more about the instrument. It is a USB device, which plugs directly into your USB port on your computer. If you're using the Windows 2000, Windows ME or Windows XP operating system, your computer will recognize the presence of the device and will automatically accept it as part of your systems hardware. If you are using Windows 98 or 98SE (Second Edition), you will need to install the drivers necessary to recognize and utilize the Universal Smart Drive device. Once it is plugged in and correctly installed, it will show up in control panel as a removable storage device. From that point you will need to format it just like you would any new hard drive. When this is done, you have new capabilities which traditional hard drives do not possess. For example, you can simply unplug the Universal Smart Drive and take it with you wherever you go. Whether your destination is your office, a friend or relative's home, or a business trip to some foreign, exotic land, you can have all the data you need right at your fingertips. All that is required is for you to find a computer with an operating system that supports it (Windows 98, 98SE, 2000, ME, or XP, Mac 8.6 or Linux 2.4.x) and an empty USB port. Then just plug this gadget in, access your data and you are in business. 

I did mention that this was the “Universal Smart Drive,” did I not? In case you are wondering, it truly is universal in that it will cross platforms and works in a Mac computer environment with a Mac OS 8.6 or higher or with Linux 2.4.x as the operating system. What I did, to test this product was copy some files to it from my Windows XP machine and then disconnected the device and took it to my ME (Millennium Edition) computer and reconnected and downloaded those files onto that computers local hard drive. Next, I took some other files from the Millennium Edition computer and moved them to my 98SE machine. Finally, I loaded some picture files onto the Universal Smart Drive from there and transferred them back to my XP machine. On each occasion, the process was as smooth as glass and the document, data, mp3 files and picture files all transferred perfectly. This really speaks volumes about the excellent flexibility of the Universal Smart Drive. Each computer system handled the drive flawlessly, allowing instant recognition and complete data, image and file transfer between and across these platforms. It seems to me that when computer hardware and software designers initially engineered devices to be “plug and play,” this is the outcome they were aiming for. 

In addition to the compact size, it goes from a minimum of 16 MB all the way (16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB, and 512 MB,) on up to 1 GB of storage space. Now that’s a lot of storage room compressed into a very tiny package. You can carry it around in your pocket or place it on the strap that comes included in the box and/or wear it around your neck. The box also included the software drivers for this device to operate in Windows 98SE. There is a short booklet that tells you how to use the Universal Smart Drive. Finally, there is a short USB extension cable that lets you connect the device to it, which then connects to the USB port on your computer. Of course, you may also plug the Universal Smart Drive directly into the USB port. 

Performance was outstanding when I tested it. One excellent use for it would be to back up sensitive or highly important data or documents you might have stored on your computer in case of a hard drive crash. Documentation that accompanied the apparatus lists its data retention life as 10 years. A couple of other things to note, it transfers data rapidly, with a maximum speed of up to 12 megabits per second, with the actual speed dependent on the velocity of the particular PC it is connected to. It tells you when data is being written to or from the drive by changing it’s LED color from green (resting state) to red (active state). Finally, when you disconnect the Universal Smart Drive, the computer does not have to be turned off or shut down. However, they do suggest that you use the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon that places itself in the taskbar when the drive is connected. This is the standard disconnect procedure which helps to prevent loss of data. 

I heartily recommend this item for those who want to carry necessary data or computer files with them in an effortless manner. It is made in Korea by a company called Stormblue Co., Ltd. and distributed in North America by K & C Tech. If you would like more information, you can check out the web site or call K & C Tech at this toll-free number 1-888-640-0200. At the time of this writing, I have not personally seen these devices in local retail stores, but I would be surprised if they are not in there on the retail shelf very soon. The lowest online prices that I could find for the Universal Smart Drive was at Best Shopper and were $29.99, $49.99 and $69.99 for the Small-sized 16 MB, 32 MB and 64 MB drives, respectively. Medium sized drives were more expensive with prices ranging from $119.99 for the 128 MB and $209.99 for the 256 MB option. Finally, in the Larger class, the price was $379.99 for a 512 MB model, with the monster-sized 1 GB version of the Universal Smart Drive priced at $559.99. I have been watching the prices on these removable storage devices and they have been coming down recently. It would not surprise me to see them continue to fall as production and supply increases keep up with and overtake the current demand for these items.