Imation 8GB Atom Flash Drive

Comment: The problem with the plastic casing around the USB connector is already well known here so I won't harp on that further. I had done a lot of research to get the smallest possible drive without sacrificing transfer speeds. The Atom came at the top of the list. The form factor is so amazing that if the connector casing didn't disintegrate like it does for everyone who bought one, it may have been a winner.

It may be redundant to mention that Imation customer service has absolutely ignored all the emails I sent regarding this flaw. It would seem like they didn't test this this by plugging it into an actual PC for more than five times. I expect that to be an obvious part of testing a wear and tear item.

However the shoddy construction is the least of my issue. Recently while transferring a large number of files the little thing was running hot for a while. The next day it stopped working. I don't know what connections got severed or if the drive itself The PC will recognize the drive but attempting to open it shows "Insert a disk into drive E:". So all my data is irretrievably lost.

Suddenly the stars don't matter anymore do they?

Comment: I purchased this drive in order to carry it around on my keychain. I needed something very small and sturdy. I found the Imation Atom with its aluminum shell and tiny footprint and purchased it right away. I thought the size was perfect, in fact I still do. It is the one redeaming quality of this item.

First I almost lost this drive off my keychain twice because of the poor quality strap. The strap has a screw in connection that can be disconnected in case you want to remove it. This connection slowly became unscrewed over a couple weeks and one day the device was gone. I found it on the floor of my car. The next time I lost the device the strap just plain broke. It is made from a waxy piece of string and had snapped right at the base of the screw in connector. I found the device laying next to my car outside of work.

Finally and most importantly, I will mention the poor construction. Although this device has an aluminum shell that protects the memory components, there is nothing but incredibly cheap plastic covering the USB connector. This thin, fragile plastic began to chip, crack and break apart after only 2 months of use. At this point I can barely get the device into a USB port and everytime I do I am afraid it will be its last connection.

Comment: My first hard drive cost over $20 a megabyte and weighed several pounds. Its connector port was many times larger than this device. This thing is science fiction come to life. I keep it attached to my access badge so I don't forget where I've plugged it in -- it's so small that you could forget which PC you plugged it into, and really have to look hard to find it.

I've been using one of these in a tech-support situation for several months, on two or three PCs per day. I have as yet had no problems whatsoever. I have it configured as a Windows XP startup drive with several diagnostic and repair utilities, and still have room for significant file transfers. It's as fast as any flash drive I've owned, and faster than several.

Check the lanyard connector from time to time to make sure it's screwed together tightly. Put a little beeswax on the threads for grip.

Comment: I specifically wanted this for the small size and higher capacity. But the tip doesn't easily fit into a USB port. In fact, the edges are sharp and easily catch rather than slide in.

After the 2nd use, a portion of the tip broke off and it's only a matter of time before it's unusable.

The speed of file transfers is good though...

Comment: Got this to replace an aging 1GB drive. Since this hangs on my keyring and spends most of the day in my pocket, I wanted something small. This fit the bill perfectly. This seems to be the smallest 8GB drive available. It is hardly noticeable on my keyring.

Within three months of purchase, the USB connector began to crack. A chunk broke out a month later. I trimmed most of the rest of the housing around the USB connector a little while later, which exposed the USB connections, but got rid of the flapping plastic. With the thin plastic around the top and sides of the USB connector now gone, there has been no more breakage after nearly a year of use. Despite the rather derelict look of the drive, I plan to continue using it until a more robust 8GB (or greater) drive of the same size is available.

Other than that, the drive works great. I have not speed tested it against anything else, but it seems to perform as well as any other flash drive I have had. My one suggestion to Imation (other than the cheap housing) would be to add a LED to give a visual indication of power and drive activity.

I can't speak for the included software, as I don't use it. I use TrueCrypt for password protection.

If you want a small drive with a lot of capacity and don't mind it looking tough after a few months in the pocket/purse, this is a great product. If you want it to age gracefully and look nice, then I would look elsewhere.