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Take a look at this first: Amazon.com: HyperDrive iUSBport Wi-Fi - Makes Any USB Storage Device Wireless - Black: Computers & Accessories
Basically it is a portable NAS, it will make any USB-storage device wireless.
epb said:I don't know if I'd call that "portable." It weighs almost half a pound on its own, and you'll still need to bring along a storage device to plug into it. The AirStash is only 3 ounces and about the size of modern car key, so it's a much better solution on the go. I carry two 64GB SDHC cards, but they're half an ounce each.
I don't know if I'd call that "portable." It weighs almost half a pound on its own, and you'll still need to bring along a storage device to plug into it. The AirStash is only 3 ounces and about the size of modern car key, so it's a much better solution on the go. I carry two 64GB SDHC cards, but they're half an ounce each.
I have the iUSBport and it is no heavier than my company mobile phone and will fit in a trouser pocket however, you are correct about needing a storage device although I use a WD Passport which easily fits in a shirt pocket.
You can plug those very same SDHC cards on the iUSBport using a 3-buck adapter if you wish. Granted it is not as portable as the AirStash but it offers many more functions [snip]
epb said:I'm very much against carrying additional gadgets and weight where possible. Carrying your iPad, your cell phone, and then adding this device and a portable drive - that doesn't seem like a big win to me.
I'm not criticizing the device itself, but rather its suitability as an iPad accessory. Only the first two of your points has any relevance for use with an iPad. It can't use the external DVD drive or ethernet capabilities, and even needing to work with 4GB+ files isn't a given for most users.
Just my thoughts.
Demand suggests others like this sort of device. If not, the company making them would go bust. Some people are still portable with a messenger style bag that their iPad or MacBook Air can slip into, and has room for accessories like Bluetooth keyboards and other peripherals. They are not so tight on weight or space that such a device is an inconvenience.
epb said:I know that lots of people get an iPad or iPad Mini and then load up with so much tech that they'd just as well have bought a laptop, but I'm not sure you can gauge demand for this device by iPad owners. It was well thought-of as a Kickstarter project, but now that you can get large wi-fi drives for about the same money, it's chief benefit to an iPad owner would be it's ability to read multiple media types using various adapters. I suspect there isn't a large demand for that. Now that the portable drive makers are enabling wi-fi, people just dump everything onto one drive and go.
It's sort of stuck in the middie, I think. If you're fussy about weight like me, you want something small like an AirStash with 256GB SDXC card - pricey, but a lot of capacity in a tiny package. If you don't care about weight, you just lug along a big drive with wi-fi capability, some of which can host/split an internet connection.
Without wishing to get too involved in this I would say there is a big difference between iUSBport and other wifi drives.
epb said:I wish people wouldn't say this. These sorts of discussions of pros and cons and the reasonings behind our preferences are what make the threads useful. It's better for people to dig into this, so that people doing similar searches can get pros and cons of both sides and see what product aligns with their needs or sensibilities. You, BocatadeChoped, and dhewson have offered excellent perspectives on the strengths of the device and while it doesn't suit my needs, I now have an idea what to recommend to a friend looking for something similar.