AirStash vs. iUSBport

[Tigerman82]

Which do you prefer, AirStash or iUSBport? I would also like to here pros and cons of both devices as you see them.

The reason why I'm asking this is because I recently bought my first tablet, iPad 4 16Gt Wifi-only. While I thought I made the right decision capacity-wise (I do not need tons of apps and I do not need to store my videos/music/photos in my iPad), I was left with an uneasy feeling if I had enough space for those occasions I for example travel and want to take so many movies and TV shows with me that I max out my space. I had decided, though, that I wouldn't pay another $100 for the 32Gb model as the price per Gb is too much. Could I afford it? Yes, but this is a matter of principle. I then came across these Wifi-cloud -devices and found the answer I was looking for. I did look at devices such as Kingston Wi-Drive, but based on reviews and forums, it is clear that people love most their AirStash and iUSBport devices. But which one is better?

I think they both are similarly priced. From what I see (having read about these things just today), one big difference is that you can have more space cheaper with iUSBport (as we all have USB sticks and USB HDDs lying round) as opposed to AirStash which uses SD-cards that usually come in smaller capacities. On the other hand, SD-cards seem to make AirStash more compact as with iUSBport you would have USB sticks and USB HDDs attachted to it). I also read that AirStash is resticted to max 4Gb-files, I'm not sure what the deal is with iUSBport. I know this matters to many of you, but for me, who has only SD content (as in max 2Gb videos), it does not. I haven't read about ease of use and compatibility that much so I would be interested to hear your stories regarding these devices and an iPad. Right now, my choice would be AirStash combined with a 32Gb SDXC-card. That would give (way) enough extra space in a supercompact package. However, as I've read about iUSBport only a little, I might not understand it fully.

 

[AQ_OC]

You seem to have a good grasp of the two devices. As you said, the iUSBport is more flexible and gives you more options to work with your storage and to get to it. You need to supply the USB source drive, though, so you have to add that to your travel gear. If you have usb flash drives or hard drives, then you're good to go. The Air Stash is less flexible and has fewer ways to get at your stuff, but it is really small and travels extremely well. For example, I'm going to be going on a trip soon were I fly out on a Friday morning and return on a Sunday afternoon. So I will be traveling extremely light, with minimal gear. The Air Stash & my SD card holder will be best for this. But, if I were going on a longer trip, and had room for more stuff, the iUSBport might be a better option because I could carry my 1.5 TB usb hard drive with me.

I already have an Air Stash..and four SD cards, the max being 128GB and the others being 32GB. I keep one of these exclusively for data. I keep them in a little SD card box. So, for streaming on a weekend trip, this thing rocks. You don't need a special charger or even a cable and you can use the USB to transfer files to it, or you can take the SD card out and put that in a card reader in a PC.

The last weekend trip I took I forgot to check and left all my SD cards behind except the one in the Air Stash, which was my data SD! Luckily, I had a laptop and my USB HDD with me, so I still had movies. I didn't feel the need to travel light that time as I was driving to my dad's house. It was a pain to transfer a movie to the Air Stash because the card reader in my laptop was super slow! If I had had a iUSBport, then I would have just plugged in HDD into it and I could stream the entire drive.

Still, I'm intrigued by the iUSBport. I may eventually get one of those too. People are going different ways with providing wifi storage options. Air Stash is SD cards. iUSBPort is plug in USB drive (flash and HDD/SDD). Gaunlet Node is enclosure that you add your own storage (2.5-inch) drive too, which a usb 3.0 port included. Seagate is building in the HDD for you in their devices. So that is 4 different ways to skin the same cat. What I like about some of these others is the DLNA support, and SMB and Samba servers, etc. Increasingly they have wifi passthru, too. So, plenty of options and plenty of power.

Interestingly, if one had both an Air Stash and an iUSBport, one could plug the Air Stash into the iUSBPort, since the Air Stash is basically a flash drive. This would be like having two battery packs. But, one could also just carry a 12000 mAH portable battery for less.

I'm not sure I see a clear winner here. I think which is better depends on what you want, what you already have, and how you plan to use it. But, in real life, since we are people and things are not always predictable (IMO), one can be better on this occasion, the other in another situation.

 

[Tigerman82]

I'm not sure I see a clear winner here. I think which is better depends on what you want, what you already have, and how you plan to use it. But, in real life, since we are people and things are not always predictable (IMO), one can be better on this occasion, the other in another situation.

That is true. I think for me AirStash is better because it's so compact and all of my media will fit inside a 16Gt-32Gt SD card easily. The battery life seems to be good as well (+6 hours). Apparently you can charge with the iPad's USB charger (as I wouldn't have a computer with USB-slots with me) which is a good thing. Based on what I've read, the app for AirStash seems to be more developed than the app for iUSBport (which has mixed reviews). As you said, the iUSBport might be better if one wants versatility and larger capacity. I just want something compact that works well with iPad.

Apparently there will be three new models for the iUSBport: iUSBport 2, iUSBport HD and iUSBport Mini. It seems that especially Mini is competing against the AirStash.

A question: Am I right in thinking that using AirStash and SD-cards is speedier than using iUSBport and USB2.0 devices (I don't have computers or USB devices with USB3.0 capabilities)?

 

[AQ_OC]

I home, I have a USB 3.0 card reader so when I transfer files in an SD in it they go very quickly. However, the SD reader in my laptop is very slow, so moving a 2 GB file to it seems to take forever. I think the portable HDDs are much faster in my experience when I use them on a USB 2.0 port in my laptop. I need to investigate this more with the one card I have, because it is supposely rated at 30+ MB/s transfer speeds, which is as fast as USB 2.0, but I was seeing a lot less than that on my laptop.

I will look at those three new models of the iUSBport. While I like my Air Stash, it is not the only device out there with some good features. It pays, as you are doing, to give them all a close look. Whatever you get, please remember to write up your experiences here so others can benefit.

 

[AQ_OC]

One more thing....I have emailed the people who make the Air Stash and they are very good at getting back to you with answers to questions. This matters. The folks who make the Gauntlet Node could learn a few things from Maxell.

 

[anandali]

How do they compare in terms of performance? Most reviewers say that the iUSBport delivers flawless video streaming when the Airstash doesn't perform as well on this level.

 

[geoffh]

Well guys, I've just joined the Forum..... Just before I did I ordered an Airstash 16gb from Amazon. I also looked at the Corsair Voyager Air 1TB wireless hard drive but as I have a Kingston hard drive already, and I really want it for data transfer rather than storage, the Airstash seemed the better option for me.
Here's hoping I made the right choice!

 

[Tigerman82]

As a starter of this thread, I guess I should tell you that I ended up with RAVPower Filehub. I was waiting for discounts for the Sandisk Connect devices, but the prices stayed high and the reviews were a bit mixed. Then I found the Filehub on Amazon. I had read about it at some point but I guess I thought that it was one of those 3rd party no-brand devices that work only so-so. Boy, was I wrong. It's actually a very popular device on Amazon and it cost about half of what AirStash, Sandisk Connect Media etc. cost. It's smallish and stylish (if you consider shiny white as stylish) wireless hub that doubles as a backup battery (meaning you can charge your mobile devices). It takes SD cards and I bought a cheap 64Gb SDXC card and filled it with movies. It connected to my iPad without problems and streamed the movies without any lag. I fully recommend this product for those who are facing the same problem I was.

The reason I didn't go with AirStash was because I didn't want to pay close to $100 for a device that is considered "flimsy".

 

[giradman]

As a starter of this thread, I guess I should tell you that I ended up with RAVPower Filehub. I was waiting for discounts for the Sandisk Connect devices, but the prices stayed high and the reviews were a bit mixed. Then I found the Filehub on Amazon. I had read about it at some point but I guess I thought that it was one of those 3rd party no-brand devices that work only so-so. Boy, was I wrong. It's actually a very popular device on Amazon and it cost about half of what AirStash, Sandisk Connect Media etc. cost. It's smallish and stylish (if you consider shiny white as stylish) wireless hub that doubles as a backup battery (meaning you can charge your mobile devices). It takes SD cards and I bought a cheap 64Gb SDXC card and filled it with movies. It connected to my iPad without problems and streamed the movies without any lag. I fully recommend this product for those who are facing the same problem I was.

The reason I didn't go with AirStash was because I didn't want to pay close to $100 for a device that is considered "flimsy".

Hello and glad that you found a Wi-Fi storage device that met your needs and price. I have the AirStash but have only limited use (camera SD cards mainly) to this point, and AQ_OC had already provided excellent comments, comparisons, and advice.

But, I'd have to disagree w/ several of your statements above in bold - the current price of the AirStash is $69 on Amazon at the moment, i.e. nearly 1/3 less that the $100 quoted. Also, I find the device quite sturdy & compact; plus, the SD card when inserted properly is completely w/i the slot w/ no chance of accidentally damage (in fact, that is also one of my minor complaints, i.e. I have to use my thumb nail for insertion/removal). Dave

 

[AQ_OC]

The reason I didn't go with AirStash was because I didn't want to pay close to $100 for a device that is considered "flimsy".

I've had my AirStash+ for well over a year now and it is not flimsy.

 

[geoffh]

AQ_OC. When you got your Airstash did it work straight away? Mine says SD Card not recognised. I read about updating firmware but cannot follow the Airstash help files.
If you had to update firmware, how did you do it?

 

[AQ_OC]

AQ_OC. When you got your Airstash did it work straight away? Mine says SD Card not recognised. I read about updating firmware but cannot follow the Airstash help files.
If you had to update firmware, how did you do it?

Yes, it worked straightway. However, there have been several firmware updates with typically have added features. You have to use the app that you get free via the App Store. It will guide you through the process of updating the firmware. If your SD card is not recognized, it may be in a format not supported by Airstash. You can reformat the card but make sure there is nothing on it you need. Format it using the Airstash.

 

[geoffh]

Thanks for the info. I have to say the instructions with the product are dire. BUT the product itself is truly magnificent.
I'm pleased I went for the Airstash as it's ideal for what I want.

 

[giradman]

Thanks for the info. I have to say the instructions with the product are dire. BUT the product itself is truly magnificent.
I'm pleased I went for the Airstash as it's ideal for what I want.

If not already done, go HERE and download the 37-page User's Manual (in PDF format) - should provide all of the information you need (and more) - good luck! Dave