In recent years the USB flash disk has become the ubiquitous way to carry files around with you. But what about getting files from a USB flash disk to your mobile phone when you're out about? In his review of the Mobidapter, an accessory which offers a solution to this issue, Steve considers whether this is a really useful solution or a really bad idea.
Read on in the full article.
I think the product seems awesome, but will definitely need to be handled with care like suggested by you.
Also seems like it should be used on a flat surface only and not while carrying the phone around, or there is a good risk of damaging the phone.
wouldn't it be better nokia adds USB-Host Support on their phones? you only need a smal adapter.
What about phones with internal Micro-SD-Slot like N97?
Haven't got an N97 here to try it on, but the 'head' of the adapter is quite long, it should still plug in, albeit with the battery cover off, obviously.
Why on earth can't they just design it as a microUSB card connected to the "mother" via cable? Problem solved.
Jetrel wrote:wouldn't it be better nokia adds USB-Host Support on their phones? you only need a smal adapter.What about phones with internal Micro-SD-Slot like N97?
USB host was added in Symbian OS 9.5 - so I imagine this is something we will see in Symbian^2 devices (possibly).
Where exactly are you going to copy all the gigabytes worth of data TO? You won't be able to have your "normal" microSD in your mobile at the same time with this contraption, so you'll only have your mobile's internal memory to use and with many mobiles, it's only around 100MB at best.
Fair point, although some devices also have a 'mass memory' disk. And you can also work with the files on the adapter, e.g. emailing them out or uploading them somewhere in the cloud.
I think the idea is to be able to connect the device directly for copying some intermediate stuff like documents, maybe 10-15 photos, a couple of songs etc. This amount of data can definitely be handled by the internal memory of the phone. After that you just put the card back in and transfer the files to the card from the internal memory.
If the data to be transferred is in 100s of MB and in gigs, it is definitely better to use a PC. Plus I am not sure how fast is the transfer speed of this thing. The speed may not be ideal for huge chunk of data.
There is a better solution for many cases - instead of a USB flash stick buy a microSD (16GB) with a USB adapter, such as the teeny tiny one Sandisk sell. Then you can whip out your microsd and shove it in your phone.
pintofale wrote:There is a better solution for many cases - instead of a USB flash stick buy a microSD (16GB) with a USB adapter, such as the teeny tiny one Sandisk sell. Then you can whip out your microsd and shove it in your phone.
malerocks wrote:Your way still needs a PC. The idea of this product is to do away with the PC.
????
So you take your micro-sd card out, and plug this contraption in, then copy the tiny amount of data that the phone internal memory can hold to or from the USB memory.
Great. Then what do you do? The data has either come from or is going to another device that has a USB interface.....probably a PC. Might as well use the Micro-SDHC card.
If the particular data you want on the phone happens to be on USB memory already then I can see this might be useful, but probably as much trouble as just using the nearest laptop and working without the internal phone memory limitation.
Having said that, Nokia N95 8GB has 8GB internal. There you go.
Unregistered wrote:????So you take your micro-sd card out, and plug this contraption in, then copy the tiny amount of data that the phone internal memory can hold to or from the USB memory.
Great. Then what do you do? The data has either come from or is going to another device that has a USB interface.....probably a PC. Might as well use the Micro-SDHC card.
If the particular data you want on the phone happens to be on USB memory already then I can see this might be useful, but probably as much trouble as just using the nearest laptop and working without the internal phone memory limitation.
Having said that, Nokia N95 8GB has 8GB internal. There you go.
Not if you have a large mass memory and card reader ala N97
Anyone know if this would work with a USB hard drive?
It would have to be self-powered of course.