Anyone have this SD reader?

[AndrewH]

http://www.crucial.com/store/partspe...dule=CTR2MMPU2

Has anyone used this one before? I need one, and I have 2 requirements: small size and speed. This one fits the former and I'm guessing the latter as well.

If no one's seen this one before, which SD reader do you all recommend that's really small?

Thanks for your feedback!

[Gigi]

I don't know about this particular reader, but you should be ok as long as you get USB2.0. Just curious though - why are you just getting an SD reader and not a multicard reader? Your X50v takes both SD and CF cards.

[AndrewH]

Well, I don't plan on using CF. I only use SD. I commute to college everyday and want to use my 1 GB SD for homework storage as well as storage for my Axim. Thus, I need to carry a tiny reader with me in the little camera pouch I keep my Axim in.This reader from Crucial looks like the smallest.

The other one I'm looking at is the SimpleTech Bonzai (http://www.simpletech.com/parts/sti_usb2bonzai.htm), but it looks like it's slightly bigger.

[Bill Posters]

I agree with Gigi. For the same price you can get a multi-card reader. You don't know what your future needs might be.

[Fruit]

These two looks smaller...but since i've never used a card reader (yet). i cant recommend based on knowledge...just i've came across them when i was looking for a card reader

http://www.lexar.com/readers/trio.html

http://www.sandisk.com/retail/mm.asp

although these are primarily MS and SD cards. No CF support

[AndrewH]

Well, I can see your point about future needs. I would gladly buy a multicard (CF & SD) reader if it were small enough. All the multicard readers I've looked at have been too big. The Crucial SD reader in my initial post is the form factor I'm targeting.

As far as I know, none of the variations of the Lexar JumpDrive Trio or the Sandisk MobileMate can read CF. Those 2 models are as big as I can take, and I have no room for a USB cable. Compact is the keyword.

Now, having said all that, is there a small CF/SD reader available that doesn't need a cable? That would be ideal.

Again, thanks for the feedback!

[Astounded EEG]

Actually, the simpletech bonzai is probably the smallest of all the readers you're considering. I have two and am thoroughly satisfied with them. I keep one on my keychain.

[AndrewH]

Actually, the simpletech bonzai is probably the smallest of all the readers you're considering. I have two and am thoroughly satisfied with them. I keep one on my keychain.

Well, I looked up the dimensions and compared the two:

• Crucial SD Reader
• SimpleTech Bonzai SD Reader*

They're about the same size. The Crucial is a little shorter, wider, and thicker, while the Bonzai is a little longer, narrower, and thinner. I think I'll just order the Bonzai. According to the specs, the Bonzai has the tiny advantage of backward compatibility to USB 1.0 (see the details*), while the Crucial is only backward compatible to USB 1.1.

* Edit: Uh, wait a minute; are these two pages referring to the same Bonzai reader? I just realized I got them from different sources.

[Astounded EEG]

Yes they are the same device. Note that the design of the Bonzai has changed slightly.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...=UTF8&v=glance

[AndrewH]

Alright. A couple more questions (yes, I'm getting mighty anal here ):

• Has anyone had one of these Bonzai readers misbehave?
• Is the clear plastic flap frail and prone to breakage?

Thanks!

[AndrewH]

• Has anyone had one of these Bonzai readers misbehave?
• Is the clear plastic flap frail and prone to breakage?

OK... By the lack of response, I conclude the answer is "no." Great! Thanks for the help, all!

[Astounded EEG]

• Has anyone had one of these Bonzai readers misbehave?

I'm quite sure this is a no.

• Is the clear plastic flap frail and prone to breakage?

It's surprisingly durable. It doesn't pull out perfectly perpendicular all the time, but it's less fragile than I thought it would be when I first saw it. Have to admit I haven't used it too strenuously though.

My experience is that the Bonzai is more reliable than the average card reader, at least judging from the fact that it can sometimes read cards that my desktop's internal card reader cannot. The one on my keychain has endured a lot (been on there pretty much 12 months now) and still works great (you might also be interested to know that the detachable string loop from the Bonzai's lanyard is all I've been using to hold together my keychain the entire time and that's held up perfectly well, too). The Bonzai is also definitely USB 2.0.