Q - Dec/Jan '02

Hardware

For years, one problem has dogged my otherwise perfect techno-geek nirvana. I always have a number of writing projects in the works, along with an assortment of pending appeal briefs and motions, which I work on at any of my four computers. I have long sought a way to have all of the files I am working on present on all of my computers.

You might be thinking I should just put in a floppy, but there are too many files, and if you use a floppy you are forced to endure the tedious process of working off of the floppy or get back into transferring the files back and forth from hard drive to hard drive. Worst of all, that approach requires you to carry around a floppy disk all the time.

But what is the one thing that you always have with you, more so than even your wallet? Your keys. That is the brilliance behind what Agatè Technologies calls the Q. It’s a small Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, designed to go on your key chain, available in sizes ranging from 16MB to 64MB. Just stick the Q into a USB port on any computer, and it’s instantly recognized as an additional hard drive (after you install the driver). I tested the 64MB Q on four computers and it performed flawlessly. Windows recognized the drive as soon as it was inserted and requested the driver, which is provided on a floppy disk or can be downloaded from a Web site that is printed right on the drive. The driver installed in seconds, and the Q then appeared as an additional drive. No formatting or configuration of any kind was necessary.

The Q is powered by the USB port, so there are no batteries or adapters required.

Since the drive is flash memory running through a fast USB port, it’s as quick as a hard drive. You can run programs from it, if you have such a need.

Like any drive, you can drag-and-drop files to it from within Windows Explorer. A 16MB version costs $69.95, the 32MB is $129.95 and the 64MB drive is $199.95.

Agatè Technologies
(800) 982-4283
www.agatetech.com

Price: $69.95 for 16MB; $129.95 for 32MB; $199.95 for 64MB

Windows 98/SE/Me/2000 or Mac OS 9.x

Reviewed by Aaron Morris, a trial attorney with The Morris Law Firm in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Dec/Jan '02 Issue

PROS
A great way to make certain your working files are always with you.

CONS
Requires a driver; relatively small capacity.

VERDICT
Perfect for anyone who works on multiple computers.