Simple Tech BONZAI USB 2.0 CARD READER ( STI-USB2BONZAI )

Rating:
Summary: nice form, disappointing functions
Review: 1/ First-time hardware detection and installation on a Windows PC requires restarting the computer. This defeats the whole purpose of using a USB card reader anywhere.

2/ The read/write speed, despite it's "Hi-speed USB 2.0" label, is quite slow compared to a plain USB 1.1 SD card reader.

3/ This is at least one instance where a file on a non-SimpleTech SD card cannot be read -- even after restarting the PC.

Rating:
Summary: So far so good. If it lasts long, I would be thrilled.
Review: I bought a BONZAI USB2.0 flash drive a month ago. This second one just arrived today. Previously I also bought their CF card readers and PC SIMM memories. I used SimpleTech products because their hardware seems more conform to industrial standard. I have not encountered a situation that I inserted a flash card of different brand and their readers can not read. Every time their readers can read. Their speed is above average of their league, for which I have no complains. It is the compatibility issues that I am concerned about, and I think they are at the top when it comes to compatibility.

Of course BONZAI has the advantage over a flash drive in that, it is as small as some flash drive (some flash drives are smaller - as they make use proprietary flash memory that is long and slim) but it is expandable. When the SD card inside is full, one just take SD card out and put a new, higher capacity card in. That way one can reuse BONZAI with many SD cards of different capacities. Flash drives can't do this because their proprietary flash memory is soldered in.

This BONZAI has a little different design with respect to user convenience compared to the BONZAI version I bought a month ago :

1. The clear flap, which can be opened to insert SD card in, is now attached when opened and can not be separated from BONZAI (unlike previous BONZAI whose clear flap is removed to put SD card in). This is a plus.

2. The clip is now on the body of BONZAI. In previous BONZAI, the clip is one the cap. Again, I see some designer starts to use a little brain here. If the cap ever comes to loose from BONZAI, you rather like to lose the cap - not the BONZAI. This is definitely an improvement over previous version.

3. There is a little elastic ejection mechanism now. When I want to take my SD card out, I pushed SD card slightly inward, release my thumb and the SD card ejected a little out. Now I can take my SD card out very easily. This is a clever design than previous version. In previous version I have to use my finger nails to strain the SD card out - make me wonder how long my SD card can take this kind of abuse.


The short USB extension cable that comes with BONZAI is now in ordinary black. In previous version it is clear translucent with silver foil, which gives a feeling of better quality. Now the cable is felt just ordinary. But, again, I get this BONZAI cheaper. No complain here. I can twist and loop the cable into a small circle and attach to BONZAI at all times. BONZAI can directly plug into USB port on notebook or USB hub without using this cable. But my hub's 3 other USB ports are always connected to other devices and you know that the 4 USB ports on the hub are very crowded in a small space. This is where this short piece of cable comes in handy. The way I looped the cable into a small circle also makes carrying very easy. With BONZAI attached to this small cable loop I have no problem to put them in my pocket.

I hope the next version of BONZAI can come with 2 different lengths of cables, with the shorter one being only 6 inches long. That would be truly convenient. Then I don't even have to make a cable loop. I just carry BONZAI attached to 6 inch cable at all times. If SimpleTech can think of some design to make this 6 inch cable a double usage of a being a key chain, this stuff can be really hot. Current design can also allow BONZAI to attach to a small string loop (comes in the package) through a small loop on the end of BONZAI so that BONZAI can be attached to key chain. But both the string loop and the small loop on the end of BONZAI simply don't look sturdy enough to give confidence that they won't break upon certain impact.

There is something controversial here. It is a standard that LED on the flash readers should flash during access of flash card. That BONZAI does. It is also a standard that when access is completed, the LED should light steadily without flash. But instead my new BONZAI, when access completed, the LED light is also off. This is quite odd. At first I thought may be my new BONZAI is a lemon. But then I can read and write into SD card in the BONZAI very well. If this is the design, I have not seen other readers or flash drives did this. However, I am not bothered by this difference, for as long as BONZAI's LED is flashing, I know it has not yet finishing copy or writing yet. I will wait until LED is off, then I know its job is done and I can take BONZAI off the USB socket. However, with regard to LED I hope the next BONZAI version will roll back to the standard as that is what I am used to.



Rating:
Summary: First reviewer incorrect
Review: I have this product and it's blazing fast. The problem the first reviewer had was that he was most likely using a slow SD card. The faster cards can trasfer at a max of 10 MB/sec which is nowhere near the maximum bandwidth of USB 2.0 (about 50 MB/sec). Meanwhile, the slower cards have transfer speeds as low as 2-3 MB/sec which would explain his slow download speeds. Get a faster memory card and this reader will fly.

Rating:
Summary: Re-use (Camera) SD Cards
Review: I like to take a lot of pictures when I travel. I almost always get a new camera every 2 years as the digital ones keep getting better. The new ones can use quite large Secure Digital flash memory cards. Of course, after 6 months, the cards are both small and can be replaced by ones much, much larger for next to nothing.

I used to put the old ones in a PDA or laptop as a low power disk drive. Now I just put the new one in as a disk drive. 1GB for next to nothing, which is quite a deal.

With the Bonzai, I just stick a new card into it and place the Bonzai into a USB port and it just works. It works with Windows XP, Mac OS X, and Linux. I have amazed people in places like P.R. China, Australia, Austria, and even the USA with swapping other people's SD cards for mine in the Bonzai and, voila, it just works.

For the price, this is one of the wonders of the electronic world. I give them away as thank you gifts. I have always received complementary comments later.

Rating:
Summary: Highly overlooked product
Review: I've used the original USB 1 version Bonzai for over 2 years, and am about to get a newer USB 2 version. I don't understand how so many are buying 'fixed' flash memory these days, yet overlook this product. Bonzai is one of the smallest flash drive I've seen, and even better yet, this is upgradable. 32MB SD came with mine, and I've put in 128MB SD now (I put the old one in my DV camcorder). When the price goes down, I'm planning to get 1GB, and put the old one on other devices I have.

For those who use this as an SD adapter to download pictures, MP3s, etc, I'd use PCMCIA adapter - much faster, and don't need to take off the plastic cover of Bonzai. It's true that whatever moving parts will likely get lost - I lost my cap. However, a call to Simple Tech quickly solve that proble. They mailed a replacement cap for free (I know others who's done the same).

If you want a flash memory, this is highly recommended for its size and upgradeability.

Rating:
Summary: Highly under-rated gadget
Review: The SimpleTech Bonzai is one of the smallest SD card readers available.

I have used it on my keychain (attached by the small and durable cord loop) for the past ten months. It provides true USB 2.0 speeds, limited only by the speed of the memory card installed. It has allowed me to access the SD memory cards installed in my camera and mp3 player at any computer anywhere, essentially turning the card reader into a flash drive at whim.

The only issues with it are that the two plastic caps on the USB connector and the SD slot are easily lost and inconvenient to remove and replace every time you swap cards.

The reviewer who gave it one star seems to have had significant issues with the Bonzai on his computer. I am inclined to think the problems were as likely due to issues with the computer or the card being used in the Bonzai. Most likely the reviewer tried to use the Bonzai on a computer without Windows 2000 or XP (Win98 or NT require drivers to be installed before use). Barring a freak incompatibility, if you have XP or 2000 the Bonzai should be recognized instantly as a flash drive.

That said, this is an excellent, underrated device that ought to be much more widely used given the number of devices that use SD cards, and the low cost of SD cards these days (...). I have found the Bonzai more reliable than the internal card reader on my desktop computer (it could read a card that the internal card reader could not) and I can't recommend it more.

Rating:
Summary: Fast and inexpensive
Review: This product works as advertised. If you pair it with one of the new fast SD cards, it will fly. The size of the unit with an SD card installed is about as small as possible -- there is no wasted space. I was surprised that they can fit a push-to-eject mechanism into such a small space and still have room for the electronics.

The only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the card can come out of contact if the unit is subjected to a mechanical shock. This problem is easily remedied by pushing the card in, but I feel that the card door should push on the card in some way to prevent this. It is a device that most people will carry in their pocket, after all. For the price, I'm willing to put up with this small flaw.

Rating:
Summary: outstanding product
Review: Thumbdrives are great; have got them for my kids. But if you want to share data with other devices than computers, more generic flash memory (like SD) is preferable. I've got a few SD cards for my PDA, my camcorder, and my laptop (it has a built-in SD drive). The Bonzai allows me to swap cards/files with these devices and other computers (with USB ports), using thumbdrive-like device. Big advantage of Bonzai is you can swap out SD flash memory, using it for multiple cards. Or even if you only used it as a thumbdrive, it has the advantage of being upgradable. I started using it with a 256MB SD card; just got a 1GB 32x SD card and it flies.