Full Review

29 October 2007 - The USB memory stick has replaced the humble floppy disc as the easiest way to share files and with capacities growing, and prices falling, they make an essential purchase for any PC user.

The only thing that seems to differentiate different makes of key is speed and capacity.

This 4GB stick is great value at £25 (inc. VAT) but Verbatim has decided that it doesn’t want to just offer space, as the key comes bundled with an application called Carry It Easy Plus, which is worth £20 on its own.

The software is a rival to U3, which is the software on a stick promoted by the likes of Sandisk, and allows you to load a range of applications without having them installed on the host PC.

Alongside password protecting your data, the software also offers desktop and folder synchronisation and even works with Microsoft Outlook.

You can use the stick to load your favourite web browser, as it supports both Internet Explorer and Firefox. It will even wipe your online footprint, which is great if you have to use a public machine.

When it comes to the drive itself, it’s not the smallest of sticks but it’s a neat design. In terms of speed, it’s fairly average, as it managed to copy 1GB of files in a little over three minutes.

VERDICT
As a mid-range USB memory stick offering plenty of space and a little extra in the form of software, this is a great buy.