Everything has apps today (GIVEAWAY)

Thank you to Kingston for sponsoring this review. Please click here to learn more about Kingston. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

As a full-time writer, I have to save a lot of files to my desktop computer. By a lot, I mean at least 30 articles per week. Since I have a life, I also enjoy editing photos and downloading craft ideas. If my computer had an aneurysm and lost the content I saved, I would feel mildly devastated. To help prevent such an occurrence, I use an external hard drive that I update daily. This hard drive is like a small brick, though, and is not convenient to carry around if I want to do work away from desktop. Plus, the external hard drive is expensive and I would be really annoyed if it was stolen. This is where the Kingston DataTraveler (DT) 109 with urDrive software steps in to save the day.

About the Kingston DT 109

The affordable Kingston DT 109 comes with 8 GB or 16 GB of storage space and works on Windows 7, Vista, XP and on Macs. When you plug the DT 109 into your computer, it launches special software with the urDrive interface, which is like a special desktop for the storage device. From the “desktop,” you can access your files, photos and a photo viewer, music and a built-in MP3 player, as well as additional special apps.

The built-in apps includes a Norton PC Checkup program that scans your computer, Maxthon Web browser, free games and links to You Tube, Facebook and Twitter. You can also purchase additional apps and use Fooz Kids. Fooz Kids is a free app that allows your children to safely access the Internet and play age-appropriate games. Through the urDrive software, you can also access an extra 6 GB of space online through VDrive. 

My Review

When I received the Kingston DT 109 in a flat envelope, I opened the package and could not believe how small the cap-less USB drive is: 1-by-1.5 inches and 0.5 centimeters thick. I’ve swallowed vitamins bigger than the drive. Needless to say, I affixed a lanyard to the end of the device so I don’t lose it in my home, pocket, purse, etc. The lanyard also helps pull the device out of a USB storage slot in my laptop, otherwise I have to remove all the things plugged into the USB slots to remove the drive because it is so small. The small size, however, is great if you want to add the DT 109 to a key chain or tuck it into your wallet.

The urDrive software on the DT 109 installed onto my computer within a matter of minutes. The storage system on the device is nice because you can easily store and find your data files, MP3s and photos in separate sections. The urDrive interface looks nice and the bottom tool bar is simple to navigate. However, it is not simple to click and open the bonus programs on the software, like the web browser or apps store. Sometimes the bonus programs opened with one click, sometimes two…sometimes 10. Additionally, when I tried to create an account with VDrive (several times), I failed because of a system error on the company’s end.

When you browse through the urDrive apps store, you cannot narrow your search by price. Kingston advertises that you get “many” free apps. By many, they mean about 10, which includes Huddle, Robo Form, Radar Sink and seven different games. A lot of the apps you must pay for appear useful and range in price from $3 to over $200. The free apps I chose took about a minute to download onto the drive. But while an item downloaded, I could not browse around the app store. Most of the free games look decent, I had to raise an eyebrow at a children’s social game called “Miss Bimbo,” where you play a character that is like (the media portrayal of) Paris Hilton in training.

Overall, I am quite satisfied with the Kingston DT 109. It serves the purpose for which I would use it—storage—and at the right price. The bonus features are added perks that make the drive more fun.

Giveaway

 Just because you are so cool, I am hosting a urDrive five-pack giveaway! To enter the contest, “like” Freelance Flora on Facebook (www.facebook.com/freelanceflora), “follow” Freelance Flora on Twitter (www.twitter.com/freelanceflora) and join my blog via the Google Friend Connect app on the sidebar. After doing this, let me know by posting a comment with your email address, Twitter handle and the name you use on Facebook. This contest ends on November 18, 2011 at 11:59 pm PST. This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only (sorry, international friends).

UPDATE:

Congratulations to erfunk for winning the giveaway. I used a random number generator to choose the winner (see screenshot below):