SimpleTech STI-USM100 FlashLink SmartMedia USB Reader/Writer

by SimpleTech

Product Details

Product Manual [191kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000633DV
• Item model number: STI-USM100
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 16, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

SimpleTech FlashLink is the perfect tool for quickly and easily transferring data between a PC or Macintosh and your SmartMedia cards. You can move images, MP3 music files, and other data, all with transfer rates up to 30 times faster than you'd get from a standard serial connection. FlashLink requires no external power source and has a sleek, compact design, giving you hassle-free portability.

FlashLink offers true plug-and-play capability with USB technology. Simply insert your digital media card into the FlashLink and it will automatically appear as an additional removable drive, letting you drag and drop files with ease.

SimpleTech FlashLink is compatible with all brands of digital media cards and gives you a true high-speed USB interface of up to 1.5 MBps, supporting the maximum data transfer rate of the media format. An LED indicates power status and activity. The reader comes with a CD-ROM for simple and speedy installation.

Product Description

FlashLink readers are easy to use. Simply plug the reader into the USB port of your computer or notebook and you're ready to go. Or use a FlashLink PC Card adapter with your notebook's PC Card slot. FlashLink makes it easy to transfer data while at home, at the office, or on the road. FlashLink accessories are small and portable so they're easy to pack for travel. Accessing your data is easy too. Simply insert a flash memory card into your compatible FlashLink accessory and your data is immediately available for transferring and sharing. You can also transfer data between cards when you use a FlashLink with multiple slots. You can also use FlashLink to reformat a flash memory card. Using your digital camera or MP3 player to transfer data to a computer can take a heavy toll on battery life. If you use AA batteries to power your camera you'll be spending lots of time at the supermarket buying new batteries--an expensive habit. If you use the expensive rechargeable lithium ion batteries, you'll shorten their lifespan. Use FlashLink to speed the transfer and save battery life on your digital device.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Reader, Bad documentation/Install for Win XP, July 19, 2002

By 

"yankeeblues" (West Hartford, CT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: SimpleTech STI-USM100 FlashLink SmartMedia USB Reader/Writer (Personal Computers)

I bought this reader after seeing the good reviews here and the CLAIMED compatibility with Windows XP. This reader should be rcognized by WinXP without installing ANY software. Nope. Here is my XP install experience: First, the reader would not be recognized without using the included drivers. The instructions say to install the drivers BEFORE plugging in the unit - this would not work for me despite 5 tries. Web site documentation was no help - very poor (Are you reading this, Simpletech?) However, in desperation, I tried to install sofware with reader plugged in (contrary to the instructions)and it installed perfectly. During the install, XP warns you that the drivers are NOT MS certified for compatibility- the Simpletech web site says to ingnore this and install anyway and lacking any preferable options, that is what I did. Another major dumb thing Simplicity did was to show a photo of a smartmedia card in the reader on the package inserted UPSIDE DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!! C'mon guys! So don't use the cover picture as a guide- the instructions are correct but many people will look at the pic rather than reading the flimsy product support.

Now for the good - the reader is extremely fast, and the design is nice if you have usb ports on the front of your computer. It plugs in to the face plate with no cards and does come with an adapter cord if you'd rather run it to the back.

Another case of a good product rendered not as good resulting from poor product documentation and support.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My digital cameras best friend!, April 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: SimpleTech STI-USM100 FlashLink SmartMedia USB Reader/Writer (Personal Computers)

I love my Olympus D-370, but it takes just too long to get the images to my computer. I read or heard some where that card readers where the way to go, so I got the Simpletech Flashlink... since I already use their SM cards. Works perfectly... gets images to my computer fast! Plus, it frees up my Olympus to take more pictures!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars XP users stay away!, July 31, 2002

By 

Dan Beauchamp (Bisbee, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: SimpleTech STI-USM100 FlashLink SmartMedia USB Reader/Writer (Personal Computers)

If you are an XP user, I strongly advise that you not buy this product. I did, despite the trouble another reviewer experienced. My system had a serious failure twice: once using the CD software they supplied and that was said to be XP compatible and the second time after downloading the driver explictly for XP. Why spend money for something that can screw up your computer? I am returning my device immediately. SimpleTech ought to be ashamed of its false advertising and its very, very buggy software.