USB Flash drive for PC & Mac files swap

[MacSA]

Looking on the UK Apple store I found the tiny Iomega USB micro mini USB flash drive. I would like something to transfer files between a Mac and PC (Win ME it's also old and has no ethernet/bluetooth)


After reading up on the drive at the Iomega website it states that in order to transfer files between Mac and PC I would need to purchase a piece of software called "Macdrive" which allows the PC to read Mac formatted drives.

Has anyone any recommendations on USB Flash drives that allow you to easily transfer files between PC and Mac without having to purcahse additional software?

Heres the help article on the Iomega website:

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Can I use my Iomega Mini USB drive to transfer files between a Macintosh and a Windows PC?

Question:

Can I use my Iomega Mini USB drive to transfer files between a Macintosh and a Windows PC?

Answer:

The Iomega® Mini USB drive can be used to transfer files between a Macintosh® and a Windows® PC. What is needed to transfer files between these two platforms is dependant upon whether the Iomega Mini drive is formatted for use with a Macintosh or for use with Windows.

Windows

The Macintosh has the ability to read Windows formatted drives by default. This enables you to copy files back and forth without any additional software.

Note: In order to use the files on both Macintosh and Windows, you will need to have the relevant application installed on both computers. For example, if you are transferring an Excel document, you will need Excel installed on both computers.


Macintosh

Windows PCs do not have the ability to read Macintosh formatted drives by default. You will need to purchase and install a program that will read and write to Macintosh formatted drives, such as MacDrive 5 from http://www.macdrive.com

Note: In order to use the files on both Macintosh and Windows, you will need to have the relevant application installed on both computers. For example, if you are transferring an Excel document, you will need Excel installed on both computers.

[Blue Velvet]

OK, I use a flash USB drive at work over a dozen times a day to move stuff between my G5 & Dell because the IT team are too stubborn/ignorant/busy to let us network the Macs to the corporate network. Every time I get emailed a Word document that has to go into Quark it goes through a little key... :rolleyes:

1) Windows 2000 didn't need a driver for the key, other flavours of Windows may.
2) The key is formatted for Windows. The Mac read & writes to it, simple.

Since you're in the UK, get one of these. (http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listmfgr.asp?cat=drives+storage) Check that price against iomegas! Have one myself for taking work home...

[MacSA]

OK, I use a flash USB drive at work over a dozen times a day to move stuff between my G5 & Dell because the IT team are too stubborn/ignorant/busy to let us network the Macs to the corporate network. Every time I get emailed a Word document that has to go into Quark it goes through a little key... :rolleyes:

1) Windows 2000 didn't need a driver for the key, other flavours of Windows may.
2) The key is formatted for Windows. The Mac read & writes to it, simple.

Since you're in the UK, get one of these. (http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listmfgr.asp?cat=drives+storage) Check that price against iomegas! Have one myself for taking work home...

Cool, thanks for your help :)

[musicpyrite]

Windows 2000, XP, OS 9.1/9.2 and OS X (and 98SE w/ drivers) can easily share files using any USB pen drive. Just make sure it is formatted to FAT32, as Macs cannot write to NTFS, only read; and Windows cannot read or write to HFS+.

Any USB pen drive will work. No need to buy something %50 more expensive just because it say 'Mac compatible' on the box.

Just pick one of these, you can sort them by brand, size and type:
http://www.newegg.com/app/manufact.asp?catalog=68&DEPA=0

I own one of these and find it a god send for transferring files at school:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=20-214-007&DEPA=0

[PlaceofDis]

to use the drive, just open it in disk utility and format it to MS dos format or Fat32 and you will be good to go