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Review: TheMiniDrive.com microSD card adapter

oneMadRssn

oneMadRssn

macrumors 603
Original poster
Sep 8, 2011
5,978
13,990
xproc said:
Does it look like this? Is it worth $30?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Micro-SD-TF-to-SD-USB-Flash-U-Disk-Adapter-1GB-2GB-4G-8G-16GB-Card-Adapter-/140912429964

Image

Image
Click to expand...

I think it looks much better than hacking that SD card in half with a saw or something.


As for value, it's totaly up to the user. $30 does seem a bit steep for what is essentially a microSD adapter. I would put it like this:
- If you need extra low-speed storage in your MBA, and you can make something similar to this in less than an hour, then $30 is not worth it.
- If you don't need low-speed storage in your MBA, then $30 is not worth it.
- If you need extra low-speed storage in your MBA, don't feel like futzing around with breaking SD cards, and would rather just buy an off-the-shelf solution, then the $30 is well spent.
 
X

xproc

macrumors member
Oct 22, 2012
47
14
Malaysia
SteveJobs2.0 said:
That's a completely different product.
Click to expand...

the earlier prototypes had more similar looks, that time it is still $20, now is more like the nifty minidrive, but price is higher now($30),

previous nifty minidrive doesnt have very good reviews (built quality), now they are switching to Foxconn, lets hope this is going well...

anyway i more concern speed of the microsd to adapter to mac...

sandisk release extreme pro version of microsd to fight Toshiba and samsung microsd... but i not sure the speed limit of the SD of our macs can takes...

anyway its not relevant to me anymore... :)
 
onepoint

onepoint

macrumors 6502a
Aug 3, 2010
857
556
USA
I purchased a minidrive as well. I've experienced repeated issues whereas coming out of sleep mode I'll find the microSD has been ejected. And it's not easy to remove/reinstall the minidrive in order for the card to be re-recognized.
 
E

emartins

macrumors newbie
Jul 24, 2011
25
3
I'll post the positive review. Ordered mine back in Feb and it still works great till today. Never broke or gave me any issues with the Mac. I do have the MiniDrive version. I still recommend it till today.
 
S

SteveJobs2.0

macrumors 6502a
Mar 9, 2012
942
1,716
Another thing people fail to take into account is that that this is a "semi permanant" solution, meaning that it is not meant to be taken out multiple times per week. This is mainly a leave it inside and forget it solution except for a few special instances where you might need to use the SD slot for another purpose.
 
ZBoater

ZBoater

macrumors G3
Jul 2, 2007
8,497
1,322
Sunny Florida
I got mine today, and it doesn't look anything like the picture in the OP. Instead of a grey edge with a slot for a paperclip to pull it out, mine is black, and has no slot. It has a transparent tab that folds over when inserting the drive, and it pulls out (like a tongue) which you can grab and pull out the drive with.

The outside packaging is the same, the package says TheMiniDrive.com on the front, but they've changed the design and I'm not sure I like that clear plastic tongue.
 
T

thelookingglass

macrumors 68020
Apr 27, 2005
2,138
633
ZBoater said:
I got mine today, and it doesn't look anything like the picture in the OP. Instead of a grey edge with a slot for a paperclip to pull it out, mine is black, and has no slot. It has a transparent tab that folds over when inserting the drive, and it pulls out (like a tongue) which you can grab and pull out the drive with.

The outside packaging is the same, the package says TheMiniDrive.com on the front, but they've changed the design and I'm not sure I like that clear plastic tongue.
Click to expand...

Try the Apotop on Newegg.com. There's a thread about it on here. A lot cheaper and seems to work better. Only thing is that it comes in sort of bright colors, but that may or may not matter to you.
 
ZBoater

ZBoater

macrumors G3
Jul 2, 2007
8,497
1,322
Sunny Florida
thelookingglass said:
Try the Apotop on Newegg.com. There's a thread about it on here. A lot cheaper and seems to work better. Only thing is that it comes in sort of bright colors, but that may or may not matter to you.
Click to expand...

I saw that one, but I already bought this one. It works fine, but it looks nothing like the pictures in the OP. They may have changed the design to be removable with this new strap rather than a paper clip to address the breakage issue. If they did, the solution looks cheap and tacky.
 
ZBoater

ZBoater

macrumors G3
Jul 2, 2007
8,497
1,322
Sunny Florida
On a separate but related note, has anyone been able to change the SD Card drive icon to something more interesting? I've tried the copy paste trick that is posted all over the internet but for some reason the new icon refuses to take and all I get is a generic icon with the letters PNG on it.
 
hakr100

hakr100

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2011
967
113
East Coast
I bought one of the Apotop adapters from a poster here, and used it to insert my 64GB SDXC card. Once inserted, hardly any of the adapter protrudes. In fact, since I have my MBA in an STM case, the adapter protrudes a hair less than the case.

This is not a device I plan on inserting and removing. Unless something goes wrong, the card is in my MBA to stay.
 
S

SteveJobs2.0

macrumors 6502a
Mar 9, 2012
942
1,716
ZBoater said:
I saw that one, but I already bought this one. It works fine, but it looks nothing like the pictures in the OP. They may have changed the design to be removable with this new strap rather than a paper clip to address the breakage issue. If they did, the solution looks cheap and tacky.
Click to expand...

That is a different version I believe.
 
Virtual Steve

Virtual Steve

macrumors member
Jan 24, 2012
58
27
ZBoater said:
On a separate but related note, has anyone been able to change the SD Card drive icon to something more interesting? I've tried the copy paste trick that is posted all over the internet but for some reason the new icon refuses to take and all I get is a generic icon with the letters PNG on it.
Click to expand...

ZBoater, not really sure what you're doing wrong, but the images that you're trying to use as replacement drive icons still need to be in the .icns format. I don't believe that copy & paste method you're talking about will work with just any image format. I've attached a zip file with 5 different Nifty MiniDrive icons that I created a while ago in the .icns format that you are free to use. Actually there are 4 Nifty MiniDrive icons and one SanDisk microSD card icon. I've verified that all of these do work as intended.

I was a backer of the Nifty MiniDrive early on (when they were funded on IndieGoGo, before they hit Kickstarter), so some of the drive images are from their original Mark I all metal prototype. I've actually had that model for over a year now, and have no complaints, although their current model (Mark II) has had quite a few problems with read-only issues and the drive separating from the faceplate. Hopefully, the Mark III version due out next month will resolve those issues. Anyway, hope this helps. Post back if you still don't have success replacing the drive icons.
 

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ZBoater

ZBoater

macrumors G3
Jul 2, 2007
8,497
1,322
Sunny Florida
SteveJobs2.0 said:
That is a different version I believe.
Click to expand...

Ahhh, yes. Mine is "the original". There are different versions for different laptops. Ratz.

----------
Virtual Steve said:
ZBoater, not really sure what you're doing wrong, but the images that you're trying to use as replacement drive icons still need to be in the .icns format. I don't believe that copy & paste method you're talking about will work with just any image format. I've attached a zip file with 5 different Nifty MiniDrive icons that I created a while ago in the .icns format that you are free to use. Actually there are 4 Nifty MiniDrive icons and one SanDisk microSD card icon. I've verified that all of these do work as intended.

I was a backer of the Nifty MiniDrive early on (when they were funded on IndieGoGo, before they hit Kickstarter), so some of the drive images are from their original Mark I all metal prototype. I've actually had that model for over a year now, and have no complaints, although their current model (Mark II) has had quite a few problems with read-only issues and the drive separating from the faceplate. Hopefully, the Mark III version due out next month will resolve those issues. Anyway, hope this helps. Post back if you still don't have success replacing the drive icons.
Click to expand...

Thank you! This is very nice of you. I will try these and report back.

I was able to get the png files to work, but inconsistently. I reformatted the card in OS X format, and the copy and paste method worked. I then reformatted again in exfat and it worked once. After that it didn't seem to work, although after several tries I rebooted and then it took. :confused:
 
ZBoater

ZBoater

macrumors G3
Jul 2, 2007
8,497
1,322
Sunny Florida
Ok, tried them, and had the same result. At first it didn't seem to take, but after rebooting the new icon showed up. The Sandisk card icon is very cool.

Not sure it if has something to do with 10.8.4 or what, but at least it works!
 

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