iShowFast Review: The Super Useful Lightning and USB Flash Drive

iShowFast Review: The Super Useful Lightning and USB Flash Drive
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Given the increasing popularity of cloud services one wonders if there is any place for a new USB flash drive anymore. Accessory company Sanho sure thinks so and it has teamed up with Taiwanese company iCirround to produce an update of its popular iStick from last year.

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The iStick raised over $1.1 million through its Kickstarter campaign and Sanho is hoping for the same success for its new product, the iShowFast. No, that’s not a typo and yes we can all agree it’s a terrible name. But other than that oversight by the marketing team, the iShowFast is a massive improvement over last year’s iStick.

For starters, the iShowFast upgrades to a USB 3.0 port which the company claims is up to 14 times faster than the iStick with read speeds up to 140MB/second. The read speeds of the Lightning connector is also improved from 3 MB/second to 30MB/second.

Design

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The design is similar to the iStick but this year, the product features a gold aluminum body that favors the classy gold finish found in many Apple devices. The slider on the device allows you to easily switch between the Lighting and USB ports.

My biggest gripe with the design is the same I had for the iStick last year. The device doesn’t come with any type of cover for either the Lightning or USB port and since one port is always exposed this is troublesome because let’s be honest, this thing is going to spend a lot of time in either your lint filled pocket or the bottom of your laptop bag with your ink-pens, keys and whatever else could nick it up.

The only other notable design feature is the blue LED that lights up briefly to indicate when it is connected and when data is being transferred.

iOS App

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iCirround has already released an iOS app for the new device which has some pretty useful features. The app lets you manage both space on the flash drive and the iOS device. There is also an option to link your Dropbox account to the app, which may be useful in some situations but defeats one of the primary reasons to use the flash drive in the first place, security.

The number one concern most people have with cloud services like Dropbox is the security of their data. Many people, especially the business types, enjoy the security and control over their data provided by flash drives. That’s why the password protection supported by the iOS app may be its best feature.

When the app is first booted up, the main screen gives you the option to manage the storage on your iPhone, link a Dropbox account or take photos that will store directly to the app. Once the flash drive is connected the option to manage storage on that device is added. Another useful feature is the ability to back up any contacts that are stored on your iOS device in one step.

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The iShowFast app also includes some neat features for photos. You can capture photos and videos and have the option to save them directly to the iOS device’s local storage, the iShowFast flash drive or Dropbox. Some basic photo filters and editing capabilities are also included directly in the app.

Who is This For?

The iShowFast is definitely a niche produce as most people use some form of cloud storage to sync data between devices these days. But there are still plenty of people out there that are skeptical of cloud storage security and there are many more who have personalities that love to have control over their data.

There is a market for this flash drive and the iShowFast is the absolute best product in the category. So for those of you who need to physically transfer files with the security of password protection, the iShowFast is for you.

Final Words

The company began it’s Indiegogo campaign three days ago and has already raised over $70k surpassing its goal of $50k. The iShowFast is already in production and is scheduled to ship in November once the Indiegogo campaign ends.

They are offering 40% discounts for early birds who back the product before the campaign ends so if you’re interested now is the time to buy because they aren’t cheap. It is estimated they will retail starting at $79.99 for a 16GB model but you can pick one up now for $49 plus shipping.

Update: the iShowFast is now available to order online, here.

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