http://www.everythingusb.com/belkin_usb_anywhere.html

Basically that device "pretends" to be a computer in that it's a bridge between your camera and a portable hard drive. You plug your camera into this device and then plug the device into a portable harddrive.

of course an alternative is to get a portable hdd with memory slots built in, but this is a cheaper alternative since it's only $60 and a portable hdd can be had for as little as $50.

I'm trying to figure out a use for this. It's not a drive, it's not a computer--what is it, actually?

I got a free USB card reader with the last SD card I bought on Ebay and just use that to upload straight to Flickr from internet cafés but with 1GB SD cards now available, I probably won't run out of storage space.

The device is mostly for people who use gobs of space while on the road...like me! I shoot raw+jpg so a 1gb card only holds about 100 photos for me.

This device lets you transfer your memory cards to a portable hard drive without the need for a computer.

Do the people who run cybercafés ever give you a hard time about sticking a device in one of their USB ports? I have a blog site that I'd like to make entries into while on a trip to Patagonia later this year.

Jim Paris

Se my blog at: Jim Paris at Yahoo-360

quote:

I got a free USB card reader with the last SD card I bought on Ebay and just use that to upload straight to Flickr from internet cafés but with 1GB SD cards now available, I probably won't run out of storage space.

I've never been hassled for plugging into a USB at a cafe.

I've seen places where you can't get to the tower itself, so you're unable to use the ports, etc.

But where it was available, not normally a problem.

quote:

Originally posted by Corvinus:
Do the people who run cybercafés ever give you a hard time about sticking a device in one of their USB ports?

I went and purchased the Belkin bridge unit, along with a 2GB Kingston Data Traveler and a 40 GB Western Digital Passport USB 2.0 Portable 2.5" External Hard Drive. I tried the Belkin with the Data Traveler, and it worked perfectly. The HDD is still on order (as of 8/24/06 when I edited this post).

Thanks for the heads up!

Jim Paris