MP3 Player Gets Crunchy
I took a 6GB silver IPod Mini along in my car for a bouncy ride, dropped it on wet grass and dry pavement, knocked it off a desk onto carpeted and hardwood floors, and dropped it in dry sand.
Like a nervous runway model, the IPod Mini looks great but spooks easily. Bouncing inside the car caused a couple of skips. Drops on soft wet grass and carpet had no ill effect, though the pretty player practically begs to be wiped clean.
Dropping it from the car seat to the curb, and off a desk onto a hardwood floor, produced a few nicks and caused songs to skip and the device to shut down repeatedly. Still, all the unit's features continued to work after the abuse, and songs played.
But my Mini did not like the beach. Without the benefit of a protective case or plastic display covering on the unit, sand wedged under the scroll wheel, affecting all controls. I could see the feature settings and highlight them, but the crunching sand somehow prevented the Mini from launching them. The unit turned on, but could not turn off. I had to wait several minutes for the IPod's automatic shutdown feature--which kicks in after a few minutes without play--to take effect.
Although I was able to turn the player back on, the screen was jumpy; and, again, settings could be highlighted but not set. After I blew off the external sand with compressed air and gently shook the unit, the Mini pulled itself together and began to work properly. Unfortunately, I found no easy way to open the case and blow out the sand that remained trapped inside. I could still hear the grains crunching under the wheel and inside the unit. What's more, weeks after the test, the unit is still slow to turn on and off, sometimes requiring that I press the wheel several times before it wakes up or shuts down. Nevertheless, to its credit, all of the IPod Mini's features work. GRADE: STURDY
Superlative Memory Key
Photograph: Manuello PaganelliLexar claims that its JumpDrive Sport 256MB USB 2.0 Flash Drive is "built for the rugged life." A rubber cap protects the device, absorbing shock from any drops. For these experiments I used the device without its cap, to really test its mettle (and, more honestly, because I misplaced the cap).
I knocked the drive off a desk onto a hardwood floor, dropped it, stepped on it, and buried it in the sand. It also took a spin through the washing machine and dryer. Just to mix things up, I ran over it with my car, too.
There is truth in advertising. Neither water, heat, sand, nor BMW could keep the memory key from its appointed storage rounds. Abuse bounced off the Lexar like bullets off Superman. The car did squeeze the metal USB connector tip a tad tighter, but the device was still able to make contact with the USB port, and it worked perfectly. No wonder these durable drives have kicked the venerable floppy into extinction. GRADE: EXTREMELY STURDY
Mighty Memory Card
My biggest complaint with portable storage devices like the SanDisk SD 64MB media card is that they're so easy to misplace. As for the media card's durability: spectacular. I swatted it off a desk onto a hardwood floor, dropped it, stepped on it, and buried it in the sand. I also "forgot" it in a jeans front pocket, where it underwent a two-rinse cycle in the wash and then tumbled in the dryer for an hour on a high "cotton" setting.
The SanDisk memory card aced every torture test. During its dryer spin, the card tumbled out of the pants pocket. I finally found it nestled in a sheet, and after taking it out, it still worked.
Then, I placed the card in the Canon camera where it was repeatedly dropped. It survived every test, data intact. I'll likely lose this card long before it ever loses any data. GRADE: EXTREMELY STURDY
So what I have learned? These products are surprisingly tough, but many have an Achilles' heel--liquid in the case of the notebook, sand for the IPod, and hardwood and concrete floors with the digital camera. While you may get away with a couple of accidental spills and drops, the best way to safeguard your gear is to use a protective case. Some are more cushioned than others, though, so be prepared to shop around to find the perfect one for you. As for me, well, I have even more respect for my tech products. Gone is my need for payback for all the destroyed drives and dropped calls I've endured over the years. Now if only I could find that memory key's protective rubber cap.
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