Product Link : Lexar Echo MX Backup Drive ($54.99 for 16GB)

USB flash drives are a great way to move data between computers, but with so many choices, it may be hard to decide which one to get. Fortunately, Monday’s Mac Gadget is here to help. As a followup to a recent media event, we received a sample of a new product, put it through it’s paces, and think this is a USB flash drive that will appeal to your inner geek, or that special geek that deserves a present.

The Lexar Echo MX Backup Drive (we tested the 16GB version) has a lot going for it. The first is that it is a relatively quick performer for a USB 2.0 device. Many thumb drives on the market typically offer read speeds in the low tens of megabytes per second, and are lucky to reach double digits when it comes to write speeds, as shown in this comparison chart. We confirmed that the 16GB version of this product could achieve up to 30MB/sec read speeds, and up to 10MB/sec write speeds. Second, this drive offers storage space up to 128 GB, although you’ll pay for it.

Lexar Echo MX Backup Drive

Third, the drive comes with the Lexar Echo Backup Manager software, for both Mac and Windows.  Once you’ve installed and configured the software, any time you insert the drive, it will automatically backup the data you’ve selected from your computer to the drive. The software also supports versioning, password protection and encryption, and an online backup option, with 2GB of free storage. Last, the drive has a capacity meter that operates even without power, so at a glance, you can see how much space is used and available, to the nearest 10 percent.

If you’re looking for a full-featured USB drive for yourself, or even a friend, the Lexar Echo MX Backup Drive is worth a look. Have any other gadgets you’d want to get for yourself, or a friend? Send an email to John and he’ll check it out.