Kingston’s New 15-in-1 Flash Memory Reader

Kingston Updates Their Flash Memory Reader!

A few months ago we reviewed the Kingston Ultimate 1GB SD card and during our testing of the card we found that Kingston’s flash memory reader was unable to keep up with high speed memory. Our review made it to the upper levels of Kingston and Legit Reviews was informed that a new one was now in the works. It took a few months, but when the HS215/1 flash memory reader came in we were still ready to benchmark it. The new Kingston FCR-HS215/1 flash media reader offers increased versatility and performance at a reduced price point from previous models. Read on to see what kind of performance you can get out of sub $20 flash reader.

The reader has been deigned with four media ports that support 15 popular types of Flash memory cards, Kingston?s USB 2.0 Hi-speed 15-in-1 Reader is incredibly versatile for both personal and/or business use. The 15-in-1 reader is also plug and play complaint with any USB port and Windows 2000 or newer operating system. (No power cables required to use the reader as it draws power from the USB cable.) Let’s take a look at the general features of the FCR-HS215/1 reader.

Features

• Readable Memory – CompactFlash (CF) I and II, Secure Digital, miniSD, microSD (SD adapter included), MultiMediaCard (MMC) Version 3.1, MMCmicro (MMC adapter required), MMCmobile (DV RS-MMC), MMCplus (Version 4.0), RS-MMC (Version 3.1), Microdrive (CF Types II), Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick PRO Duo, SmartMedia*
• Dimensions ? 3.46? x 2.19? x .63? (8.78 cm x 5.56 cm x 1.6 cm)
• Standardized ? complies with USB 2.0 Hi-speed specification standards for up to 480 Mbps data transfer and backwards compatible with USB 1.1 specifications for up to 12 Mbps
• Operating Temperature ? 0^o to 70^o C / 32^o to 158^o F
• Storage Temperature ? -10^o to 90^o C / 50^o to 194^o F
• Weight ? 0.108 lbs. (.05g)
• Operating System Compatibility ? Windows 2000 (SP 3 and above) and XP; Mac OS 9.1 or later
• Portable ? convenient small size; no power cable required
• Easy ? plug and play into any USB 2.0 or 1.1 port
• Guaranteed ? five-year warranty

With aging looks and sub-par performance levels it was only a matter of time till Kingston Technology updated their flash media card reader. I?m sure it?s just a coincidence that Kingston released their updated reader just days before the holiday shopping season took off! This is, after all, going to be one of the first of many flash device driven holiday seasons. If you are giving the gift of a mobile phone or digital camera this would be the ideal stocking stuffer to go along with it! Gone is the thick grey reader with the green LED activity light and in is the new thin grey model that features two LED lights ? blue for power and pink for showing activity.

The old model sported an USB cable that was hard wired into the reader, while the new one features a Mini-USB interface on the device. When traveling with the old reader I often found myself just throwing the reader in my laptop bag and having to route the cable someplace for it to fit. With the new reader the device easily fits in one of the inside laptop pouches and the wire can be wrapped up and placed in the same pocket. Added convinces are what makes daily life less of a chore and although something like this is subtle, it makes packing easier and more compact.

Kingston also thought ahead and put a diagram on the back of the reader that shows what type of memory goes where. The above image shows the Kingston media card slot information diagram and also the mini-USB jack with the cord removed.