In The Box :

As you can see the packaging is very tastefully done with a small clear panel to show off what lies inside though, as you'd expect with this type of product what lies inside is not a whole lot of stuff.

 

In addition to the V-Drive itself you get a a neck strap (lanyard), USB extansion cable, Mulitilingual user's manual, registration slip and Windows 98 USB drivers on CDRom. It's a minor point but the CD is an 8cm disk which means you're stumped if you're using a slot loading CD-ROM drive.

The extension cable itself seems very well made and features a clear outer shroud with silver braiding visible beneath. It measures around 40 inches which is pretty generous and should be enough for almost all uses.

The V-Drive :

At only 83.5 x 22.5 x 10.5mm the V-Drive is very compact, as indeed are most of these devices. However the difference is in the design, believe it or not, and V-tec deserve both a pat on the back and a good kick up the fuel dump on this score.

Where they've done a good job is with the ergonomics. No, I've not been drinking. Seriously, having used similar devices that have been designed with smooth, flat surfaces and bullet like shapes it can be a real bind crawling under a hot desk with sweaty hands and trying to get the thing plugged in. Of course if you have a hub then it's not a great problem but not everybody has.

Also, one of the complaints I had with the Trek 2000 ThumbDrive we reviewed was the lack of a pocket clip. Lots of these devices now come with pocket clips as standard but have you noticed how many of them have the clip on the cap rather than on the device itself? If you think I'm just being picky think about it. You might want to clip your V-Drive onto a notepad or a clipboard as you go about your work. You might have a shirt with shallow pockets and deside to clip it on the outside of the pocket rather than the inside. You might want to clip it on the outside of a trouser pocket so it doesn't get beaten up by half a ton of loose change and car keys. Next thing you know the cap and the drive have parted company and which bit are you left with? Yeah, the cap! V-Tec have at least had the sense to place the clip on the drive itself.

Another nice touch is the supplied neckstrap (or lanyard as they like to call it). For extra security this lets you hang the V-drive round your neck (go figure!)or thread it through a belt loop.

And when you need to use the V-Drive there's no need to fumble about with the strap, it comes with a spring loaded quick release clip so you're ready for instant action when duty calls.

In fact the only thing V-Tec did wrong with the design, and the thing they need the kicking for, was to make the hole that the neckstrap threads through too small. Trying to feed the strap though this hole is akin to trying to nail a blancmange to the ceiling. In the end I resorted to using a tooth pick to force it through but even then it was tight. Such a simple thing yet so frustrating. Come on V-Tec, find a bigger drill bit!

At the top side of the V-Drive are your regular features. A small, recessed switch allows you to write protect it and though recessed it's fairly easy to select the position while not being so easy you can move it accidentally.

 

Below this is the activity LED which glows green when powered up and in standby and changes to orange/red when reading or writing.