Sony 32GB Microvault USB Flash Drive for Smartphone (USM32SA1/B)

What's Good(+) Small, efficient form factor(+) Attached cap for the micro-USB end(+) Indicator light for activityWhat's Not Too Good(-) Finish on the regular USB end prone to smudgingCaveats(/) Only compatible with certain Android devices; check with Sony to ensure that your device is compatible with this productOverall: Five stars. It would be better if the finish was more resistant to fingerprints, but it does not detract from the generally good experience of this productNote: This review is based on the 32GB versionUnless you have one of those Android devices that still support SD cards, you just have to make do with the internal storage capacity that comes with it. Thankfully, the folks at Sony still somewhat understand that some people prefer to have a swappable storage option and came out with this Microvault product.This Sony Microvault for smartphones has both a regular USB end to plug into the PC and a micro-USB end for connection with compatible Android devices. Compatibility is really difficult to determine at this point however.Unlike with PCs, where regular USB devices are generally universally compatible, the Android scene is a totally different story. It differs not only with the smartphone/tablet manufacturer, but also with the Android version as well. Say what you want about Microsoft, but at least they made huge strides with keeping the Windows PC software experience generally consistent across different hardware manufacturers.Sony has a compatibility list on their website, but I found it to be somewhat outdated, last updated on July 7, 2014 as of this writing. Bear in mind, Sony also can't test every Android device out there, so the list may be missing a few compatible devices. I use a retail unlocked Moto G (2013), updated to Android KitKat 4.4.4 and it was able to read the Microvault, but maybe I'm just lucky.Android does not have a native file explorer, or at least I can't find one, so you have to download a separate app to navigate the USB drive. Sony has its own File Manager software for use, but personally, I have not tried it as I'm more familiar with the ES File Explorer app and I can navigate the flash drive just fine.On the regular USB end, you get a USB 2.0 capable drive so the speeds are definitely slower if you're used to USB 3.0; I get around 10 - 12 MB/s transfer rates to the Microvault, which is within my expected parameters.For the device itself, Amazon's illustrations will give you a pretty good picture on what you'll receive. There is also a small activity indicator light at the side of the device despite its small form factor and I feel it's a nice touch to have and really shows Sony's attention to detail that enhances the use experience.One thing I found though is that the finish on the regular USB end is quite prone to finger smudges. It is just a cosmetic issue and the drive still performs as expected, but it kind of contradicts the attention to detail compliment I had earlier for the inclusion of the activity indicator light. Thankfully, this is just a very minor issue exhibited by the Microvault.Overall, whether it is the limited internal capacity on my smartphone or just me simply not wishing to take out my laptop to access my files, I found the Sony Microvault for smartphones a good and useful product to have. If it were to have a USB 3.0 refresh, I'll definitely also consider it for purchase.

I am not sure why more manufacturers have not thought about this since all smartphones went to universal micro USB but Sony has and as usual with little fanfare. Sony has a habit of coming out with innovative gadgets but does not really advertise them. Only to have other manufacturers copy them.This little flash drive is attractive and uses normal 2.0 USB on one side and a micro USB under the cap on top. It's made of plastic and super light. It's ultra portable and also looks great attached to a laptop. It can conceivably stay attached to almost any gadget permanently without having to take it out when you have take your phone, tablet or laptop. It can pretty much stay attached. The drive works as any flash drive but allows you to use the micro usb to plug into smart phones and tablets allowing you to use it as an expanded drive. It stores everything a normal flash drive stores. This is so awesome for smart phones and laptops making it extremely convenient to take content from your pc and transfer it to your cell phone and tablet, or to simply play from the usb. It is small enough to just leave attached to the usb and play back directly from the usb so you don't have to use any space on your phone or tablet.You also have the option to download a file manager app on the play store. The app is slightly useful but not required although if you want to open files documents more easily it might help. In terms of music pictures and video, it automatically shows up on your phone. The file manager makes it easy to search your phone, micro sd and usb media. I read on the play store that some people without experia phones were experiencing problems. Since I have a sony experia I have had not issues but cannot speak for other phones. But like I said, the app is not necessary.There are only two gripes on my end and not enough to reduce the five star rating, just a suggestion....the cap used to protect the micro usb portion twits and opens but it is tethered with a plastic hinge you have to flip over. This is so you don't lose the cap but the plastic on the hinge is a little hard and makes attaching the micro usb a little difficult as the cap is pushing the drive slightly due to the usb's compactness. Perhaps making the hinge longer so the cap does not push on the phone so much would help.The other minor complaint is that it is not 3.0 and does not come in larger sizes. A 64 or 128 gb size would be great.Other than that, this little flashdrive is versatile and portable. It a life saver if you want to save memory on your phone or tablet and if you simply want to view video, music or files on the go without having to transfer data to your phone and tablet.

This is a nice, small drive with two ends. One fits a standard USB port and the other is micro USB. So you can load music, videos, or files from your computer and then transfer them to your tablet or smartphone -- IF it has micro USB. Why you couldn't do this with your tablet or smartphone's included cable is a mystery, but there it is.Anyway, it has a small green light that indicates when it's plugged in and transferring files, and it's small. The one issue I had is that it came with no instructions. None. Not even a little picture. Ikea does better than this! The cap twists and then comes off. I won't tell you how long I fought with it (nearly breaking it) before I figured that out. After that though, it works like a charm. But for the love of Pete, Sony, a little illustration or paper insert would have given you 5 stars!