Data Backup Digest

Known as one of the most prolific manufacturers of flash-based memory, SanDisk's recent announcement only solidifies their position within the industry. Their newest device, the iXpand USB 2.0 / Lightning Drive, offers an inexpensive way to add extra storage to your iPhone or iPad.

The flash drive, which costs $59.99 for 16 GB, $79.99 for 32 GB or $119.99 for 64 GB, is a much cheaper alternative to Apple's own pricing scheme when it comes to adding storage capacity to either the iPhone or iPad. It is compatible with iPhones and iPads that including a Lightning connector and operate with iOS 7.1 or higher, though it can connect to Mac systems running OS X 10.6 or higher as well as Microsoft operating systems such as Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

SanDisk's vice president of product marketing, Dinesh Bahal, gave a fact-driven statement regarding the need for a device like the iXpand. He was quoted in a recent interview as saying: "According to IDC, nearly three-quarters of all images are now captured on smartphones and tablets. With this significant increase in mobile-generated content, consumers are looking for easy ways to manage it all. In fact, our research shows that 82% of U.S. smartphone users find transferring photos, videos, music and other files to be very important to them. We created the iXpand Flash Drive to offer consumers a quick and safe way to move their favorite content between devices so it's available when and where they want it."

Boasting numerous key features, all of which are meant to facilitate the storage, transfer and protection of files within the Apple architecture, the SanDisk iXpand USB 2.0 / Lightning Drive really is a handy little device. This includes the ability to easily transfer data between an iPhone, iPad or laptops and desktop computers, automatic file sync compatibility to let you automatically transfer stored photos or videos from a camera to your drive, achieve speeds that are up to three times faster than that of other comparable drives, the ability to watch movies or listen to music directly from the iXpand device and password protection. Finally, with capacities coming in at 16, 32 or 64 gigabytes, you will be able to select the exact amount of storage that is needed to fit your own storage requirements.

Finally, the SanDisk iXpand USB 2.0 / Lightning Drive supports all of the popular music and video files that are commonly used today. This includes MP3, WMV, AVI, MKV, MP4 and MOV, so users will be able to enjoy a variety of media options. The device comes with a 3.7V Li-ion battery, which comes pre-charged and ready to use immediately. Finally, every new purchase of the SanDisk iXpand USB 2.0 / Lightning Drive comes with a two-year limited warranty directly from the manufacturer.

Consumers who want to purchase the SanDisk iXpand USB 2.0 / Lightning Drive immediately have only two primary options: Best Buy or SanDisk's own website, each of which carry the drives in different capacities. The SanDisk iXpand USB 2.0 / Lightning Drive is available now at Best Buy stores or by visiting www.bestbuy.com or www.sandisk.com.