Dane-Elec ColorBytes

Note: Given the similarities in performance and design between the Dane-Elec ColorBytes and the Dane-Elec ShareBytes, the two reviews share some material.

At the risk of sounding like a grizzled curmudgeon, I still find myself surprised by the progressively younger age that children have begun using computers over the past few years. However, this is undeniably the case, and it therefore makes sense that a market exists for peripherals aimed exclusively towards youngsters. The Dane-Elec ShareBytes / ColorBytes Value Packs ("Value Packs") ($12.99 direct) fit squarely into this category. Both Value Packs consist of two 4GB USB 2.0 flash drives that differ only in design. They're not the fastest or most durable flash drives by any measure, but they succeed in seamlessly fusing toy and technology, and kids will almost surely get a kick out of their cartoonish designs.

Design and Features
Like the ShareBytes set of drives, the ColorBytes set is constructed entirely out of plastic, including the USB plug. Since teens aren't known to be most organized age group out there, it makes sense the ColorBytes also feature capless designs, utilizing sliding USB connectors.

Unlike the kid-friendly ShareBytes set, the ColorsBytes drives are clearly aimed towards a slightly older pre-teen demographic and don decidedly less cartoonish designs. They are roughly an inch long and feature a plastic clip on the rear that can be clipped onto clothing or backpacks in a fashion similar to that of the Verbatim Store N' Go Clip-it USB Drive . Our test units sported an ink splattered design on the face of an otherwise all-black chassis; other available designs feature multicolor dots and monster faces. Thanks to their compact sizes, the drives in the ColorBytes set won't block any neighboring ports in a manner like the asymmetrical ShareBytes drives.

The ColorBytes drives come with no preloaded software. On the other hand, that means that there's no encryption or password protection whatsoever. Ostensibly, this makes sense for drives designed for teenagers. However, pre-teens are certainly old enough to understand computers, so it only makes sense that they'd be just as capable of memorizing simple passwords. Personally, if I were a parent I wouldn't feel terribly comfortable knowing that my teenager's personal documents and pictures could wind up in the hands of a random stranger with unfettered access to that data. Careful parents would be better served by the Editors' Choice Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ (8GB) . It's not the coolest or most teen-friendly drive by a long shot, but it will give your teenager added protection ? and yourself some peace of mind.

Each ColorByte drive offers 4GB of storage space, with 3.79GB of usable space. They are sold in sets of two for a price of $12.99, coming to $1.63 per GB; according to these numbers each drive, therefore, costs $6.52. As a set the ColorBytes make for a better deal than the Dane-Elec Marvel Avengers USB Drives Drives ($1.87 per gigabyte), the Verbatim Store N' Go Clip-it ($1.83 per gigabyte), and the Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ (8GB) ($1.75 per gigabyte). Only the Duracell Rugged USB Drive (16GB) is more affordable, at $1.25 per gigabyte.

Performance
Naturally, one can't purchase a novelty flash drive intended for teenagers and expect blazing fast performance. That said, the ShareBytes drives perform reasonably well compared to other flash drives in their price range. In our timed data transfer tests, they produced speeds of 4.3MBps (write) and 18.1MBps (read). This read speed outpaced that of the Dane-Elec Marvel Avengers USB Drives (4.4MBps write, 16.3MBps read) as well as that of Verbatim Store N' Go Clip-it (6MBps write, 15MBps read). Moreover, the ValuePack drives outperformed the Duracell Rugged USB Drive (16GB) (4.1 MBps write, 12.5MBps read) on both write and read speeds. Only the DataTraveler Locker+ (8GB) (9.6MBps write, 24MBps read) outflanked the ColorBytes drives on both prongs.

In the end, the Dane-Elec ColorBytes aren't the fastest or most rugged drives on the market, nor are they meant to be. They're designed to appeal to a pre-teen aesthetic and add a little flair to their burgeoning computer usage. Given their affordable price, they're also good for parents, too. Still, I'd advise parents to go with our current Editors' Choice for flash drives, the DataTraveler Locker+ (8GB), whose uncomplicated encryption program offers a level of security for teenagers that far outweighs the need for making a bold fashion statement in study hall.

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Dane-Elec ColorBytes with several other flash drives by side.

More flash drive reviews:
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??? Dane-Elec ShareBytes
??? Dane-Elec LifeBytes (8GB)
??? Dane-Elec Marvel Universe USB Drives
??? LaCie RuggedKey (16GB)
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