Strictly speaking, this isn't actually a disk drive, but it behaves like one. It's a very small device that plugs into your PC's USB port and can be used to store data. Like other devices of its type (we've reviewed another one here), it's based on flash memory, which stores data even when its external power supply is disconnected.

What this means is that you can plug the Easydisk into your PC, copy data to it, and then remove the drive and keep it with you. Since the device is so small - about half the size of a marker pen - it can easily be attached to your keyring using the supplied pouch, or hung round your neck if you're the sort of person who works solely with computers and doesn't get out much.

Capacities range from the entry-level 32MB drive, which comes in at a tad over £40 plus VAT, to the 256MB drive which will set you back nearly £200 plus VAT. A 512MB version is planned, but was not available at the time of writing.

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You might think that the data transfer for this unit might be a little sluggish, but it's not. Although it uses the USB 1.1 interface, not the faster version 2.0, it was quicker in our tests than a SCSI Iomega ZIP drive, so it's more than adequate for backing up your documents on a regular basis. The specification claims just under 1MB/sec for read performance and roughly half that for write performance, which is pretty good. A concealed LED lights up when the device is reading or writing.

The other advantage of the Easydisk is that it comes with encryption software on the supplied CD. Once you've set your password, any data stored on the drive will be encrypted using the password as a key. So if you make use of this feature, anyone who lays their hands on your Easydisk will be unable to read the data stored on it. That's a reassuring thought when you're carrying a backup of all your personal data around with you.

The drive will work with all versions of Windows from 98 SE onwards, plus Mac OS 9 upwards and those versions of Linux 2.4+ supporting the USB mass storage protocol. It comes with the driver and utility CD plus a USB extension cable and the carrying pouch.

We're big fans of this sort of device. It's small, it's not excessively expensive and it will hopefully encourage more people to backup their data and not rely on their hard drives. You only need to experience the dread of data loss once to understand that the ability to take your valuable data with you is well worth paying for.