Were you a Disney Kid? I sure was. I grew up watching reruns of the Mickey Mouse Club…the original series. I didn’t think twice about the fact that the show was already 20 years old, or that it was in black and white, because up until second grade our TV was black and white anyway. I can still remember the show’s theme song, and I’ll bet that if you ever watched it, then you can too. Needless to say, for many people the familiar silhouette of Mickey’s big ears is ubiquitous with childhood, good times…and Donald Duck!
A-DATA has introduced a Mickey Mouse USB flash drive that rides this nostalgia train; as you can see, there is no mistaking the inspiration for this particular device. Available in 1, 2, 4, and 8GB sizes, according to the printed material accompanying the drive, “this gadget [will] fulfill your desire to keep Mickey Mouse with you all the time.”
This is possible because Mickey’s right ear is actually his brain, and when you need to use its embedded flash drive, a firm tug will free it. But we’ll get to that in just a little bit.
First, let’s talk about the packaging…
Inside the matching mini shopping bag, there is thick paper book, similar to the ones made for babies and young children.
The size of the flash memory is written on the book’s spine…
…and the flash drive is visible through the cover. The drive is available in red, purple, or pearly white – like the one I was sent. In case you are wondering about the mirrored disk where Mickey’s face should be – that is actually a spot where you can place a picture of a loved one, or you can leave it as a mirror.
The book is cleverly done around the design of the flash drive…
…turning each page reveals more of the drive until you get to the protective plastic dome, which when flipped back…
…releases the drive.
A small metal ball-chain is included for attaching the drive to your keys, a bag’s zipper, wherever you might like to keep it.
The Mickey Flash Drive measures approximately 1.75″ across at the widest ear point x 1.5″ tall x 1.25″ thick.
The Mickey Mouse Flash Drive isn’t all about cuteness and nostalgia, however. It supports USB 2.0 data transfer and is backwards compatible with 1.1. The drive is also compatible with all versions of Windows (98 or later), Mac OS 9.0 or later, and Linux Kernel 2.4 or later.
The disk does not come with any pre-loaded software or encryption, which really seems a shame. How cute would it have been if there had been an animated screen saver or a couple of nostalgic Disney wallpapers to choose from? There is also no indicator light on the drive, so if you are someone that relies on a flashing LED to let you know when a drive is busy or free, then its absence may be a problem.
It’s not the most high tech, it doesn’t have the most extra features, but in the end, what matters most is that the Mickey USB Flash Drive is convenient, works as promised, and it offers an extra smile factor not found in the typical thumb drive. I think this would be the perfect gift for the tech-savvy Mickey fan. 🙂
The A-DATA Disney T703 Mickey USB Flash Drive is available from many online retailers.
MSRP: ~$22.99 (I found then for ~$13 and up)
What I Like: Cute design; flash memory card “ear” snaps firmly into Mickey’s head when not in use;
What Needs Improvement: No LED to show when drive is active; included content would really liven up the package!
