FireFly Hard Drive
Review

Without hesitation I inserted the installation CD. No CD install is required under OS X, but I’m still happy running OS 9.2.1. Double clicking the SmartDisk Tools icon, I ran Easy Install to place four items (tools, FireWire support, contextual menus, and Control Strip module) on my iMac’s drive, for a total of roughly 6 MB. Two seconds later I was asked to restart. SmartDisk tells Mymac.com that if users have any concerns or questions regarding installation to contact their Tech Support department.

Norton Disk Doctor fixed some incorrect SmartDisk bundle bits (whatever that means). No updaters were posted on SmartDisk’s web site, so I decided it was safe to proceed after studying the thorough product info on the company site. SmartDisk Tools’ folder contains three helpful PDF user guide documents in addition to the tools themselves (which I have not yet needed to use).

CopyAgent from Connectix is included on the installer CD. This OS 9 utility is something I already use dozens of times every day. Thanks, SmartDisk, for the bonus software.

Plugging teeny-weeny FireFly into iMac via FireWire cable mounted the “FireFly 5 GB” drive on my desktop, activating a subtle gold and blue light show from the top of this cute little gizmo.

With no effort whatsoever I archived (click-hold-drag-and-release) all my major folders from iMac to FireFly: Applications, Installers, Documents, and System Folder. I keep a lean hard disk, so the whole shebang required less than 5 GB, which really pleased me.

How long does the transfer take? Not bad at all. For example, my 355 MB “Active Archive” folder copied in two minutes, to give you an idea of FireFly’s speed. Mileage will vary. Disk to disk transfers can work in the background, but they consume quite a bit of processing muscle in the line of duty. (Not true with OS X, in which background copying is just as fast as foreground copy)

FireFly will be able to serve as your startup disk or your Retrospect Backup volume. I have tried the former, and it works perfectly. Apple officially supports FireWire startup in OS 9.x but not yet in 10.x, although both should work.

In a phone interview with Brandon Goldsmith, Marketing Director for SmartDisk, MyMac.com learned that FireFly, like all hard disks, is vulnerable to damage while its disk is active. When not attached to your Macintosh, FireFly is a robust little piece of hardware. Its “egg architecture” outer casing is constructed of magnesium alloy, and foam shock absorbers protect the inner workings.

Toshiba manufactures the miniaturized 1.8″ mechanism, quiet-running 4200-rpm disk. It’s the same one used in Apple’s iPod.

I just pulled thin form factor FireFly out of my pants pocket. It weighs about the same as my set of car keys, and a third less than my slim nylon wallet. This gadget is about to change my computing life. Each hour I come up with several more ways to use it.

If you stand very still you will be able to watch prices drop and capacities increase for this and similar products. Meanwhile, at $50 per GB, the initial FireFly is a wonderful ultra-portable drive. Every new computer now has FireWire, so you should give serious consideration to FireFly as permanent replacement for all your Zip and other small capacity removable storage. You heard it first here: FireFly is going to be a tremendous success. Bravo, SmartDisk. Keep ’em coming!

Taking into consideration Nemo’s MyMac.com “Q/D/S/V Standard” for all product reviews:

Q = QUALITY, including ease of installation, performance, stability, and general happy relationship with everything on my system;

D = DOCUMENTATION, both printed and electronic, plus appropriate website material;

S = SUPPORT, in the form of email, phone, and web updates;

V = VALUE, which includes both original cost and subsequent expenses;

it is a pleasure to award the FireFly Hard Drive a MacMice Rating of: 5, meaning fantastic product! Well worth your money and investment. The best of its kind, especially when it is one of a kind.

MacMice Rating: 5 out of 5

John Nemerovski