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Speaking of OTG support, if you’ve got a compatible Android phone or tablet, you can connect it to pretty much any USB storage you can find. Overall it’s an inexpensive, easy to use, and reliable way of freeing up much-needed space. Write speeds could be better, but you’ll likely only notice if you’re copying hundreds of photos at once. The no-frills Memory Zone app works well, although you can use any Android file management app to move your photos and videos around. If you need a USB C version instead, check out this similar, although larger, model. The Ultra Dual m3.0 drive is the best of the bunch. The retractable design keeps the drive super-small, with a speedy USB 3.1 port for connecting to a laptop, and a micro-USB port that’s compatible with older Android phones and tablets.
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Any phone or tablet with OTG (“on-the-go”) support can use these types of gadgets, but it’s worth checking the compatibility chart before you buy. Buy on Amazon Sandisk Ultra Dual DriveĪndroid owners haven’t been forgotten, with companies like Sandisk making a small range of storage options for those devices as well.
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You can also set up automatic backups, and use the app to automatically move new video files straight to the drive after shooting them. The simple app works well for moving photos and videos backward and forward between your iPhone or iPad and the iXpand drive. Usefully, it ships with a USB-A to USB C adapter that lets you connect it to recent MacBooks and other laptops that only come with USB C sockets. The drive is very small and light, and you can choose between two different designs: one with a swivel cover, the other with a loop that sits behind the phone or tablet. This makes copying files easy, whether you’re sending them between the iXpand and your phone or tablet, or to and from a laptop. Its iXpand drives come in a range of capacities, with a Lightning port on one end and a USB-A port on the other. Sandisk is one of the biggest names in portable storage, so it’s no surprise it makes a strong showing here.
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They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, with up to 256GB of storage that should satisfy even the keenest phone videographer. Dozens of companies make flash drives that plug into a phone or tablet, typically with an accompanying app. For many people, the simplest approach is the best.
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