PQI Launches 6 New Micro USB OTG Dongles Armed & Ready

At the recent Computex show, Taiwanese flash memory specialists, PQI, brought their game with a few nifty pieces of kit.
Many of the company’s new Connect 200 and Connect 300 series micro-USB OTG dongles, offer memory expansion that will come in handy for microSD-less devices.

PQI Connect Series

Today we are taking a look at six of these products, kicking off the 200 series with the Connect 201.
The components of this tiny flash drive are based around a zinc alloy frame which comes with both a standard USB plug on one end and a micro-USB plug with a cap on the other; they offer the 16GB or 32GB storage, which can be accessed directly from either a computer or any USB OTG mobile device (no adaptor required!). PQI’s drives come with the added benefit of a free Android app called Connect+, which is already available on Google Play. This file management software loads automatically when a PQI dongle is plugged in, saving you the hassle of searching through the mobile device’s directory.

On top of that, Connect+ can also single out images with thumbnail display, music and videos for an easier search. We can expect the Connect 201 to be on sale in July, though no prices have been set yet.

Next is the Connect 202.
It’s essentially the Connect 201 but can also simultaneously act as a data cable between a computer and a mobile device. The storage part of the device has a theoretical working storage of up to 64GB and is housed in the bigger USB plug, but it can be accessed from either plug individually. When both sides are connected, only the computer side will have access to the dongle’s memory along with the mobile device’s storage. With this you don’t need a micro-USB cable and separate micro-USB flash drive. The final version of this device will come with a protection case and it will eventually have a flat cable for aesthetic and durability reasons.

The Connect 203 is the upgrade to the Connect 201 but with microSD expansion instead of built-in storage. It comes with a sliding case that only exposes one plug at a time, as opposed to the Connect 201’s removable cap on just the micro-USB end. The micro SD slot is housed inside the bigger USB plug and as the card sits flush in the plug when inserted, you’ll need to use the ejection switch on the other side of the body to push the card out.

The Connect 204 is the last in the coming USB 2.0 line of OTG accessories. This is simply a micro-USB to standard USB OTG adapter but it doesn’t have a short cable that other typical OTG adapters have, so it will sit nice and sturdy in situ.

Moving on to the more advanced range, we have the 300 series Connect 301 with USB 3.0 connectivity. Due to the faster transfer speed and larger body size, this dongle can theoretically come in a 128GB, but it’s more likely to launch with just 32GB and 64GB versions. And finally, we have the Connect 302. It’s literally just the 301 with two metallic screw-on caps for protection against liquids, especially on the micro-USB end.

So, if you like your connectivity on a mini scale with maximum power, then these guys are for you…Keep your eyes peeled in the coming months for prices and release dates.

[Image via chinese.vr-zone]

SOURCE: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/09/pqi-connect-micro-usb-otg-drive