We all like gadgets. Some of us even love ‘em. But many of the ones that appear on a regular basis have an initial curio value and usefulness and then the novelty wears off.
But occasionally, a gadget appears that is actually very useful, and these are often the simplest of ideas. The PGYTECH CreateMate is such a thing. And if you use a digital camera or camcorder, or fly a drone, this will be of special interest to you.
On the surface, the concept is quite simple; insert an SD or MicroSD into the CreateMate and you can easily and quickly transfer the contents via a built in USB-C cable directly to a PC, laptop or tablet that has a corresponding USB-C port.
And I do mean quick. With a transfer rate of 312MB/S, a 128GB file il transfer in about 10 using an inbuilt USB 3.1 chip.
So, while that alone is a useful feature, what makes the CreateMate it a wee bit more special is that the designers have included holding slots to carry up to 4 SD cards, 4 MicroSD cards and 2 Nano SIM cards which should be more than enough storage capacity for even the longest shoot.
The CreateMate main unit is a drawer design that slides out of a protective aluminium alloy case which in itself is covered by a silicon exterior giving bounce protection and water resistance. Officially, the CreateMate is IP54 rated.
Additionally, there is a slot to hold a supplied eject pin for those devices such as smartphones that have a tiny hole you need to have something to poke to open their cover, and a stainless steel carabiner clip to allow the CreateMate to hang from a belt or loop on the exterior of, in my case, a backpack.
I routinely carried a stash of SD and MicroSD cards in a small zippable wallet I got from Officeworks for about $15, and while it did the job, MicroSDcards would routinely fall out of their little pockets. With the CreateMate, that issue is well and truly banished forever.
At around AUD$60, the CreateMate is a worthwhile investment for anyone who as I suggest, uses a camera or drone on a regular basis.
The only place I can see that carries them in Australia is Rubber Monkey which appear to be out of stock, otherwise you can order online direct from PGYTECH at https://www.pgytech.com/products/CreateMate-high-speed-card-reader-case for USD$39.95.
Other stories You Might Like...
PGYTECH Launches CapLock Action Camera Quick Release System
CreateMate High-Speed Card Reader Case
What cameras and gadgets do YOU take on holidays?
The Perfect Hardware Combo of Gear? My Choices. For Now Anyway…
What Size SD Card to Use? And Other SD Card Issues.
Review: Verbatim 13-in-1 Docking Station
Review: DJI RS3 Mini (plus a bit more).
Review: Zhiyun Crane-M 3S
Which SD Cards? There Is More Than Meets The Eye.
Never Overwrite Files With the Same Name Again
