USB flash drives are fast becoming a part of everyday life. A-DATA's PD-19 aims to become a small part of yours.

Or is that a big part?

Read on to find out why I'm so confused.

Looking at the PD-19's box you'd be technically correct in saying you don't really get much for your money.

And you would be completely incorrect.

While it is true enough that the PD-19 is physically tiny, within its incredibly small form factor lies 4GB of ReadyBoost compatible flash memory.

With dimensions of 34 x 18.3 x 3.2mm and a weight of 3g, the PD-19 is the smallest flash drive I have ever seen. Showing the PD-19 to others, few believed me when I told them it was a flash drive, let alone a 4GB one. And to think that the PD-19's highest capacity is a whopping 8GB!

The general build quality is good, with the glossy black finish matched perfectly by the elegant chrome lanyard/keyring loop.

The compactness of the PD-19 is enhanced by its clever (yet problematic) 180 degree folding flap design. When folded up, the USB port is hidden from view, protecting it from the elements. Amazingly, when fully unfolded and ready for use, the PD-19 only increases its length by 10mm.

While the flip mechanism is ingenious, it appears quite fragile which brings with it certain sense of doubt. I do like it, but I wouldn't throw it around or put it on my keyring, which sadly defeats at least part of the benefit of having such a small form factor.

To test the folding mechanism's longevity I used moderate force to coax it to fail but it wouldn't budge. The way the USB port clicked into the holder when folded, however, fared less well. In repeated opening and closing, I noticed that the way the folding mechanism clicks back in got noticeably looser and I suspect that given enough time, it is likely to stop clicking altogether.

While the PD-19 did survive all my tests, I still can't help but feel it is a little on the fragile side.

In data transfer terms the PD-19 performed flawlessly.  When connected to my laptop's USB 2.0 port it demonstrated an excellent read speed of 19MB/s. In regular use the flash drive showed acceptable write speeds, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Overall the PD-19 is a competent, if slightly fragile device, with an incredibly small form factor and decent storage capacity. As there are so many flash drives on the market, they really need to stand out and the PD-19 manages to do so through its excellent finish and incredibly small form factor. If only it could prove to be a little tougher, it would be just about perfect

The PD-19 comes with a lifetime warranty and is available in 2, 4 and 8GB capacities in both black and white. Expect to pay under $30US if you look around.

It appears A-DATA has listened - even before the completion of this review! According to the A-DATA website, they have just released a new flash drive (S701) as part of its sport series, which appears to have kept the same tiny form factor but ruggedized the design with a harder casing and added a more resilient sliding USB port mechnanism.

To find out more about A-DATA's range of USB flash drives, visit their website.