SanDisk ImageMate 12-in-1 Reader/Writer
From Card to Desktop in a Flash

If you’re a person like me who owns several different digital camera and portable gadgets – all with a different type of flash media interface, the SanDisk ImageMate 12-in-1 Reader/Writer isn’t just a convenient tool, it’s almost a necessity. The ImageMate works with twelve different media types including all the most common such as Compact Flash Type I and II, Smart Media, Memory Stick, xD, and SD Cards.

Thanks to a seamless USB 2.0 connection, the ImageMate is not only convenient, but also fast enough for most digital photography applications. In actual use I can download a full 2 GB Compact Flash card in about five to six minutes. A perfectly acceptable speed for my own purposes and I would be hard pressed to find a photographer who finds this figure a fact to complain about.

A handy feature that sets the ImageMate 12-in-1 apart from the competition is its separate reader and docking station, making the unit easy to transfer from a desktop to a laptop and back again. I tend to do a an even amount of work on both platforms and it’s nice not having to tear down my entire set up in order to move the ImageMate from one to the other. The docking station stays firmly on my desk when I travel while the rest of the unit packs away neatly in my laptop bag.

The ImageMate also has the ability to Transfer, print, email, and display images with the touch of a button. Personally I get very limited mileage out of such features and they are no doubt included to appeal to a less professional market. Still, I can’t complain about the fact that they are there as the SanDisk ImageMate does exactly what I want it to do and it does it well with a minimum of fuss.