** Introduction **

As with camera memory cards, I tend to build up a collection of USB memory sticks that, in truth, is excessive and could do with some rationalisation. However, being the disorganised person I am, I tend to leave data on sticks willy-nilly unless it's actually important, and so I often find it easier to buy a new one than actually to cut down! I've had this particular PNY Attaché stick for about three years now, and I think it was the first 2 GB stick I ever bought.

** Looks **

This is a fairly compact stick, albeit not as tiny as some of the more recent models. Personally I welcome that, as I often think modern components have become rather too small and fiddly for their own good. It's largely a neutral light grey, but an unusual feature is the orange transparent plastic accenting. Yes, orange. I don't know_why_ that colour was chosen, and I'm not entirely sure it works that well, but you won't mistake it for anything else!

I don't know whether this was standard issue, but my stick was bundled with a PNY-branded black fabric lanyard. This is slightly thinner than some, which means that it's not quite as comfortable as it might be, but given the lightness of the stick itself it probably won't bother you too much. The connector between the lanyard and the stick is rather annoyingly bulky, though, and it's also a bit of a pain to get the stick off it; you really have to force the metal sections apart.

** In use **

This stick did not come with any software installed. No help files, no bundled clip art, no "useful" security software, nothing. This might be a drawback to some, but to me it was a major plus point. One of the first things I do when I get a stick that does have those extra bits and pieces is to reformat it to give myself all the space to use, not just the portion the vendor provides by default! On that note, I've had no problems in formatting the stick (with the free GParted application).

As you would expect, the PNY Attaché is a USB 2.0 product, which means that it's reasonably fast in use. 2 GB being a relatively small capacity (how I'd have boggled at that phrase even ten years ago!) there's no real waiting to be done unless you're transferring absolutely enormous files, and even then the delay is well within the bounds of the acceptable. When the drive is in use, you get a rather nifty orange light which matches the orange plastic.

** Buying and verdict **

Back in 2008 a 2 GB memory stick was still seen as fairly substantial, and the price matched that: I believe I paid in the region of £15 for mine - not all that expensive even then. Nowadays two-gig sticks are almost considered obsolete, and a browse of eBay turned up the odd example for around the £8 mark. For some reason, though, they do seem to be quite scarce second-hand; it's not for any lack of durability, as like most USB drives the Attaché is very robust. Three stars, as it's an unexciting but solid product.