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Monday October 13, 2008
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The Kensington Media Sharing Cable for PC and Mac (top left) and the Targus for Mac File Share Cable (after the jump) look like they were separated at birth. Each cable features a thumb drive-like device on one end and a male USB connector on the other. Both are designed for moving files from a PC to a Mac (or back, if those new Microsoft commercials have won you over)--a dreaded task previously reserved for experienced technicians.
I tested the cables using a desktop running Windows XP and an Apple laptop running Mac OS 10.5. Using the cables could not be easier. Both include similar software (with an identical interface but slightly different branding) that launches automatically on both machines once the cable is connected to both. Sharing files is simple: Just drag them from a folder on one computer and drop them in a folder on the other, which you can do just as easily from either machine.
For my hands-on tests, I moved a 100MB video file from the Mac to the PC and back again. Each cable accomplished the task in just under 6 seconds, every time: I transferred the file several times, and the process was consistently simple and yielded the same results. I was pleased to see that there were no blue screens, crashes, or corrupted files to deal with.
Because the Kensington Media Sharing Cable for PC and Mac and the Targus for Mac File Share Cable are virtually identical, I can't recommend one over the other based on performance. The Kensington cable is available now for $49.10 on Amazon, and includes a cable length of just over 7 feet, while the Targus cable will be available in November for $49.99, with a cable length of just over 4 feet. So based on availability, cable length, and attractiveness, I recommend the Kensington cable. Its cable is 3 feet longer, it's (if only the slightest bit) more attractive, and you can run out and get it now. If you see a better deal on the shorter cable come November, however, you'll be just as well off opting for the Targus.
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October 15, 2008 2:50 PM
The Targus is already available on Amazon for $32.82 (link below). It's not the "for Mac" version with the cool packaging, but functionally identical and less expensive than the Kensington:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00180LGX6/ref=nosim/6553231-1-20