Leyio Personal Sharing Device

Where would file-sharing be without the internet? Whether we’re emailing photos, exchanging links to videos or even illegally trading pirated music files, the internet facilitates the sharing process by letting us connect to others. But what happens when the internet isn’t available? Perhaps you want to pass on files when you don’t have a laptop with you or you’re not in range of a Wi-Fi network? Leyio thinks it has the answer in the form of a small, portable device that lets you share files – everything from documents to videos – in a variety of ways.

Features:
The device is small, comfortable to hold and has a screen for viewing photos and file icons. Below that is a fingerprint reader, which you use to securely access the device and then scroll through its menus and contents. A single button below is used to turn it on and off.

There’s 16GB of space on board so there’s plenty of room for your files. If you know someone else with a Leyio you can literally flick files to them – select the icon or thumbnail on screen and flick the device in their direction. The file transfers using a wireless connection and is surprisingly speedy. You can also hook the device up to a PC, connect it to USB flash memory (not hard disks, unfortunately) and use the device’s own satellite USB memory stick to transfer files to another PC.

Performance:
If you can find someone else with a Leyio, you’ll be in file-sharing heaven – the process of flicking files around is both novel and efficient. However, it seems like an extravagant way to carry your files around, if all you’re doing is plugging the device into a PC.

Ease of use:
On the whole, the device is incredibly easy to use. The screen isn’t brilliant but it’s perfectly adequate, and the menu system is clear and simple. It might be better if you could see thumbnails of videos or hear clips of music you want to transfer, but it’s still quite straightforward. Even using it with a PC is no more complex than using a USB memory drive.

Value for money:
The price is probably the big barrier here. For something that has no function aside from transporting and transferring your files, £159 feels like a hefty wedge of cash. To get the full benefit, you’re going to have to persuade your friends and relatives to buy this device so you’ve got people to send your files to. Without the flick-to-send option, it seems a very expensive way of getting 16GB of USB-based storage.