# Using my PDA as a memory stick **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2004, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-my-pda-as-a-memory-stick/264977 "2004-09-19T11:40:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-my-pda-as-a-memory-stick/264977/1 "2004-09-19T11:40:26Z")
Being very happy with my PDA and my USB keychain, I recently wondered: wouldn’t it be great to combine the two? Use my PDA as a memory stick itself to transport files from work to home and vice versa? Granted, the PDA has much less room (it’s a Zire 21, so it’s only got 8MB), but I _always_ have my PDA on me, and I don’t always bring the memory stick. Does anyone know of software that will let me do this? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-my-pda-as-a-memory-stick/264977/2 "2004-09-19T15:01:32Z")
Dunno enought about the Zire 21, but… my Tungsten|E when fitted with a memory-expansion chip can do it for various formats – and Documents To Go 6 Professional allows you to save MS Office documents in native format and even open them from within the PDA. I’m guessing it won’t be long until PDAs will come with enough native memory and embedded compatibility to do what you want. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-my-pda-as-a-memory-stick/264977/3 "2004-09-19T23:21:44Z")
I ran this past the Better Half who owns a Zire 71 and a Sony Clie. And he says: > [@](#): > > Sorry, a PDA and especially a Zire 21 are not really well suited for this. > > First off, to exchange files with your desktop and the PDA reguires that you have the software on the home computer and the same software is installed and setup on the office computer. Then you either have to carry your sync cable with you all the time or buy one for each computer. Finally, the Zire models without SD memory card slots will only hold exchange files that match up with software already on that Zire 21. Then when you sync, each file will that will go to the new desktop at the office (or wherever you want to share the files) will have to be translated into desktop format for the machine on which you are transferring it. > > It would be a lot easier to glue your USB drive to your Zire or carry it all the time. Now, it is easier if you have a PDA with a card slot. I use my SD card from my Zire 71 to exchange files from one of our desktops to the other all the time by way of a card reader. I did so with my older Clie too because it came with a builtin memory stick reader program called MS Import. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-my-pda-as-a-memory-stick/264977/4 "2004-09-22T12:45:54Z")
Well, USB cables abound in my life, so leaving one at work isn’t a problem. Nobody knows of a hack that’ll do this? Bummer. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-my-pda-as-a-memory-stick/264977/5 "2004-09-22T12:47:59Z")
USB Cables abound in my life, so leaving one at work isn’t really a problem. But nobody knows of any kind of hack that will permit this? bummer.