October 25, 2006
Sima Hitch
Don’t pick up hitchhikers
by Stephen Schleicher
When Sima’s Hitch arrived at my door, I was interested in the claims made on the package; transfer music and files from iPod to iPod, camera to camera, camera to iPod, or iPod to USB device. The advantage of the Hitch being one does not need a computer to move files from one device to another.
The Hitch itself is about the size of the first generation iPod – or about the size of a deck of playing cards. On one side of the device, there is a USB connection for the device you are moving content from (called Here), and on the other side, there is an identical USB connector to attach the device you are moving content to (called There).
On the front, there are three buttons and a click wheel. One button allows you to switch between the Here and There devices, another to select files and menus, and the third to begin the transfer. The click wheel is used to scroll through the various menu items that appear on the 2 inch black and white screen.
On the surface, the interface design of Hitch is quite simple for nearly anyone to understand. Even when on and USB devices are connected, selecting files and destination directory is a breeze.
Yes, you can connect any USB device to Hitch for transfer. But as I began to experiment with the four options outlined on the box, I discovered the end result makes me question the company’s claims, and ultimately leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.
iPod to iPod (Rating 2 of 5)
Presumably, the reason you want to transfer one iPod to another is because you want to move you music library from an older iPod to a new shiny 5.5 Gen device. Because Hitch is a USB device, it will not allow you to connect an older iPod that uses a FireWire plug. So your hope of moving content from the 2nd Gen iPod is pretty much hopeless.
But what if you want to “share” content with one of your friends? Hitch only sees files as data, and nothing more, and as many songs these days are copy protected with that darn DRM junk, if you transfer a file that is protected, your friend will not be able play that song until it has been authorized by the original owner. Well if you have already authorized five systems, your friend won’t be able to play the song. Of course any music that you have ripped that is not DRM protected is not a problem at all.
Camera to Camera (Rating 1 of 5)
You can also share photos from one camera to another, so you don’t have to wait for friends to burn their images to CD and mail to you. While the idea is a good one, the execution by Hitch fails for one important reason – the company didn’t ensure all cameras would work. I really wanted to transfer images from my Canon EOS 30D to PowerShot G5, however the EOS 30D was not recognized correctly and I could not access the Compact Flash files. I was able to connect to my wife’s Digital Elph and transfer files, but was sorely disappointed that not every camera will work.
Camera to iPod (Rating 0 of 5)
Since the Canon EOS 30D is our new camera of choice, my wife and I were really hoping to use the Hitch when we travel to China to unload photos. Since the EOS 30D doesn’t work with Hitch, that pretty much shoots that option out of the water. The other negative about this “feature” is the presumption that once the images have been transferred to your iPod, you will be able to view them. Not so. Again, images are treated as data files, and while the images are on the iPod, you can not access the images unless you connect to your computer.
Also, unless you specifically target a folder on the iPod, a new data folder is created that is not accessible via the iPod menu. Certainly a let down.
iPod to Flash (Rating 5 of 5)
I’ve already established that the Hitch recognizes the iPod as a data drive more than a music device, so using the iPod to transfer data (images, contacts, and so on) to another device like a USB thumb drive does a perfect job.
Bottom Line
As you can probably tell, I am very disappointed in the Hitch. While it can move data, the ability to connect to any USB device, transfer music, or even images to another device to be viewed instantly, is far from the initial claims on the package. And when the company is selling the device for $149, it better do more than simple data transfer.
I think some people might be able to get some use out of the Hitch, but when a device limits your ability to use content the way it originally appeared on the source device, it is an indication this is a product that consumers should avoid.
The Hitch receives a rating of 1.6 out of 5.
When not working deep in the labs of the DMN Central Division testing the latest and greatest software/hardware products Stephen Schleicher can be found at the local university teaching a few courses on video and web production. He can be reached at schleicher@mindspring.com. You can also visit him on the web at www.stephenschleicher.com. For even more fun listen to Stephen's Podcast The Coolness Roundup!