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Four solutions to the Galaxy S6’s non-expandable storage

Whilst there was a lot of excitement following Samsung’s unveiling of the new flagship Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, some weren’t quite as elevated on discovering that these freshly designed Sammys no longer featured the removable battery or most importantly, the expandable memory that Samsung’s smartphones are known for.

Whilst slowly but surely third-party accessory makers are offering up external battery packs and charging cases to satiate users’ desires more power, there seemed little relief in the phone’s additional 100GB of cloud storage. For some, tangible memory is the preferred option and we’ve found a number of offerings that can meet your needs, coming in all shapes and sizes.

SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive/Leef Bridge 3.0

Starting small, storage experts SanDisk and Leef each offer products that are both pocket-friendly and versatile.

SanDisk’s USB 2.0 drive features a double-ended design that packs a full-sized USB connector on one end and a male microUSB on the other. Using two ‘sheaths’ built into the stick, both connectors remain protected when not in use, simply requiring you to slide one back when you want to plug in and transfer files from your PC, or access them on you Galaxy S6 via the My Files app.

SanDisk dual Leef Bridge

Leef’s smallest storage device is similar by design in that it too packs both full-sized and microUSB connectors. Using a push button locking mechanism, you can press and slide the drive to access either connector or set it in a central position to keep things physically protected and secure.

As the name suggests the Leef Bridge supports USB 3.0 speeds making it faster than SanDisk’s dual drive (although there is a comparable, but pricier SanDisk option if you prefer their brand). Both drives can be had in 16GB, 32GB or 64GB capacity options to work alongside the 32GB, 64GB or 128GB variants of Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge you can choose from. Prices start at £10 for the 16GB SanDisk drive and £18 for the snappier Leef drive.

Leef iBridge

Note: Leef also offers the iBridge 3.0 (above) which packs the same functionality, but purpose-built for iPhones with the help of an app available on the App Store.

SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive

If you don’t want a USB drive sticking out of your Galaxy S6 and spoiling Samsung’s slick new design work, then SanDisk is also the company to go for if you’re after a company wire-free solution. Their Connect Wireless Flash Drive and Wireless Media Drive both fit the bill.

SanDisk Wireless

The Flash Drive is our preferred storage device in this case as it’s more compact and lightweight. It’s a single stick that you can transfer files and media onto via a full-sized USB connector that can then broadcast its own wireless network. You can peruse pictures, stream media and even wirelessly transfer content on and off the drive from your S6 using SanDisk’s dedicated Android app (it also works with iOS too) and it can accommodate up to seven additional simultaneous connections too.

The 16GB version can be had for £40, but you can either buy a 32GB or 64GB model, or simply swap out the microSD the sticks come pre-loaded with.

Toshiba Canvio AeroMobile Wireless SSD

Running with the wireless idea, Toshiba’s brought the big guns to the part with its Canvio AeroMobile SSD. As you might have guessed, using an SSD means this thing is fast and its size is also a result of the mammoth eight hours of battery life is can dole out. Like SanDisk’s wireless stick you can back up content from your S6 wirelessly or use the inbuilt full-size SD card slot for quickly adding and removing media.

Toshiba Canvio

For charging and data the Canvio also offers a microUSB 3.0 connection and all in a package that weighs just 120 grams. For £115 you get a hard drive, all the necessary leads and a soft bag carry case too.

Are you happy with Samsung’s new design ethos or would you rather the S6 and S6 Edge packed their own expandable storage? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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