Wearable, the maker of the AirStash, boasts it works in both directions: You can also write files to the AirStash from a device like an iPad. Technically, this is true. For instance, from the AirStash app, you can export photos stored on an iPad or iPhone to the drive.
But several iPad apps for viewing or editing documents, which the company says work with AirStash, require a geeky setup process, and I couldn't get them to send edited documents back to the drive.
There are some other limitations. For instance, on non-Apple devices, the Web interface is rudimentary, and on the Kindle Fire, music can't be streamed from the AirStash.
Finally, unlike most other flash drives, the AirStash has a battery to power its Wi-Fi. The company claims up to seven hours of continuous battery life between charges, and while I didn't do a formal test, the battery life seemed good to me. You can recharge the device either through a standard USB wall charger, like those that come with cellphones, or by plugging it into the USB port of a computer. In the latter case, the Wi-Fi capability can't be used while charging.
If you're pining for easier file transfer or expanded storage on your iPad, iPhone or other mobile device without a standard USB port, the AirStash might be the ticket, albeit an expensive one.
—Find Walt Mossberg's columns and videos at the All Things Digital website,walt.allthingsd.com. Email mossberg@wsj.com.
iPad, Mossberg, AirStash, Walt Mossberg
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