Mimoco sent over a Red Spartan Mimobot, 2GB USB flash drive. Yes, it looks like a short fat alien with a big head stuffed inside a Spartan suit. But there’s all sorts of other, cooler stuff er, stuffed inside of it.

First off, the HALO series of Mimobots comes in three flavors Red Spartan (limited edition of 3,000), Blue Spartan (also 3,000) and finally, Master Chief (he gets 5,000). I almost wish they had sent me both a Blue and Red, then I could have USB-based Red vs. Blue.

The Mimobot is a 2.5 inch by 1 inch hi-speed USB 2.0 device that is compatible with both Mac and Windows and is ReadyBoost compatible as well. The 2GB version retails for $16.95 from the Mimoco shop. It comes in 2, 4, 8 and 16GB versions.

I carried it to GamesCom with me and used it to get some assets from a couple exhibitors. When I pulled it out some of them chuckled and asked what it was. I said, a short fat Red Spartan.

To use the unit, you’ve got to pull off the helmet to access the USB port. Once you’ve done that, it’s easy to lose that helmet. There’s no tether for it, nor is there a way to clip it onto the unit. No, I didn’t lose mine, but I can see it happening to some of you.

I did a couple transfer tests to see how it performed and in both one large file and a folder of small files it transferred at about 14MB/sec. Considering that the theoretical transfer rate for USB 2.0 is 480Mbps or around 60MB per second, I find the transfer rate alarmingly low on my brand new Windows 7 computer with USB 2.0 ports. I tested the exact same files with another device and achieved 37-48MBps for reference.

Overall, I think the HALO Mimobot USB Flash drive series is fine for HALO lovers looking for a little extra style for their portable storage. I don’t think that it would stand up to heavy, repeated use. It doesn’t seem to transfer at USB 2.0 speeds and the USB port cover seems easily lost. However, as a decorative piece for your HALO collection, it would certainly spark some conversation.