Lexar's newest microSD card reader is supremely tiny and plugs right into the lightning port, offering a faster way to transfer big video and photo files to your iPhone or iPad for editing or sharing.

But while it's never a bad idea to favor name brands when it comes to memory cards and card readers (since they're typically the least likely to fail), the new reader is far from a perfect solution. For one, it only works with microSD cards. The reader also requires users to download a Lexar app to perform any file transfers, which is another wonderful reminder of how Apple continues to refuse granting users access to the iOS file system.

It also costs $42, which is more than Apple's own SD card version ($29), and about twice the price of a number third-party options, some of which offer Swiss army-style functionality in the form of multiple inputs. Tiny adapters like Lexar's are also easy to lose — as a frequent GoPro user, I can't tell you how many of the microSD-to-USB dongles I've had to scour my apartment for.

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