SanDisk's Cruzer Titanium Plus flash drive

If a 4GB USB flash drive just isn't enough to meet your needs, SanDisk's introducing a new device at CES that not only does the whole storage-of-zeroes-and-ones thing, but comes with six months free online backup with BeInSync (which costs $30 annually thereafter), as well as two years of BoomerangIt lost and found service. It'll be available in March for $60. One more shot after the break.

[Flashpoint @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:10AM]

I bought an 8GB Sandisk cruzer for just $64 at Circuit City.
You can use it to boot windows XP to an Eee (or many other computers for that matter)

[Kurt MacD @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:24AM]

And I can almost bet too that it's not actually made out of Titanium.

[strider_mt2k @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:28AM]

No, it's metallic-painted transparent aluminum.

[Ganesh Kumar @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:50PM]

Is this sale still active? $64 for 8GB drive is great.

[Carbonize @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:11AM]

Why would you want online back up of a USB stick? I personally just keep it backed up on my computer. That way if one goes down I still have the other copy and I can't see both the PC and USB stick failing at the same time.

[Tired_ @ Jan 2nd 2008 3:18PM]

I'd like it. I keep a USB stick on me always with a carefully-picked assortment of portable apps and tools, which changes whenever I find another useful tool to put on it. I find it inconvenient to create a new backup image of the stick every time I make a change, so the online backup would save me time when I leave the stick hanging off the back of somebody's computer. Buy a new stick, fetch my online-stored backup, and I'm ready to go.

[Carbonize @ Jan 2nd 2008 3:35PM]

or back it up on your own computer, buy a new stick and you're ready to go.

[strider_mt2k @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:17AM]

USB stick backups are as simple as copying the contents elsewhere for safe keeping.

-and is it really 4GB when it's got software and U3 BS on it?
Just more stuff to wipe.

[Carbonize @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:24AM]

People actually use the U3 crap? Plenty of portable programs out there that don't need U3. http://portablefreeware.com is a good site to find them.

[bugmat @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:53AM]

I so agree..I have a 1 G Sandisk from 2 yrs ago and that U3 bs drives me nuts! But 4 GB for $60 - time to upgrade!!

[strider_mt2k @ Jan 2nd 2008 9:15AM]

U3 removal tool:
http://www.u3.com/uninstall/
As with anything else, read and proceed carefully.

Make sure you tell 'em why you are removing it too.

[Carbonize @ Jan 2nd 2008 9:20AM]

Hell get a 4GB here in the UK for around £20 these days.

[Jose @ Feb 20th 2008 1:07PM]

yeah but if you're a security expert then you know that you have to have 2 copies of everything in two seprate places. so if you lose your stick and your hard drive fails then bam you still have the online thing to. also try carbonite it's online back a really good one cost 50 bucks a year

[EbonyDad @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:22AM]

Still does nothing for you if:

a) you wash the USB stick in the washer (because you forgot it was in your pocket);

b) if you lose it in your house (between the couch cushions or such).

[alex @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:28AM]

or if you lose the cap.

[Carbonize @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:25AM]

Yes we want waterproof USB sticks that respond to whistles like the old key finder things.

[DAZA @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:28AM]

Have washed my SanDisk Cruzer Micro twice and it came out working fine. Once it had the lanyard attached so I actually unknowingly cleaned it :)

[OneLove @ Jan 2nd 2008 10:01AM]

cruzer retractable, it doesn't have a cap. 8GB $79 at walmart 6 weeks ago.

[z3r0D @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:24AM]

Not to be a hater, but doesn't this sound a little like an ad?

I mean, nothing's really impressive about it, not a good deal, no new features... Why's this news?

[Carbonize @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:24AM]

Slow news week from looks of it.

[Simon @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:30AM]

Because engadget is a B-L-O-G.

If you want news read a newspaper, and even then you will read about old issues just as well.

[Simon @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:27AM]

But it's "Titanium Plus" and it is gold colored ... you gotta pay extra for these *cool* features. It's like the business card thing in American Psycho, us non-top-5% are just not getting it ;)

[pushlatency @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:44AM]

Does this use the Liquidmetal amorphous metal alloy casing that the previous Cruzer Titanium drives used?

[blade417 @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:45AM]

Yes, very nice usb flash drive.
Happy New Year Everyone.


(i'm actually just posting here to access my profile.)

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:50AM]

This is really good flash stick.

But it has (at least to me) one *HUGE* problem: blue LED is so FRIGGING bright, that it makes impossible to use it with my notebook - because the light hurts side seeing of my eyes.

Thus, despite solid performance, I cannot recommend the stick due to bogus HMI.

[Gus Jenkins @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:55AM]

I would buy one if they offered an 8 gig or even better, a 16 gig version.

I have been very satisfied with the 4 gig version that I have, but this one offers nothing new that I would use.

The U3 software is the first thing I remove from a new flash drive.

[fraz @ Jan 2nd 2008 8:56AM]

Not to be a pessimist, but 'six months free online backup with BeInSync' - surely anything that you would normally use as a backup device that comes with a free subscription to ANOTHER backup devices would make me steer clear of the thing? If they don't think it's safe enough to use as a backup device I'll go elsewhere for one...

[Speddy @ Jan 2nd 2008 10:05AM]

SanDisk found a way to use up their left-oversupply of 2 GB chips...

[Anthony @ Jan 2nd 2008 10:31AM]

I agree. When you can buy a 16gb Corsair card for less than $100 why would you buy a Cruzer? Titanium. You don't need it. You just think you do.

[cr0ft @ Jan 2nd 2008 10:12AM]

These are great USB sticks. I'm not particularly impressed with the gold color etc, but I love my 4GB Titanium. I saw on TV too they tested these and a few others in a bit tongue-in-cheek manner - they taped them to the bottom of a boot and then they ran up a rocky hillside, through a swamp (it was totally submerged and the guy was running on it) and then shook the water out of it and plugged it into a notebook and it worked... not too shabby for a non-waterproof stick.

Keep mine on the keychain and that works very nicely.

[Flashpoint @ Jan 2nd 2008 10:21AM]

I would like them to make a USB Flash drive with a built in STUN GUN - charged via USB.

[Neoprimal @ Jan 2nd 2008 10:44AM]

I have a black 4gb cruzer that I got on sale for $25 from Staples. I purchased it originally for readyboost, but I love it so much I'm just going to buy another 4gb for readyboost. It's tough as heck, has no cap to lose and is exemplary in it's performance compared to other flash drives i've dealt with. I think many people are missing the point of online backup and lost and found services on a flash drive. Many people store very important information on their flash drives...documents, programs, passwords, etc. and then lock them down with encryption etc. Sure you probably have the info on your PC or Laptop as well, etc. but it's nice to know that your backup is redundant and online - ie: being on your portable key drive and also online, so just in case you lose your flash drive on the way to wherever, chances are you can grab your files back online. The lost and found service isn't so great and depends on alot. If a real thief gets a hold of your drive chances are if it doesn't work right away it's in the garbage soon, rendering the L&F useless. While neither service necessarily warrants the price of the drive, they're at least nice additions for people who would make good use of them. BeInSync is a really good service with FAST transfers.

[TIMMAH! @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:44AM]

I don't particularly like their Cruzer design for two reasons:

1) The USB connector will sometimes not lock correctly and will retract into the case when I'm trying to insert the stick into my USB port.

2) Even retracted, there's nothing protecting the USB connector in your pocket, so lint and other junk in your pocket can get jammed up into the connector.

A much better design is the integrated flip-around cap like that used by Ativa. Still as compact as the Cruzer, but the cap locks in place on the back when in use and fully protects the connector when in your pocket.

[Jerome @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:02PM]

Ever heard of Gdrive!

google it!

ps- it is free!

[matt @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:35PM]

Yes, thats very useful when I am somewhere without net acess.

[Jerome @ Jan 2nd 2008 12:39PM]

So tell me what is the point of having a six months free online backup with BeInSync???

I was talking about the free backup and not the flashdrive.

[Neoprimal @ Jan 2nd 2008 1:51PM]

BeInSync is much faster than GDrive. If you're serious about online backup nothing free is acceptable. Personally, I'm ok with free services, but people who use these things for work as a necessity (gov't, military, some serious IT, etc. etc.) need more robust solutions. For an analogy, lets use vehicles; BeInSync is like a MB SL65 AMG and GDrive is like a Kia Rio...sure, they both get the job done, but the Benz gets it done ALOT faster. You don't really want to have to sit there and wait hours longer than you need to, to backup your data. And as a frame of reference, that's how MOST online backup services justify any kind of subscription, speed and reliability.

[Wwhat @ Jan 2nd 2008 9:59PM]

Let's compare it with syrup running down an incline, now maple syrup runs faster but apple syrup is cheaper of course.

[Jason @ Jan 2nd 2008 1:41PM]

Why pay $60 for 4GB? Ooooh, metal, wow. - I bought an 8GB for $70 not long ago. I'll stick with my plastic. Of course, if you want to be extra cheap, Micro Center now has their self-branded 8GB stick for only $30!!! Plus, the store gives you a one year warranty so just save your receipt and then if you fry it, just take it back to the store for another one. I've been using their cheapo flash cards for years and have never had a problem....

[cyclonite @ Jan 2nd 2008 10:24PM]

Guys, I'm using the SanDisk Cruzer Titanium USB drive. (not the Titanium Plus as shown here)

Anyway the drive's casing is made of 'Liquidmetal' check out liquidmetal on wikipedia :)

It's an excellent drive. I love the built in U3 software... it's really a life saver.

Btw, these devices have no caps... the USB connector is retractable.

[cyclonite @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:10PM]

Guys,

You're not just paying for the Metal (Titanium). These drives are really high speed. 15MB/sec Read and 9MB/sec Write. Awesome stuff.

Also, the cheaper drives don't have U3 and no one should really be using a thumb drive w/o U3 these days...

Cheers.

[MXY @ Jan 4th 2008 1:49AM]

Not to show off or anything, but this pales in comparison to the 120 Gig USB flash disk picked up this Christmas (Yep - You heard/saw correctly - 120 Gigs of USB goodness) - Of course there are stability issues (goodness going down....), but common - 120 Gigs! :D

Just shows what the Chinese Flash makers are up to hey :) Photo's by request:)

PS - There are alternatives to U3

[nfy @ Mar 8th 2008 8:01PM]

Where do I find it!!!