Lenovo shows off stable of Olympics-themed USB flash drives

Lenovo already rolled out one Olympics-themed flash drive long before the Beijing Games kicked off, but now that the Opening Ceremonies have come and gone, the outfit is showing off a few more for good measure. The Mascot series contains a half dozen colorful 4GB units that'll go for around $30 apiece, while the so-called Medallions will only be available on the second-hand market thanks to the original batch selling out. Lastly, we've got five slightly different 1GB titanium drives that boast swiveling plugs and arrive in a swank mahogany box. Huzzah?

[Via EverythingUSB]

Read - Mascot drives
Read - Medallion drives
Read - Titanium drives

[VerbCat @ Aug 9th 2008 8:48PM]

I really, really want one of these, if only to remember that awesome opening ceremony! I never really need more than 1 GB anyway, so this size is perfect for me.

[Setnev @ Aug 9th 2008 8:53PM]

4GB for $30, I'll take 10.

[Jarhead2012 @ Aug 9th 2008 9:06PM]

Yeah no kidding. Last time i bought a 4GB Flash Drive it cost me $79.99

[JohnTitor @ Aug 9th 2008 9:24PM]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233027
faster, cheaper, less funky

[tom @ Aug 9th 2008 10:55PM]

These USB drive are gonna end up in the discount bin by 2009. (If you are lucky, by next month)

Condolence goes to US Olympic Volleyball coach =(

[Ignatius @ Aug 9th 2008 11:07PM]

I got in on the deal for a Sandisk Cruzer Titanium 4GB for only $12.

I love slickdeals.

[Bob @ Aug 9th 2008 11:16PM]

Then you're getting ripped off... I just got a 16GB thumb drive for $30 on eBay a few months ago... It's an off brand but I've not had a single issue with it yet, and it's not any bigger than a regular 2GB/4GB/8GB SanDisk thumb drive you'd get at your local Wal-Mart...

[Ignatius @ Aug 10th 2008 1:35PM]

A no-name 16GB drive? Dude, I'm talking about the Cruzer Titanium series. They're extremely durable. According to Sandisk, they can easily withstand a 1-ton crush test. And I've seen videos of people driving their cars over them.

A 4GB drive that can outlive a 16GB drive is a hell of a lot better, regardless of price.

[Jarhead2012 @ Aug 9th 2008 9:07PM]

The real question is how fast are they? Also, are they durable? It may explain the low price if they are not durable and extremely slow. In that case, I wouldn't buy any.

[Flashpoint @ Aug 9th 2008 10:56PM]

If they are LENOVO, then I'll give their quality ratings the benefit of the doubt. So long as they are USB 2.0, they can't be all that slow I'd think.

My only thing is, why make them different mascots? Why not make a single drive and make it so you can change mascot sleeves.

[jon @ Aug 10th 2008 1:12AM]

Flash memory have different read/write speeds, just like hard drives have different rpms and cahes to affect speed. the difference between a 16mb r/w and a 32mb r/w is substantial

[klew @ Aug 9th 2008 9:10PM]

Isn't the number 4 considered bad luck in Chinese culture? 8 is obviously good luck.

[icepop4who @ Aug 9th 2008 9:21PM]

no kidding. 8GB would have been much better, especially 8 is everywhere this Olympic games.

i'm still thinking about the opening ceremony on 08/08/08. ahhh

[Gunn @ Aug 9th 2008 9:30PM]

And it started at 8 p.m. lol

[Wormbolt @ Aug 9th 2008 10:40PM]

Number 4 is related to death in Chinese superstition. It must have been chosen to reflect the many people who were killed in preparation for the opening ceremonies.

[Mobius_1 @ Aug 10th 2008 5:18AM]

4=四=si=死=death

8=八=ba~发=get rich

[AndrewAmazed @ Aug 9th 2008 10:00PM]

^ technically 8:08 pm.

[JAY JAY @ Aug 9th 2008 10:39PM]

Ahh, but what if it was free like that WTF of the day on Aug 6th 2008?

[Mobius_1 @ Aug 10th 2008 5:19AM]

Engadget isn't the place for political protests, but I dare you to go to Tiananmen Square with a huge banner saying that

[linux_maize @ Aug 10th 2008 5:55AM]

I wonder if the chinese poser-posters here pushing Lenovo for that timelessly old chinese admin can be fairly criticized because everyone else is kept from commenting and advertising our evil capitalist product in china by the great firewall. unfortunately, china is a one way dead end in more than 4 and 8 ways, and they will never change what they do so well.

[topazbullet @ Aug 12th 2008 5:38AM]

Firewall doesn't affect much, least of which is advertising and posting on engadget (which I'm doing right now)

BTW these are nice flashdrives, have one stuck into the comp right now. Copying 1.6GB of pictures is only slightly slower than a 8gb Cruzer

[老外 @ Aug 10th 2008 5:58AM]

你就人权问题提出的抗议听来很空洞。得不偿失的。

[How about no @ Aug 10th 2008 6:16AM]

I think you should learn how to spell the work "fuck" correctly before you assume you know everything. Go learn some Chinese history (and English), kid.

[Magallanes @ Aug 10th 2008 7:36AM]

babel fish is damn cool:

the translation say :"You the protest which proposed on the human rights question listens to be very empty. Gain does not equal the loss."

I agreed engadget is not the place to bring politician fights BUT it's the place to review electronics products and to blame crappy imitations, for example to replace the jetpack with cheapo wires. ;-)

[merrykid @ Aug 10th 2008 12:09PM]

good USB flash drive ,BUT when it comes with the Olympics-themes it becomes worthless

[Tohe @ Aug 10th 2008 2:12PM]

am I the only one who thinks these flash drives are tacky as hell??? I know companies aren't born with good taste, but Lenovo could certainly hire someone who has it.

[James @ Aug 10th 2008 6:18PM]

Does Engadget have to post about EVERY SINGLE new novelty flash drive??? Haven't flash drives been out long enough to move their stories into Crapgadget? It sure must be a slow newsday today, because this is the gadget equivalent of the "Slow News Day Panda" - http://www.amazon.com/Tribeca-FV00167-1GB-Panda-Drive/dp/B000XYOTUA

-Lots o love

[Kspraydad @ Aug 10th 2008 8:47PM]

It should come with TOR and Onion on it...

[AlphaTeam @ Aug 11th 2008 12:01AM]

If only they would make the torches, I'd spend a lot money on one!

[topazbullet @ Aug 12th 2008 5:36AM]

These are medal, and built pretty well. I skimmed all of them for the Lenovo factory for about $19 each to give as gifts

[topazbullet @ Aug 12th 2008 5:38AM]

I meant "metal." have olympics on the mind