Latest USB gadgets light up your life, fill up your wallet
By Tim Stevens 
posted May 13th 2009 12:24PM
posted May 13th 2009 12:24PM
Read - USB Hub with a built-in flashlight
Read - USB wristwatch
Read - Lego-themed USB hub
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Too bad it doesn't look like it will stack with Lego's. That would be the ultimate build-your-own-crazy hub
It's LEGO with no 's'. Gawd.
I've been saying Legos since I was old enough to talk. I will not allow your evil corporate branding to stomp all over my cherished childhood memories!
Since LEGO's are made of plastic and seem to be pretty resistant to fire, you should be able to build your own PC cases out of em.
I actually have built a PC case out of LEGOs (there, now we have three different plural spellings/capitalizations). It was designed much better than my normal case with better airflow and kept my dual-CPU behemoth significantly cooler.
"...you should be able to build your own PC cases out of em..."
http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/08/monolith-esque-lego-computer-makes-us-want-to-pick-up-a-brick-se/
@chefgon_ign – Maybe it's time to grow up? ;)
LEGO's copyright actually expired, which was fought over in court when a canadian company started to make lego blocks, and lego lost when they tried to stop them.
Not sure if that just applies to the design or also to the name, I imagine just the design.
What's the point if it doesn't actually connect to Legoes? It's pretty pointless if it merely resembles LEG'OS.
(for crying out loud, LEGO is a non-count noun!)
It's not like you hear people saying, "I built a submarine out of K'nexes," or, "This crane is made of Meccanoes!"
Yeah it would be nice if it also had metal contacts on the top and bottom. That way you could stack them to make a bigger hub without needing extra wires.
useless
infringement
useless
ya, they stole my flashlight shape idea =(
Not quite a Haiku.
Regarding the USB hub with flashlight...
Does it staple?
my thoughts exactly.
Looks more like a mini guillotine for your USB cables.
'Fill up your wallet'
You mean these things will pay us to buy them?
Not that I'm particularly fond of any of the watch styles for myself, I think it's really inspired where they've placed the interface.
I was thinking the same thing until I realized you'd have to take off your watch every time you need to use the flash drive; and also the little "cap" looks like something you'd lose in 2 minutes. I would probably overlook these if the watches didn't look so bad...
Agreed, but you usually dont use your usb stick for too long anyway, so this could be a decent "backup" of imp documents.
they just need to make one with a metal bracelet.. that'll take care of the looks
Have to sell a ton of these to counter the $1B (yes, that's like a 'million,' only with a 'B') fine Intel got slapped with.
I have an Edge Tech 2gb watch, silver. Classy. Ballin. http://www.edgetechcorp.com/usb-flash-drives/diskgo-combos-watch-dress.asp
So you carry a USB-A to USB-mini cable with you everywhere? :(
Who doesn't? How else you gonna hook up your half-dozen mobile/portable/random gadgets with power and/or data?
shaggy2m0 I do, on my keys. Small, unobtrusive.
Could be fun, if a little over priced.
Those Lego USB hubs look like they don't even connect to eachother.
Lame.
My thoughts exactly. Put a hinged plug on the side that tips down to fit into a top jack on another unit and you'll have something.
No hinged plug. Make the knobs that stick out the top into the connections used to link them. Now that would be cool. I'm thinking the knobs would be subdivided into quadrants and some sort of alignment poker would stick into the center of the knob to spin it to proper orientation for the plug to work.
Do these new devices come with anti-trust law suits, too?
Do you even know what anti-trust laws are?
No, but they wear nice suits.
Well, I'm no lawyer but I think an easy description would be to say that anti-trust laws ensure a fair marketplace for companies selling products so that consumers of those products have the greatest opportunity possible for competitive prices and product features.
So how exactly are any of these limiting competition?
Here are some links to virtually every major media outlet that describe just that.
http://friendfeed.com/intel-eu-ruling
The two that stick in my mind was paying MediaMarkt to NOT carry AMD-based products and providing "rebates" to tier one manufacturers to delay launching AMD-based products.
Do you know what story you are commenting on?
Yes-
Intel's Ajay Bhatt indeed deserves rock star status. Without his hard work we might not today have such a wondrous bounty of USB devices
And I'm just pointing out the coincidence of Intel's current litigation. It sort of begs the question, what would we have now if Intel wasn't a criminal organization since that's who Ajay works for.
Mike, above, pointed out the same thing with his comment.
Or what we'd have if Ajay Bhatt worked for the Mafia.
Is it just me or have those usb watches been available... everywhere... for a LONG time now?