Buffalo's 16GB 5mm USB Thumbkey: It's really small

This isn't the first time Buffalo's blown our minds with its lilliputian tech. The WiFi dongle, you have to admit, was pretty sweet. What can we say about the 5mm Thumbkey drive? For starters, it's really small. And it has a 16GB capacity. And it''ll cost you about $136 when it goes on sale (any day now). Sure, that's a tad pricey for a device that lacks gears and rubies -- but did we mention how small this thing is?

[Via OhGizmo!]

[naz @ Jun 24th 2009 7:00PM]

just easier to lose

[OneLove @ Jun 24th 2009 7:14PM]

$136? Although, you could hide your sensitive documents up your bum.

[I hate mingers @ Jun 24th 2009 7:31PM]

esier to loose ur pr0n?

[Excelsium @ Jun 24th 2009 8:17PM]

pointless and fiddly but it should enable larger capacity drives..

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Jun 24th 2009 9:54PM]

On my LCD screen that pic is showing up like 3X actual size. Weird.

[broli @ Jun 25th 2009 5:26AM]

@onelove: I agree Buffalo should have called this the Buttalo.

[Josh @ Jun 25th 2009 8:27AM]

Not necessarily, i'd use it as a laptop backup drive that wouldn't get unplugged - it's small enough to go inside a slip case (where most usb sticks would jut out). It's also large enough to be useful as a backup drive, 16GB is enough to keep a current backup of all my university docs, website/database backup alongside all my lecture notes and things like that - with buckets of room to spare.

[kal326 @ Jun 25th 2009 9:25AM]

@OneLove
That just screams I/O error...

[Jamma @ Jun 24th 2009 7:01PM]

So if you can fit 16GB (and the USb connector) into that, why the hell can't apple/MS/Sony/Samsung give us a 64GB flash PMP???

[Raikiri @ Jun 24th 2009 7:08PM]

Cost, very few people would be willing to pay the extra for the larger capacity. The smaller quantity being sold would in turn make it even more expesnive.

[supermonkey @ Jun 24th 2009 7:10PM]

Might have something to do with the price tag. That would be sweet though

[awbhoops @ Jun 24th 2009 7:37PM]

Certainly manufacturers are capable right now of fitting 128GB into a PMP if they can fit 16 into this. Yes it would be expensive, but that's only from memory manufacturer's R&D, not from materials.

[ark_v2 @ Jun 24th 2009 11:02PM]

This cost $136 and it's only 16GB...
Imagine how much would a 64GB PMP cost if we have to consider everything else that is not the memory itself.

[grayhooten @ Jun 29th 2009 6:25PM]

It's not really a price issue. Manufacturers use a delayed release method to business slowly releasing products so that you continually upgrade providing them with future business. It has worked for apple for the past 6 years.

[CharlieX @ Jun 24th 2009 7:04PM]

Helps rip out fingernails.

but seriously, that's nice and small

[Agent .25i @ Jun 24th 2009 9:15PM]

That's what she said... Oh wait

[Michael @ Jun 24th 2009 7:05PM]

It would be very easy to lose. I think the idea is to keep it plugged in all the time. Also, a friend had the 2 GB version of this, and it came with a fairly sizeable cap that made it easier to keep track of.

Would be perfect for a netbook with a small SSD, just pop one of these in to a free USB slot and leave it there.

[Brendan H @ Jun 24th 2009 7:55PM]

Also good for anything where you don't want a "big" usb stick jutting out from your device. The HD podcast mentioned recently the annoyance of having a usb drive always sticking out from the front of a blu-ray player, since certain features require the extra memory.

[Shinigami @ Jun 24th 2009 7:08PM]

Can't you get 500gb external HDD for the same price?
Its compactness make me think I'll sooner lose it than feel the benefit of small size. And during this economic downturn I'd prefer cheaper things over more expensive and "feature-rich" ones. Maybe its just me :P

[xValentine @ Jun 24th 2009 11:36PM]

because when you accidentally dropped a 500GB spinning HD, there's a high chance that it will break and all your data will be gone.

Just like what happened to my 320GB Passport :(

[Paul Corlatan @ Jun 24th 2009 7:14PM]

i'm glad it's so small, sure for the price it's not necessarily worth it for many/most people but it's compact and easy to carry around. if i had the choice between this and a normal sized one id choose this.

[Erik @ Jun 24th 2009 7:40PM]

That's what she said...

[ohsnapitstahj @ Jun 24th 2009 11:15PM]

Zing!

[Melmation @ Jun 24th 2009 7:14PM]

BUH!?

Crikey that's insanely small and by insanely I mean ludicrously small!! What next? HD monitors that come with "Built in 500Tb hard drive bezel"?

That's insane!

I feel like 1950's Doc brown when he realises future Marty is there with him in his house at the start of BTTF 3.

"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!"

[shinratdr @ Jun 24th 2009 7:13PM]

No integrated WiFi, Bluetooth 3.5G & GPS? What is this, the middle ages?

[ChillyCat @ Jun 24th 2009 7:17PM]

NO cut and paste & I betcha, it can't be multi-tasked

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jun 25th 2009 12:42AM]

Wow it has no buttons, total ripoff of Apple.

[icecreamman @ Jun 24th 2009 8:51PM]

i have the 8gb version of this. its just a micro sdhc reader but that damn, this is small.

[poematik14 @ Jun 24th 2009 7:21PM]

reminds me of the 70's bond movies where he stores documents on a tiny thing and the audience is like wtf thats so cool but impossible!

now look at us. i love technology.

[JasonDM @ Jun 25th 2009 1:34PM]

That's almost as small as a 16/32GB microSDHC cards, or the new one that's supposed to be 64GB.

[BigD145 @ Jun 24th 2009 8:12PM]

It is a microSD card. Take a look through the holes.

[username @ Jun 24th 2009 7:22PM]

HOLY SHIT

[Kyle Simmons @ Jun 24th 2009 7:27PM]

take a good close look at the red one... Where the heck is the memory? in the USB connector?

[g0pher @ Jun 25th 2009 5:25AM]

.. yes?

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jun 25th 2009 12:47AM]

Yes. USB connectors have way too much extra space inside, but when they put the memory in the connector they can't make it flat like Sony Micro Vaults.

[y3k.nik @ Jun 24th 2009 7:30PM]

In before the that is what she said jokes! sweet!

[ED @ Jun 24th 2009 8:18PM]

by ten minutes

[fbazerghi @ Jun 24th 2009 7:30PM]

just seems like an easier way to leave $136 plugged into a tower at your school's computer lab.

Corsair voyager 8gb...most durable motherfucker I've ever used, mother nature proof, and less than 20 bucks (at least half a year ago). Why you would need this shit is beyond me. Bluetooth adapter? Wireless mouth adapter? Hell yes. On the vx nano I just love the tiny receiver and how discrete it is. This is just kinda pointless.

[massive_98 @ Jun 24th 2009 7:34PM]

My plans are now set.

I'll buy an ASUS P30A (even though I have no idea when it will come out)
I'll install a SSD
I'll buy on of these drives to store my multimedia files

[Mamdouh reda @ Jun 24th 2009 7:34PM]

thanks

[AndrewNoNumbers @ Jun 25th 2009 12:49AM]

Recession Antidote!

[Bash @ Jun 24th 2009 7:34PM]

That's what she said :P

[guy943 @ Jun 24th 2009 7:36PM]

There's a point where improvement on the size stops being worth much. Sure, you can shove it up your bum, but you can also shove your 3" one up your bum without much trouble.

What I'd like to see is a regular-sized thumbdrive that you can get wet and step on, but it has bluetooth and GPS, etc.

[richb93 @ Jun 24th 2009 7:42PM]

they need one that has a usb mobo header so you can hook it up internally. would be great for stuff like permanent driver storage or for those folk who use ready boost

[richb93 @ Jun 24th 2009 7:42PM]

could also have a ghost of your basic windows installation so you can restore it easily if it all goes tits up

[Fanandualum @ Jun 24th 2009 7:53PM]

THEY PROBALY JUST PUT THE LITTLE PLASTIC THINGS AT THE END SO THAT YOU CAN TAKE YOUR FLASH DRIVE OUT WHEN YOU PUT IT IN.

[ED @ Jun 24th 2009 8:20PM]

I believe so.
Also, there is a shift key on keyboards so you can choose which letters should be capitals.

[Ethan @ Jun 24th 2009 7:53PM]

Are there any USB drives that look like mushrooms? Like, properly?

[pbrooks100 @ Jun 24th 2009 8:39PM]

Just make your own, using your own microSDHC

http://usb.brando.com.hk/eagletec-usb-nanosac-microsd-card-reader_p00905c031d015.html

[Fanfoot @ Jun 24th 2009 8:56PM]

And you can get it with a 16GB microSD card for only $67, e.g. < 1/2 the price of this thing.