Microsoft working up StartKey Windows companion
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/G3mGbE71BYifaVdMOfE3Cg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTQ3OQ--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/gKqhWfvyslFv4NqIe37L2A--~B/aD0yODk7dz00MjU7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-5-08-windows-flash-drive.jpg)
If you'll recall, Microsoft announced that it was teaming up with SanDisk last May to conjure up a suitable U3 replacement. Not quite a year later, we're starting to hear the first whispers of what that replacement may be. Purportedly dubbed StartKey, the so-called Windows companion would essentially allow users to "carry their Windows and Windows Live settings with them" on any sort of flash memory device -- be it a USB drive, SD card, etc. Interestingly, it's also being reported that Redmond would like to "build an end-to-end StartKey environment," but aside from the tidbit that it should be out in at least beta form by the year's end, pretty much everything else remains murky.
[Via ArsTechnica, image courtesy of Tom's Hardware]