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See USB flash drives manufactured in this shocking behind-the-scenes video
No, Billy, USB thumb drives are not made in a magical land with fairy dust and Unicorn tears, and they're not born in the space beneath the Razzleberry waterfall. Yes, we're as shocked as you are. Luckily, the gang at Netbook News are on hand to set us straight with this video of the Kingston Manufacturing Plant, which offers us a rare glimpse into all of the stamping, printing, baking, cutting, and packaging that goes into getting you the portable storage you crave. Interesting? You bet it is -- and it's after the break.[Via Make]
Sanrio and MIMOBOT team up to unleash some cute for Hello Kitty's 35th
Get ready -- Hello Kitty's about to blow out the candles for her 35th anniversary -- so Sanrio's gone on an especially wild licensing tear. We see all kinds of insane HK gear around these parts, but we are, admittedly, fans of MIMOBOTS adorable storage. Now, there are not a lot of details to go on here, nothing specific, with regards to pricing or capacities -- but the Hello Kitty MIMOBOT flash drives are expected on or about the 1st of November. Similar 'bots (we checked out Darth Vader) run $19.95 for a 1GB model, and up to $49.95 for a 30GB. Meow!! Now, we're not sure -- but we're laying our bets that we can expect other fruit-inspired costumes for our feline friend above... or maybe we're just hoping to see her dressed up as a peach!
Verbatim Tuff-Clip flash drives for the adventure nerd
We can't honestly say we've ever had a flash drive go bad because it wasn't tough enough, but apparently there's a market of globe-trotting ex-military jungle assassins out there big enough for Verbatim to join in with the Tuff-Clip USB stick. (Actually, it's TUFF-CLIP, because all-caps names are water-resistant to 100 feet.) Of course, you'll have to pay for those rugged good looks: the 4GB version is $30, while the 8GB is $50. Not exactly a steal when you consider this Hello Kitty stick we've been using cost us nothing more than our pride.
Kingston unveils 256GB thumb drive for well-heeled memory fiends
We're sure that it's only a matter of moments before a 256GB thumb drive this bulky is something of a joke -- hell, it wasn't so terribly long ago that cramming 256MB into something this size was an accomplishment. That said, if you're a netbook user looking for a storage bump, it looks like Kingston's got your back: this guy boasts transfer rates of up to 20 MB/sec. read and 10 MB/sec. write, and for all of you Vista fans, supports Windows ReadyBoost. Now, for the bad news: only available in Europe and the UK, and custom made upon your order (presumably after the check clears) this modern technological marvel will run you £565.67 ($924).[Via TBreak]
Wood computer workstation takes up space, looks great, does little else
Dear Diary 1.0 is a computer workstation / desk made entirely of wood. Designed by Marlies Romberg, a recent grad of the Utrecht School of Arts, this bad boy features a laser-cut keyboard, a display, mouse, and a porcelain and silicone USB thumb drive with a signet (one of those wax seals they always put on letters in old-timey movies). We're guessing that none of this stuff is functional (save maybe the thumb drive), but if you're in the mood for a good artist's statement, try this one on for size: "Dear Diary 1.0 is ... both the literal and the figurative manifestation of the worlds colliding. A physical reminder that increasingly, the real and the digital are becoming indistinguishable." Not bad, eh? Just slap your Amazon Kindling on the thing and your anachronistic office will be just about complete. More pics after the break.[Via Unplggd]
IronKey boasts 'world's most physically and cryptographically secure' thumb drive
This isn't the first time we've seen one of IronKey's encrypted USB thumb drives 'round these parts, but if you're an enterprise user, government contractor, or some sort of renegade corporate spy you'll want to take note of this next item. The S200 is being touted as the world's first and only USB flash drive certified for FIPS 140-2, Security Level 3, and features: hardware-based AES 256-bit encryption in CBC mode, a tamper-resistant and tamper-evident rugged metal case, hardware-based malware protection, trusted network restrictions (which prevent the device from unlocking on untrusted PCs), and all the other goodies you expect from the company. Of course, this level of protection doesn't come cheap -- with their consumer grade products starting at $79.99 and ascending pretty quickly from there, we can only imagine what enterprise customers are shelling out. Then again, if you have to ask what it costs, this one is probably not for you. PR after the break.
Modder places USB flash drive in Atari 2600 cart, amuses geeks world o'er
Well, kids, if you like your USB drives with a little style, a little kitsch, and far too large to be carried conveniently, a gentleman named Robotic Evil, Inc. has just the thing for you. The evil one is hard at work as we speak, taking 2GB thumb drives and placing them in the artifacts of genuine geek nostalgia. Really, who wouldn't want to receive a hand-assembled computer peripheral in the shape of an Atari game cartridge or an NES controller? These things cost $29.99 (add another $5 for shipping and handling) and they're available at this dude's Etsy store. Check out the NES controller / drive yourself after the break. [Via BoingBoing]
Ned Kelly thumb drive for the bushranger in your life
Bushrangers were Australia's answer to English highwaymen and Ned Kelly was perhaps the most celebrated of them all. Known for his homemade armor and helmet -- here represented by the USB plug -- Kelly has now been truly immortalised by the art of memory stick modding. Fair enough, woodworking isn't a terribly precise art and we could just as easily claim this to be a Hristo Botev (who?) USB drive, but we have to commend the considerable effort required to put this baby together. On the other hand, there are snazzier alternatives out there, which look great even without you explaining the mythology behind their design.[Via Boing Boing]
Windows 7 could be sold on thumb drives, but probably not
As you know, Windows 7 pre-orders begin today (unless you're lucky enough to be in Europe, that is). This of course begs the question: what is a Win7-aspiring netbook owner to do? External optical drives are pretty kludgey, in our estimation, and trip to the Geek Squad? Out of the question. According to CNET, a "source" of some sort is goin' around saying that Microsoft is planning on making the OS available on USB thumb drives for the ultra-portable market, although we feel that such devices are best left to the college students who rely on campus computer labs -- or the occasional J.Lo album. As for Microsoft, they've said nothing about any of this, although we have noticed that its online store has all three upgrades (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate) available for pre-order download (at $49.99, $99.99, and $219.99 respectively). Problem solved, right?
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!]
Mechanical Memory Key stores your data with the precision of an Antide Janvier timepiece
Listen up, steampunkers: Have you been having a hard time finding an appropriate USB thumb drive to wear on a gold chain next to your pocket watch? Artype's 16GB Mechanical Memory Key is a handcrafted beaut, with materials that include Purpleheart for the case and twenty-six rubies. When this device is drawing USB power it glows green from beneath the gears, taking you back to your days as a hacker during the reign of Queen Victoria. Sadly, the device pictured above has already been sold, but at $165 a pop we're sure this particular artisan has plenty more of these guys in the works. Two more glamor shots for you after the break.[Via Boing Boing]
YuuWaa's hardware flash drives combine serious online storage with a silly name
There is certainly no shortage of backup solutions available for people with data that they'd rather not have disappear, and realistically that's probably everyone reading this, but there's always room for tech that makes the process easier. That's what YuuWaa's thumb drives pledge to do. Plug one into your PC (no Macs allowed) and you'll automatically be prompted to create an account and upload whatever you store on the drive. There are two models, a 4GB "Go" for €19.99 ($27) and a 8GB "Plus" flavor for €29.99 ($40), each offering twice their capacity in online storage -- storage that's free for half a year but thereafter costs between $3 and $6 a month to keep your files alive and, optionally, shared online. For that money you could just buy yourself a new thumb drive a few times a year, and we all know you can never have too many of those.[Via Everything USB]
Ennova announces USB drive with OLED screen / fingerprint scanner
It's still a little ways from an actual release, but it looks like the folks at Ennova Direct just couldn't help themselves from announcing that they've received a patent for a newfangled biometric USB flash drive that packs a built-in OLED screen. Even better, that OLED screen apparently actually doubles as the fingerprint scanner, which may not add much extra in terms of security, but should be good for at least a few gee whiz moments. The actual patent, however, isn't for that bit of convergence, but for the sliding mechanism that covers the screen when it's closed and pops out the USB connector when it's open. No word on pricing or capacities just yet, but it looks like the first few drives should be available under the ION Technologies brand sometime in the first quarter of 2010.[Via OLED-Display.net]
EagleTec Nano flash drive makes losing data easier than ever
Still haven't found a USB drive small enough for your needs? Then you might want to consider EagleTec's new Nano flash drive now available from the ever dependable folks at Brando, which measures an impossibly tiny 19 x 15 x 6 mm and weighs in at a mere three grams. Despite that size, however, you'll still get a fairly generous 4GB or 8GB of storage ($22 and $33, respectively), and an included lanyard that'll let you attach it to something you're less likely to misplace, though you're on your own keeping the drive's cap from wandering off.[Via OhGizmo]
Fujitsu's secure USB tech keeps your data from wandering off (or just plain deletes it)
With corporate espionage on the rise, you just cannot be too careful, right? We've all heard the horror stories: Someone takes a spreadsheet home to do a little number crunching on his personal PC and, next thing you know, some ne'er-do-wells in Tehran have the specs for the President's personal helicopter. Well, the brain trust at Fujitsu Labs has put its collective heads together and come up with a pair of new technologies aimed at preventing sensitive information from getting into the wrong hands. First, the "secure USB memory device" is a thumb drive containing a processor and a battery. Data security policies can be set to delete data after a specific period of time or if the drive is accessed by an unauthorized computer -- handy if the thing gets lost or misplaced. Second, the company's "file redirect technology" restricts the data to the USB memory device itself, or to a specified server. The company is currently conducting internal trials of the technology, but we'll let you know as soon as we see one of these bad boys in the wild.[Via Akihabara News]
EMTEC's Gdium netbook reviewed: colorful case hides an underwhelming device
When you're drowning in a flood of copycat netbooks it's hard to not to be drawn to one that's a little different, one like EMTEC's Gdium, bravely forgoing internal storage in favor of a 16GB thumb drive "G-Key" and willfully ignoring the ubiquitous Atom processor. But, such attraction only gets you past so many inadequacies, and according to Laptop Magazine's review this one has plenty. Its customized Linux interface was said to be nice, but that 900MHz MIPS architecture couldn't even keep up with average netbooks, its touchpad was borderline unusable, and after a few moments placed on a lap the thing turned into a 112-degree oven -- just the sort of thing that won't do your future generations any good at all. Sure, the $349 price is lower than expected, but with Mini 9's going for $150 less it's not exactly a bargain.
LaCie's new Sally Struthers-approved USB key drives
If you felt that LaCie's CurrenKey ultraportable storage solution was a bit too heavy in the yuks department, the company's back with something that might be a little more up your proverbial alley. With a form factor that reminds one of a late-night ad for a correspondence course in locksmithing, these miniature microSD card readers offer 20MB/s read and 10MB/s write speeds. Additionally, PassKey supports microSDHC cards, and both iamaKey and itsaKey are available with either 4GB or 8GB of built-in storage. Sure, this guy won't open a cold one for you, but the shock-proof, Windows ReadyBoost-compatible device does look good on a keyring. You know, if that's what you're into. Price and availability to be announced.[Thanks, Dwayne]
Wooden 2GB thumb drive doubles as Post-It Notes dispenser
What can we say? This is a 2GB thumb drive elegantly ensconced in White Oak. If that weren't enough, this convenient and portable package not only allows you to listen to some of your favorite Grateful Dead bootleg MP3s on your laptop at work, but also ensures that you always have a supply of tiny little Post-It Notes on hand. What better way to begin your workday in the soul-shattering plastic corporate world than popping in a somewhat eco-friendly wooden peripheral and rocking out to Picasso Moon? You should really check out the version from their October 25, 1989 show in Miami. This guy goes for ¥2,680 (about $30).[Via Akihabara News]
OCZ unveils Throttle eSATA SSD flash drive
We haven't seen a ton of eSATA flash drives, but OCZ is entering the fray with the Throttle, which looks a lot like the Ao-Lab unit we saw back in October. No pricing or release date is given, but Register Hardware estimates it'll be $32 for the 8GB model, $56 for 16GB and $160 for 32GB. For eSATA ports that don't provide power, the Throttle has a mini-USB port to give it some electrical juice that can also be used to transfer data, which should cover most scenarios unless you're at a phantasmagorical computer that somehow has only FireWire ports. [Via Maximum PC; thanks, Havok]Read - Official press releaseRead - OCZ readies USB eSATA Flash drive (Register Hardware)
Kingston unveils 64GB DataTraveler 150 for $177
You've got entirely too many RAW files and uncompressed David Bowie albums to be slamming everything onto a 16GB thumbdrive, so Kingston Technology's coming to the rescue with a new pair of ultra-spacious DataTraveler 150s. Arriving in 32GB and 64GB flavors, the DT150 becomes the largest in the outfit's entire DataTraveler line, and it even works with Windows, OS X, Palm OS and Linux! Both sticks come with a five-year warranty (as if you won't lose it before then) and will sell for $132 and $177, respectively.[Via Electronista]
