UsbDrive
Latest
Crapgadget: USB abomination edition (with a pinch of superhero)
Seriously, just listen at this and try to stifle your sighs. "Bling Bling USB optical mouse." "Jewel Necklace USB flash drive." "Turtle-Look USB 2.0 Hub with a tray." "Magic Sensor LCD Alarm Clock." "Insect USB Mini Fan." Yes, friends, this is the type of utter garbage we're dealing with in this episode of Crapgadget. Honestly, we're simultaneously astounded and deeply depressed that anyone would even consider dishing out their hard-earned cheddar for any of this rubbish, but we're doing our darnedest to pretend that these were simply created for us to have a laugh at.The week's strongest contender? Some superhero magnet pixels... and that's saying something.Read - Bling Bling mouseRead - Jewel necklace USB driveRead - Turtle USB hubRead - Sensor alarm clockRead - Insect fanRead - Magnetic pixels %Poll-28983%
Canon EOS 5D Mark II flash drive: just 21.1MP shy of awesomeness
You could say that this is the perfect USB flash drive for existing EOS 5D Mark II owners. We'd argue, however, that this is the perfect USB flash drive for those looking to just live vicariously while not shattering the bank. 'Course, $129.99 for a 4GB USB key is pretty absurd, but at least that gets you Live View and a 1080p movie mode. Er, wait...[Via Zungua]
USB Robot drive is the retro Re-Animator
Ahh, how cute. Mr. Robot wants you to hold his USB head. Better than taking yours, we guess. $25 and he'll harass your keys about his superior 4GB capacity. Perspective on the harsh realities of robot relations pictured after the break. [Via Pocket-lint]
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]
USB cake design worst birthday surprise in history
Imagine this -- you walk into a custom confectionery and inform the design team that you want the image on a USB flash drive made onto a very special cake. In fact, you even leave the flash drive with them so they can really look it over. Sure, you'd think they would get to frost-brushing that unicorn flying through a rainbow right onto the cake, but apparently the artists in question had other ideas. Namely, creating a photo-perfect replica of a Lexar flash drive on the surface of what appears to be an otherwise delicious pile of sugar. Seriously. Too bad about that black icing, birthday boy.[Via UberReview]
Nine USB flash drives compared in file system showdown
Kristofer Brozio already spent more time with more flash drives than most would dare to with his last USB drive round-up, but he's now come back for another go 'round, and this time he's even gone so far as to compare their performance with different file systems. To make things a bit more manageable, he pared things down to nine drives from the initial group of 21, and formatted and reformatted each with FAT32, NTFS and ExFAT file systems. As with last time, he found that the OCZ and Super Talent drives proved to be the best overall performers and, while ExFAT did come out on top in a number of benchmarks, he still recommends FAT32 due to its greater compatibility and still decent performance. Still need a bit more convincing? Then hit up the link below for the graph explosion.
Four Eyes: because nerds love USB specs
Ah, horned-rimmed glasses. A style that simultaneously provokes taunts of "four eyes" from cruel children and squeals of muted delight from urban hipsters. Starting in March, this 2-mm thin, 2GB USB bookmark (yes, bookmark) can be yours for $29. A few more pics after the break to ease your confusion.
Sirtified throws up hand USB flash drives
Let's face it -- it's hard to connect with kids these days, but Sirtified clearly knows what's up. The outfit's forthcoming line of Hand USB Sticks include 2GB of storage space and arrive in three street-approved models: Rock, West Side and a version that looks awfully similar to the Engadget logo. Hold the hand of your choice next month for $35.[Thanks, Kyle]
Verbatim trots out OS X-friendly 8GB Store 'n' Go retractable USB drive
Verbatim doesn't really make a lot of racket during the year, but come Macworld / CES, it pulls out all of the stops. Alongside a new family of delectable ExpressCard SSDs, the company is also introducing an 8GB Store 'n' Go Retractable USB Drive (Windows version shown) that caters to the OS X crowd. Verbatim's pushing two main selling points here: for starters, the capless, retractable design means that your USB socket will always be covered, and secondly, the password controlled access to the drive's private zone plays nice within an OS X environment. The half-ounce device is expected to land on store shelves in just a few weeks, though it'll cost you a stiff $59.99 if you're looking to pay MSRP.
SanDisk showcases new Ultra Backup / Cruzer USB flash drives
Rather than simply adding a new capacity option or throwing another adjective on the end (i.e. Ultra, Xtreme, Gnarly, etc.), SanDisk is actually launching something in the flash drive sector that's worth paying attention to. The Ultra USB Backup is hailed as the planet's first USB key with simple backup software activation at the touch of a button, and with capacities up to 64GB, we'd say this is a pretty decent option for keeping your digital paraphernalia backed up sans an external HDD. In related news, the outfit has redesigned the long-standing Cruzer to fall more in line with today's trends, effectively stripping the retro pastel hues and adding in "iconic new design language developed by global innovation firm frog design." The new bunch is expected in stores this April, with prices ranging from $24.99 to $99.99 for the Cruzer and $39.99 to $199.99 for the Ultra Backup. Full release is after the break.
EMTEC's Kooky Klickers-based USB drives bring a smile to anyone's face
Think you're having a rough day? Did you get a placard with instructions to the exit rather than a bonus check this week? We know, life's a little rough right now, but how on Earth can you look at the bunch pictured above and not crack at least a smidgen of a grin? Based on the insanely popular Kooky Klickers brand, the Kooky USB Drives are modeled after the widely recognized character pens and are being pushed by EMTEC. Curiously, there's no mention at all of a price, and odder still, not a peep on capacity choices; in other words, you should be fully prepared to pay too much for too little when your kid starts to wailing.
21 USB drives tested, 20 immediately misplaced
It's three days until Christmas and you're looking for last-minute gift ideas for tech-inclined friends and colleagues. You decide on a USB drive, but how do figure out what's best to get -- attraction to hammers, ability to open beer bottles, or some other, clearly inferior metric entirely? Kristofer Brozio at Test Freaks Blog took 21 drives of various sizes (5 each of 1, 2, 4 and 8GB and one 64GB Patriot Magnum) and models and tested their transfer speeds. Top marks went to the 4GB OCZ, Sandisk, Lexar, and Super Talent models, as well as the 1GB SanDIsk. Given the small sample size, we can't really say if the speeds were the result of the capacities of the drive or the company who makes them, but it's definitely some flash-based food for thought. Hit the read link for the full results.
SanDisk Cruzer Enterprise: first secure USB drive fully compatible with OS X
Listen up, paranoid readers. SanDisk has just introduced what it's calling "the first secure USB flash drive to fully support Apple Mac OS X computers." The new Cruzer Enterprise was designed to meet unique USB security / compliance needs by implementing a "hardware-based 256-bit AES USB encryption solution that puts mandatory access control on all files as protection against theft or loss of the drive." Of course, Windows environments are also supported, and on both platforms users can log in / shut down access to the encrypted storage area, change and manage passwords, alter contact information (among other preferences), launch online support (woo!) and view current firmware and drive information. The drive is available in 1/2/4/8GB flavors (runs around $60 to $300) and plays nice with both OS X 10.4 (Tiger) and 10.5 (Leopard) on the Mac side.
LaCie CurrenKey flash drive is like funny money, minus the laughs
We've seen plenty of cute flash drives in our day, but this one that looks like spare change -- you know, cold, hard, days of yore currency -- well, let's just say this USB 2.0 drive is like heaven on earth. You can get it in an 8GB silver "dime" size, or the 4GB copper "penny" variation for a starting price of $19.99. Come to think of it, you might want to stock up just in case our economy utterly fails and we actually start using these as you know, money.[Via Chip Chick]
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]
Datamore Port HDD enclosure gives your data funk and flair
The handsome devil pictured above is the Porté, available in Korea from Datamore. This sleek, stylish HDD enclosure is sure to make you the envy of your neighbors and a hero to your family -- not only because it allows you to increase your storage options via handy USB or eSATA, but because it looks so sleek and sexy doing so. And who could resist an enclosure that offers such easy access to the hard drive? Of course there's a catch: this bad boy is not currently available Stateside. Sorry to break your heart. If you hit the read link, however, there are plenty of large, colorful glamor shots to help you ease the pain.
Crapgadget: not-even-suitable-for-gag-gifts edition
We all know the holiday season is coming up, but even if you're on the hunt for a gag gift for your fav-o-rite prankster, we can't not recommend the following turds enough. Up first is the absolutely unbelievable Night Sweat Alarm watch, which actually wakes you up if it detects that you're perspiring. Why? Legend has it that no one knows. Moving on, we've got the USB Volcano -- a perfect mix of your first-grade science project and your college-era infatuation with all things USB. Things start to get really absurd when viewing the self-explanatory Glass of Milk Light and the Retro Handy Handset, but even those are potentially topped in stupidity by the Air Flow Mouse and cake-shaped USB drives. Have a look at each below before casting your vote, but keep that barf bag handy.Read - Sweat Alarm watchRead - USB VolcanoRead - Glass of Milk LightRead - Retro Handy HandsetRead - Air Flow MouseRead - Cake-shaped USB drive%Poll-21440%
Solid Alliance's 2GB USB Skull Ring helps RPG players look tough
We'll be straight with you: there's no single expression of bad-assery more potent in the polyhedral kingdom of nerdistan than the USB Skull Ring. Brought to you by Solid Alliance, the 2GB USB drive feels right at home transferring files to your PC or at the end of a fist, deftly buried into the gut of a Moradin dwarf. Your choice for $145, no seriously. One more hair-free shot after the break.
Incrudo 8GB flash drive reeks of expensive
Don't spaz out or anything, but that thing you're peering at above actually isn't a small flask of cologne. No, no -- it's an 8GB USB drive, and it's one of the most expensive you can buy. Reportedly built with titanium, the drive is water-resistant, crush-proof and fancied up further with a single red ruby. Sure, it's 21,750 rubles ($837), but dollars to donuts they'd trade you one for a sure-to-be-authentic iPhone.[Via Gadgets-Weblog]
