Flash device to ship with Compaq notebooks

Compaq on Tuesday announced it will offer M-Systems' 16MB DiskOnKey portable storage device with certain notebook models.

The DiskOnKey, which resembles a key chain and plugs into a computer's USB port, is similar to other portable memory devices that have hit the market in the past few years. Consumers can store pictures or music on the flash memory contained in the card and then plug it into PCs or MP3 players. Ports for portable storage will become fairly common in PCs by 2003, PC executives have said. The device will come bundled with Compaq's Presario 2700 notebook computers and will be an option for the company's Evo N600c notebooks.