(Credit:
Get Busy Committee)
Airport security can be so impersonal sometimes--they expect you to open up your luggage and show them your most intimate clothing without so much as a dinner date. If you are really desperate to solicit a more "personal" experience with a man (or woman) in uniform, this unique USB drive is the way to go.
Shaped like the familiar Israeli Uzi gun, the flash drive isn't your typical storage device. Instead, it's a medium for Los Angeles-based rap group Get Busy Committee to release its upcoming album "Uzi Does It" on October 27. Whether or not you're into the group's music, this is definitely a must-have gadget if you want a memorable experience at the airport security line.
(Source: Crave Asia via Wired)
(Credit:
Geek Stuff 4 U)
I don't know if this $125 Ninja Kunai 2GB flash memory drive is made of metal or not. They don't say in the product page description. What they say in the warning has me a bit worried, though:
Please note that this product is not a "real" Kunai, and cannot be used as such; also we would like to remind you that this product may be dangerous due to its sharp edge and MUST be handled with care.GeekStuff4U.com cannot be responsible if you misused this product and hurt yourself or others with it.
So it is not the real thing but it can actually cut? Can I take care of my garden with it? Do they just mean you can use it to take one of your eyes out? Are they giving nerd ninja wannabes any kind of ideas here? I hate when Tuesdays come with so many questions.
(Credit:
Geek Stuff 4 U)
This story originally appeared on Gizmodo.
Here is Corsair's 128GB Flash Voyager GT drive next to Kingston's 256GB DataTraveler 300 and an iPhone 3G.
(Credit: Crave UK )Billions of bytes are currently swarming into the capacious fortress of Corsair's new 128GB Voyager GT flash drive. It's the largest, fastest, and most exciting flash drive we've been sent yet, and it'll cost you about $497 when it becomes available in the next few weeks.
Described by one of its reps as an "aspirational product," Corsair knows this is a device aimed at enthusiasts only. But if you frequently need to write a gigabyte of data to a flash drive in 47 seconds flat, listen up.
(Credit:
Crave UK )
The Voyager GT obliterated Corsair's 64GB Voyager drive in benchmarks. It achieved a maximum sustained write speed of 26MBps and sustained read speeds of just under 39MBps. Compare this to the 64GB Corsair Voyager's 8MBps for writing and 27MBps for reading, and you'll begin to understand why this model pushed our right eyebrow up to its highest position to date.
It's a solid, rubbery drive, and it will easily survive a fall. But it's bordering on the size of an iPod Nano. At this size, and at this cost, you have to wonder whether you'd be better off with a portable hard disk. But for those who want flash, it's the biggest, baddest and--most importantly--fastest piece of USB-driven solid-state storage technology we've ever tested.
(Source: Crave UK)
(Credit:
The Verdict)
Here's a low-tech way to secure your flash drive. The Flash Drive Lock uses a three-digit combination to restrict access to the USB connector on your portable drive.
These combination locks are commonly seen on luggage, and as most of us know, they aren't terribly effective. But if all you want to do is deter casual snoops while out for lunch, it should do the trick. For those who need serious security, there's always data encryption. The Flash Drive Lock sells for $9.80.
(Source: Crave Asia via Red Ferret Journal)
This bracelet supports a unique cause: 8GB of wearable storage!
(Credit: Meritline)It's rare enough to find an 8GB flash drive for less than $20, but one you can wear? Meritline (yeah, it again) has the 8GB Bracelet Wrist Band USB Drive for $12.35 shipped.
That's after applying coupon code MLC40142835P, which is conveniently listed right on the product page. That code will also work for the blue, yellow, red, and orange versions of the bracelet.
As you'd probably expect, this is a USB 2.0 drive that's compatible with virtually every operating system. (Linux and Mac aren't listed, but I can't see any reason the drive wouldn't work with them.)
So, you tell me: Is a wearable flash drive more or less convenient than a typical thumb drive that rides on your keychain or in your pocket?
If you're the kind of person who uses a flash drive all day, every day, I think this might be seriously handy. Definitely a conversation piece (to say nothing of a geek badge of honor).
In any case, it's hard to argue with the price. The coupon code expires Friday, August 7, and I desperately hope these don't sell out in five minutes like yesterday's Meritline deal. (Again, sorry about that.)
Also, I should note that after yesterday's mention of problems with the vendor, I received several e-mails from readers. Some said, "Meritline, never again!" Others: "Meritline, love 'em!"
Because I haven't had any problems with the company myself, I'll simply pass along what others have told me: Customer service via e-mail is poor, but much better if you pick up the phone.
(Credit:
CrunchGear)
USB flash drives are getting so commonplace we might as well start using them as currency. I'm noticing more and more public relations companies handing out USB drives loaded with press releases and relevant product data sheets as opposed to the stack of paper it would've taken to print. I'm also impressed by how much prices for these little guys have come down in the past four years. Case in point: In 2005, the price for this 4GB SanDisk Cruzer Mini was a whopping $380. Meanwhile, Kingston has set out to prove just how much you'll save with the release of the industry's first 129GB USB key, dubbed the Kingston Data Traveler 200.
At just less than 3 inches long and half an inch thick, the tiny Kingston Data Traveler 200 packs a punch. It's available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities for a very affordable $120, $213, and $546, respectively. There are neither special features nor auto-backup software included in the bundle--just a simple drive with a huge capacity, a sliding cap, and password protection for extra security. Strangely enough, Kingston tells us the 128GB version will be made to order only; customers wanting to purchase the drive can place an order through e-tailers or resellers.
Check out the product Web site for more details.
On Sale Now: $15.99
View the latest prices for SanDisk Cruzer Mini USB flash drive (2GB)
Ace reporter Caroline McCarthy joins the show today to give us a little preview of South by Southwest, while we ream Justin Yu for totally being a pushover on our competing podcast "Bore Out Loud." Caroline says there isn't really much scheduled that will be ground-breaking this year, but that's because The 404 isn't there.
Ace reporter Caroline McCarthy.
(Credit: Wilson G. Tang/CNET)McCarthyism says that she's got the connection to get us on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." We think we can get on if Diggnation can get on. Letterman ain't having us after a week with U2.
Jeff and Caroline have a pale-off. It's pretty damn close, but we've got to say Jeff wins this one. He temporarily blinded Wilson yesterday when he sat underneath a light when shooting the brand new Nintendo DSi. Speaking of which, CNET gets an exclusive first look at the device, and we think Jeff is a believer now. It only took 100 million Nintendo DSs to get it done. Also, check out Jeff on Loaded today, where he gives his first impressions of the new Resident Evil 5.
Finally, we end the show on a classy note. A man has managed to get a USB flash drive installed on his prosthetic finger. The jokes ensue when Justin comments that he'd love to get a USB drive attached to a certain peripheral on his body. This is truly the home of the "Nerdy dirty."
Our contest is still going on. Send in your suggestions to the show. We love hearing them, especially the international ones. Much praise goes to brisebanelistener for quite possibly one of the funniest voice mails ever!
EPISODE 297
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Get 8GB of portable storage for just $17.
(Credit: Kingston)More and more these days, I find myself reaching for my flash drive. Whether it's to copy a few files from one PC to another or rescue an ailing system with emergency tools, the little guys are incredibly handy.
Of course, the higher the drive's storage capacity, the more you can do with it. Buy.com has a Kingston 8GB DataTraveler drive for $16.99 shipped. No rebates; that's your out-the-door price.
The drive includes a loop for attaching to a keychain (my preferred method of transport) and promises "secure cap storage," though in my experience, flash drive caps go missing within 6.3 seconds of unboxing.
Kingston backs the DataTraveler with a five-year warranty. I'm kind of surprised that it's not a lifetime policy, but, hey, do these things ever really go bad?
Just in case Buy.com sells out, Newegg has a similar deal: the Transcend JetFlash 8GB flash drive for $13.99 (plus $2.99 for shipping). And as it happens, this one has a lifetime warranty. Soooo...um, forget the DataTraveler and get the JetFlash instead. My bad. Yes, I'm suffering from too much vacation.
SanDisk's new USB drive secures data with 2x hardware encryption
The widespread proliferation of sensitive data via USB thumbdrives demands a need for data encryption, and SanDisk is stepping up to bat. Their newest Ultra Backup USB flash drive uses both password protection and 256-bit AES hardware encryption to reduce holes in vulnerability across the board.
Sandisk's entire line of USB flash drives, including their Cruzer series, is also getting a much-deserved makeover. The new designs use a capless
...Read the full post at CNET's CES 2009 blog.
The big entertainment companies refuse to give up on USB drives for media delivery. Sony announced on Monday that it was loading movies and albums on flash drives.
Michael Jackson fans can obtain the 25th Anniversary edition of the album Thriller for $19.99 or the feature films The Da Vinci Code or Men in Black for $29.99 each.
I can understand trying to sell flash drives for digital movies. Downloading big movie files can still take hours depending on the speed of the Internet connection. I'm not quite sure why anyone would pay $30 for catalog titles just because they're on a USB drive. Sony's press release doesn't say whether there are any added features.
As for offering music on flash drives, well, it's been tried and the public yawned. It's just too easy to download music from iTunes or other music stores and store them on digital music players. If you absolutely require a physical media-delivery system why not just buy a CD?
But Sony Music has struggled lately. For more on that read this story.
