Maximum PC Flash Drive RSS Feed

Pirate Bay Logo Hijacked by Thumbdrive Maker

Ryan Whitwam — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:25:45 -0600

We all know how important brand recognition is. A Swedish maker of USB drives, Sandryds Handel AB, is showing how acutely aware of that they are by commandeering a very well known logo: that of The Pirate Bay. The company plans to offer a series of USB drives bearing the logo. That by itself isn’t actually illegal or cause for concern. The Pirate Bay logo is intentionally not registered so that it may be used freely.

It all goes off the tracks when Sandryds Handel AB decided to register the logo themselves. This would limit the ways others could use it. “It will be turned over quite easily; it’s a preliminary registration that is being ‘tested’,” said former Pirate Bay spokesman Peter Sunde.

The Pirate Bay is seeking to have the decision by the patent office annulled. If the Pirate Bay still has the sway online that is once did, Sandryds Handel might want to rethink this course of action.

Kingston Announces Bulky 256GB Thumb Drive

Andy Salisbury — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:34:45 -0500

For those of you that are looking to carry around every piece of information that you might ever need (and most of your family photos) around with you in your pocket, Kingston has got the thumb drive for you.

With the recent introduction of their 256GB thumb drive, you’ll be able to take a plethora of files around with you everywhere you go. The drive itself packs a transfer speed of up to 20MB/sec and a read speed of 10MB/sec. And, if you’re using Vista, it also supports Windows ReadyBoost.

Though, this beast is only available in Europe and the UK for a whopping £565.67 ($931.60) upon custom order.

Image Credit: Kingston

Steampunk USB Key is Full of Win and 100 Year Old Parts

Paul Lilly — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:30:44 -0500

We may have found the perfect accessory for steampunk fans who already own a steampunk USB charger and 8 foot tall themed case mod to match. If this sounds like you, then you'll probably be stoked about the 'Mechanical Memory key Number 3.'

Carved from wood and utilizing pieces from at least 6 different pocket watches (some over 100 years old!), the designer, Rob Smith, claims he spent about 10-12 hours constructing the 16GB USB thumb drive. Adding to the aesthetic appeal, 26 rubies reflect light from the drive, and when plugged in, it glows green from beneath the gears "giving the key a good sense of movement."

So the question is, which is cooler - the steampunk USB key or Transfomer USB drive?

Image Credit: Rob Smith

World's Slimmest Flash Drives Look Like Credit Cards

Paul Lilly — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:51:22 -0500

We wouldn't describe today's USB thumb drives as portly, but if you're looking for a way to slim down your flash storage, you could try running over it with a steam roller. We suspect (no, we KNOW) this won't do you any good, so if you absolutely must have a flash drive that will fit in your wallet nestled next to your credit cards, TopTech may be your go-to company. The company today announces the "nationwide availability" of its Slim Data USB Card.

"The Slim Data USB Card, which is available in a variety of colors, enables users to conveniently store and carry digital photos, music, video clips, and other documents in their wallets keeping them available to share with friends or family whenever or wherever the need arises," TopTech Products said in a press release.

TopTech says its ultra slim flash drives weigh less than 9g. So far, capacities for the USB 2.0-capable drives are only offered in 1GB and 4GB flavors, with custom colors beyond the clear, gray, orange, red, and blue currently offered.

The Slim Data USB Card are available now through TopTech Product's website in 4GB form for $28.

Image Credit: TopTech Products

LaCie DataShare Turns Puny SD Cards Into Burly Thumb Drives

Andy Salisbury — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:32:33 -0500

You’ve got a digital camera, you’ve got a cell phone, and along with these you’ve probably got a few SD cards laying around that you just don’t use anymore. It looks like someone at LaCie had the very same issue, and decided to turn them into an extremely easy to use flash drive.

The LaCie DataShare is compatible with all SD and MicroSD cards currently on the market (SD/SDHC/Class 1 to 6), and comes with two separate sides, that let you discern your private data from your public data.

If this looks like something you could make use out of, be sure to check it out on LaCie’s site here, where it’s currently on sale for $9.99.

Image Credit: LaCie

EagleTec Releases Crazy-Small 8GB Flash Drive

Andy Salisbury — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:04:51 -0500

Oh flash memory, you’re capable of such wonderful things. Thanks to your extremely compact size, you’ve made it possible for EagleTec to release the absolutely tiny flash drive, the EagleTec Nano.

The EagleTec Nano, which comes in two sizes (8GB and 4GB, running $33 and $22 respectively) are so small that they manage to make the nano receivers that come with today’s Logitech mice look big! Plus, it reads at 15MB/s and writes at 6MB/s. Not too shabby.

If you’re interested in grabbing one of these, you can find them here.

Image Credit: Brando

Poken Are Sort of Like Tamagotchis, But Full of Personal Data

Andy Salisbury — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:06:08 -0500

Sure, you could carry around all of your personal data on a business card, but why do that when you can just carry about a Poken? These adorable little dongles allow you to carry all of your information (including your Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and others) and transfer it to others with the push of a button.

The Poken works by using an embedded RFID reader/transmitter. When a button on device is pushed it allows you to transfer your information between Poken (Pokens?). You can then plug this cuddly little tike into your computer and add that person to your contact list.

Right now the product is exclusively sold in the UK, but you can pick them up online.

Image Credit: CrunchGear

SanDisk: World's First Push Button Backup USB Drive

Benson Hong — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:40:36 -0600

With the simple touch of a button, SanDisk has created a solution to easily back up crucial files on your flash drive. SanDisk has announced today that their Ultra Backup USB drive will be available in capacities ranging from 8GB to 64GB with prices between $40 and $200. This patent-pending backup technology has a backup capacity of up to 64GB, more than enough space to store any important files you may have. The introduction of this new one-button backup technology alongside its already-popular dual layer of both password protection and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) hardware encryption will make this one of the safest flash drives around.

SanDisk didn’t forget about their classics, though. The Cruzer underwent a facelift and is now sporting a new contemporary look featuring a sliding, cap-less USB connector. What hasn’t changed is the continuation of U3 technology allowing users to run applications directly off the drive.