Hasta La Gadget!

While USB flash drives are now available in sizes that likely dwarf your own HDD, Super Talent’s Pico line isn’t looking to compete on sheer capaciousness. What it lacks in capacity, so to speak, it makes up for in size — or, the lack thereof, we should say. The outfit’s “world’s smallest*” drive just jumped from 8GB to 32GB, and considering that there’s at least a marginal chance that this thing slips out of your palm / pocket / etc. and into a puddle, Super Talent even threw in a dash of water resistance. A half dozen models are expected to ship this week, with prices ranging from $85 to $99. Too bad you won’t even be able to find it between the couch cushions after it arrives.

*Image probably isn’t to scale, but it might be.

Filed under: Storage

Super Talent’s Pico USB drive: still world’s smallest, now 32GB originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now here’s a reason to visit the San Diego Comic Con that doesn’t involve some old 3D movie: the Bossy Bear Mimobot is debuting there, and creator David Horvath will be on hand for a signing.

Bossy Bear, a demanding little ruler given to saying things like “Mine!” and “Now!,” was created by the same mind that gave us the Uglydolls. The Bossy Bear Mimobot comes in 1GB to 8GB sizes, and is bundled with Bossy Bear-themed wallpapers, icons, avatars, and screensavers, and Mimoco’s mimoByte sound software.

But there’s more, true believers: Horvath will be at the Con on Saturday, July 25, at 5:30 for a signing. Look for him at Mimoco’s booth, # 4938, in the Toy Growers/Cult Yard section. He’ll be the guy at the head of the shockingly long line. Brian, could you get me a signed one? Thanks a bunch.

It’s sort of like Wite-Out(R). Or Mighty MendIt[TM]. Or sliced bread. Yeah — we just put quirky’s Split Stick on that pedestal. Rather than forcing users to carry around two flash drives just to keep personal and private files separate, this here double-sided USB drive gives you 2GB for each half of your life (on one single stick). Just think: left for loathly, right for, um right. The anodized device is available in orange, blue, pink, red, black, violet, grey, or green, while the onboard plastic button enables users to easily navigate between the two different sides of the drive. Go ahead and hit the read link with $19.99 in hand — you won’t be leaving that checkout page without an order confirmation number, we promise. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading Split Stick double-sided USB drive keeps personal / private matters separate

Filed under: Peripherals, Storage

Split Stick double-sided USB drive keeps personal / private matters separate originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hey, real quick — are you a registered member of the Sierra Club? What about PETA? If you answered yes to either, we’re going to kindly ask that you continue scrolling down the page while whistling heartily and “looking the other way.” This week’s roundup of horribly crappy gadgets involves far too many innocent animals, from a USB-infused tortoise that doubles as an ashtray to a tank of jellyfish that only receive their nutrients when the USB cable is connected. And then there’s the Elmo that’s forced to do sit-ups while your data transfers onto his feeble brain. It’s sick, really. Once you’re over the shock and horror, feel free to cast your vote below for the lamest of the lame — and feel free to consult and / or hold a friend if necessary.

Read – USB tortoise hub / ashtray
Read – USB jellyfish tank
Read – Panda USB hub
Read – USB Crunching Elmo
Read – USB Chocolate Popsicle drive

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Peripherals

Crapgadget: “USB, meet animals; animals, meet USB” edition originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We all love the convenience of Flash drives, but they’re not exactly secure–most don’t even offer password protection. We looked at IronKey’s personal flash drive solution last year, which offers military-grade security for a not-terrible starting price of $79. Now the company has introduced the IronKey S200, which ups the security level and is meant for high-level needs.

The S200 keeps your data safe in an impressive variety of ways. It offers AES 256-bit hardware encryption and is wrapped in a tamper-resistant and tamper-evident design. It’s covered in a waterproof aluminum one-piece case, and the chips are encased in a hardened epoxy potting compound. I love that it comes with remote management software, so that an admin can enforce security policies remotely or even destroy all the saved data from afar.

The S200 comes in a 16GB model and works with Windows, Macintosh, and Linux PCs. The company isn’t divulging the price yet, but you can sign up on this page to reserve a drive.