After talking to the mimoco crew (half of the six-person company was there), I got my hands on one of the Artist Series '07 mimobots, Mori Chack's Gloomy Bear (Grey Heavy Blood), that we showed you a bit ago.

As you can see, it's actually fairly small—I was kind of surprised at first because the promo pics make them look huge. My only real gripe about the design is that when it's plugged in, the cool side—the whole reason to buy the drive—actually faces downward, leaving me with the Gloomy Bear's ass and its flashing blue light protruding from my notebook.

The drive comes with store of goodies packed on it, namely a set of Gloomy Bear icons, backgrounds and avatars of both pink and grey persuasions. The kicker though is a totally weird trailer of sorts with a bizarre soundtrack where a Gloomy Bear bloodily mauls a kid Killer Instinct-combo style for over a minute.

While it is more functional than the average art toy, at $100 for the 2GB model, you are paying more for the form than you are for the function—there are certainly cheaper offerings sporting the same amount of space, even if you go high end. Obviously, though, form is entirely the point, and if you want an art toy that does more than just sit on a shelf, this is definitely one of the better ways to go.

Bonus geekage: Stars Wars mimobots in the flesh, which, Bothan spies tell us with any luck will be dropping in two weeks after suffering numerous setbacks from the Imperials. I just wish they had a little speaker so the Chewie drive could go "Gwahrarrrrr" whenever it was accessing data.

– Matt Buchanan

Product Page [Mimoco]

Besides looking damn skippy, they're available in capacities from 512MB ($50) to 4 GB ($150) and are hi-speed USB 2.0, making them the most attractive way out there to give your new Vista comp some ReadyBoost action while making your friends jealous. – Matt Buchanan

Product Page [Mimoco]

Chewie USB Drives [Coolhunting]

You know what would be cool? If this Darth Vadar USB drive's cap didn't have little bear ears, and if the helmet was in the shape of the dark lord's helmet. And if the USB plug looked like James Earl Jones. For the record, I'd consider rocking a Han Solo model, for sure.–Brian Lam

Product Page [Mimoco via ShinyShiny

Two new Mimobots! We here at Gizmodo puffy heart the mimobot USB flash drives and prize them above all others, so it's great to see mimoco launching a new installment in their limited edition artist series. These two cuties are from the Flying Cat x mimoco line—the one on the left is HERO (by TADO), the fortune-hunting swashbuckler who likes to eat sweet melon buns and solve jigsaw puzzles in his spare time, and the one on the right is Corrupted_Data (by Jon Burgerman), "a dancing melee of all your important ones and zeros that is sure to remind you to back up your data".

HERO is available now and Corrupted_Dan ships in May but can be pre-ordered now. Both come in editions of 500 and come in various sizes, from $49.95 for 256MB of storage space to $149.95 for 2GB.

HERO/Corrupted_Data [mimoco, via Shiny Shiny]
Gizmodo Gift Guide: Magma Says Go Now [Gizmodo]
Mimobots goSeries [Gizmodo]
More Mimobot? [Gizmodo]
mimobots - It's a Toy! It's a USB Key! [Gizmodo]

we are peaceful and joyful creatures essentially made of electronic silicon providing us with an extraordinary ability in memory. we love to live excessively and to embrace all pleasures that bl h, friendship, and our electronic components can offer.

As usual, these were designed by a serial killer—the famous graphic designer Yahid Serial Killer Rodr guez to be exact—because only someone who aspires to be Manson could craft something so disturbingly adorable.

The goSeries comes out in December pre-loaded with mini-games from Peskimo, and is available in 256MB, 512MB, 1GB and 2GB capacities—but only in limited quantities of 250 to 500 units (the Cosmos series is nearly sold out). They are all hi-speed USB 2.0, and prices range from $69.95 to $189.95 depending on the size.

Mimoco [Product Page]

Oh yes, they're back. If the first set of Mimobot USB drives didn't hold you over, you're going to love the 2GB versions. Isodore and Fairybit are joined by some plainer-looking protobots in black and white, and they'll only run you $189 at www.mimoco.com. So come and get' em!

Mimobot 2GB [Cool Hunting]

Future mimobots will include exclusive character-related media content such as animations, games, and tunes. Cosmos Series includes an original music mix by DJ DB, one of the premiere drum n bass artists mixing today.

Product Page [MimoCo]