Gizmodo: thumbdrive

Rad Blaster Mini Boombox is the Freshest MP3 Player and Flash Drive Around

Sean Fallon — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:56:00 EST

The Rad Blaster does what a lot of MP3 players do—like play music, record sounds and store files. But this one does it shaped like a boombox. Like a BOOMBOX people.

Rad Blaster also includes a 1.1-inch OLED screen and 2GB of built-in memory. It's certainly bigger than a shuffle, but it doesn't sound like a bad deal for $60. I mean, can you breakdance to a shuffle? I think not. [Rad Blasters]

4GB Star Trek Flash Drive Comes Loaded With The New Film

Sean Fallon — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:40:00 EDT

Star Trek, merchandising and obsessive fans go hand in hand, so it is not surprising that the new film is being released on an individually numbered 4GB Starfleet insignia USB drive.

Needless to say, the drive is also loaded up with DRM—but you are allowed to run it on 5 registered devices and burn it to DVD, so it's not unreasonable. And since it has been deemed as a "collectible", fans will surely line up to fork over their $29. [Play via OhGizmo]

Naildrive Hits 16GB

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:40:00 EDT

Madness. 16GB in this Buffalo RUF2 flash naildrive just 5mm long. Translated to the Imperial system, that's 16GB in one tiny-itty-bitty-thingamajig. Or something like that. [Geekstuff]

Mini MPC 2000XL Sampler and SP1200 Drum Machine USB Flash Drives

Sean Fallon — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:28:00 EDT

I'm tired of uninspired flash drive designs. So it's shaped like a donut huh? Meh. It's filled with beer eh? Not interested. These mini MPC 2000XL and SP1200 flash drives are really where it's at.

These two drives are spittin' images of the AKAI MPC2000XL sampler and the EMU SP1200 drum machine—devices that made hip hop music what it is today. Both drives come in 4GB capacities and can be pre-ordered now for $40. They are expected to ship in June. [Product Page via Crate Kings]

The Green Man USB Drive Can Do Impossible Yoga Poses

Sean Fallon — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:20:00 EST

Practicing yoga can involve achieving higher levels of posing and meditation. Only Green Man can achieve true Nirvana by sitting cross legged with his decapitated head lying in his hands. Suck on that Sting!

The Green Man USB drive is completely poseable and his removable head can hold 2GB of data. Available for $31. [Geek Stuff 4U via Craziest Gadgets]

Cake Decorator Takes Flash Drive Photograph a Bit Too Literally

Mark Wilson — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST

Note to anyone buying a custom cake: Always print the picture you'd like recreated in frosting. Never just hand over a USB drive expecting things to work themselves out. [Cake Wrecks via The Raw Feed]

The USB Thumb Drive Bracelet: Pure Class, Baby

Mark Wilson — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:45:00 EST

OK, who gave Brando the rhinestones?

With Valentine's Day a little over a month away, we're all scratching our heads as to how to get our loved ones jewelry that we can actually play with. Luckily, the $33 USB Thumb Drive Bracelet showed up just in time to ship from overseas. Hiding a discreet 8GB of fold-out USB flash storage behind two dazzling lines of glued-on "decorative crystals," your girlfriend will just think you're cheap. But you'll know the truth.

(Well, you are cheap, and the bracelet has a hidden USB drive). [Brando]

USB Drive Saves Data, Tells Future

Sean Fallon — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:20:00 EST

Oh mystical USB drive I come to you with an important question: "Will there be any Snickers left in the breakroom vending machine?" (Stars Say Yes). Thank you USB drive. You are truly wise.

Apparently, these fortune telling USB drives come from the same folks that brought us the popular beer-filled drive. And, like its predecessor, this drive can also be customized with your company logo. [USB Group]

CurrenKey Coin-Shaped Flash Drive: It's Almost a Good Idea

Sean Fallon — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:40:00 EST

Kudos to LaCie for making their flash drives more portable—although, the coin-shape may prove problematic. It won't be long before your sensitive data ends up in the hands of some Starbucks employee.

It is definitely thicker than a traditional coin, but the metal exterior of the USB 2.0 drive enhances the illusion, making it easy to lose in a pocket full of change. Still, at $20 for the 4GB version and $30 for the 8GB version, at least you are getting a decent amount of storage for the price. [LaCie via Crunchgear]

Kanguru's e-Flash Drive Can Handle USB and eSATA

Sean Fallon — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:40:00 EST

In recent years, that vast majority of thumbdrive "innovations" have been...well...non-technical. However, Kanguru has actually done something useful by integrating an eSATA plug with a standard USB 2.0 drive. For folks with eSATA capability, that means performance speeds that are several times faster than USB. The drive even comes packaged with an eSATA + Power bracket and an eSATA + Power cable for easy hookup. The drives are shipping now in 16GB ($85) and 32GB ($120) varieties with a 64GB version slated for January of 2009. [Marketwatch]

USB Drive Proves Fertility Conventions Give Out the Best Swag Ever

Sean Fallon — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:40:00 EST

Attendees can get some pretty cool swag at big conventions, but I have yet to see a product as functionally hysterical as this sperm-shaped USB drive handed out at the American Society For Reproductive Medicine's (ASRM) 2008 conference. I'll tell you what—whipping this thing out at while using your laptop at Starbucks should prove interesting.

[Thanks Eric!]

Humping Bunny is a Daintier Way to Defile Your Computer

Elaine Chow — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:00:00 EDT

Humping dogs are great and all, but sometimes we'd prefer to have something cuter do the nasty with our USB ports. Why not go for the animal that everyone associates with overbreeding anyway? Imported from Japan (no surprise there), each satisfied-looking rabbit comes with adorably humping motions and 1GB of memory. You can get one now for $15 on Urban Outfitters' online store. [Urban Outfitters]

Butterfly Knife USB Drive Slashes Your Computer With Storage

Sean Fallon — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:20:00 EDT

It may not help you much in a fight, but at least you won't lacerate your own hand while flipping this butterfly knife (or bali-song) USB drive. It has room for 2GB of data and the nerd-friendly design is far superior to the stupid food shaped flash drives we see so often these days. Although, the beer-filled flash drive may give it a run for its money. [Benchmade]

Tiny Quicksilver 3G Network Modem Comes to AT&T

Elaine Chow — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:45:00 EDT

AT&T users can now snap up the AT&T USBConnect Quicksilver, one of the smallest 3G HSPA-capable devices out there. The tiny little hub weighs 1.2 ounces and uses the new Icera Livanto chipset, which handles GSM/GPRS/EDGE/3G data. That'll give you 70 to 135kpbs downloads on an EDGE network, and 700kbps to 1.7 Mbps downloads on HSPA. Best of all, it's free (if you get it with a two year contract and mail in the $100 rebate). [CrunchGear]

World's Cheapest 64GB USB Stick Costs Only $111

Jason Chen — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:40:00 EDT

For the world's cheapest man, we present the world's (supposedly) cheapest 64GB USB stick. It's assembled just for you out of the Netherlands, the place where quality (?) USB drives are made. You have the choice of brown or black, which makes perfect sense since this thing's made of leather, and nobody wants a purple leather USB drive. We're cheap, not animals. [Van Der Led]

Solid Alliance Silver Cross USB Drive is Holy Data Bank, for Goth Jewelry Geeks

Kit Eaton — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:39:00 EDT

Solid Alliance's newest USB thumbdrive will either appeal to geeky clergy-types, or vampire-goth-geek types, since it's an ornate metallic silver-colored drive that comes in a cross-shaped caddy. And it's specifically designed to hang on a necklace. Bizarre: both markets for this product can't be all that big, can they? Still, this gizmo might even contain real silver, since the 2GB drive costs $180. If that's too rich for your blood, there's a brass-colored one, also 2GB, for $145. [Akihabaranews]

Zip Zip LEGO USB Drives Get Updated to 4GB

Jason Chen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:30:00 EDT

The previously 1GB Zip Zip LEGO USB drives are getting an update to 4GB. Unfortunately, Zip Zip still doesn't make these things out of real LEGO blocks—there's probably some legal reason preventing them from reselling it or something—but they're a good approximation. Things you shouldn't do with this: toss it into a huge bucket of regular LEGO. [Zipzip]

Asus MS71 Is a Wireless Mouse and a USB Thumb Drive

Jason Chen — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:00:35 EST

What do hardware engineers talk about when they're drunk? Merging two distinct gadgets into one gadget, as evidenced by this Asus MS71 mouse/storage device. It's a wireless laser mouse, but at the same time it's a USB thumb drive. The marriage of the two may sound good on paper—if you don't think about it for more than five seconds—but the actual execution gets you either something that's way too cramped to use comfortably as a mouse, or way too big to shove comfortably into a USB port. How about a Webcam/USB thumb drive next? Maybe we need to be more drunk to come up with these things. [Newlaunches]

Domino Flash Drive Great For Storage, Gambiling and Toppling Not So Much

Sean Fallon — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:40:57 EST

Unlike many of the flash drive designs these days, the Domino concept by Marcos Breder adds adds a little extra fun and functionality into the mix. Each domino can be split into two separate drives, with the white dots indicating the remaining storage capacity. The problem is that playing an actual game of dominoes with these drives would be damn near impossible (so gambling is out) —and putting enough of them together to form a proper toppling pattern would require countless drives. Not that it matters all that much given the fact that this product doesn't actually exist. [Yanko Design via Oh Gizmo]

USB Drive For Winos With Cash

Sean Fallon — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:40:38 EDT

This USB drive is more than its wine-shaped exterior would suggest. It's a tool for the hardcore wine enthusiast. Features include; 1GB of memory, wine related ringtones (eh?), desktop wallpaper, a screensaver, a wine tasting demo by Michel Rolland (who?), and privileged access to the BeWineConnected Club. The most interesting feature however, is the inclusion of the wine cellar management software "Open Cellar" that allows wine lovers to manage their collection from any computer. If you think that all of this may be a little excessive, I agree. Then again, I don't have the cash to buy and stock a cellar, and Miller Light gets me drunk just fine. Available for around $50 [BeWine via Apartment Therapy]