I am sucker for USB flash drives. The cooler it looks the more I’d want to get it. What I should be looking is storage space and transfer speeds right? Wrong! I evaluate the overall visual impression.

And today I found an USB sandal flash drive which would remind me of summer. If you’re happy with just 2GB of memory then go pick a sandal up. You can always get a pair of those if you need more space. The 2GB Sandal USB Flash Drive costs just $17. I’ll have a size 9 and 1/2 please!

In the past when USB Flash Drives weren’t so common, people didn’t care much about the style or design of the portable storage devices. But in nowadays it is all different because there is too much to offer, and when we reach that point it is originality that counts to make a difference.

With this in mind, take a look at this Mahjong styled drives that can be customized to suit your needs. You can pick the type of wood, title, and name of the drive.

As expected with unique devices of this kind, the price is rather expensive when compared to the 32GB Kingston. $400 is what you have to pay depending if you pick a 8GB or 16GB version.

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Tiny flash drives provide big storage capacity, that is what Transcend had in mind when creating the JetFlash T5, and that is what all manufacturers of storage devices should think.

The small drive only measures 29.9mm x 15.3mm x 6.1mm, so if volume is one of your main concerns this is definitely a good pick. On the other hand, using a flash drive of such short dimensions could be problematic if you tend to forget your gadgets all over the place. As you can imagine, the T5 is also very light - only 2 grams.

The USB drive uses non-breakable plastic as the material, which means it is very rugged, and additionally it is resistant to vibration, shock, and waterproof.

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After I showed you the dual USB memory stick/bottle opener I definitely have to show you another memory stick mixed with alcohol. This time the beer will be inside the USB stick and not splashed around it. Budweiser’s Beer Drive looks interesting and it should head straight to AA meetings.

Besides beer you can have the stick in any other colors with any other logos on it. The USB stick should also come packed with various digital information related to your promotion. So if you’re a big compay, with lots of money available for publicity and some sense of humor, you might start ordering these USB sticks. They come in all sorts and sizes, but you’d have to order from 250 pieces and up. Maximum capacity is 8GB but it can go as low as 128MB.

via CNK

The USB memory stick which also works as a bottle opener is an inventive yet inefficient idea. Following a logical line of thinking you would end up realizing that if you desperately need a bottle opener with you at all times, then you shouldn’t mix one with an USB stick. In other words you’re likely to loose the stick after one too many beers. Because I am sure you won’t realize you need to get that beer opener in your pocket when heading for home.

However if you fancy this TrekStor creation then head to Europe. It’s there where where USB users lack bottle openers. You can choose various models, from 1 to 16GB and they will cost you from about $10 to $71.

There are plenty of ways to protect data inside a flash drive, like using a special software, a password, or some kind of encryption method, but the most original idea is to use a lock.

On top of previously mentioned feature, it can also be used to lock other gadgets that have a USB interface, like a mouse, keyboard, memory card reader, etc. As long as the jack connector measures 4mm of thickness and 11.5mm in length, it is all good.

The locking combination consists of 3 numbers, and to reset the combo you just need to press a small button with a needle, that is, when the lock is open.
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Here’s a Bluetooth Adapter that’s so small I’d definitely loose it at some point in time. Probably when I would need it the most. The 4322 2.1 Bluetooth adapter is as big as the USB plug itself. Once you plug it in you will have Bluetooth connectivity available.

I wouldn’t know where to find one, or how much it would cost. If you find it around, make sure you buy at least a couple of them. Who knows when you’re going to need a replacement!

via CrunchGear

WiMAX is going to be the next big thing whenever we will have full support for it. In the mean time, Motorola has a WiMAX Adapter ready. The USBw 100 adapter will come in three versions: 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz and 3.5GHz so it will work on your favorite network.

The USBw 100 is supposed to hit the market before the end of 2008’s quarter. There’s no pricing announced for it yet but stay tuned! We’re going to have more info for you in the future.

The Yo-Yo charger for the iPhone might not fit very well with your phone so what you are looking for is the USB Multi-Cellular Phone Charger in the picture above. It will work anywhere and at any time.

It has various plugs for various phones and it will power all your phones in no time. The charger costs $18 and it fits devices from Motorola, Sony Ericsson and Nokia. I’d rather get one of those if it fits the phones I tend to wear.

Creative has a new gadget that might interest you. The Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! is exactly what you need to carry with you when traveling. It’s an USB sound stick card which will instantly upgrade that laptop of yours. (more…)

If you’re looking for that special touch for your office, make sure you check out this Crystal Speakers which will connect to your laptop or dektop via USB. Not only do they look good, but they are really portable. Take them with you whenever you need to add sound to your current environement. The speakers, with their 1 watt per channel, won’t get the party started unless we’re talking about a party of one. They are available for order for $39.99 and I’d get them just for their looks.

This is way to cool a gadget to miss out on. The above set has multiple functions. You get three colored highlighters, which are blue, yellow and green, an USB memory flash drive with up to 2GB of space, and an USB hub to hold them all together.

I know what you’re thinking. What if you have to use orange to highlight something that demands an orange highlighter? Here is a more complicated solution: scan the document, highlight it in orange and print it out again.

I am not that clear with the pricing so better check it out here.

Sony Ericsson has unveiled MD400g and MD400 first HSPA Mobile Broadband USB Modem. The Mobile Broadband USB Modems integrate M2 Memory Stick Micro™ and a microSD™ slot. These trendy modems will let you easily communicate with clients, friends, colleagues and family. The astonishing 7.2Mb/s in download and up to 2.0Mb/s in upload speeds assure that you can send your files, emails, etc. at a five times greater speed.

“The MD400 and MD400g are high performance and stylish devices that enable you to have all your essentials at hand even when you are out of reach from broadband at home or in the office. The USBs are simple, quick to install and the multiple technologies guarantee internet access every time,” said Johan Tysklind, marketing director mobile computing at Sony Ericsson.

The MD400g comes with an in-built GPS receiver to automatically exhibit the user’s current location. Both the models support MS Windows® 2000, XP, Vista and, MAC-OS X. It is expected to be available globally in Q4 2008 in a choice of two colors Exquisite Ebony and Lustrous White.

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How many of you have had your cell phone stolen? How many times did your Sim card get broken? How many of you can’t backup always backup your phone’s Sim on your computer?

If you don’t want any more contact lists and messages lost, here’s a valid solution. For less than $25 you can get an USB Sim Card reader. You will be able to upload or your much needed data from your Sim to your computer. The USB has a software installed that will synchronize the info stored both on the card and the PC next time you will use it.

Continue reading: USB Sim Card Reader.

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In preparation for the upcoming 2008 Olympics to be hosted in Beijing China, Lenovo, the third largest personal computer manufacturer in the world, after Hewlett-Packard and Dell of the US, has released a new USB Flash Drive with a very peculiar design - a tribute to the upcoming Olympics.

Memorabilia will be much sort after, as the Olympics will be held for the first time in Beijing China. Amid all the controversies, let us all hope that the event will go on without a hitch. The USB drive is targeted for the China market.

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SanDisk announced a new 2-factor authentication technology stored in its Cruzer Enterprise line-up of USB Flash drives. The drive is managed by SanDisk’s CMC (Central Management and Control) server software, enabling IT departments to provision and monitor flash drives. The Cruzer drives also contain RSA SecurID software tokens for a two-phase authentication for remote/mobile network access.

The Cruzer drives offer additional security through the use of 256-bit AES encryption, as well as requiring users to create a complex password during the initial set-up. The flash drives are available in 1, 2, 4 and 8GB capacities with a claimed 24 MB/s read speed and write up to 20 MB/s.

via press release

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Sony’s new MEX-BT3600U CD tuner has it all: USB and Bluetooth interfaces, a quick-search interface that lets you browse your MP3 media and support for hands-free through the car stereo. If your Walkman or mobile phone can stream audio over Bluetooth, then the MEX-BT3600U can receive and play it back on the car stereo. Thanks to support for Bluetooth A2DP (advanced audio distribution profile) and AVRCP (audio/video remote control profile), you can skip tracks or pause audio from your car stereo.

A USB port on the front of the player provides a convenient way to connect your digital music player. The front-panel AUX input also lets you connect an external player’s audio output. Featuring 24-bit D/A conversion and 52Wx4 channels, the Sony MEX-BT3600U has three separate pre-outs as well.

The unit also comes with a card-sized infrared remote. No word on the pricing yet.

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The new Philips GoGear SA5225 digital audio/video player just cleared the FCC hurdle. The player handles WMV and MPEG4 video files as well as WMA and AAC audio files. It also has a picture viewer, and is capable of displaying album art. There’s an on-board FM radio receiver, while the recording utility lets you record not only voice memos but also FM audio.

The GoGear player can also stream audio and transfer files using Bluetooth wireless technology. The player features an Options button which throws up useful options depending on the current menu, as well as volume controls at the bottom. There’s a 5-way control point that lets you play/pause, skip forward/back and scroll up/down. It comes with a USB connector to aid in data transfer.

The Philips GoGear SA5225 can be charged over USB, which is convenient. It takes a good 4 hours for a complete charge (80% charge takes 2 hours).

No word on the pricing or availability, but check back with us for that later.

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Princeton Japan has recently released a USB stick design geared towards data security and protection. Others of the same aim take the password, data encryption, and physical security (by filling the USB stick with glue). Princeton took another route and went a notch higher. Called the XiaoClef2, this USB stick comes with integrated fingerprint reader. And since no two people on earth have the same print, you’re sure to protect your data. The XiaoClef2 is available in Japan in various storage sizes: 512MB, 1GB, 2GB and 4GB.

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The company OWC (Other World Computing) has announced the new addition to their Mercury-On-The-Go portable storage solution line — the 320GB 5400RPM storage device which is 28% more than their erstwhile biggest storage capacity. Mercury-on-the-go offers all FireWire 400 and 800, eSATA and USB options. The Mercury On-The-Go 320GB 5400RPM is a palm-sized and bus-powered storage which is compatible with all types of computers, both Mac and PC. You can even use it directly with camcorders and digital cameras. It runs on OS X Leopard and is available right now via MacSales with prices ranging from USD$249.99 to USD$299.99.

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