Designed specifically for Apple products such as iPads, iPhones and iPods, the new JetDrive Go 500 Flash Drive has been released not too long ago by Transcend. What makes this flash drive stand out among its peers is that it features a high-quality alloy construction that gives it a lighter feel and a more compact look when compared to previous offerings. As far as connectivity goes, the JetDrive Go 500 incorporates a USB 3.1 Gen 1 connector as well as a Lightning connector, which makes it ideal for transferring files from Apple handheld devices to regular computers and vice versa. Moreover, the JetDrive Go App eliminates potential storage space issues by allowing users to capture photos and videos directly on the JetDrive Go 500 flash drive.
Available in silver and gold versions, this product comes with a sleek alloy casing and an extended Lightning connector that ensures a plus of compatibility with oversized protective bumper cases. Performance-wise, this connector can reach transfer speeds of up to 20MB/s while the USB 3.1 Gen 1 connector can reach up to 130MB/s. Transcend’s JetDrive Go 500 is backed by a two-year limited warranty, and it was released in 32 GB and 64 GB storage versions, which means that it can definitely meet and surpass modern storage requirements.
SanDisk, sensing the growing popularity of USB Type-C, has released its first range of dedicated thumb drives featuring the new reversible connector standard, boasting USB 3.1 transfer rates and up to 128GB of storage.
The SanDisk Ultra USB Type-C, available in 128GB, 64GB, 32GB, and 16GB models, has sequential read speeds of 150MB/s (except for the 16GB version, which reads at up to 130MB/s), beating the speeds of its previous USB Type-C drive, the Dual USB Drive Type C, which could only manage read speeds of 60MB/s. The drives are also backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0 Type-C ports. The devices also support the SanDisk Memory Zone app to manage and backup data across different devices.
“The super-thin SanDisk Ultra USB Type-C flash drive is designed specifically for next-generation devices with the new USB Type-C port. The reversible connector has a uniform design, so that it’s always right-side up, making it easy and fast to plug in,” the SanDisk website reads.
The SanDisk Ultra USB Type-C is available now in the US – priced at $12.99 for the 16GB model, $17.99 for the 32GB, $27.99 for the 64GB, and $49.99 for the 128GB on Amazon – with the flash drive set to hit Europe and other territories any day now. Each model comes with a 5-year limited warranty.
Silicon Power’s newest flash drive is designed for those users who need just a little extra security and in this case that little bit isn’t even that little. The newly launched Secure G50 Flash Drive uses the USB 3.0 bus for optimal connectivity and it comes with a great AES 256-bit full-drive encryption feature.
The Secure G50 flash drive comes with three layers of defense to enhance your data safety. The first is the above named AES 256-bit hardware-based encryption technology. That is coupled with the second layer which is the password protection function that enables the drive to auto lock-down and format itself after several failed login attempts by a malicious user. The third layer is software based in the form of Silicon Power’s data management software called SP Widget. The software features file encryption, cloud storage, backups, and restores for that extra bit of safe keeping in case you should lose your Secure G50 or it becomes damaged and simply doesn’t work anymore.
The Secure G50 drive works as it is and it doesn’t require any additional drivers or software except what it can carry and pre-load itself, so there is no need to keep drivers or software at hand to use it in a foreign system. It is officially compatible with both Windows and Mac OS, but Linux and Unix-based operating systems shouldn’t be a problem either.
Silicon Power’s Secure G50 is now available in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities which should suit most basic needs. The drive is also backed by a five-year warranty in case the worst should happen.
SP Secure G50 Features and Specifications
AES 256-bit hardware-based full disk encryption
Set up password easily, and access your data after entering the password
Auto lock-down and reformat after 10 intrusion attempts
Pre-loaded program and no need to install a driver
Extra features such as data encryption, backups and cloud storage management
Capacity: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
Dimensions: 53.9 x 20.0 x 10.0 mm
Weight: 9.2 g
Interface: USB 3.0/ USB 2.0 Compatible
Supported operating systems:: Windows 10/8.1/8/7(SP1)/XP, MAC OS 10.7.x and later
Team Group released a new flash drive shortly before Christmas and at first, I totally skipped this news. I skimmed it and it all the M152 drive looked like was a clever but ordinary flash drive. It didn’t look much different then the TeamGroup M131 flash drive that we reviewed a while ago either. Today I came across it again and I had to find out why it was worth a press release. To my surprise, this is anything but an ordinary flash drive that will work on both your PC and Android OTG devices as it has a few extra smart-features that can come in very handy.
Let us first have a look at the basic specifications, altho they aren’t spectacular. We get a USB 2.0 and micro USB flash drive with a capacity of either 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB. The drive itself is only a nano-drive and won’t take up much space while the rest is the OTG adapter that also works with other USB devices such as keyboards and mice on OTG compliant Android devices. With a USB 2.0 interface, we’re limited to a theoretical max of 60MB/s, so the drive won’t break any speed records.
The really clever part of TeamGroup’s M152 is the built-in wireless capabilities and app support. Simply plug the drive into your PC and link it with your Android device in order to simply drag files from your computer and onto the Android device. You can also share the Android device screen onto your computer monitor and operate it fully from there. Answer calls, type text or play your favourite mobile game with the convenience of your PC with your mouse and keyboard.
This could be a really cool feature that I could see myself using on a daily basis. I hate having to grab my phone every time it wants something from me and with a device like the TeamGroup M152 I wouldn’t have to anymore.
Apple devices are highly popular, but they do in most cases come with one flaw and that is the upgradability. Luckily there are ways to increase this for the most part and Silicon Power has now introduced a new completeline of Apple storage devices for all sorts of different devices. With USB flash drives, expansion cards, portable hard drives and external SSD, the SP Apple Series is about to satisfy all kinds of memory expansion needs.
The need for extra storage on apple devices is great, especially considering the markups you pay for the models with more storage and the number one complaint from Apple users is “not enough storage available”.
Among the new products is the SP xDrive Z30 Lightning USB drive that features a dual-interface design with both USB 3.0 and Lightning for easy connection to iOS handsets as well as desktop systems. Not every device has a lightning connector and that is where the second new flash drive comes into play, the SP Mobile C80 dual USB drive that features a USB 3.0 and a Type-C USB connector.
The storage issue isn’t limited to portable iOS devices, Mac computers have the same issue. For this, SP introduced the xDrive Series expansion cards L12 and L13 as well as the rugged external Armor hard disk drives. The xDrivev expansion cards are tailored to fit seamless with the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models while the A65M and A85M external hard disks offer a shockproof and waterproof design for users on the go.
The final category is for those who need that extra speed and where every second counts. We’re naturally talking about external SSDs for Mac systems. SP’s Thunder T11 external SSD offers a two-channel Thunderbolt interface with a data transmission of up to 10GB/s throughput in each direction. Sadly that doesn’t result in the blazing fast speeds one could hope for with a rating of just 340MB/s reading and 280MB/s writing, but it should improve the latency and access times over the slower USB 3.0 interface.
Kingston’s high-end gaming division HyperX launched a new USB thumb drive to replace the popular DataTraveler HyperX drive. The new flash drive to replace it is called the HyperX Savage and continues the performance scheme that we have come to love from the HyperX series.
The new HyperX Savage comes in three capacity version: 64GB, 128GB, and a mighty 256GB version. As it always is with thumb drives, capacity has an impact on performance and the larger drives are faster. The 64GB version is rated for a performance of up to 350MB/s reading and 180MB/s writing while the larger 128GB and 256GB models can write with up to 250MB/s. That’s quite impressive for a USB flash drive.
The new drive is USB 3.1 Gen 1 compliant to suit the newest notebook standards as well as any other USB capable device such as smart TVs and consoles. The relative slim design should prevent too much interference and blocking around the USB port it has been plugged into, which is a big bonus.
The HyperX Savage also looks pretty stylish with its simple black design with a large red X in the middle. It is backed by a 5-year warranty and Kingston’s well-known free live technical support.
Features:
Blazing fast transfer speeds: HyperX Savage delivers blazing transfer speeds of 350MB/s read and 250MB/s write (64GB model delivers 350MB/s read and 180MB/s write) to save time and let you quickly access files with no performance lag. Capacities up to 256GB provide plenty of room to store large files including movies, high-resolution images, music, games and more.
USB 3.1 Gen. 1 functionality: HyperX Savage is compliant with USB 3.1 Gen. 1 specifications to let you take advantage of USB 3.0 ports in newer notebooks and desktops.
Bold design: This stylish drive has an aggressive look that complements the latest PCs and consoles. Its sleek black casing is accented with the signature HyperX logo in metallic red.
Multi-platform compatibility: Use this versatile drive on multiple platforms, including desktops, notebooks and gaming consoles1 including PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360®. Its slim design fits in tight console USB ports and it lets console users quickly transfer their profiles.
Lexar has even more in store for us today than the previously mentioned SDXC and CFast 2.0 cards, they also released the world’s fastest XQD 2.0 card, the Lexar Professional 2933x and also the 1400x XQD 2.0 card. New and faster cards also require a faster card reader and Lexar released the Professional Workflow XR2 XQD 2.0 USB 3.0 reader at the same time.
The Professional 2933x XQD 2.0 is the fastest XQD card on the market today, designed for use with the latest generation of high-definition camcorders and high-resolution DSLRs and it delivers read transfer speeds up to 440MB/s. The 1400X isn’t quite as fast but still delivers an impressive read transfer speed up to 210MB/s. Both of these new cards support PCI Express Gen 2 and USB 3.0 interfaces.
The MSRP for the Lexar Professional 2933x XQD 2.0 card is £479.99 (128GB), £255.99 (64GB), £139.99 (32GB) while the Lexar Professional 1400x XQD 2.0 cards will set you back £149.99 (64GB) and £96.99 (32GB)
The Lexar Professional Workflow XR2 XQD 2.0 USB 3.0 reader is compatible with both the Professional Workflow HR2 and Workflow HR1 stations, making it plug and play for those who have one. It is still a plug and play experience for everyone else. If you shouldn’t have one of the awesome Workflow HR, then you’ll just connect it with a normal USB 3.0 cable. The Lexar Professional Workflow XR2 XQD 2.0 USB 3.0 reader has an MSRP of £35.99 and will be available in October.
Memory cards aren’t the solution in every scenario and sometimes the more traditional flash drive is the better usage choice. Lexar also released two new 2-in-1 models, the JumpDrive M20c and the Lexar JumpDrive M20i.
The JumpDrive M20c is designed for the next-generation USB Type-C enabled devices and also features a normal USB 3.0 connector with backwards compatibility. The JumpDrive M20i is basically the same, but it is designed for use with iOS devices and comes with a Lightning connector instead of the USB Type-C. These flash drives enable users to easily offload and move photos and videos between smartphones and tablets and onto their computers.
The Lexar JumpDrive M20c leverages USB 3.0 performance with up to 150MB/s read and 60MB/s write speeds while the JumpDrive M20i provides read speeds up to 95MB/s and write speeds up to 20MB/s.
Both flash drives come with a three-year limited warranty. The new JumpDrive M20c USB Type-C flash drives have MSRPs of £16.99 (16GB), £21.99 (32GB), and £33.99 (64GB) and the new JumpDrive M20i have MSRPs of £39.99 (16GB), £54.99 (32GB), and £77.99 (64GB). Both will be available in October
Back in March, we brought you the story of a custom-built USB drive that was designed to destroy a computer, sort of like a physical form of malware. Now, the Russian that built the prototype, known as “Dark Purple”, has returned with a new and improved version, the USB Killer 2.0.
The latest iteration of the malicious device utilises a small board with a DC converter, some caps, and a FET. Once plugged into a computer, the converter charges the caps to -220V – double that of the first Killer USB – and then fires the voltage back into the computer via the USB signal wires. The process repeats until either the USB port or the processor are fried.
“Finally we managed to organize the installation and testing of prototypes of a new version of the device. Devices that perform only one function – the destruction of computers. But let’s not limited to computers, the device is able to incapacitate almost any equipment equipped with USB Host interface.” Revealed Dark Purple in a blog post.
Dark Purple even included a proof of concept video showing him destroying a Thinkpad X60:
The laptop was brand new and brought specifically to test the USB Killer 2.0.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: never insert a strange USB device into your computer.
Thank you Security Affairs for providing us with this information.
Silicon Power has been in the storage business for quite a while and I’ve already reviewed SSDs and HDDs from them. Today it’s time to take a closer look at what their flash drives have to offer and for that we got the SP Blaze B50 128GB USB 3.0 Flash drive on the test bench.
Now, there absolutely isn’t any shortage of flash drives on the market and which one to pick usually comes down to current sales and personal preference, may it be the design or the brand. When it comes to preference, then the Blaze B50 might be a hit on both fronts as it promises a good performance and looks pretty sleek.
While a flash drive is just that, a flash drive, it doesn’t hurt when it also looks great. The Blaze B50 has been created with inspiration from the muscular’s curving and general dynamic spirit of sports cars. It is tailored to look great with its sculpted lines and supposed to represent the speed that this drive can achieve. I’d say that the accomplished that very well. It looks great.
Silicon Power applied a special surface treatment with a carbon fiber pattern that lends the Blaze B50 drive an exceptionally energetic gesture. The whole design gets its finish thanks to the V-shaped LED indicator for connection and activity indication. The gold printed SP logo, capacity, and connection bus also show that this is a great drive.
The connector on the Blaze B50 of the retractable kind and allows you to hide it with a push operation of the thumb. You don’t need to worry where you put that cap for the drive because that’s always the first thing that one looses. Even when it’s just temporarily and you’ve only just put it down 2 seconds before. It’s gone and doesn’t show up until weeks later at a totally different location. We’ve all been there. The downside to this principle is that you don’t have any dirt protection for the plug and it could fill with pocket lint and similar dirt.
A fast looking drive like this also has to perform great and deliver a fast performance. And it does that thanks to the USB 3.0 interface that allows for much better speeds and access times than the older USB 2.0 did. This 128GB capacity model can perform sequential operations with up to 90MB/s reading and 45MB/s writing according to the specifications page. The package tells us about speeds up to 200MB/s, so it will be interesting to see how good it actually is. There are also 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions available, but they perform a little lower when writing. While these aren’t groundbreaking speeds, they’re more than enough for normal day to day activity.
There’s also a piece of software that comes along with most drives and Silicon power has the SP Widget available for free download. It is compatible with pretty much any of their drives and provides seven major backup and security functions. There is also the Recuva File Recovery software that can help you recover erased files such as photos, documents, and media files; if you ever change you mind or deleted the wrong files.
The SP Blaze B50 drive is highly portable. It is small enough to fit into any pocket, yet not so small that you’ll easily lose it like you could with a nano drive. You can also attach it to your keyring or other places with the opening at the end of the drive. The casing is made of plastic and it only weights 8.3 g, further adding to the portability.
The SP Blaze B50 is backed by a lifetime warranty and it is compatible with Windows XP and newer, Mac OS 10.3.x, and Linux 2.6.x.
Packaging
The packaging is simple but colourful and displays all the relevant information right on the front. On the rear you’ll also find the details in multiple languages if the front shouldn’t be something that you can understand.
As part of the investigation into Jared Fogle, the former Subway spokesperson, affectionately known as “Subway Guy”, under suspicion of trafficking child pornography, federal agents used a dog trained specifically to sniff out SD cards, flash drives, and other external storage devices was employed during an 11-hour search of his home.
During the search of Fogle’s home in Zionsville, Indiana, a black Labrador named Bear assisted law enforcement with his unique nose for detachable storage devices. As Todd Jordan, Bear’s chief handler with the Tactical Detection K9 Unit, puts it, “Bear is unique because he can sniff out SD cards, thumb drives, external hard drives, iPads and micro SD cards.” Bear is one of only three dogs in the US with the ability to smell electronics. “It’s something we probably can’t smell,” Jordan adds.
The role of K9s such as Bear is becoming vital to police investigations in a digital world, with Jordan saying, “You think about investigators going into a house and trying to find a micro SD card that is as big of a finger nail. It will take investigators hours, especially if someone is trying to hide it.”
Bear can thoroughly search a room in about five minutes. Once he has found a device, he sits on it or near it to show his handler where it is, and gets a treat for every successful find. Regarding Bear’s role in the Fogle investigation, Jordan said, “Everything is still under investigation, so I’m not really allowed to talk about it.”
Thank you Fox59 for providing us with this information.
SuperTalent Technologies just announced their next generation of Dram Disk USB drives that combine the best of two worlds into one speedy USB experience. The new USB 3.0 Express Dram Disk features sequential read scores of up to 4041 MB/s and sequential write scores up to 5388 MB/s.
Now right off the top, everyone will notice that this doesn’t match up. Those speeds simply aren’t possible over USB and that is where the second part of this drive comes into play. It comes with built-in RAM disk software, using your system memory as a cache and that is how the drive can achieve those speeds.
This isn’t a drive for everyone, simply due to the way it works. If you just want to plug the drive in, copy a couple of files and then pop it out again, find something else. If you work from your drive all day long with a constant connection to it, then it might be the best possible drive. The RAM disk software will flush the files to the drive in the background while it allows you speedy access via your system memory. At the end of the day, you’ll just unplug it and take it home and have the same benefits there.
The drive in itself comes in a sleek aluminum housing and with built-in ECC and bad block management. The software is directly located on the drive, doesn’t need installation, and can be used on almost any Windows-based system.
Available capacities are 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. The price variates depending on capacity and ranges from $9.99 to $24.99.
The new USB 3.1 standard is all the hype at the moment, but it doesn’t help much to have a port and no device to connect to it.
Kingston just announced the release of the DataTraveler microDuo 3C USB Flash drive that does just that. As the duo name already suggest, this is another flash drive that is usable in more than one type of device. It comes with both the USB type-C connector, but also a standard USB type A for legacy support in USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports.
The type-C connector is the new reversible connector that fits slimmer and sleeker devices such as smartphones and tablets where we’ll see the next generation come with these ports. The port isn’t just for storage and file transfers, it will also support video output.
The DataTraveler microDuo 3C provides up to 64GB storage, but will also be available be available as 16GB and 32GB models. The speeds sadly aren’t anything that big and the drive is rated for 100MB/s reading and 15MB/s writing. It still isn’t bad for such a small drive and the universal connectivity makes up for it.
“DataTraveler microDuo 3C has a dual interface that accommodates both USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports to give users easy access to the latest USB interface,” said Jean Wong, Flash business manager, Kingston. “Our drive provides more storage, features fast data transfer speeds and helps make the new technology more accessible to consumers.”
In addition to the DataTraveler microDuo 3C, Kingston will soon ship its next-generation DataTraveler Micro 3.1. As one of the world’s smallest USB Flash drives, it is perfect for adding more storage to tablet PCs, slim notebooks, car audio systems and more while barely increasing the size of the device’s footprint. The DataTraveler Micro 3.1 will also be available in 16GB to 64GB capacities.
Kingston backs the DataTraveler microDuo 3C is with a five-year warranty, free technical support and Kingston reliability.
Patriot Memory already has some great flash drives in their line-up, and the SuperSonic USB 3.0 drives is just one example on that. Now they’re almost ready with their newest flash drive and this time it’s a USB 3.1 enabled drive. The new drive doesn’t have a name yet besides ‘Type-C USB Flash Drive for MacBook users’, so that will be a surprise for later.
The new Apple MacBook is using the Type-C connector, but it’s not alone on that front. Google’s Chromebook Pixel and other Type-C equipped notebooks are on their way and I hope this standard will pick up faster than the USB 3.0 did after its release.
“As many MacBook users rely heavily on external storage options, we wanted to be at the forefront with a product that will cater to these consumers,” said Meng J. Choo, Patriot’s Product Manager. “As a leading manufacturer of USB and flash memory, we want to offer solutions for our customers that are easy-to-use and provide seamless experiences across all their devices.”
Having a flash drive that just fits new systems wouldn’t be practical, so Patriot Memory made it a dual drive that also comes with a normal Type-A USB 3.0 connector. No compatibility issues here, you can use the drive in any USB-enabled system from version 1.0 to 3.1.
The new flash drive is expected to be available to consumers starting in June in both a 32GB and a 64GB version.
Getting files from your smartphone or tablet and over on a flash drive can be a real hassle and for most parts it requires the use of a system in the middle where you can connect both devices. That is unless you have an OTG enabled device, then it gets a lot easier as you can just plug an OTG compatible flash drive directly into your device and use it as if it was the internal memory or a card.
PNY has announced such a new flash drive and it comes with both a microUSB connector for your smart device and a USB 3.0 connector for your PC. The new PNY Duo-Link OU4 OTG USB 3.0 can achieve speeds up to 120MB/s while reading and still manage 20MB/s at writing, allowing you to transfer those files in a speedy fashion.
The drive only weighs about 2.8 grams and measures 29.05 x 15.1 x 10.25 mm and it will be available in capacities ranging from 8GB to 64GB. It is compatible with Android 4.0 and newer devices with an OTG enabled chipset and port, and it should work equally well on all normal USB devices such as Windows, Linux, or MacOS systems.
The fourth generation Duo-Link OU drive is backed by a two-year warranty from the date of purchase and we can expect a similar price to the current third generation. No word on when it will be available, but it should be shortly.
PNY’s newest USB flash drive puts a whole of storage in you pockets. The Hook Attaché is a high-quality flash drive with up to 128GB capacity to store all the data you need on the go. The Hook Attaché has a silver finish with a sleek streamlined appearance.
The exterior covering is water proof, dust proof and shock proof, enough to endure daily use and keep your files protected. The carabiner hook design enables the drive to be securely attached to keys, backpacks, handbags, or any other accessory you might have. The cap-less design also makes sure that you don’t have a cap to lose or forget.
The PNY Hook Attaché also comes in other storage capacities of 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, and it works with any Windows 2000 and Mac OS 10.3 or newer. It is also backed by a 5-year warranty.
Thanks to TechPowerUp for providing us with this information
Toshiba has a lot of experience in the storage area and it’s a pleasure to take a closer look at their TransMemory EX II 64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive today, a fast and secure pocket drive.
This tiny flash drive doesn’t just promise us great speeds over 200MB/s at both writing and reading, it also supports Windows ReadyBoost and comes with Toshiba’s Pad Locker software to encrypt and password protect your drive.
The fast USB 3.0 Super Speed allows you to transfer 25GB of video content in less than 4 minutes, that’s about the size of an average Blueray movie. Not bad.
Windows ReadyBoost allows external memory storage to be used as a cache for the hard disk drive of a PC. Windows ReadyBoost capability contributes to enhanced PC performance, such as reduced time required for PC start-up – another way of improving older hard drive setups.
One of the things that sets this flash drive apart from the rest is the Pad Locker software. Not only does it allow you to create a password protected and encrypted drive, it allows you to set the amount you want to encrypt. You could do half and half or whatever ratio you have a need for and how many files of yours actually need to be protected to that degree.
Pad Locker also allows you to format the drive as FAT32, even for models above 64GB and it can handle multiple devices on the same computer at once; a great little piece of software.
The TransMemory EX II is backed by a five-year warranty from the date of purchase.
If you’re in the habit of picking up random USB flash drives and plugging them into your computer, now would be a good time to stop. The mischievous Dark Purple has built a custom USB drive designed to fry any computer that it is plugged into.
From Dark Purple’s blog:
The basic idea of the USB drive is quite simple. When we connect it up to the USB port, an inverting DC/DC converter runs and charges capacitors to -110V. When the voltage is reached, the DC/DC is switched off. At the same time, the filed transistor opens. It is used to apply the -110V to signal lines of the USB interface. When the voltage on capacitors increases to -7V, the transistor closes and the DC/DC starts. The loop runs till everything possible is broken down. Those familiar with the electronics have already guessed why we use negative voltage here. I‘ll explain to others that negative voltage is easier to commutate, as we need the N-channel field resistor, which, unlike the P-channel one, can have larger current for the same dimensions.
In other words, the flash drive draws power from the system. When the power stored hits a certain threshold, it fires it back into the computer, sending an electronic surge across the motherboard and processor, frying any components it comes into contact with.
Thankfully, Dark Purple has not released schematics for the “USB Killer”, but it should still make you think twice next time you want to check out an unfamiliar flash drive.
SP/ Silicon Power is well known for their storage products and they are often wrapped in a gorgeous outside. SP has once again received one of the most influential and prestigious recognitions from iF Design Award 2015 for the Stream S06 3.5-inch external hard drive and the Mobile X31 USB 3.0 OTG flash drive.
The iF Design Award was founded in Germany in 1953 and has since become one of the most reputable and famous design awards all over the world. iF Design Award attracted 4,783 entries from 53 countries this year and SP was one of them.
The Stream S06 3.5-inch External Hard Drive is a 4TB USB 3.0 hard drive wrapped in an elegant look. The handle combines design with functionality and allows for easy carrying from place to place.
The Mobile X31 USB 3.0 OTG Flash Drive takes advantage of a micro-USB and a USB 3.0 connector in a compact form factor. The duality allows the use on both OTG enabled Android devices as well as an ordinary USB host like your PC. The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface allows for those speedy transfers while the swivel cap design allows quick and easy use as well as protection.
Thanks to SiliconPower for providing us with this information
Encryption is becoming a bigger factor for more and more people these days, even more so with each hacking scandal and spying activity that makes the news. With that in mind, it is a pleasure to take a closer look at the Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ G3 with hardware encryption.
The normal sized flash drive doesn’t just come with hardware encryption by user-defined password, it also locks the drive down and reformats it after 10 failed login attempts. It is interchangeable between Windows and Mac OS, which is another great thing to see and something that isn’t always a reality on encrypted drives.
The DataTraveler Locker+ G3 also comes with the free USBtoCloud by ClevX, a backup solution that automatically backups your data on the thumbs drive to the cloud storage of your choice. At the time of writing, it works with Google Drive, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Dropbox, and Box; so you’ll still have a secure backup at all times, even in the event of a lost or stolen drive.
Of course, we don’t just want to secure our files, we also want speedy transfers. The DataTraveler Locker+ G3 will naturally be slower than an ordinary drive in this category simply due to the encryption. It still promises great USB 3.0 speeds up to 135MB/s reading and 40M/s writing; not bad for a 32GB drive, especially not for an encrypted drive.
The drive is as easy to set up and use as a normal flash drive. Upon first insertion you’ll run the application stored on the flash drive to configure it and afterwards it’s like using a normal drive – with the exception that you’ll need to enter your password before you can use it.
The durable metal casing with key loop further keeps your data safe from physical damage. It is robust, light and good looking at the same time. Companies can also get the drive Customised with logo and/or digital files preloaded.
Due to the way the drive works, with a read-only partition for the security software, the drive requires two available drive letters on your system. Not something that should be an issue for most, but still a thing to consider.
Kingston backs the DataTraveler Locker+ G3 with a five-year warranty and free technical support.
Toshiba has unveiled a new encrypted USB flash drive with a built-in keypad. The Toshiba Encrypted USB Flash Drive is FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified, with a military-grade AES 256-bit encryption. As an added security feature, if someone tries to crack the PIN, after 10 attempts all data on the flash drive will be overwritten.
The Toshiba Encrypted USB Flash Drive includes the following specifications:
Available Capacities: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB
Storage interface: USB 2.0
Transfer Rate: Up to 27MB per second read. Up to 24MB per second write
(IP)57 certification for Water and Dust Resistance
Size: 3″ (L) X .78″ (W) X 0.41″ (H)
Colour: Black
Weight: .88 oz
Environmental: RoHS Compliant
OS compatibility: Windows 7 or newer, MacOS X 10.6 or newer, Linux and other embedded systems
Supports Admin and User independent PINs
3 Year Limited Warranty
The on-board encryption will cost you, though: the 32GB model is priced at $200.
There are thousands of USB sticks and flash storage on the market and as we all know, they’re not all built the same. Lexar, by Micron, know a lot about flash-based storage and have come out with their JumpDrive M20 Flashdrive. The M20 is a drive that combines many things seen prior, but not in the same product.
The JumpDrive M20 supports USB On-the-Go (OTG) and can be plugged directly into a compatible smart device for easy file transfers. Since all smart devices use a USB 2.0 micro port in this area, there wasn’t any need to make the drive complicated by adding USB 3 micro connector or having to include adapters of sorts. A flash-drive needs to stay simple, but we would still like to have the best possible speeds when we connect this drive to our PC, because it supports that too with its USB 3.0 connector. Plug it directly into your PC or other USB 3 capable device and you can get read speeds up to 120MB/s and write speeds up to 55MB/s. For example, you could transfer a 3GB HD video clip in less than one minute.
Both USB connectors are retractable with the slider on the side of the drive. Push it all the way to either side to expose the corresponding connector or park it in the middle when not in use. It couldn’t be much simpler than that. There sadly aren’t any covers over the plugs themselves when retracted, which I prefer to have on my flash drives as I always get dirt trapped when they’re in my pockets.
The OTG function is primarily, but not exclusively, an Android function and the JumpDrive is designed to work with Android systems. To help you make sure that your device is compatible, Lexar placed a QR-code right on the front of the box for you to check before you even take the drive into your hands in a shop. Of course, you can also view the list from the Lexar homepage.
The Lexar JumpDrive M20 makes it a breeze to get files from your smart phone or tablet and move them over to a flash drive, something that otherwise requires a cable or wireless connection to your PC. With OTG, that’s a thing of the past and the best of all is that it is plug and play.
The JumpDrive M20 is backward compatible with USB 2.0 devices, officially compatible with PC and Mac systems and works with the Astro File Manager that can be downloaded from the Google Play store. It also comes backed by a nice three-year warranty and a long-time experience from the company behind it all.
With all the talk of Windows 10 in the media, many people have downloaded and installed it for a test. They might soon want to change back, but that could be difficult if the recovery partition is gone and reinstalling the system with Windows 7 might prove difficult.
Microsoft to the rescue. They’ve launched the new Microsoft Software Recovery site that allows you to return to Windows 7 by making ISO’s available for download. The downloaded ISO file can then be burned onto a DVD or to a thumb drive for quick and easy installation of the old system. The downloaded ISO will work for both clean installs and upgrade installation from Windows Vista.
But the site and the tool are both equally useful for anyone with a broken or bad disk, or maybe you lost it all together. All you need to have is a genuine key and there is no need to visit dubious pirate sites to get the ISO to use with that legal key.
Thanks to Microsoft for providing us with this information
Apacer has gone a little mushy and released the Star Sand USB 3.0 Flash Drive to “Guard your every little wish!”. The new AH154 Star Wish Drive is available as 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities while being waterproof, dustproof and shockproof to protect those valuable stored memories.
“We all remember that we have once received a glass bottle filled with white star sands. We sealed our wishes in the bottle with a cork and waited for them to come true. For many people, star sands carry numerous romantic memories. Each grain of pure white and perfect star sand represents unforgettable memories and promises.”
The compact and light drive has full IPX7 waterproof features and comes with a chain to hang the drive on a bag, key ring or mobile strap. The chain acts as a cap holder at the same time, so you won’t lose or forget it. Apacer also launched the AH139 simultaneously and is the USB 2.0 little brother to the AH154. The aqua blue and pure white dual-color drive is available as 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities.
The new Star Wish Drives also come bundled with the free-of-charge ACE compression software that can increase the capacity by up to 500%.
Thanks to Apacer for providing us with this information
Patriot’s Supersonic series of flash drives were already some of the fastest on the block, but the whole thing gets a new boost in form of the Supersonic Magnum 2 and Rage 2 USB 3.0 flash drives.
“Patriot has revamped its Supersonic USB line with two great new additions, both with exceedingly fast speeds,” said Meng Jay Choo, Product Manager at Patriot. “There are no comparable USB drives on the market, at the moment, and we hope to continue to deliver impressive performance speeds to our customers as technology advances.”
The Patriot Supersonic Magnum 2 will be available in 256GB and 512GB capacities and feature impressive read and write speeds of 400MB/s and 300MB/s making them the fastest high capacity/high performance USB flash drive on the market. It is shock resistance up to 15Gs and complimented by a matte black metal housing with laser etched logos.
The Supersonic Rage 2 is an ultra-portable and high capacity USB 3.0 drive. The rugged, rubberized casing is designed to withstand the wear and tear of everyday use while the slide-to-connect feature protects the connector. This drive has the same speeds as the Magnum 2 with up to 400MB/s and 300MB/s. It will be available in capacities of 128GB and 256GB.
Both new drives will become available during February 2015, but no word on pricing yet.
Thanks to Patriot for providing us with this information
The limited storage in mobile devices can be a real problem just as the fact that a touchscreen rarely is the optimal input device. Both these things might be a thing of the past if you invest in a Team Group M131 Smart Dual Drive with OTG support that. I’m taking a closer look at 16GB model of just this drive today.
Whether you want to create a copy of the files you got on your mobile device onto a flash drive or just want to create backups, switch out content or extend the internal storage for a while, the M131 USB drive is here for you. You just slide the cover back and plug it into your OTG capable device.
Once we have our files copied from the smartphone or tablet onto the M131 flash drive, we would like to be able to use it our PC that doesn’t have a micro USB port. For this purpose, the M131 is designed as a two piece drive. Simply pull it apart and you’ll expose the normal USB 2.0 connector and have a flash drive like you’re used to from all the other ones you have.
Plugging it apart also exposes the third feature of this flash drive, the separate OTG adapter that you can use to connect compliant devices directly to your tablet or smartphone and this includes USB keyboards, mice and hard drives.
The surface is made from a matte anti-fingerprint material and it has a slide cap design over the Micro USB port to prevent dust gathering and collisions to the somewhat weaker point compared to a normal USB plug. Like most flash drives, the M131 also comes with a strap hole slings to carry it more convenient and prevent unnecessary loss and searches.
Finally, the dual design with the OTG Converter is a lot more convenient than a cable in most cases and the 2-in-1 design plugged together avoids the trouble of missing pieces and searching the cable.
The compact size of just 44 x 16.6 mm and weighing just 6.6 grams make this drive highly portable. It comes backed with a lifetime warranty and is available in three capacities: 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB.
Lexar announced performance enhancements to their JumpDrive USB 3.0 flash drives, which include the JumpDrive P20, JumpDrive S75, JumpDrive S55, JumpDrive S35, and JumpDrive S25. Enhancements include increased read and write speeds and EncryptStick Lite software that offers you a password protected vault for sensitive data.
“Flash drives are no longer just used to bring term papers to the library. More often, people are relying on these devices to store movies, transfer photos, and back up important documents. And they want to do all that quickly and securely,” said Aaron Lee, director of product marketing, Lexar. “The enhanced JumpDrive USB 3.0 line offers the best of both worlds: increased speed and heightened security.”
Seen above is the Lexar JumpDrive P20 USB 3.0 Flash Drive, one of the fastest on the market with read speeds up to 400MB/s and write speeds up to 270MB/s. It is available as 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities.
The JumpDrive S75 isn’t as fast as the P20 but still offers great read speeds up to 150MB/s and write speeds up to 60MB/s. It has a retractable connector with thumb slide and comes in a wide range of colors and capacities, including purple (16GB), orange (32GB), green (64GB), black (128GB), and white (256GB).
The JumpDrive S55 offers the same speeds of 150MB/s read and 60MB/s write. It is available up to 128GB capacity now and features a sliding cover for the plug.
Lexar’s JumpDrive S35 is labeled as the affordable drive, but still offers the 150MB/s and 60MB/s transfer speeds. It features a swivel design with automatic retracting connection and is available as teal (16GB), green (32GB), purple (64GB), and black (128GB).
The last drive to get an upgrade, is the JumpDrive S25 that as the last few offers read speeds up to 150MB/s and write speeds up to 60MB/s for those quick file transfers. This affordable USB flash drive offers a slim, retractable design and is available as teal (16GB), green (32GB), purple (64GB), and black (128GB).
The flagship P20 JumpDrive comes with a lifetime warranty while the rest of the drives have a three-year warranty. The new JumpDrive family will be available in February and all of them come bundled with the EncryptStick Lite software.
Thanks to Lexar for providing us with this information
Mobile storage needs are increasing in capacity all the time and the transfer speeds have to match when we’re copying those amounts of data. Corsair has updated their lineup with four new USB 3.0 flash drives that should make sure we got both the speed and capacity.
The Voyager Slider X1 and Slider X2 have a sleek glossy design and a capless sliding mechanism to expose the connector. The Slider X1 is available from 16GB up to 256GB capacities and boasts read speeds up to 130MB/s. The Slider X2 comes in the same sizes but take the speeds up to 200MB/s.
The rugged Voyager GS and GTX flash drives kick the whole thing up another notch. The Voyager GS will be available as 64GB to 512GB models with read speeds up to 260MB/s and write speeds up to 105MB/s. If that still isn’t enough speed for you, Corsair has the Voyager GTX that actually is a USB 3 SSD in flash drive form factor. With capacities of either 128GB or 256GB, the Voyager GTX can achieve speeds up to 450MB/s with its onboard SSD controller.
