An external hard drive with USB flash key

Among the numerous approaches to external hard drive technology, Hitachi reigns supreme with its latest LifeStudio set of external drives. While Hitachi is emphasizing that the LifeStudio software will clean up your digital mess, the best thing about this product is its detachable USB flash drive which gives users even more portability. The 4 gigabyte key uses a microSD card for its storage, which means a user could conceivably upgrade to more storage space by swapping out the SD card. All the better to carry around even more portable apps. But buyer be vigilant because the USB element doesn’t come with every LifeStudio external drive.

In wide world of tech experts, there is grousing. In terms of drive technology this may not be that different  from other external drives. Plus there’s no support for USB 3.0 which is said to be ten times faster than earlier USB speed. But while some may quibble, others are fans. And fans don’t let fans get stuck behind a desktop. Fans of the detachable feature are slipping the USB device into their pockets and heading into the world unfettered – to infinity and more.

USB flowers for summer?

Here at Creative USB we’re always on the lookout for, what else, creative USB ideas. As a result we recently noted some “seasonal” themes in USB connectivity that definitely intrigued us. Now that summer flowers are in bloom, there’s the Flowerpot USB air purifier which can be used as an actual pot for a plant. It’s an air purifier with a filter and fan, all inside of a plant pot. It’s powered from a USB port. Even more, the USB and flowerpot theme continues with several other products including fans in various shapes. Not to mention something known as the floral scented USB, though the lavender scented ones are thought to induce sleep, which is not helpful if you’re cranking out the next big project.

Another interesting USB product is the Hub, a cute sculptural piece with multiple USB ports that are not only artfully displayed, but they also have colored LED attachments. Plug in a device and the corresponding cable lights up. With a little bit of imagination this looks like a high tech flower arrangement using the USB instead of flowers. It’s the thing to charge iPods, cameras and phones but its good looks add beauty to the desk top next to the, um, desktop. Such artistic takes on the USB certainly set our artistic thinking caps in motion and we can’t wait to get to our own drawing boards to create some new designs for USB copying and duplication.

A faster and bigger solid state drive

The march of the solid-state drive continues with Samsung’s introduction of its 512 gigabyte solid-state drive (SSD). Such higher capacity further advances the move away from hard disk drives toward the more rugged and reliable solid-state format. While hard disks were the baby boomers of their time, solid state is for the Facebook generation. Additionally, Samsung’s latest SSD has the bonus of toggle-mode DDR which is not some form of Dance Dance Revolution, but rather a method of doubling the rate of data movement without increasing the power requirements. All of which means this is quite a feat. One analogy could be “working smarter rather than working harder” – though it requires a fair amount of geekly insight to understand how exactly this is done.

The NAND or flash memory technology behind the solid state drive is what makes it possible for us to store so much more in less space in the digital format. Whether it’s thousands of images on a digital camera or thousands of tunes on an iPod to headsets and smart phones, it could be said, the state of the art is solid. And so is the state of the future. Geek designers and engineers everywhere are continually on the lookout for more capacity and faster speeds in a more reliable format. Since the solid state drive has no moving parts, it is thought to have more life in its years than hard drives. Now it could also be said to have more drive in its gears. The 512 gig SSD is one giant leap for Samsung which was previously limited to 64 gigs.

USB chickens and eggs

Someone has finally determined that the chicken came before the egg. And the egg then came from the chicken. But no one can explain where the chicken came from. Various sources come to mind but we’re waiting for the official answer. In light of this, some may be wondering, which came first, the USB interface or the USB flash drive? And were they invented by the same person? And what about the mini USB and micro USB? Is the micro USB shorter than the mini USB, and should you keep them all at arms length?

It turns out, there is quite a long and winding road attached to Flash memory, the USB flash drive and the USB interface. The first removable flash drive, using flash memory came into being in 1984 thanks to Dr. Fujio Matsuoka working for the Toshiba Company. The first USB flash drive was introduced in 1998 and its inventor is in dispute but credited to Dov Moran, co-founder of SanDisk among other co-foundings or co-findings, as the case may be.

The USB interface is thought to have been invented by Ajay Bhatt as part of a collaborative effort to establish a standard for peripheral devices. And just in case you were wondering, just as the QWERTY keyboard was deliberately designed for slower typing, USB connecters are designed with the intention that try as you would, you couldn’t possibly attach it incorrectly. Well you could, but not with ease. As for the mini and the micro? These are, as their names suggest, smaller, sleeker and possibly “hotter” advancements that make it possible for ever smaller and more mobile applications such as in the Primo Cube – a charger for mobile phones. And of course, at the point where whimsy connected to technology you’ll find the Creative USB, which is where we come in.

How does U3 compare with U2?

U3 is a platform that allows users to take their USB applications to any Windows PC where they can be launched from a USB flash drive. But it should be a U3 Smart Drive. U2 is a band which is definitely not a flash-in-the-pan, though they could conceivably release their music on a flash drive. And their members are probably smart musicians.

U3 is a proprietary format owned by SanDisk which collects royalties whenever it’s implemented in USB flash drives. U2 records material which is proprietary and they collect royalties whenever it’s “implemented” on radio stations or advertisements.

U3 applications are required to clean up data from the guest PC after an application has been launched from a USB drive. U2 tries to clean up the world by working on issues such as poverty, disease, social justice and narcissism. Well not narcissism but the other ones for sure.

U3 compatible USB drives can be configured with security, requiring passwords before loading data. U2 has Bono whose real name is Paul Hewson, who has been known to travel around with a security detail that keeps paparazzi and riff raff at arms length. Though it isn’t always clear who fits the definition of either.

When it comes to portable apps, U3 could be described as the genie in the flash drive. There seems to be no genie behind U2’s musical success except for the name, Bono which comes from the Latin phrase for “Good Voice.” But being Irish there might be leprechauns somewhere in the mix.

A USB rechargeable battery

By now you know the routine. Wherever you are, there you’ll eventually need to plug in. It’s the first rule of technology ownership. Being connected means, well, connecting. But now you’ll need to connect less frequently with USB batteries. At a glance it may seem like this is a version of the creative USB – a flash drive that looks like a battery. That is until you realize, it really is a battery. Use it in pointers during presentations, wireless keyboards and mice, digital cameras and other personal devices.

The USB batteries are available in AAA, C, D, 9V and mobile device sizes. They’re rechargeable from any USB port on a computer, game station or other powered USB. Just a little charge time yields a lot. An hour charges it up half way. Plus these are not just batteries, they’re a fashion accessory. The company plans to release a line of pastel colored batteries. Okay, so the USB battery won’t really free you from the hunt for the next available outlet at the airport, but they’re said to be environmentally friendly and at the very least, they’re cute.

Eraser Portable

Eraser Portable

Securely erase your data

Eraser Portable is a secure data removal tool that runs directly from your iPod, USB thumbdrive, portable hard drive or any other portable media. You can plug it right into any Windows computer and use it just like you would on your own. It is a repackaged version of the popular Eraser utility designed with portability in mind, so it has all the same great features of Eraser, but there’s nothing to install.

Download Eraser Portable  >>>

How to secure a USB drive Windows 7

A knife for the digial age

It is said that everything old is new again. But it is also said that the pace of each new piece of technology marching into obsolescence is fast approaching the speeding bullet. By the time a new gadget hits the market, its makers are already shut-away in a tech lab somewhere working on the next generation or iteration or replacement as the case may be. Now, after more than 100 years, there’s a new generation of Swiss Army Knives. The “Knife” is not only USB connected, it’s un-hackably connected such that a team of hackers were dared to work their magic and found they could not.

Once well liked for it’s assortment of tools that include, tweezers, scissors, fish scaler, corkscrew, knives and screwdrivers – though not every kind of screwdriver, the Swiss Army Knife has moved into the digital age in a big way. After all, opportunities for fish scaling tend to be few. Several versions have USB drives and the latest versions have the secure USB and Bluetooth connectivity. But wait, there’s more. It also has a laser pointer in a line of “knives” intended for presentations. In recognition that knives can’t go on carry-on luggage, the USB device is detachable.

While there are likely to be all sorts of activities inspired by a knife, who among us knew that the Swiss Army Knife could also inspire a cutting edge fashion line. There are jackets, vests, blazers and swimwear, all designed for those who love the “knife.” As it turns out the term Swiss Army Knife is thought to have originated with US soldiers who could not pronounce its name in German. Over the years there have been numerous variations with one making the Guinness Book of World Records. One built in 2006 is called the Giant and it is nine inches wide.

View pictures on your USB drive

This small Credit Card sized USB drive has a display window capable of showing the pictures you have on your drive.  This serves as a great way to share information about your products and distribute digital content along with images and pictures.