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Matt LeBoff

Kicking around in technology since 2002. I like to write about technology products and ideas, but at the consumer level understanding. Some tech, but not too techie.

Stand alone Windows Password Reset Tool

One of the most classic and – yet still perversely prevalent – issues IT staff face is resetting Windows passwords for users who have forgotten them (again). While remote administration has reduced the need to physically reactivate and reset passwords in most scenarios, a copy of L0phtcrack still remains in every experienced admins ‘toolbox’. Of course, having to reboot the system and use a copy of Bart PE or other portable OS’ to run L0phtcrack has a PITA factor all its own. USB key reset tool   Well, it seems that entrepreneur Jonty Lovell has done something about it as the all new – and fully funded – Password Reset Key has been designed to take the hassle out of this common issue. In fact, as long as you have physical access to the system even home owners can now reset their forgotten password within mere moments. The secret to the Password Reset Key is the fact that it combines a key shaped 1GB flash drive – available in black, stainless steel, or ‘gold’ – with a simple OS that auto-loads his custom software upon startup. Just as with L0phtcrack, with a simple click or three, you can scan, reset and even test how secure a given systems login passwords are. Because of its ‘key’ form factor, it will be hard to lose as you can simply stick on your keychain and always have it close at hand. However, be warned that this $15 – $50 device (depending on which option to choose) may get you in trouble with your IT staff as resetting the ‘administrator’ password will greatly ‘annoy’ them if they find out. Continue Reading

USB Zipper Cable – Great Idea

The Xpower 2 in 1 Zipper USB cable will support all micro USB and lightning devices. With its unique zipper design, it allows the cable to become expandable enough to charge more than one device at any given moment. It also supports iOS 7 and android devices. It is conveniently 36cm in length. The 2 in 1 Zipper USB cable will make multitasking much easier. The design and size make it very practical for transporting with you on the go. Its cable syncsupport is a 2.4A output at max and it has a 30/30 AWG high speed transmission and cable sync with micro UBSs only.
USB ziper cable

USB zipper cable

Source:  Brando. Continue Reading

USB Head Massage Thang

We have heard about the USB hand warmer or the USB foot warmer or even the USB eye warmer, but it appears we’ve gone one step further.  I guess if there were ever a line to draw in the sand as to much, is too much, this would be it.  Brando, a distributor of USB gadgets, now has on sale a USB head massager. For $52 US dollars you can have this goofy looking head bracket which will vibrate at your heads key acupuncture points. USB head massager If anyone ends up buying this USB head massager, please post a picture of you wearing it on our facebook page. Continue Reading

Corsair Brings USB and microUSB Stick to CES 2014

Corsair continues their reputation for high speed, high quality USB products.  This year at the CES 2014 show Corsair is showing off their new Voyager Go USB drive. Two improvements with this device: 1)  The USB includes a standard USB connector and a microUSB connector.  This addition makes it easier to store files from a portable device directly to the flash memory. 2)  The USB cap and USB body include a loop so when connected with a lanyard you no longer have the option to lose the cap.  This is the first that I’ve seen with a cap/body configuration like this…and it should have happened years ago. Corsair USB The Corsair Voyager Go USB is available as a 3.0 device in 16, 32 and 64GB capacity.  USB 3.0 can boost transfer speeds in excess of 135MB/s however we must realize this spec is not real-world environment. Corsair microUSB Source:  Corsair, CES. Continue Reading

USB 3.1 Connector, Physical Design, Universal Connector

It is all over the internet, the universal USB connector; however, it is difficult to find the physical design or look of the connector.  Most websites are posting old style 2.0 or 3.0 connectors.  From reading through the USB.org documentation, we have the following physical design specs. USB, universal connector, female   USB, universal connector, male   From the notes in the document, these designs could change, but at least we have an idea. Continue Reading

Question CRC Verse Checksum Verification for USB Flash Drives?

What is better?

CRC Verse Checksum Verification for USB flash drives

This article does the math and gives examples on which verification method is best.

This post is to give the general user an idea of what verification method is better for writing data to a flash drive. There are reference links at the bottom of this post which dive much deeper into the two methods of verification if this simple overview is not enough.

The short answer is Cyclical Redundancy Check (CRC) is the best method for checking data written to a USB flash drive.

Many believe a checksum is the best method to verify data written to a flash drive (most popular is MD5). I believe this is favored because it is easier to understand how the verification works, and also easier to implement. However, there are flaws in checksum verification and therefore it is not suitable for verification of data written to a flash drive.

What is the difference between Checksum and CRC verification? The checksum method uses addition in its math calculations to check whether all data was written correctly. CRC uses long division in its math calculations to check whether all data was written correctly. It is worth noting I am talking about binary long division, not the school-yard long division you so fondly remember.

Checksum methods will calculate the total bits in a packet of data and include that total checksum amount when the data is sent over communication lines. The receiver will then look at the packet, read the checksum value and then perform the same calculation to make sure everything adds up. The problem is a high probability that somewhere between the sender and receiver the bits of data are changed, corrupted or swapped yet still turn a correct checksum value after calculation on the receiving end.

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Alaska Airlines adds USB Ports with Power

Alaska Airlines passengers will now be able to use their tablets, book readers, and cellphones all the way from the gate to thousands of feet in the air. Starting Nov. 9, passengers will be able to use their electronic devices on board the plane, and even use WiFi, at 10,000 feet in the air.  Alaska Airlines will start flying its first aircraft with 110-volt and USB power outlets at every seat next month. Most of the fleet will be equipped by the end of 2014. Continue Reading

Nexcopy Adds New Standalone SD Duplicators With SD Card Sanitization Features

Standalone SD duplicator system with sanitize feature by Nexcopy

Press Release: Nexcopy Introduces SD Duplicators with Sanitize Feature

Lake Forest, CA – November 5, 2013 – Nexcopy Inc., a leading manufacturer of flash memory duplicators, announces two new standalone SD duplicators with sanitize feature: the 1-15 and 1-31 target systems. These models offer high-speed Secure Digital (SD) duplication combined with advanced sanitization capabilities for enterprise, IT, and government data workflows.

Why Sanitization Matters in SD Duplicators

The new Nexcopy SD duplicators introduce a powerful full binary overwrite system, offering both single-pass and triple-pass random write sequencing. This proprietary triple-pass process ensures data is permanently deleted—making these SD duplicators with sanitize feature ideal for secure environments where data cannot be recovered by forensic tools.

Efficient In-House Duplication and Sanitization

These standalone duplicators are perfect for businesses needing in-house flash memory management. They allow duplication and sanitization of multiple SD cards simultaneously. Nexcopy’s core binary copy engine, used in its trusted USB duplicators, supports all major file systems: FAT, FAT32, NTFS, ext2, ext3, ext4, and custom formats. This makes the SD duplicators with sanitize feature highly flexible for IT teams and software developers.

“Pivoting from our core binary copy firmware, Nexcopy expands our technology to include sanitization features now being sought by IT professionals,” said Greg Morris, President of Nexcopy Inc. “We built these standalone SD duplicators specifically to meet enterprise demands.”

Standalone Operation with One-Touch Control

The Nexcopy SD duplicators operate independently of any host computer. Their simple one-button functionality allows fast deployment, making them ideal for deployment labs, software QA teams, government organizations, and educational institutions where speed and security matter most.

Available Models of Nexcopy SD Duplicators with Sanitize Feature

Product Image Resources

Global Availability

Nexcopy’s complete product line—including USB, SD, CF, and microSD duplicators with sanitize features—is available through a global network of authorized resellers.


About Nexcopy Incorporated

Nexcopy specializes in cutting-edge duplication technology for flash memory. As a pioneer in solid-state memory duplication, Nexcopy serves clients across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and beyond, from its headquarters in Lake Forest, California.

Nexcopy Incorporated
13 Orchard Road, Suite 102
Lake Forest, CA 92630
+1 949 481 6478
contact@nexcopy.com
https://www.nexcopy.com

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Peddle to the Metal with USB 3.1 Spec

The Universal Serial Buss Implementers Forum or USB-IF has released their new specification, USB 3.1.  The full spec will be available for download off the USB-IF website on Friday Aug 2, 2013.  The new specification allows for 10Gb/s transfer rate.  Of course this is optimal transfer speed without the incurrence of operating system resources trying to regulate bandwidth for multi device transfers, but none-the-less it’s a huge jump in speed for USB.

USB 3.1 cable

USB is the most versatile connector type in the computer market.  Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and communications protocols used in a bus for connection, communication, and power supply between computers and electronic devices. Originally USB was specific to connect computer peripherals such as keyboards, pointing devices, digital cameras, printers and network adapters.  With the increased need for bandwidth with digital content and the faster speeds of portable storage devices and smartphones the need to increase the speed of USB has been significant. In addition the USB specification incorporated a Power Delivery or PD protocol which can deliver up to 100watts of power over a USB cable.  The PD technology must use a certified cable with the Power Delivery wiring so not all USB cables will have the PD ability.  The intent is to permit uniformly charging laptops, tablets, USB-powered disks and similarly higher power consumer electronics, as a natural extension of existing European and Chinese mobile telephone charging standards. With the increased 3.1 speeds and the power ability of 100watts per cable it appears USB has made a substantial gain in the cable of choice for manufacturers and consumers a like for connecting their peripherals to their host computers. The USB 3.1 specification is just now in development and products should come to market in the next 8-10 months. Continue Reading

USB ScanStik with Voice Notes

Planon is known for having pen-sized scanners for mobile scanning of business cards, documents, lecture notes and more.  What Planon continues to do is develop the scanning technology year after year. The company has just released it’s latest pen scanner, the ScanStik SK600V.  The V is for Voice Notes.  It’s now possible to scan from a device the size of a writing pen and include voice memos for the scanned document.  Nice. They have also added bluetooth connectivity, but apparently the “b” didn’t make it into the updated part number. You can scan at 600dpi (dots per inch) and save the file to a microSD card.  Once you are ready for download, you can connect to a host computer via USB and off-load all those trade show business cards (or competitors spec sheets of that product not yet released). Continue Reading

How To: Minecraft on USB Stick

Minecraft has taken on a life of it’s own. From 5 year old kids being obsessed with Minecraft to adults making movie trailers it’s a strange little obsession for digital lego’s that look like CAD drawings. Either way, you might find this post useful for how to make a portable Minecraft USB stick. With a portable version of Minecraft you can now play the game anywhere, school, library, work, you name it. This is how you do it: (Download Portable Minecaft rar now)
  1. Download portabal_minecraft.rar
  2. Extract Minecraft folder to Memory stick  *Need program to extract .rar file, just Google “extract rar”
  3. Open the Run.exe
  4. Log into your Minecraft account and let it update for you
  5. That’s it!
The resultant USB will have several items in the root of the USB.
  • .minecraft folder with all your assets
  • Minecraft exe file which is the program
  • Start.bin file, which generates Minecaft when you start
Did this help you? Continue Reading

History of Portable Storage Devices – Infograph

History of portable storage devices – An interesting topic and starts earlier then you probably think.  Starting in 1928 the punch card is what started it all.  Like the punch music you probably remember on your grandmothers piano where the piano played automatically from the punch roll.

(Infograph) History of Portable Storage Devices

  • 1928 – Punch Card Storage: One of the earliest forms of portable data storage, punch cards used holes in paper to represent data and instructions for computers.
  • 1956 – Magnetic Disk Storage (IBM 305 RAMAC): Introduced the first hard disk drive, capable of storing 5 MB of data using rotating magnetic platters.
  • 1963 – Magnetic Tape Cartridges: Offered portable data storage for mainframes, allowing larger amounts of information to be transported between systems.
  • 1971 – Floppy Disk: A flexible magnetic disk developed by IBM, making it easier to store and transfer data on personal computers.
  • 1984 – CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory): Allowed digital data to be stored on optical discs, improving durability and storage capacity over floppies.
  • 1990 – PCMCIA Flash Memory Cards: Early flash memory cards, primarily used in laptops and industrial equipment, paved the way for solid-state storage devices.
  • 1994 – CompactFlash (CF) Cards: Used in digital cameras and handheld devices, offering small, removable flash-based storage.
  • 2000 – USB Flash Drive: A major breakthrough in portable storage, offering rewritable, durable, and high-capacity data storage via USB interface.
  • 2005 – SD and microSD Cards: Became the standard flash storage format for cameras, smartphones, and embedded systems due to their small size and reliability.
  • Today – High-Capacity Flash Storage: Modern USB drives and SSDs now offer terabytes of solid-state storage, with fast read/write speeds and advanced encryption capabilities, replacing most earlier portable storage technologies.

History of Portable Storage (Infograph) An infographic by the team at History of Portable Storage (Infograph)

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Resources and References Page

Resources and References Page