The Mac users usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to software and hardware support for the Mac OS. Most products and applications are specifically design for the Windows user, knowing this is the largest install base of computer owners. However, the tide is shifting. I’m not sure if the popularity of the iPod and iPhone are the sole reason, or if users are just tired of the buggie OS of Windows but Mac computers are popping up everywhere. Friends, work, school – well always school – and even my grandparents house.
Today SanDisk is giving the Mac Fan Boy a bit of love. SanDisk introduces the first secure flash drive which fully supports operation under the Mac OS. The SanDisk Cruizer Enterprise is a USB stick that may be used on either a PC or Mac and has the full ability for data encryption of the drive. With a friendly user interface, the owner can unlock files and data on the stick for using and sharing. Once the drive is locked down or disconnected the encryption is back on.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
The US Branding Company has come up with a very clever USB stick which acts like a puzzle. This is an excellent idea for promotional USB drives, as it forces the user to construct your company logo or brand before the USB stick can be used.
The trick is to correctly configure the printed logo so the USB connector pops out when the puzzle is complete. Think of this as the 1974 phenomenon Rubiks Cube but applied to a USB stick and obvious very simplified.
The US Branding Co. has coined the phrase Rotating Puzzle USB and is available in a wide range of colors and sizes with print capabilities from single color to multi-color prints and logos.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
LaCie introduced their CurrenKey earlier this week which is a silver or copper USB key in the shape of brushed metal coinage. The design is definitely eye catching, but not all that practical.
Dealing with USB sticks day in an day out, having an odd shaped USB stick is the last thing anyone will want…or at least ultimately realize. With the CurrenKey the round shape eliminates the use of other USB ports on the left or right. Also, with many laptops these days the USB port is vertical, not horizontal, making the round shape impossible to connect unless you lift up your laptop or stack something underneath it.
LaCie did a great job in design work with the metal die-cast construction, but lacks in overall design of usable shape.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
The Pentagon announced last week the ban of USB sticks within it’s organizations. As part of the ban, the Pentagon is collecting all USB drives purchased or provided to department workers. The motivating factor was a global virus the Pentagon was exposed to.
Not much information was collected about what type of virus or the extent to damage, but must be bad enough to initiate a global ban.
Military leaders have consistently warned of potential threats from a variety of sources including other countries – such as China – along with other self-styled cyber-vigilantes and terrorists.
The issue has also been of concern at the Department of Homeland Security. A September audit by the DHS Inspector General recommended that the agency implement greater procedures to ensure that only authorized computer flash drives or other storage devices can be connected to the network there and that an inventory of those devices be set up.
Finally, the Pentagon was quick to point their government agency isn’t the only institution having problems, but many companies and corporations are concerned about the potential security risks of USB drives, their data load size and their small size. It’s a feed ground for malice opportunity.
Source:Â Associated Press.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
We stumbled upon this Snake Coffin USB drive when writing about the Han Solo Carbonite USB stick, neither of which make a great USB promotional drive, but definitely a unique looking device.
For the select few who would enjoy this wondrous USB Snake Drive, you can grab a 2GB version for only $25 bucks. The custom snake casket is a limited edition drive and only available while supplies last.
Jason is the creator of this device and many other gadgets. He resides in Bolivia North Carolina and will ship anywhere in the world.
Product page.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
Now that SuperSpeed USB is out what does the physical connector look like? Well, GetUSB isn’t 100% sure but we’ve seen some images popping up on the internet.
First, lets take a look at the USB connector we reported about in Januarary of 08:
Now we have a new image coming up from UberGizmo which might be a more developed connector of the SuperSpeed USB connector:
On Monday the USB Implementers Forum released the official documents for SuperSpeed USB 3.0. We’ve been reporting on the SuperSpeed for about 6 months and it’s finally come to fruition. The logo to the right might be the USB-IF official logo as we pulled it directly off their press release material.
What we have today is the specification outline, meaning we don’t have products yet, but now developers and chip manfucaturers have an official outline of how to build USB host controllers, hubs and other logic devices to manage the super speed of USB 3.0.
The new specification claims transfer speeds of 4.8Gbps [Gigabits per second] rate which translates to a data transfer rate of approximately 600MB per second.
So what next? Well, between now and the next year, manufacturers will be in a mad rush to get
Continue ReadingNo Comments
Nanovision is aptly named because their product line is compiled of mini LCD monitors which connect via USB. The monitors are designed to be a single use screen for dedicated applications such as IM windows, stock quote streamers, toolbars for programs like Photoshop and calendars.
Nanovision is introducing 4 models of the mini LCD size with their technology backed by DisplayLink. The MIMO USB Monitor starts at a 7″ display with a 800×400 resolution, with higher end models including webcams, speakers and even touch screen capability.
Nanovision didn’t comment on availability in the states but the currency conversion gives the MIMO USB Monitors a price tag of just under $130.
Source:Â EverythingUSB.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
Are you addicted to creating PodCasting content? Need a mobile studio for those on-location interviews or content recording? Well the all new Belkin GoStudio is worth a look.
The GoStudio is compact, portable, and sturdy enough to stand up to the rigors of a mobile digital lifestyle. Designed GoStudio for a wide range of users from podcasters to students, teachers to journalists its shape offers easy access to the controls and simplifies the audio recording process.
Features include a built in microphone for immediate recording or use [up to] two connectors for dynamic mics. Controls include ability to adjust the sound level and gain, limiter and low cut filter to help you maintain the quality of the recording.
What’s so ideal about this Belkin package is the solid dock station for your iPod. You can see the full configuration here:
Continue ReadingNo Comments
Western Digital released a hard drive compliment to their USB Passport hard drive, the WD TV HD Media Player. What they’ve done is develop a high resolution real time streaming device capable of recording up to 1080p to your USB hard drive or super sized USB stick.
It’s clear to me Western Digital will begin developing products to complement or enhance the need of their core business products – hard drives and storage.
The WD TV HD Media Player has a memory buffer inside but uses two USB ports on the backside where you can plug in USB sticks or USB hard drives, like the Passport, to store the digital stream.
The WD TV HD is competatively prices at $129.99 and has HDMI composite outputs.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
Press Release:Â Cryptzone, the Nordics leading Data Leak Prevention provider, today announced the release of their new USB flash drive encryption software, Secured eUSB 4.0.
Secured eUSB 4.0 is the first product to be integrated in the new version of Cryptzone´s centrally managed security platform, the Simple Encryption Platform (SEP) 4.0.
Providing security to USB drives is a growing problem for many companies but with Cryptzone’s solution, companies can now take control of this problem. Secured eUSB can convert any existing USB flash drive into a secure means of transporting sensitive data.
The new version of Secured eUSB, version 4.0, will enable users to encrypt, decrypt, compress and password-protect personal files – even entire folders – stored on USB drives. Operating on the Windows platform
Continue ReadingNo Comments
We saw this post a couple days ago over at Engadget and I’ve been meaning to write about it. Apparently there is new technology which allows you to eavesdrop through USB cables, Ethernet cables and the like.
The idea is using electromagnetic radiation shot off by USB cables to decrypt the information flowing over them to crack your security and privacy. The crew at Security and Cryptography Lab at Switzerland’s EPFL have managed to eavesdrop wired keyboards and track keystrokes made by the user.
What gets really crazy, is the electromagnetic eavesdropping, or cracking, can be administered up to 65 feet away. It’s clear that no one is safe.
Continue ReadingNo Comments
The Pentagon announced last week the ban of USB sticks within it’s organizations. As part of the ban, the Pentagon is collecting all 
On Monday the USB Implementers Forum released the official documents for SuperSpeed USB 3.0. We’ve been 
