Satechi, a San Diego–based company, unveiled a new USB hub designed for the 2018 iPad Pro.

The hub is built specifically for the 2018 iPad Pro, allowing convenient access to peripheral devices while on the go.

Features include 4K HDMI output at 30Hz, USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 charging, USB 3.0 data transfer at up to 5Gbps, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, all delivered through a single USB-C connection. The USB 3.0 port is the only interface used for data transfer, while the USB-C port is dedicated solely to power. USB Power Delivery 3.0 ensures the iPad receives optimal charging even when handling demanding tasks such as 4K video playback.

The hub follows Apple’s design language closely and integrates cleanly with the iPad Pro. It does not feel like a bulky or awkward add-on when attached.

Satechi offers the USB hub for $59, with color options available in Silver or Space Gray.

End

Several years back we published a blog post explaining the difference between CRC verification and checksum verification. You can view the original article here.

Recently, we came across a SlideShare presentation that mirrors the same article and walks through the concepts in a visual format.

CRC verse Checksum Verification for USB Flash Drives from 27ragbag

The Yubico YubiKey 4 is an excellent option for implementing two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication requires two separate elements before access is granted. In this case, one element is your password and the second is a physical factor, such as fingerprint verification or possession of the hardware key.

If you currently use a password manager such as LastPass or Dashlane, this device is a strong addition. The primary benefit is the ability to enable hardware-based two-factor authentication, requiring the YubiKey itself to authorize sign-ins even when the correct password is entered.

This means that even if someone learns your password, access is still blocked without the physical key. Most modern password managers and services support established security standards such as FIDO U2F, PIV smart card authentication, and OpenPGP, all of which are compatible with YubiKey devices.

Using Windows 10, you can partition a USB flash drive into multiple partitions. The process is not difficult; you simply follow some easy steps. This tutorial will partition the drive so that your device is assigned multiple drive letters when connected to the computer.

This partition process is not done at the USB controller level, or said another way, done at the hardware level. This USB partition process, for lack of better terms, is done at the software level. What does this mean for you? It means the partitions can be wiped off the drive and the full capacity of the USB flash drive can be restored.

When a USB stick is partitioned at the controller level, or at the hardware level, there is no way to reverse the partition. The multi-partition drive is permanent. At the end of this tutorial is the solution for a hardware-based partition solution.

So let’s get started.

How to partition a USB flash drive in Windows 10:

Connect the USB flash drive to your Windows 10 machine. Be sure there is nothing valuable on the USB as this process will remove all content from the drive.

Right Click the Windows icon and select Disk Management.

The Disk Management window will appear with all the connected devices. Select your USB flash drive by clicking one time. By selecting your flash drive, it will allow Windows to apply the partition to that device.

You will see your flash drive as Disk X. The device is represented by diagonal gray lines. Right Click your device in the diagonal gray line area on your screen and select Delete Volume.

Windows will display an error message stating all the contents of the device will be removed. Confirm Yes.

You will now have an unallocated partition for the flash drive. This means a file system is not assigned to the drive. Having no file system on your USB means you cannot save data to the drive. We need to create a file system for this partition, i.e., FAT, FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT.

At the same time, we assign a file system to this partition, we will also slice up the USB flash drive to create multiple partitions.

Right Click the unallocated space on your screen, represented by the diagonal gray lines. Select New Simple Volume from the options presented.

A Microsoft wizard utility will start. Click Next from the first introductory screen. Windows will display the total amount of memory available to the device. This is where you will enter the size of your first partition. In this example, I am using a 2GB flash drive (1,896MBs) and will make a first partition of 500MBs.

The rest of the wizard utility is auto-populated and straightforward. For example, the wizard will ask if you want a specific drive letter assigned to the partition once the process is done.

The wizard utility will ask you what file system you want for this new partition. If you are not sure, just leave the auto-populated selection from Windows.

TIP: If you want the dual partition USB drive to also work in Mac computers, be sure to format the drive as FAT, FAT32, or exFAT. Do not use NTFS, as Mac computers will only read the content but cannot write to the device. In fact, read this article on why to never format USBs as NTFS.

Be sure to set a volume name to the device so the partition (new drive letter) will be easy to recognize.

Click Finish for Windows to make this first partition. Looking in Disk Management once the wizard has closed, you will now see the device with one partition and a balance of the drive as unallocated.

Rinse and Repeat. Do the same steps as above for this smaller unallocated memory space.

After the second pass using the partition wizard for Windows, you will have a dual partition USB drive with two drive letters. Each USB flash drive letter will work and appear like a normal, single flash drive. You can data load each partition as normal. You can even flash one partition to make it bootable if you are into making bootable USB sticks.

Although the above tutorial makes things easy to partition a USB flash drive into multiple drive letters, this method is not permanent. Using the same steps, you may clear out all the partitions and its content. For some users or companies, having an unsecured dual partition drive is not ideal for their business practice or application. There is an alternative. There is a method to partition a USB at the hardware level.

In order to partition a USB drive at the hardware level, or controller level, you will need some specific controller chips and the vendor commands to set up the partitions. These tools are not readily available as there are hundreds of chip makers and thousands of USB suppliers. However, Nexcopy has a solution for business-to-business applications for creating dual partitions at the controller level.

In addition, Nexcopy has the ability to make these partitions write-protected, or read-only. If this hardware solution is what you need, please contact them.

With all the gadgets we post about here at GetUSB.info sometimes a word or definition can get twisted on it’s meaning. One of those terms is UDISK. First, please don’t complicate the term into something more than it is. There are two answers to this question.

There is the “slang” term for UDISK and there is the “technical” term for UDISK.

The “slang” term for UDISK

The Asia / Pacific Rim region use the term UDISK to describe a flash drive. This is the most common use of the term “UDISK” for no-technical people. In the United States and Europe people do not use the term UDISK to describe a flash drive, rather the common term of “USB flash drive” or “thumb drive” or “USB key.”

The “technical” term for UDISK

The technical term for UDISK is a bridge chip which is used inside an enclosure to turn a hard drive into an external storage device that connects via USB cable.

For example, in the picture below is a hard drive enclosure which is designed to hold a magnetic hard drive and turn the hard drive into an external storage device. A magnetic hard drive typically has an IDE or SATA connection interface and a UDISK chip is used to bridge the IDE (or) SATA interface to that of USB. This bridge chip (UDISK) changes the hard from from IDE protocol (or SATA protocol) to a USB protocol.

Examine the picture a bit closer and you can clearly see the SATA interface on the PCB. On that same PCB is the UDISK bridge chip which does the protocol translation.

The second image shows the back side of the external hard drive case with the USB cable connected to the enclosure. Using the UDISK bridge chip allows for an IDE or SATA hard drive to be connected to a host computer system via USB cable.

Cypress Semiconductor (now Infineon) makes such a bridge chip, called the FX3.

Conclusion:

UDISK is most commonly used to describe a USB flash drive.

Technically the term UDISK describes a bridge chip used in hard drive enclosures.

Data security on the internet is one of the most volatile issues in today’s world. Bug exploits, malicious code, and data-stealing programs created through the constant evolution of web content have led many companies and organizations to remove valuable information from connected systems altogether. A new threat on the hardware front, however, may prove to be a challenge even for this approach to data protection.

A new malware sample, appropriately named “USB Thief,” was discovered by researchers at the award-winning ESET security firm. As its name implies, the malware is completely USB-based, meaning it spreads only through devices connected to a computer via USB ports.

Create Your Own Custom USB Flash Drive Logos to Build Your Brand and Leave a Lasting Impression

Branding products isn’t a new concept in today’s marketing world, but Nexcopy has made it much more accessible to brand one of the most versatile pieces of technology in the industry. With the USB7P full-color inkjet printer, anyone can bring their designs or images to life directly on flash drives. Below is a video illustrating the product, along with its features and benefits.

For more information about customizing this video for our reseller channel, please contact Nexcopy directly.

Source: Nexcopy Inc.

We recently published an article featuring 60 incredible custom USB flash drive designs that range from miniature cars to footballs and represent industries as diverse as material handling, construction, medical, and environmental services. A custom-shaped USB flash drive is more than just portable storage — it’s a physical extension of your brand.

By transforming a company logo or product into a functional USB drive, businesses create a marketing tool that not only stands out but also makes a lasting impression on their audience. For example, a construction company once commissioned a USB drive molded in the exact shape of one of their heavy-duty excavators. This creative giveaway left potential clients with a practical device that doubled as a memorable conversation starter, reinforcing brand recognition long after the initial meeting.

Marketing professionals continue to choose custom logo USB flash drives because they offer a tangible, engaging, and highly effective way to communicate brand identity.

Why is my USB write protected? (Updated for Windows 11 Fixes)

USB write protected means the USB cannot be written to. But why does this happen? There can be several reasons, ranging from a corrupted flash drive to software settings in Windows that lock the device.

Originally posted in 2015, this article is now updated for modern systems, including Windows 10 and Windows 11, which introduce additional security layers that can cause USB write protection issues.

Hardware or Device Failure

It’s easy to damage a USB stick. A common cause is sending multiple write threads to the device at the same time. For example, copying large files while issuing another write command may corrupt the controller, leaving it permanently locked.

Windows Registry and Security Settings

Windows can mark a USB drive as write-protected due to policy settings or errors. Here’s how to remove this restriction on Windows 10 and Windows 11:

• Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
• Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
• If WriteProtect exists, double-click it and set the value to 0. If it doesn’t exist, create a new DWORD (32-bit) entry named WriteProtect and set it to 0.
• Restart your PC and reconnect the USB drive.

Using Diskpart Command (Windows 11)

Windows 11 offers an advanced command-line tool to clear write protection:

diskpart
list disk
select disk #
attributes disk clear readonly
exit

Replace # with your USB drive number.

Windows Security – Ransomware Protection

Windows 11’s Controlled Folder Access can block external writes. Disable or adjust this setting via: Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Ransomware protection.

File System Repair

If the drive is corrupted, run:

chkdsk E: /f

(replace E: with your USB letter). This may fix read/write errors without losing data.

Manufacturer Tools

Brands like SanDisk, Kingston, or Nexcopy provide utilities to reset a locked USB device or reformat at a controller level.

Conclusion

Write protection errors are often recoverable and not always caused by hardware failure. With the new features in Windows 11, additional troubleshooting steps may be required before discarding a drive.

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FAQ

Q: How do I remove USB write protection in Windows 11?
A: Use Registry Editor, Diskpart, or adjust Ransomware Protection settings to allow writes.

Q: Does Windows Defender block USB writes?
A: Yes, in some cases Controlled Folder Access can block external USB writes. Adjust settings to resolve this.