SanDisk has confirmed that the XBox 360 USB flash drive is now shipping. A couple of capacities are available which include an 8GB model costing $24.99 and a larger 16GB model costing $69.99.
The drives carry the official XBox logo as they were built in a partnership with Microsoft [MSFT] and each drive can be used to take advantage of the firmware that was launched on April 6 that allowed external devices to be used to store saved games, profiles as well as demos, video and pictures.
Although SanDisk and Microsoft are saying the SanDisk flash drive is the "official" USB device for the XBox, this doesn't prevent other 3rd party flash drives being used. [click to continue…]
If you purchased an Apple iPad this month you might have noticed that USB charging can be a bit hit and miss on some laptops and computers. This is due to the power requirements of the Apple iPad being a little too high for what a regular USB port can output.
The requirement that the iPad has is that at least 10 watts are needed from the port. Most USB 2.0 ports are below this causing the iPad not to charge when connected to your PC. This isn't a huge problem though as it does come with a wall adapter allowing you to charge it that way.
The Scosche Dual USB charger has a couple of different USB ports on with one of them being designed specifically to provide enough power output to charge an iPad. This gadget is part of the Revive II line that comes with an AC adapter for usage in the home as well as a car adapter to charge while on the move. [click to continue…]
Microsoft [MSFT] are releasing a firmware update for the XBox 360 on April 6 that will bring mass storage support on USB drives. This move will allow saved game date to be stored on a USB flash drive as well as other data including demos, profiles and more.
Once the firmware update is applied you need to visit the memory section of the menu system and configure the XBox to accept USB flash drives at that point. When inserting the drive a quick integrity check will be performed to ensure the flash drive is up to scratch and once done it will be ready for storing your saved data.
USB memory sticks up to 16GB in capacity can be used on the XBox 360. Well, I should say the XBox 360 will only take the first 16GB leaving the rest of the space to be used on your PC or Mac. [click to continue…]
If security is high up on your list of essentials for your laptop or computer then this little USB fingerprint reader device could be one option for you. The USB Fingerprint Lock FLash Disk is capable of encrypting files stored on it as well as your whole computer with a swype of a finger.
Worried about prying eyes and nosy neighbors? Want to encrypt your files and render your whole computer inaccessible to unauthorized users? Wish you could carry your passwords on the tips of your fingers? This USB fingerprint security flash drive can meet all your data security needs. Using just your fingerprints and this handy USB Fingerprint Lock Flash Disk, your important files and computer itself will virtually be inaccessible to anyone other than yourself.
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Corsair have announced a new range of USB flash drives that come in capacities of 32GB, 64GB and 128GB.
Each of the drives uses the USB 2.0 interface which on the surface seems like they are standing still. However, what Corsair have done here is use a new quad-channel architecture that brings speeds up to 34MB/s. This still isn't as quick as what USB 3.0 can achieve but for those who want a huge capacity of 128GB at a USB 2.0 price that runs quicker than regular USB 2.0 devices then you aren't going too far wrong. [click to continue…]
Corsair have announced their latest secure USB flash drive called the Corsair Flash Padlock 2. The Padlock 2 is able to encrypt data by using a built-in 256-bit data encryption algorithm as well as restricting usage by using a PIN access pad.
The Padlock 2 flash drive is encased in a ruggedized housing making it durable which keeps your data safe from the elements.
No software is required to access the secure flash drive due to the PIN keypad and software being built right in to the device. When operating the device you simply enter your PIN number when you first connect it to a PC running Windows/Linux or a Mac. [click to continue…]
Active Media Products have launched their new storage line with the new Aviator 2 device. The Aviator 2 is a line of solid state drives that connect up to a computer over a USB 3.0 connection.
Three different models are available of which two contain SSD drives with the capacity of 64GB and 128GB respectively. The lower capacity 64GB model has read/write speeds of 230/160MBps while the larger 128GB model has 230 read and 120 write making it slightly slower than the smaller model.
The third model we briefly mentioned above is a USB 3.0 hard drive enclosure allowing you to put in an external drive and connect it up to your computer at USB 3.0 speeds. [click to continue…]
This little USB dongle is called the X-Tube and attaches to a USB port on your laptop to provide DTS sensation sound, ie, it replicates what surround sound would work like but uses just a set of headphones to achieve that.
When attached to a laptop it lights up blue when in use and has a couple of headphone jacks that allow you to connect up some (supplied) DTS headphones.
The X-Tube as the name suggests is actually a valve tube that can give out some decent sound. Valve tubes were the main way of amplifying sound a good number of years ago before most of you were born. [click to continue…]
The AV to USB video capture cable allows you to connect and stream video from various sources to your computer. Sources compatible include DVD players, camcorders, VHS player as well as video games systems. When playing content with the cable attached, the computer captures the video digitally and stores it on the hard drive allowing you to upload, email or keep an archive of your old content.
Reasons for using such a device could be to just clear out space used by old VHS cassettes that you might not want to keep anymore, but still want the content on them. [click to continue…]
Kingston have launched the Kingston DataTraveler 5000 USB flash drive. Although it doesn't come with the highest capacities we expect these days from flash drives, it does protect data by featuring 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
The 256-bit AES hardware encryption uses XTS mode which Kingston say is much stronger than the CPC and ECB modes available. By using XTS along with Elliptic Curve Cryptology encryption algorithms (ECC) the drives actually meet Suite B standards that are approved by the US government... ie, it's a safe place to dump your files. [click to continue…]
The dualLink is a USB cable that has a couple of iPhone/iPod connectors on the end allowing two devices to be charged at the same time. As well as being able to charge two devices it allows for both devices to be synced at the same time.
The cable is compatible with both PC's and Macs and contains a custom hub that coordinates the connections, sync and charging status so that no clashes or problems occur.
The cable is compatible with iTunes and with the hub mentioned above, it also lets syncing music happen easily. [click to continue…]
Amazon currently have a good deal on for the 16GB DataTraveler from Kingston. Right now there is a