I’m writing about a pink USB hub. Indeed. And I *shudder* kind of like it.
Ok, the pink is atrocious, but the hub itself doesn’t suck. It’s called a “7″ Shaped USB Hub but that doesn’t explain it too well: the best thing about it is that it doesn’t take up desk space like all the others. Once plugged in, it offers 4 ports so you can stick it in the back of the case and forget about it
It’s unfortunate the color is better suited for 12-year old girls, but if your computer is against a wall the pinkalicious hub will stay well hidden.
How much under $29.99?
A lot: $7.99 on SourcingMap.com.
Via ShinyShiny
USB gizmos that talk to you are for lonely people who are bored at work, right? Does anyone else like them? I suppose they can be funny for 5 minutes, but afterwards you’ll be begging for your money back.
Anyway, if you’re very bored or hate your co-workers very much (or really love Family Guy), the Stewie IZMO Figure is your next best (USB-powered) friend.
As you type, Stewie will blink and wave his arm in a menacing way while the laser lights up, and will also occasionally talk to you/scare the shit out of the guy in the cubicle next to yours.
Now it’s time to figure out who of your friends is a Family Guy fan, give him this for his birthday and run away as fast as you can. He’ll love it, but there’s no need for you to suffer unnecessarily.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.86 on Amazon.com.
Via ChipChick
Yes, girls are becoming an important demographic of gadget buyers. No, pink rhinestone roses won’t make them flock to your products.
The Red Rose USB Drive is… well, a “girlie” thing. At least in some deluded males’ imagination. In my experience, girls who go crazy about rhinestones are usually more preoccupied with shopping for shoes and bags than with file storage, so, even though it’s released just in time for Valentine’s… don’t. Really.
If you’re keen on getting her a pink flash drive, there’s better things to be found. And if you really like this design, go for the black version, it looks a bit more elegant.
How much under $29.99?
A little: $25 on USBGeek.com.
Via Gizmodo
The Bagel Drive is silly. Silly and very realistic and it’s making me so hungry, damn it.
Other than that… the best thing about it is probably the website – it comes with tech support from a Jewish grandma, assorted Yiddish and even a dedicated page for the bagel makers, Bupkes Bakery. Confused? A short Google will reveal that “bupkes” means “nothing”, so we’re safe to assume the bakery is a computer parts factory somewhere.
The 1GB of storage you get for $25 is less than impressive, but you’ve got to appreciate the creative effort invested in the web page.
How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 on BagelDrive.com.
Via Gizmodo
You know Mimobots? Designer overpriced flash drives? Yeah, those.
Because Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and there’s few money-making opportunities like that, a new bot joins the family: Pink Meletta. Actually, it’s just a new form for an old member, because Meletta is in love.
She looks just as grumpy as her old yellow-and-green self, but Cupid’s arrow at least had an effect on her colors, as she’s now all pink. Even the monkey’s different!
Even though I don’t think the Mimobots are worth that much money (though they’re very cute), the Valentine’s edition could be a quick solution to get a guy out of trouble. But if you’re not strapped for time, make sure you get her something else too – a flash drive isn’t very romantic, and it’s not special enought to impress a geeky girl either.
1GB of storage will set you back $25, and add $5 for each GB for the 2, 4 and 8GB versions.
How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 on Mimoco.com.
Via DVICE
What do you do when you want to sell an USB drive, but all the new ones are either super-designed or very simple and cheap? Go back to the basics.
The Segon Turbo Flash Drive looks like a circuit board, but not because someone forgot to attach the cover: it’s purposely made to resemble a DDR memory stick.
It’s much smaller than a real one though, and the contacts can be covered and uncovered by moving the pushing and pulling the “memory”, so it makes for a very nice keychain. The lanyard hole is very much welcome, since the tiny size makes it very easy to lose.
You’ll be paying a premium for the design, though: the 2GB version is $12 and the 4GB goes for $20.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $12-$20 on Brando.com.hk.
Via BoingBoing
You’d think flash drives are difficult to lose… hah! You run into them until that day when you need to uregently transfer some data, when they dissapear without a trace. The only drive I’ve manage to save is attached to my keys, but not all of them can be used as keychains.
The easiest way to make sure something is always available is to have it attached to yourself. USB storage wristbands aren’t new, but they’re gaining popularity now. It was just a matter of time anyway, just look how popular silicone wristbands are. It’s not even a matter of supporting a cause anymore, it’s just “being cool”.
The USB 2GB Flash Drive Bracelets manage to turn something pretty geeky into something trendy. They come in many colors (hey, girls need to match their accessories) and offer a decent amount of memory, though you’ll pay a premium for the design.
One question remains: are they waterproof? Doubtful, but it’s the one feature they lack to be truly great.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on Amazon.com.
Via ShinyShiny
I’m embarassed to admit it, but I would love a Hot Lunch Bag. It’s the last step in my autonomy project: if I got something to keep my drinks cold (mini-fridge), my tea hot (USB mug warmer) and my food edible (USB powered lunchbox) I could live 90% of my life around the computer (a cathether would make it 100% but it sounds uncomfortable).
The one bad thing about the lunchbox is that it won’t heat the food enough to kill bacteria, so if you’re worried about that, stick to the microwave. But when it comes to keeping food warm until lunch time (or living on the edge and not worrying about germs), it sounds perfect.
It only needs an USB port and it looks small enough to share your desk space without getting in the way. On the other hand, it means half a chicken won’t fit inside… but since it comes from Japan, no one expects it to.
And hey, it will encourage you to eat healthier. As far as I’m concerned, any kind of food is great as long as it’s available without hassle.
How much under $29.99?
A little: ~$20 on Thanko.jp.
Via Coolest Gadgets
The Church goes digital! If your old-fashioned paper Bible isn’t satisfying you anymore, you can now get a version fit for the 21st century: the Digital Bible USB Keychain.
You might ask why reading the Bible on a computer screen would be better than opening a book. Well, for one the USB version comes in two languages, English and Spanish. And second (and most important), it has a search button. Now, instead of flipping pages back and forth, anyone can just locate their favorite verse in a couple of seconds.
Although it’s a pretty strage gadget… there’s a market for it out there. Young and tech savvy believers can probably do a quick Google search and locate one of the dozens of online copies, but older people with less computer skills would appreciate something as simple to use as this.
How much under $29.99?
Exactly $29.95 on DigitalBibleKeychain.com.
Via bookofjoe
A flash drive with a cool design which won’t cost you an arm and a leg? Increasingly rare. Yes, there’s some very cool drives out there, but some of the prices are out of this world compared to the measly amount of storage they offer.
These two guys, on the other hand, rock. Or should I say slash? The Ninja USB Drives feature two adorable-looking warriors… but don’t be mistaken, even the pink one is hiding one big sword behind her back. And, if you check out the picture to the right, you’ll see what happens when they meet: heads fly.
Each decapitated ninja can carry around 2 GB of your data, they make lovely keychains and only cost $15. As long as you don’t let them fight each other, you’ll be fine.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $15 on USBGeek.com.
Via Coolest Gadgets
