Security Features Abound In USB Flash Drives

By Greg Scoblete -- TWICE, 1/15/2008

Las Vegas — USB flash drive vendors hit International CES with their guard up against data thieves and dangerous elements with new, security-focused flash drives.

Corsair added a 32GB capacity drive to its Flash Voyager and Flash Survivor lines. Both will ship this month. The aluminum-cased Survivor drive, for a suggested $249, is water resistant up to 200 meters and impact resistant. The Voyager drive, housed in rubber, will retail for $229.

Imation introduced a Pivot Plus drive and a redesigned version of its original Pivot drive. Both lines will be available in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities.

The Pivot Plus drive is geared toward business and government use with 256-bit AES hardware encryption and a rugged exterior. The drive offers one password-protected partition, administrative password control, automatic formatting after seven failed password attempts and character requirements. Prices will range based on capacity from $69.99 to $249. The drives will ship this month.

The new Pivot drive will ship in the first quarter. They are Windows ReadyBoost-enabled and offer software encryption and drive portioning features. Prices will range from a suggested $29.99 to $199.

Kingston's USB drives

Kingston unveiled four new drives in its DataTraveler (DT) line. The DT HyperX, which borrows its name from the firm’s D-RAM gaming module, offers a write speed of 20MBps and a read speed of 30MBps. It also features Windows ReadyBoost for providing additional memory to Vista PCs. It will be available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities for a suggested $74, $131 and $266, respectively.

The DT 400, also in 2GB ($31), 4GB ($56) and 8GB ($137) capacities, will come loaded with MigoSync data synchronization software.

Kingston’s DT Style drive can be customized online with graphics, text and images. They will ship in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB capacities for $16, $27, $54 and $111, respectively.