Kingston has a new uber-secure flash drive that also happen to cost big bucks: $424 for 8GB. In fact, this high price is probably driven in part by a federal requirement that some sensitive data has to be stored on a device that has received the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 certification. And the last time I looked, there was not a whole lot of 8GB flash drives in that category… Of course, the cost of the encryption hardware might be important too, but a chip of that size can’t cost a whole lot to make…

JMTek has just released the Cross Box, a device that allows you to transfer data between two computers via USB 2.0 as long as they are powered by a Windows-based operating system. This does away with the hassle of installing drivers or setting up your IP configuration. The Cross Box comes with a user friendly interface and has a maximum cable length of 4 feet, perfect for impromptu data transfer between computers. There is no word on pricing, but it shouldn't break the bank considering the simplicity of such a device. It sure sounds cheaper than setting up a network if all you ever need one for is to transfer files every day. Otherwise, a large capacity USB flash drive is more than enough.

I could swear that I have seen something like that elsewhere but, I can’t remember where: Toshiba will setup the USB ports of its laptops so that users can charge stuff using the USB ports – even when the computer is turned OFF. This will work thanks to a sleep-and-charge USB port that will always have some power.

Isn't this one of the more far-out USB hub designs you have ever come across? The Asterisco USB hub is bright red in color, featuring an asterisk form factor that has a USB port at the end (four in total) of each "limb". Not only does it function as a USB hub, it also doubles up as a pretty funky keychain.

If you're a collector of Mimobots, heads up! There is a new range of USB flash drives by designer Simone Legno, and these will be released this April 18th at the New York Comic Con event. Currently available for pre-orders (shipping commences on the above-mentioned date), these new Mimobots consist of Meletta, Pastaio, and Pirate Nero versions. You will be able to choose from 1GB, 2GB and 4GB models, and all of these are Windows and Mac compatible, supporting Windows Vista's ReadyBoost technology as well. Each purchase will come with preloaded bonus digital content that includes icons, screen savers and rich media among others.

Here's a microSD memory card reader that is perfect for all thsoe lovey-dovey couples. In addition to being a microSD card reader, it also doubles up as a USB flash drive as long as there is a microSD card within. If you are already rocking to microSDHC cards, fret not - this device supports such a format as well. They're really handy to carry around though, measuring 31mm x 22mm x 7mm and weighing 5 grams. Available in black and red colors, the USB Heart-to-Heart microSD card reader retails for $10.

You might have seen the claim by Buffalo that it’s “Turbo USB” could provide a performance boost that could be as high as 37%, we tested one of their unit and the verdict is: Turbo USB is faster.

In our case, Turbo USB was about 20% faster than (normal) USB. Although Buffalo doesn’t provide the details on how it works, there is a driver to install, so we think that the driver sends the data to the drive in “Burst Mode”, a more optimum way of packing the data before sending is across the bus.

This is an interesting idea: Thanko has a “universal” charger that should work on any battery that has the contacts placed like the one in the photo. On the charger-side, the contact points can be moved to fit most batteries. Light indicators will tell you where the charging is at. Available in Japan only for $18.

If you want to see crazy USB gadgets: more thanko stories.

It is known that USB keys can be used to steal data or install malware/spyware software on your computer. If you believe that you’re at risk, you could think that this USB port lock is what you need. After all, it’s easy to install and is a simple physical look for the USB port.

The issue is that now you also need to lock the whole case. Also, it’s not clear to me how it protects the two USB ports just underneath the locked one on the photo. Anyhow, it’s up to you to see if this is going to help, but it doesn’t seem unbreakable at all.

[CES 2008] Sandisk’s Cruzer Titanium is a USB flash drive that has an integrated automatic online backup (powered by BeInSync, using the Amazon S3 infrastructure), in case the drive is lost or has simply been forgotten. Additionally, the Cruzer Titanium features a solid shell and AES encryption, which is an encryption method used for financial transactions.

The drive itself costs $60 and the online backup service will cost $30 per year. This device will be shown at CES, Booth #30768, South Hall 3. (Press Release)

The DriveWire is a box that converts any bare hard drive (SATA, PATA) to a USB drive. It’s quick: you just need to plug your drive in the connector and voila.

It ships with “EZ Gig II”, a (HDD) backup software that can clone a drive (practical for an upgrade) or clone only a partition. If you are using an exotic operating system, you can also boot from a CD and clone your drive from there. I have not tested it, but I assume that it is possible to restore a drive on a larger (and newer) HDD. There are alternatives out there, like the excellent Acronis True Image. Product page, $51 on Amazon

Hong Kong based Earth Tek makes this USB card reader that can rotate to provide an easy access to the user, regardless of where the reader is connected. It is most useful on laptops, where USB ports can be in a corner, facing the “wrong way”, leaving the card slots facing away from you.

The reader supports SD, MicroSD, MemoryStick and has a small power plug to charge an external device.

Building over the success of USB and USB 2.0, a new set of detailed specifications for a “USB 3.0” will be available in January. Here are the highlights:

• It will be called Super-USB
• It should be as fast as 4.8Gbps (10x USB 2.0)
• It is backwards-compatible
• Power consumption will be smarter