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LaCie Huby: Helpful USB/FW hub...or killer octopus?

LaCie, maker of storage devices, computer LCDs, and other computer peripherals, is one of the few companies to truly embrace original and clever aesthetic design. Why shove your gear into boring gray boxes (and then into a closet to hide the boring grayness) when you can encase it in colorful, whimsical designs that you want to show off?

LaCie's latest USB/FireWire hub is a perfect illustration of this marriage of tech and high design. The octopodal Huby (pronounced hub-ee) was designed by Ora-Ito, a French company. Each of the eight arms has a connector at the tip: four … Read more

Ultraman premonition comes true

It's not often that Crave gets freaked out, but we were a little thrown by this coincidence.

The other day we ran a small item about a small device, a robot USB key. Certainly nothing unusual about that, except for a random reference to Ultraman--a character we probably hadn't recalled more than two or three times since childhood. Then Saturday, only a few days after the robot USB item, what do we spy? An Ultraman USB key.

Fareastgizmos reports that the 256MB storage device is part of a 40th anniversary commorative set of collectibles dedicated to the … Read more

Tiny dock for the tiny Shuffle

Few times have so many accessories come out so quickly for something so small. That's just one distinction that belongs to the iPod Shuffle, as evidenced by this Marware travel dock that plugs directly into a USB port, according to iLounge. But if you're really trying to save space--after all, isn't that what the Shuffle is all about?--you might want to consider the IncipioBud, which forgoes the need for a dock altogether.

A USB drive that's actually useful

Crave has seen all manner of USB storage devices, many of dubious value. But A-Data has recently come out with a USB drive that not only seems well designed but is also practical.

Chip Chick says the 12GB "Mini Cube" (not to be confused with the "Cube Mini") has a plug that folds away into a square case less than 2 by 2 inches that's not really a cube at all, which is a good thing for space-saving reasons. What's most impressive about this $125 device is a "one-touch backup function" that … Read more

The world through a USB port

Eons ago, before free Wi-Fi networks existed (yes, there was once such a time), we experimented with a wireless laptop modem that theoretically worked with our Motorola cell phone. It was a bizarre-looking setup that would have had us clip the handset to our notebook screen if necessary to get a better signal.

Naturally, it was an unmitigated disaster that ended up costing more than the phone itself. And, of course, we never were able to browse the Web even once. So imagine our delight at learning of Novatel's "Ovation" USB modem, which Engadget notes is available … Read more

A tool for sharp art

A Manhattan artist friend recently asked me if I knew of any "cool portable electric pencil sharpener gadgets." Someone actually has use for an electric pencil sharpener? Isn't that like using an electric can opener, when the hand crank is faster?

Actually, no. While in the zone, artists don't want to have to stop to sharpen pencils, I was informed. That would make them lose their groove. They just want a quick dunk to sharpen up so that they can go right on back to sketching.

This one may work for you, my friend. The iSharpener, … Read more

A robot USB that can take on Godzilla

A word of caution: If you have kids, don't get this. And if you do, be prepared to it within the first 24 hours of purchase.

As much as we love this robot USB key, we feel obligated to issue that warning from personal experience. But if you're not a parent, guardian or schoolteacher, then by all means have a look at this neat little device from Japan's SolidAlliance. Sure, 256MB isn't much storage space by today's standards, but how many other USB keys can you dispatch to do battle with Ultraman?

A Swiss army USB knife

There are some pretty lame ripoffs, spinoffs and ostensible updates of the classic Swiss army knife on the market, but this isn't one of them. The "Cyber Snipa Dog Tag" combines the most essential of the knife's features--including our personal favorite, the scissors--with 21st century elements such as an ultra-bright LED flashlight and a removable 512MB USB drive, according to Slashgear. (Why a USB key? We have no idea, but we've already demonstrated a demand for them in rugged terrain.) All this in a package that capitalizes on the dog tag trend.

Complete medical history in your pocket

If necessity is truly the mother of invention, we must take an unusual step and thank the government for prompting the creation of this technology. As federal laws mandate the digitization of health records, technology companies such as BioMETRX have been figuring out ways to make that happen confidentially.

Its prototype "SmarSTIK-MD," for example, allows medical professionals to transfer data securely with a biometric USB storage key that uses fingerprint identification to its information, according to Ubergizmo. Other biometric devices such as palm readers can control access to material stored on computers but, given the track record of … Read more