Transformer USB stick

I'm generally down on fancy USB sticks, seeing as the capacity for USB memory grows so fast that the awesome new stick is obsolete long before it's un-cool. But I'll make an exception for the (admittedly tiny) 2GB Transformer stick, which goes on sale in September. Yes, even though they have a disgustingly exploitative "collector's grade version" for $2 on top of the already inflated $43 pricetag.

Transforming USB Flash Memory (2 GB) - Ravage (via OhGizmo)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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Anonymous

There are three coming out.
Much cheaper here too:
http://hlj.com/hljlist2/?Word=usb%20takara&Dis=-2&from=detail&searchpage=top_page
technogeek

Is pretty. Is overpriced, but is pretty.
Anonymous

” (admittedly tiny) 2GB Transformer stick ”

Does that mean that a 2GB memory stick is tiny now? I’ve been trying to work out if it’s actually a tiny product and the usb plug seems quite small so I don’t think it’s a tiny toy. It’s a lot smaller than a real Transformer though so there’s a margin of doubt in my mind.

If it’s tiny meaning capacity, I’d say it’s now “relatively small” in comparison with the current state of the market but think, for the basis of fairness, that it needs pointed out that 2048MB is still going to hold a fair chunk of your spreadsheets.

Does the fact that 2GB isn’t an insignificant amount of storage mean it’s good Â£/GB value compared to buying a generic flash drive from Amazon? Absolutely not. It is cool though.
deejayqueue

@ #4 JJR1971:

Uh, could Optimus Prime drive while in robot mode? Could Blaster play tapes (yes he could launch them) while in robot mode? Could Frenzy, Lazerbeak, or Rumble do anything while in cassette mode?

Answer: No They Couldn’t.

So why would I expect my transformer USB stick to work in any different manner than the real transformers would?
Brett Burton

This one has an additional built in nail clipper:

http://www.chillnite.com/wtf-nail-clipper-usb-transformer-style-carin-one-piece
Takuan

gives me an idea: TSA “friendly” bring-aboard switchblade.
Anonymous

Well, yeah, I have an 8GB stick in my pocket as of right now, it’s simply better value these days not to get a smaller stick. That said, there’s a great deal of use in having “disposable” USB sticks that you can simply mail away or hand to someone. Giving away a terabyte hard drive is still a fairly major expense in a way that a 512MB/1GB usb stick isn’t. It remains hardly lustible but still useful.

While I’ve got tons and tons of data I rarely find that I need to keep -all- of it in my pocket at one time, that way lies civil servants leaving everybody’s details on the train. As a general amount of storage that you might need to move about the office 2GB remains relatively small but still a fair amount.

It seems amazing these days but people got by with 650MB CDs for -yonks-.
Takuan

or maybe
http://world.guns.ru/smg/smg70-e.htm
arkizzle

Holy shit, Tak..
Dan

Love it. That’s how you update a cassette tape for the 2000s.
rrcasco

Wow! i need a new thumb drive too.

To quote a friend. “thats way better than the digital watch transformer.”
Daemon

RAVAGE!
dougp

When I clicked on the feed I was prepared to be disappointed, but this very cool.
Anonymous

Cory,
The “collector’s grade” option isn’t specifically for the memory stick, but any purchase at that site. What it means is that Big Bad Toy Store will use super-extra-special packing materials for your order so that the retail pacakaging of the purchased item is left in mint condition. The option is for the collectors who don’t actually want to have fun with their nostalgia purchases, but put them on a shelf for 20 years before selling on ebay.
Anonymous

2 gigs is tiny. I back up my documents folder and had to go from an 8 gig drive to 16 gig.
I make 2d and 3d art and movies, and have a semi large picture collection (photos and images), and I can imagine that I’m not the only one who needs gigs of data. Not everyone only uses their pc for office and youtube.

But I now have a daily/weekly backed up mydocuments folder on my keyring, which is very handy.

Old 1 gig drives I now hand out to friends when they need a file…I don’t even want them back, as I have so many 1 gig usb drives which I just can’t really find a purpose for.

As for the markup…well, you pay for ‘cool’.
JJR1971

Kind of disappointing you apparently can’t use it while it’s in “battle cat” mode…

Transformers…less than meets the eye.
bibulb

TakaraTomy has inflated collectors pricing? But that NEVER happens!

And you can pretty much count that these won’t appear on this side of the pond without hefty toyscalper markups on top of the regular price.

(also, IDEA : take Sony MicroVault, strip extra plastic from electronics, place in hollowed ass of Classics 2.0 Ravage.)
cinemajay

Man that thing is wicked! But the price is just…too…much.
Takuan

remember these Arkie?
http://wesclark.com/am/radio_rifle.jpg
arkizzle

No! But they’re pure Want! for my inner child :)