USB thumb drives that are bigger than my hard drive circa 2001 are great. Waiting 5, 10, 15 minutes for the files to move to that USB 2.0 drive isn’t so great. Now that USB 3.0 is becoming a common thing in laptops and devices, we can finally get faster flash drives as well. More »

Gizmodo

Thanks to FXI Technologies’ Cotton Candy USB device, we may not have to wait long to see Android on more than just our mobile devices. FXI essentially built an ultra-lean computer inside a small USB stick. Stick it into any device that supports USB storage, and Cotton Candy will register as a USB drive. From there, you can run the Android OS in a secure environment inside your desktop, courtesy of a Windows/OSX/Linux-compatible virtualization client embedded in the device.

Wired Top Stories

The FunBox is a bedside alarm clock but it’s also a widget-running Chumby, which means it’ll let you check your twitter feeds, load up a track on Pandora or do other inappropriately stimulating activities right before catching some Zs. The device has just passed through the FCC and its paperwork reveals a 3.5-inch (possibly resistive) touch screen, a 454MHz processor, 1GB DDR memory, SD card slot and a USB port for an external drive. We couldn’t tell you price or availability at this stage, but with top smartphones increasingly coming with night dock accessories the FunBox is hardly likely to find a guaranteed perch beside our pillow.

Still awake? There’s a Chumby FunBox app for that originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget

After more than a week’s worth of rumors and speculation, Apple has finally released its OS X Lion USB thumb drive, available now at its online store. This little stick offers a physical media alternative to Cupertino’s otherwise App Store-centric distribution model, providing access to OS X Lion for . One caveat, however, is that users who download the software via thumb drive won’t be able to re-install it using the recently released Lion Recovery Disk Assistant, but will have to rely upon the USB stick, instead. The other caveat, of course, is price, as just will get you the exact same OS, via the App Store. To grab one for yourself, hit up the source link, below.

Apple’s OS X Lion USB sticks now available online, for originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Patrick, who can’t wait another day to start taking advantage of his newfangled blue USB port. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“I just got a new laptop with a USB 3.0 port. I currently have a USB 2.0 external hard drive, but I would like to upgrade. First of all, is the speed boost really worth the money? Is there a speed difference between those that need external power and those that are powered through the USB cable? Looking for one that’s 1TB to 2TB, and my price range is about 0, give or take. Thanks!”

It’s certainly harder to come across a SuperSpeed bargain than a USB 2.0 bargain, but we’re sure there’s a few deals to be had. That said, reliability has to come into play here — any well-rounded suggestions for this fellow? Drop ‘em in comments below!

Ask Engadget: best 1TB+ USB 3.0 external drive on a budget? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 22:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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