USB Keyfob Packs 2 Gbytes Of Nonvolatile Storage

With up to 2-Gbyte storage capacity, the latest DoK (Disk on Key) USB 2.0 flash storage devices from M-Systems deliver the highest capacity combined with the fastest read and write speeds. The embedded DoK T5 ARM processor runs the company's True Flash File System (TFFS) and maximizes the data throughput such that the 2-Gbyte DoK storage unit can read data at 23 Mbytes/s and write data at 15 Mbytes/s. Such speeds make the DoK memory a handy solution for applications like large file transfers, data backup, temporary archiving, and operating-system management. The 2-Gbyte DiskonKey sells for $460, with samples expected this month.

To provide robust security for what could be sensitive data stored on the DoK, M-Systems offers KeySafe 3.0, a security application that runs on the DoK's ARM CPU. The software offers complex encryption to protect the data. Thanks to its high-speed processor, the security is almost transparent to the user. When the DoK is inserted into a PC's USB port, KeySafe launches using its autorun feature. For first-time use or every unfamiliar computer, the application will request the user's password, prompting the user to select the option to "trust" the PC. Once the computers is deemed trusted, users never have to re-enter the password, and data is stored to a predesignated secure zone on the DoK. KeySafe also sets up an unencrypted shared zone for public data storage.