Now 128 MB is available on-the-go

ei Corporation's new chewing-gum pack sized mini-drive holds up to 128 MB of data. The plug-and-play Thumbdrive "looks cool." It is compatible with the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard, has a storage capacity of 16-128 MB and costs between $70-400.

Thumbdrive requires a driver on the desktop to run. No other software, drive unit or wires are needed. The drives work with PCs that use the Windows 98/ME operating systems. The data transfer rates are 700 kbps (read) and 350 kbps (write). The 16 MB drive weighs a mere 30 grams.

The Thumbdrive device provides portability, access to the USB standard and file security. Because many laptops are stolen each year, Thumbdrive is a handy way for users to store sensitive data outside of their PCs.