14 DAY TRIAL // Flash drives with extra capabilities aren't all that new, but what Sanho Corporation created definitely isn't something people have a high chance of seeing anywhere else.
The PhotoFast iFlashDrive, as the new invention form Sanho Corporation is called, would qualify as any other flash drive if it didn't have a certain extra port on its rear end.
While the USB connector is present and accounted for, the other end of the drive has a 30-pin Apple dock connector.
Through that, the drive can plug into an iDevice, be it an iPhone, iPod, tablet or whatever else, at which point it truly shows what it was made of.
Upon first connecting the iFlashDrive, users will get a prompting to download a companion app from the Apple App store.
Once that is accomplished, owners will be able to do one of several things, like open files natively, open them in third party apps, import photos and videos from the iDevice library, send files as e-mail attachments and, of course, perform all file management applications common to man (copy, move, delete, rename, create).
The only problem is the transfer speed of 100KB/s at the iDevice side (due to limitation by Apple's transfer protocol), even though the USB port has no problem reaching 10MB/s.
“HyperDrive iFlashDrive is the easiest solution to transfer and share files between different iDevices and computers,” says Daniel Chin, president of Sanho Corporation.
“iFlashDrive does not require iTunes, Internet or wireless networks to transfer data which makes it perfect for quick instant transfers between different iDevices, when computers or networks are not present like on airplanes, basements or out of signal areas.”
The PhotoFast iFlashDrive will soon be shipped (in two weeks, apparently), though only pre-orders can be set at the moment, and only in the US and UK.
With capacities of 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB, the product has a price of $99.95 (£65), $149.95 (£95) and $199.95 (£130), respectively.