14 DAY TRIAL // Infinitec's new USB flash drive has a rather misleading name, as it does not offer unlimited storage space on its own, but was designed to enable WiFi data streaming from a host computer to other devices capable of wireless connectivity. This is meant to give all such devices access to any and all data on the host computer.
No doubt the name of the memory device, that is Infinite USB, or IUM for short, seems to imply that the flash drive itself has limitless storage. Of course, such a thing is impossible with the current technology (if, indeed, it is possible at all), but Infinitec decided on the next best thing and created a drive that gave any streaming device direct access to all the data on a host computer.
The product achieves this through the use of a special piece of software dubbed “Infinite portal,” which basically makes the PC think the IUM is just an ordinary USB flash drive while enabling content streaming, including Full-HD videos.
“So how do you use and control your IUM? Well it's simple really; the Infinite Portal provides you with all the tools you will need to do that. This user-friendly application is extremely intuitive and allows you to fully control the behaviour of your IUM. You can use it to set the maximum storage size of the IUM, to decide what file system should be used and to easily mark or unmark the files and folders that you want to make visible on the IUM. It even comes with a set of organisation tools to help you keep your shared content into an easy to use directory structure,” the press release states.
The IUM can be used for a variety of purposes, such as streaming HD media to DVD players, Media Players, Blu-ray Players and LCD screens, as well as streaming audio files to HiFi Stereo Systems and Amplifiers. The device can also be used as an intermediary between the host PC and printers, digital photo frames and projectors. The drive can even link a PC to a video-gaming console, in order to allow the latter to play back movies or music.
Engadget expects the device to cost less than $150 and, according to Infinitec, it will become available on the 1st of March.