14 DAY TRIAL // Dual-port flash drives have not quite become common, but they aren't all that rare either. That means that it's about time their makers started to experiment with new design elements, lest their products become too bland.
A company by the name of Leef has formally released the iBridge dual-port flash drive, which has both a full-size connector and a half-size one.
This much isn't that strange, even if the company seems to have quite conveniently neglected to say whether it's a USB 3.0 or 2.0 device we're looking at.
We suppose it ultimately doesn't matter, given the purpose of the iBridge device. And no, it's not simple backup this time.
The curved USB flash drive
Curved is one way to call it. Ring-shaped is another. With the cap in place, the device looks a lot like an oversized chain link.
When the cap is removed, though, it leaves behind a curved item, like a hook almost, which can plug into the port of any iPhone or iPad.
The shape means that the drive doesn't stick out awkwardly, at least not too much. Instead, the main body of the unit is flat against the back of the tablet or smartphone.
Interestingly enough, this isn't a dual-USB device. While there are two connectors, a large and a small one, only the former uses USB technology.
The other one is a Lightning connector, which Apple is determined to promote on its products no matter how much more popular and common Universal Serial Bus is.
Given that, it's probable that the USB port does, indeed, use the USB 3.0 SuperSpeed specification, maybe even USB 3.1 for 10 Gbps speed. Don't hold your breath though.
Availability and pricing
The Leef iBridge curved flash drive, shaped like an O when idle and like a J when in use, has a capacity of 256 GB. Pretty decent, guaranteed to store photos and videos even when your device's internal storage has been filled to the brim.
The starting price is unclear, but you can be sure it will be pretty expensive. Like Apple and Apple-related products in general. There are also lower-capacity versions though, like a 16 GB unit of $60 / €50.
The shape of the drive will presumably allow you to leave the drive connected to your phone even when it's in your pocket. So you could, presumably, play music straight from the drive when on a journey. We won't guarantee that it won't damage the port though.
