While consumer storage is trending towards the cloud, many people still prefer to store their data locally. Services like Dropbox are undeniably convenient and wonderful, but an internet connection is not always guaranteed. And so, a high quality flash drive is still a smart investment for any tech geek. However, a trip to Amazon or Newegg can leave your head spinning -- there are far too many choices.
Today, Lexar announces a flash drive that aims to grab attention in the crowded market. "The JumpDrive M10 Secure is designed for on-the-go executives, power business users, or anyone holding sensitive information who may want more data security than the average person", says Aaron Lee, director of product marketing, Lexar.
The company lists the following benefits:
- EncryptStick Lite software with 256-bit AES encryption to help protect essential files against corruption, loss, and deletion.
- Allows creation of a single password-protected vault that automatically encrypts data and includes a File Shredder feature that deletes files so they cannot be recovered.
- Offers read speeds up to 100MB/s on all capacities, with write speeds up to 20MB/s on 16GB drives, up to 30MB/s on 32GB drives, and up to 55MB/s on 64GB and 128GB drives.
- Includes an easy-to-read, always-on capacity meter to display available storage space.
What really grabs my attention about this drive is the LCD screen which tells the user the percentage of available storage space. Lexar has offered this feature on previous flash drives but it is often overlooked as novelty. I think it is a smart way to differentiate with actual function.
While the read and write speeds are not the fastest available, it is certainly much faster than USB 2.0 variants. Speaking of speed, USB 3.0 flash drives are particularly beneficial for Linux installations. Using a tool such as unetbootin, you can create a bootable drive and install a distribution like Ubuntu at blistering speed; you will never use a DVD again.
According to Lexar "the JumpDrive M10 Secure is available now with MSRPs of $34.99 (16GB), $57.99 (32GB), $99.99 (64GB), and $189.99 (128GB), and includes a three-year limited warranty. All Lexar JumpDrive designs are compatible with PC and Mac". Of course, the drive will also work on Linux despite the lack of reported compatibility (although the included encryption software may not).
I find the drive to be very attractive and intriguing. The 128GB version is officially on my Christmas wishlist -- come through Santa!