The two companies are upping the ante on SanDisk's U3 technology with added security measures.
SanDisk and Microsoft announced that they are collaborating to produce the next generation of USB flash drives and flash memory cards. The companies plan on creating new hardware and software that allow you to transfer and store your "personal computing environment" onto a flash drive, complete with a personalized interface, data and applications. This idea expands on, and will eventually replace SanDisk's U3 technology, which allows you to transfer personal Windows applications, including Web browsers, e-mail programs, multimedia apps and productivity tools onto flash drives, without leaving behind information on the computer you plugged the drive into.
The new technology will also feature enhanced security measures, powered by TrustedFlash, which SanDisk claims will be able to protect user files with personal information from malware on public or shared computers. Microsoft will be taking on the software half of the partnership, while SanDisk will be responsible for producing the hardware. Once the technology is ready to go, expect to see it on SanDisk's flash memory cards and Cruzer USB flash drives.
The duo plan on having the new flash drives available by the middle of 2008, but there's no word yet on how much they'll set you back.
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