COMDEX: Sony Debuts Micro Vault USB Storage

The little fellas look a lot like M-Systems DiskOnKey storage widgets, and the intention is the same: a storage device that you can throw in your pocket. The Sony Micro Vault USB-based storage media device lets you transport and share files between computers without cables or adaptors by stuffing the thing directly into your USB slot. Sony says it's about the length of a car key and the thickness of a highlighter pen and is available in four models with storage capacities up to 128MB. The Micro Vault USB media device doesn't require software drivers when used with Windows 2000/ME/XP and Mac O.S. 9.0 and higher. It also includes Sony's new Security Zone software, which lets you create a password-protected "security zone" on the device so that when you lose it, along with your car keys, your sensitive documents will be inaccessible. The Vault product line will be color-coded according to storage capacity, including 16MB (orange), 32MB (red), 64MB (blue), and 128MB (black) models for suggested list prices of $49.99, $89.99, $149.99 and $299.99, respectively.