Data Backup Digest

Data companies are always fighting to pack in more storage space in their devices and to get them smaller. Data storage has come a long way in the last couple of years, let alone the last decades. There was a time when it was innovative to be able to store kilobytes, whereas now terabytes are the standard in desktop computers.

Continuing that push for capacity, size and innovation, SanDisk have announced an incredibly small flash drive that boasts 128GB of storage space. The 128GB SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0 Flash Drive (a snappy name, right?) measures in at 0.8 x 0.6 x 0.4 inches and weighs only 0.3 ounces. The majority of the device is actually the USB connection itself, meaning that once it’s plugged in the device barely protrudes, which is great for laptop users who want to keep it connected all the time.

The read speeds of the device can reach 130MB/s and this is because flash drives use solid state storage. Unlike a conventional hard drive, which has mechanical and moving parts, flash drives don’t need to physically move anything in order to access data. They don’t have to scan in a particular order to bring up what you need, which means write and retrieval speeds are much quicker than they would be on a hard disk drive.

This new USB drive is the world’s smallest, at the time of writing. Of course, that could change at any moment as other storage companies look to compete. Due to claiming that number one spot, it means the device has a premium price tag to accompany it. The 128GB model is available for $119.99 at the moment, though the price of storage will only continue to drop as time passes.

The Ultra Fit line itself isn’t new, having been on the market for almost a year, and is also available in smaller capacities at 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. The 64GB model is available for around $28 currently, so if you don’t need the full 128GB then you’re probably better off opting for this version.

All the Ultra Fit drives come with a 5 year warranty, which is nice in a tech world where it’s rare to even get 2 years, along with SecureAccess software which will allow you to create a password protected and 128-bit AES encrypted folder on the drive. It also comes with a free year of access to the SanDisk RescuePro file backup service, though after that consumers will have to pay.

SanDisk also announced a mighty 256GB USB drive, as part of its SanDisk Ultra line. This means the device isn’t as slim as their Ultra Fit model, but it’s still the size of a standard USB stick, which for many won’t be a problem when the capacity on offer is so generous. This will cost $199.99, however, which may turn some consumers away.

Of course, all of this will seem outdated in a year or two and will likely become the standard for USB devices in terms of capacity and size.