Russian-based design studio Art. Lebedev of Optimus keyboard fame has turned its hand to data storage with the disposable, recyclable "Flashkus" USB stick concept.
Made out of cardboard, these modular memory sticks would come in storage sizes from 4GB to 16GB and the concept includes a space to write the drive's contents on the end of the stick or jazz it up with a personalized design, picture or color coding.
The idea has potential for students, file sharing, or for any disposable data situation like press releases and marketing campaigns.
Source: Art. Lebedev
If it\'s got a USB interface and can store 8GB why would you throw it away?
That\'s kinda like the concept of the disposable cardboard car. Drive to town and throw it away.
Barry\'s POV speaks more on this... If you will allow: http://www.barryspov.com/?p=181
Closest thing is CD/DVD-R, but that requires a burner and specialized software.
The only variation betweeb the card board and plastic ones are the encasement of the electrics in compressed fiber, instead of plastic.
Given that a USB drive should last say 5 years with daily read // writes, the idea of dumbing down the housing into something that gets chewed up by coins and keys is a stupid idea.
The idea of having them stuck together in a slab like a \"roll of stamps\" is useful...
But the very idea of USB sticks is to have compact, durable, transportable data storage - that goes into any USB port any where.
So how does making them into junk disposable play things help anyone?
the potential they provide is for companies to distribute software cheaply. how about you rent a movie and it comes out of a machine on a cardboard USB? read once, throw away. or you have a large piece of software you need to move between computers and you just want to plug and play (i.e. games). IF they can be made cheaply enough it has huge commercial potential. Stop thinking like computer geeks and start thinking business and you will see thepoint.
I do agree about having to solve the heavy metals problem though.
Ease up on new ideas, or advancement will never happen. As much as this doesn\'t fit into regular life by today\'s standards...this is still a good idea, especially if the end price is manageable.
All of this \"disposable\" is VERY bad and it\'s VERY wasteful and it\'s VERY wasteful.
It\'s a bad idea, that is marketed by the fact that shaving a few cents off a USB stick, as opposed to making a metal and or plastic casing - and then marketing them as \"disposable\" - it\'s a really devious and wasteful idea.
Lets see.
Disposable plates, cutlery, razors, tooth brushes, batteries, light bulbs, torches, printers, computers, washing machines, wrappers, bottles, packaging, advertising (junk mail), bug spray cans, medical equipment, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc........
OK so why is our world so polluted, what are all the resources being dug and drilled for and how much of it goes through the use once - dump cycle?
It\'s crap.
And making USB drives disposable by cost saving on a few cents per drive?
I think the USB 2.0 spec is that the fittings have to pass 1500 insertions and removals etc. so assuming that it\'s all quality, and with an average or 1.5 insertions per day that means that - after taking out week ends and holidays etc.. the average USB drive used for work should last about 6 years (or something like that).
So how is it smart to be stupid and wasteful, just to save a few cents on the production cost of a USB drive, so that it radically reduces the intrinsic value of the product and materially degrades the life span of the capabilities of the drive it\'s self?
What could have lasted a minimum of say 6 years, falls apart in a few weeks or months - what just to save a few cents?
It\'s crap.