Gizmag is no stranger to USB storage innovations from LaCie so we took the opportunity to have a closer look at the company's FastKey drive on display at CES. The combination of USB 3.0 and SSD technology in a palm-sized form factor is claimed to result in a drive that can transfer small files up to 100 times faster than a hard disk drive connected via Hi-Speed USB.
The FastKey's 26cm3 of solid state memory is encased in a stylish and rugged aluminum case and comes with peace of mind software AES 256-bit encryption. The 1.1 x 4.1 x 0.4-inch (27 x 104 x 9 mm) drive offers up to ten times the performance of USB 2.0, with a blisteringly fast read speed of 260MB per second and write of 180MB per second.
LaCie has also secured 4GB of secure online storage for two years courtesy of Wuala, just in case you run out of room on the drive itself or as a backup measure.
The LaCie FastKey is available in 30GB, 60GB and 120GB capacities, with prices starting at a penny shy of US$150.
