We always appreciate innovation in flash drive designs; solid state memory can be pretty boring otherwise. That’s why Sandisk caught our attention with the Cruzer Orbit USB Flash Drive ($22-$40).
Coming in 8, 16, and 32GB capacities, the physical design is pretty neat, and definitely different from anything we’ve seen before.
Instead of taking the shape of a stick, Cruzer Orbit’s body is a ring, with the USB connector sticking out of one end.
A shield rotates to protect the plug when not in use, while the opening in the center allows the flash drive to be attached to a key ring, lanyard, or even a three-ring binder. Along with the normal USB functionality, the drive offers software to protect your files, and online storage and backup.