USB ShareDrive: the thumbdrive with a brain

The FlashPoint ShareDrive is a new type of USB thumb drive that allows users to copy data stored in the FlashPoint flash memory to another flash drive or a USB device such as an MP3 player or digial camera WITHOUT a computer. The new FlashPoint ShareDrives have an integrated female USB connector so users can plug a cable or another device into the same USB port in which the FlashPoint ShareDrive is attached, chaining devices. Computerless copying to another sharedrive is compelling functionality and , arguably well worth the US$200 price for a 1GB drive – more than double that of a standard 1GB thumb drive.

The FlashPoint drive technology means that a user does not need a desktop, laptop or PDA to copy files while on the go. The FlashPoint ShareDrive has a folder called "Share", used to store files that can be copied to another FlashPoint ShareDrive or USB memory key device that is attached.

The USB FlashPoint memory drive can also be used to copy data from other devices, in a process called "dump". This is useful when copying data from a digital camera for example. Buttons for Power control, Load and Dump of data, controls the process.

The device is powered by an internal battery, which allows it to be used to copy data from the shared folder without the need of external power. It works with Windows 98/Me/2000 and XP or Macintosh OS 9.x and 10.x.

An 8 bits 8051 compatible MCU core runs the show, with 64 Kbytes of internal ROM for firmware and software. The connection to other devices is through USB 2.0 (full-speed). The FlashPoint Sharedrive comes in different memory configurations, from 256MB through 4GB.