LaCie Mints Its Own CurrenKey
By Geoff Duncan
December 02, 2008
LaCie's new CurrenKey flash drives come in 4 and 8 GB capacities...and resemble coins.
Storage and peripheral maker LaCie has rolled out another of its storage solutions with a high-concept design. This time, the idea comes from 5.5 Designers, and transforms the plain, small, simple, boring USB flash drive into…coinage. Users just twist the coin's edge and out pops a USB connector. The bronze CurrenKeys offer 4 GB of storage, while the silver version can hold up to 8 GB of data.
According to LaCie, the CurrenKeys are designed to be shock-proof, and offer a die-cast metal shell for protection and safety. As well as being stylish and eye-catching, the drives mingle easily in everyday coin purses and pockets, hopefully eliminating the need for lanyards, hooks, clips, or other elaborate mechanisms to hang on to a USB drive.
Except for one thing: at first glance, the CurrenKeys reminded this author of nothing so much as foil-wrapped chocolates…and that might lead to more curious hands reaching for the CurrenKeys.
The CurrenKeys are available now, with the 4 GB version running $19.99 and the 8 GB version going for $29.99.