Get Your Computer-On-a-Stick

New USB flash drive incorporates on board operating system and applications which manufacturer says provides complete thin client solution.

Here’s something you might be interested in shaking a stick at (sorry, had to). The new Computer-On-a-Stick is a bootable USB 2.0 flash drive which the maker Bionopoly through their new consumer brand FingerGear says is the first device of its kind to contain a complete onboard operating system. The Computer-On-a-Stick is shipping now.

The Computer-On-a-Stick, FingerGear says, allows users to directly boot into its Linux-based OS from any PC with an x86 processor. Besides the operating system, the flash drive has resident the mostly Microsoft Office compatible Office Suite developed by OpenOffice.org, the Mozilla Firefox browser, PDF Viewer and Creator and the GAIM instant messaging client, which is compatible with Yahoo! and AOL’s instant messaging applications among others.

The first version of the Computer-On-a-Stick comes in a 256MB flavor. Greater capacities will be available later this quarter.

“Our goal was to combine a trusted operating system with the most commonly used software applications, all within a single secure USB Flash Drive,” said Bionopoly CEO Jon Louis. “The Computer-On-a-Stick USB Flash Drive offers the perfect combination of security and portability.”