Fresh from an embarrassing product recall, Lexar has announced its new 1 and 2 GB JumpDrive Lightning USB flash drives. The JumpDrive Lightning’s come with the company’s PowerToGo software platform pre-installed, enabling users run and launch standard Windows applications direct from the JumpDrive without installing the software onto a host computer. The idea is to let users carry around a virtual PC environment on the flash drives, so they have not only their data and documents, but also the preferred applications they use to develop and manage that information.
The JumpDrive’s also ship with the EverNote software package, enabling students and other mobile users to quickly store and access typed and handwritten notes, snippets, email messages, sketches, and other documents. And, if you’re worried about the security of your data on a small, easily swiped or misplaced portable device (you should be!), Lexar also bundles in its Secure II 256-bit AES encryption package to encrypt folders and individual files. (Security experts will be happy to tell you there are lots of reasons using Secure II may make your data secure at all times, but it’s a whole lot better than nothing.)
“At Lexar we are constantly striving to push the limits of innovation in the USB flash drive category and add value to our products,” said Steffen Hellmold, Lexar vice president and general manager of UFD business unit. “JumpDrive Lightning with the PowerToGo platform featuring Secure II and EverNote software brings unprecedented levels of performance, features and capabilities to USB flash drives. In particular, data security is a top priority with consumers, and through the use of the preloaded Secure II application, users can be assured that their data remains protected.”
Lexar’s PowerToGo platform enables users to install pre-approved Windows application on the JumpDrive for mobile use, but folks who need to use software which isn’t on the pre-approved list might take notice of a $29.95 add-on to its PowerToGo called InstallAnything. Like the name implies, it lets JumpDrive users pay for the privilege of installing software on the JumpDrive Lexar hasn’t pre-approved.
JumpDrive Lightning retail prices start at $79.99; expect to see them discounted by many sellers.
