U-S-Beautiful

I just finished putting together a technology showcase for the magazine, and it is truly amazing the wide array of products that have entered the marketplace in such a short time. USB drives seem to come in every shape and color, from credit-card size to ones tucked neatly inside a pen. It seems like only a couple of years ago they were priced well outside the promotional market (and most non-techies pocketbooks as well). Companies like Flash By Design are including widgets within the programming of the drives—creating sticky drives that automatically load programs or RSS feeds. Other companies like All-In-One Manufacturing are touting USB drives that enable your computer to become Bluetooth compatible, an increasingly attractive option these days. In the end though, I think I prefer the USB option that serves almost no purpose at all. Leed’s has introduced a USB-powered fish tank. Fill it with water, drop in a couple of little plastic fish and plug it in to the drive. Instant workplace pets. No feeding. And, most importantly, no little fellas floating belly up after a long weekend away from work.