Alliance Promotes Smart Drives

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The USB Flash Drive Alliance (UFDA), a consortium of leading USB flash drive manufacturers, today announced it will endorse a new generation of USB "smart" drives, which allow users to run active programs from USB flash drives. USB smart drives provide users the power of a desktop in a flash drive -- the ability to run personalized programs from virtually any computer, anywhere, including games, instant messaging and photo editors, browsers with personal setting and bookmarks, as well as encryption to keep information safe.

In an era of increasing mobility and increased security risk for critical information, USB smart drives meet evolving demands by enabling ultra-portable access to personalized computing, with encryption technology readily available for safe-keeping of files. USB flash drives sales in 2006 are forecasted to reach 150 million units, with that number growing to 340 million in 2008, consisting of approximately 75% smart drives, according to Web-Feet Research.

"USB smart drives will fill a need in the market for portable, convenient access to personal information and programs," said Alan Niebel, Founder and CEO of Web-Feet Research. "While they have already taken a lead position in information storage, the smart drive functionality is a powerful development that takes portable computing to a new level of ubiquitous computing."

The USB Flash Drive Alliance