Microsoft & SanDisk To Provide Desktop on Thumb Drive

Jesus Christ writes "An Information Week article reports that Microsoft is teaming up with SanDisk to provide users a complete image of their desktops in their pockets, allowing them access not only to their data...but also their applications and user interface setup while on the go. 'The companies plan to add a security layer to the offering using SanDisk's TrustedFlash security and digital rights management technology. The effort will elevate "simple flash storage to a whole new level of customer benefit," said Will Poole, corporate VP for Microsoft's Market Expansion Group. Microsoft also plans to seek out third party-hardware developers to support the initiative, the company said. As part of the plan, SanDisk will phase out its U3 technology, which adds some smart features to USB devices. Independent software developers that have created U3-compatible applications will be offered help migrating their products to the new technology, which has yet to be named.'"

Comments

TrustedFlash security?

[mangu]

Why do I keep seeing "DRM" in this?

Funny, nowadays anything that has "trusted" in it seems to me like something I have to distrust...

Re:TrustedFlash security?

[Anonymous Coward]

Trusted computing isn't about providing an environment you, the user can trust. It is about providing an environment copyright holders can trust you to have.

Like the Soviet Russia jokes, only real.

U3, gen 2

[tverbeek]

I don't know whether to cheer that the U3 flash drives are going away, or to tremble in fear of what these new ones will do.

I manage college computer labs, and those damn U3 drives have been a recurring hassle. They try to auto-install software on every Windows machine they come into contact with, and require two drive letters (which doesn't work so well in an environment where several key letters are already in use). When used on a Mac, they mount an extra pseudo CD on the desktop, loaded with software that's obviously (but not to many students) utterly useless. If this is in any way an extension or "improvement" upon that, then my job is about to get even harder.