Trek Puts a Camera on a Key Chain

LAS VEGAS--Key chain USB drives have a place in the hearts and pockets of many geeks. But simply storing files isn't enough; the next generation of Trek's tiny ThumbDrive devices, announced at the Consumer Electronics Show here, can take photos and play music.

They join a growing selection of key chain USB devices seeking to distinguish themselves with extras like recording functions, enhanced security, and cameras.

Photos on the Fly

The ThumbDrive Camera from Trek, for instance, combines flash memory with a digital camera in a package about the size of a couple of packs of gum.

The prototype Trek is demonstrating at the show takes distinctly blurry photos, and with a maximum resolution of 640 by 480 pixels, it won't replace a dedicated digital camera. But Trek doesn't intend it to: The ThumbDrive Camera is aimed at casual photo snappers who value convenience over image quality.

Trek representatives say the 128MB of memory in the camera will store up to 920 photos. The device can also record video clips up to 32 seconds long (although it can't record sound) and can be used as a Webcam when connected to a USB port.

When not connected to a PC, a single AAA battery powers it. And like previous ThumbDrives, the camera version doesn't need drivers, so you can plug it into a PC in a hotel or cyber café and access the photos or files stored on it. The ThumbDrive Camera is scheduled to ship in February priced at $179.

Music for the Thumb

For the more musically inclined, the ThumbDrive Music is a combination of key chain USB drive and digital audio player. It has 128MB of memory, can play MP3 or WMA digital audio files, and can run for as long as 12 hours powered by a AAA battery. It is scheduled to ship in February as well, with a $169 price tag.

Trek is also announcing and showing the ThumbDrive Elite, a new version of their storage-only device.

The new edition comes in capacities of up to 1GB and has a USB 2.0 interface, which increases the speed at which data can be copied to or read from the drive. You'll pay handsomely for the privilege of carrying a gigabyte of data on your key ring, though; the ThumbDrive Elite is expected to cost $499 upon its release in March.