A New Technology to Run Applications on Any PC Without Touching the Hard Drive.
USB drives are already compact and convenient for carrying data; now they are even smarter. The new technology from a company called U3 allows USB drives not only to store data but also to run applications seamlessly when plugged into any PC, without the need to transfer any files to the PC. Applications (that are U3 compatible), personal data, and settings are all stored on the USB drive, enabling you to turn a Windows 2000 or XP system into a personal workstation without compromising your privacy.
Testing U3
Testing one of the first U3 USB drives, the sample product Memorex TravelDrive 256MB, comes preloaded with synchronization software for PC, Migo, Mozilla Thunderbird for email, and a version of McAfee VirusScan. When you plug the USB drive into a PC, two new drives appear in My Computer: one for the standard USB drive and another named U3 System, functioning as a virtual CD-ROM drive, allowing U3 programs to run automatically just like applications on a regular CD.
An icon for U3 also appears in the system tray. Clicking on this icon takes you to the U3 menu on the desktop, resembling the Windows XP Start menu, displaying a list of available applications in one column and utilities to open and manage the drive in another column. In the lower left corner of the screen is a Download Programs icon linking to the U3 Software Central website, where you can browse and download additional software.
When finished, you click the button on the menu to safely remove the USB drive (although if no applications are open from the drive and you are not transferring data, you can use the standard eject method for safety). As promised, the USB drive leaves no trace of applications on the test PC, apart from the serial number of the device stored in the Windows Registry when plugged in.
Using a USB drive to run portable applications is not a new concept. For instance, the M-Systems XKey allows you to carry Outlook with you, and when you plug that USB drive into a PC with an Internet connection, it synchronizes data with an Exchange server. However, until now, such functionalities have relied on proprietary technologies. The U3 company, founded by M-Systems and Sandisk, will license this platform to any developer wishing to launch U3-compatible applications on USB drives. At the time of writing, several other companies have also released U3-compatible software, including America Online, Arcsoft, Cerulean Studios (the creators of the Trillian messaging application), McAfee, Nullsoft (the developers of WinAmp), and Skype. In addition to M-Systems and Sandisk, several other manufacturers, including Kingston Technology, Memorex, and Verbatim, have also introduced U3 drives.
According to an expert, running applications from a USB drive means that the entire performance of the PC can be controlled through this portable device. He also predicts that by early 2007, more than half of USB drives sold will come with software included.
Of course, the capacity of the USB drive will limit the amount of data and applications that can be stored. Most of the initial U3 drives launched have capacities of 512MB or 1GB and are priced between $42 and $100. Currently, only Memorex offers a 256MB drive (priced at $30) and a 2GB version ($180).
The accompanying software also varies greatly: in addition to Migo, Thunderbird, and VirusScan, the first U3 applications also include PreClick’s PhotoBack image editing software, Skype’s VoIP software, and the USafe password protection tool.
Targeted Software
According to U3 experts, this technology is designed for use with portable storage devices such as CompactFlash or SD cards. U3 is also negotiating licensing agreements with over 30 hardware and software manufacturers. The targeted U3 software includes secure browsers, email applications, financial tools, and more.
PC World USA 12/2005
