SanDisk's flash drive transfers files for your fancy USB Type-C phone
USB Type-C. So hot right now.
Hot news for you storage fans: SanDisk has whipped the covers off its latest USB Type-C flash drive here in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress. Available in four size configurations, the drive can transfer files for USB Type-C enabled devices, such as the recently announced LG G5 smartphone and the Huawei MateBook Windows 10 tablet.
More efficient and faster than your standard Micro-USB connection, USB Type-C is quickly becoming the new standard for phones and other mobile devices.
The drive is already available in the US, and you can purchase it in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB or 128GB variants. The device costs $20, $30, $50 or $80, respectively, but it's already on Amazon for a few dollars cheaper.
Though SanDisk didn't disclose which specific countries the drive will head to next, a representative did say it will be available "globally" after its initial US launch. (Those prices convert to around £15, £20, £35 and £60, or AU$30, AU$40, AU$70 and AU$110.)
SanDisk also promises fast speeds. The 16GB model has a transfer speed up to 130 megabytes per second, while the largest 128GB reads files at 150MBps.
The device sports a simple design and is incredibly small. Like most of your thumb drives, you'll probably lose it immediately after purchase -- unless you use the loop at the end of its body to attach it to a key ring or lanyard. To protect the connector itself, there's a sliding gray plastic cover you can retract back and forth. And, unlike standard USB thumb drives, Type-C drives have the added benefit of being reversible, so you'll plug it in right-side up no matter what.
