U3 LLC launched its smart drive U3 technology on Monday. This new technology lets USB flash drive to run applications, not only store files. U3 platform is targeted at mobile users or those who frequently share PCs with others, since the resulting drives are touted as complete workspaces on a key fob-sized device. Verbatim and Memorex become the first companies who released a USB drive based on U3 platform, at the Demo Conference in Huntington Beach, Calif. Later, Kingston and SanDisk will follow. All of them will be available on the market starting from 15 October.

As reported by EETimes, “This marks the first available plug-and-play way for consumers to carry and access their personal workspace without having to lug a laptop around,” said U3 chief executive Kate Purmal in a statement. “Whether on the home or office PC, computer at a family member or a friend’s house, hotel business center, print shop or Internet café, consumers will enjoy the ability to check e-mail, edit a document, view photos, play a game, listen to music from their playlist or surf the Web, all in a safe and trusted environment that’s completely mobile and all stored in just one place.”

Most applications must be modified to be able to run from the USB drives. But on the conference, Purnal have demonstrated several software running from U3-compliant flash drives, such as anti-virus (McAfee), games (Party Poker), photo editor, music player, instant messenger, and VoIP software (Skype). U3 platform itself is still compatible with Windows only right now (Windows 2000 and Windows XP).

[ Via Engadget ]