Gadget Lust: AirStash Provides Wireless, Portable Storage for Your iPhone

Ever wish your iPhone (or iPod Touch) had more storage space -- or at least a memory-card slot? That would enable you to carry around a lot more stuff -- documents, photos, movies, etc.

Enter AirStash, a wireless flash drive for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. That's right, wireless: the AirStash incorporates Wi-Fi, meaning it doesn't require a physical connection to your device (unlike the upcoming ZoomIt). Just fill an SD card (up to 32GB) with your media, pop it into the AirStash, and presto: You've got a wireless media server.

This is something that's way cooler when you see it in action, so check out the video:

This has awesome potential. SD cards are dirt-cheap (here's a 16GB card for $31.99, just as an example), so you can carry around quite a bit of media -- especially if you pack a couple cards.

Also, because the AirStash functions as a server (and a secure one at that, with WPA2 security onboard), it can stream to multiple devices simultaneously. (For the moment it appears limited to the iPhone/iPad/iPod, but the developers plan to add support for other platforms and devices down the road.)

I like that you interact with the AirStash through your browser -- there's no software required. I also like the built-in rechargeable battery, which the company says is good for five hours.

What I don't like is the apparently one-way nature of the device: You can copy photos from the AirStash to your iPhone, but not the other way around. It would be nice if you could offload data from your iPhone to the drive, but for the moment that doesn't appear to be an option.

At $99.99, the AirStash isn't exactly an impulse buy -- but it could be a fantastic solution for anyone who's constantly wishing for more mobile storage.

Hit the comments and let us know if this is the answer to a prayer -- or if you're more likely to wait for the aforementioned ZoomIt, which is half the price. [via jkOnTheRun]