Gadget Lust: The Indestructible Flash Drive

Most flash drives are pretty fragile. Roll over them with one measly Abrams tank and they're done for. Boil them in one pot of water and poof, data gone. Wusses!

The LaCie XtremKey ultra-rugged flash drive can withstand fire, water, freezer, pavement, gamma rays, and other rigors usually encountered by superheroes.

See for yourself in LaCie's so-bad-it's-just-plain-bad promo video:

So, yeah, apparently it can survive even bumbling thievery, which is not something normally touted on flash-drive spec sheets. (Windows/Mac compatible. USB 2.0 interface. Theft-friendly.)

I kid, I kid. While not everyone needs a flash drive as super-rugged as this one, certainly there are many users who work in harsh environments (factories, warehouses, construction sites, etc.). For those folks, a 2mm metal pipe casing with wear-resistant screw threads and a rubber O-ring might be just the ticket.

The XtremKey comes in capacities of 8-64GB, with prices starting at $49.99 (ouch). It ships in August. [via ZDNet]