# USB Key Ring: Cool or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 9, 2001, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906 "2001-05-09T20:39:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2001, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906/1 "2001-05-09T20:39:21Z")
My first thought is that this is really cool. It is 8MB of memory that can plug into any USB port and it acts like a floppy drive. Am I just suffering from gadget-itis (the overwhelming urge to drool over any new gadget no matter how useful it truly is. [http://commerce.www.ibm.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=1915869&cntrfnbr=1&prmenbr=1&cntry=840&lang=en\_US](http://commerce.www.ibm.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=1915869&cntrfnbr=1&prmenbr=1&cntry=840&lang=en_US) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2001, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906/2 "2001-05-09T22:22:38Z")
That is cool. Really neat for backing up essential stuff before destroying the server. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2001, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906/3 "2001-05-10T00:13:42Z")
way cool… if not $50 I would buy one for the sheer gadgetness… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2001, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906/4 "2001-05-10T01:32:56Z")
It’s cool alright. Anyone remember the “credit sticks” from _Max Headroom_? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Boring\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Boring\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Boring_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2001, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906/5 "2001-05-10T03:31:05Z")
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2001, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906/6 "2001-05-10T06:33:53Z")
Cool. They should really put USB ports on the front. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2001, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906/7 "2001-05-10T06:56:31Z")
**I want.** ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906/8 "2001-05-10T14:15:53Z")
I’m holding out for one of the [Java-enabled rings](http://www.ibutton.com/store/index.html#jring) with that much memory. The sheer geekiness of programming a ring fascinates me–I love iButtons. Unfortunately, the rings can only handle up to 134K right now. The keyring’s neat, though. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-key-ring-cool-or-not/64906/9 "2001-05-10T21:11:31Z")
Way cool. But will they work with Macs? Do you need to reformat them or install driver software or anything? (Their specs only mention IBM products…so do they even work w/other wintel machines?)