News

posted on 04 March 2008 09:31

According to reports Microsoft is developing a StartKey USB thumb drive concept which will store users' Windows and Windows Live settings. A test version is hoped to be shipped by the end of 2008.

SanDisk has U3 technology available for its flash drives which enables users to have their own familiar Windows environment on any host PC when the flash drive is plugged into the USB port. Microsoft signed an agreement with SanDisk in November last year to develop technology to replace or extend it, with the aim of providing users with a portable and consistent Windows computing experience.

The software technology will appear on Cruzer flash drives (pictured) and other flash memory cards.

With U3 technology, users can carry filed data and Windows applications such as their e-mail and browsers. The StartKey product goes further enabling a customised Windows environment (read: familiar desktop with background, known icons and documents), more applications, including third-party ones, and filed data. Encryption services are expected to be available as well.

Third-parties will develop their applications for StartKey using a Software Development Kit (SDK).

Vista and Windows XP are expected to be supported by StartKey.

There are obvious security implications as security professionals won't like users coming up to a business' PC and effectively taking it over. No doubt Windows Vista and XP will be extended to allow or deny access to StartKey. It's assumed that SmartKey will be useful in Internet cafes and other environments where users travel to use PCs a lot, or wish to use PCs when they are travelling and don't carry a laptop.