Were the Secure Thumb Drives we mentioned in a previous post just not enough storage? LaCie, makers of those great portable orange rugged drives, has answered the call of many who need to securely store large files. Files such as movies, audio or other multimedia. LaCie’s Rugged Safe offers multiple levels of data protection, from its “unbreakable hardware encryption and the safest biometric authentication technology,” to its shock–proof enclosures.

The Rugged Safe includes hardware-based AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) 128–bit encryption. This is the same standard used by the U.S. government and organizations worldwide to protect critical documents. The drive uses biometric authentication, which enables personalized data control, with access for to up to ten users.

You can connect the drive to your Mac via USB 2.0, FireWire 800 and FireWire 400. Once you have setup the users, they just need swipe a single finger for authentication. The drive requires no software installation and is also bus powered, so you can attach it to any computer and easily access your data.

[Available from LaCie]

Many of my clients in the entertainment industry are intensely concerned, and rightfully so, about the security of their media.  Whether it is video files or scripts, Corsair may have come up with the perfect solution. Prior to this product, users had to fiddle with secure disk images, that were time consuming to handle on a regular basis. Now a much simpler solution is at hand.

The Padlock 2, from Corsair,  features Mac OS X compatible password protection via the built-in keypad. Hardware 256-bit encryption secures your data and multiple failed entries locks device for 2 minutes to prevent repeated attempts to access data.

What if you forget the passcode? Don’t worry, there’s a procedure for wiping the drive clean and generating a new one. 8GB USB 2.0 versions are  available immediately, with larger versions coming soon.
[Via Corsair available now from Amazon.com]

Updated 4/29/2010: Systematic Development Group has added another player in the secure thumb drive game. With a lot of the same as Corsair’s, it is worth taking a look at.

[LOK-IT available directly from Systematic Development Group LLC]

Energizer has just introduced the “LED Energizer Hard Case Tactical 2AA Second Generation Handheld Light” and that is its short name. We all know that LED lights last longer lives and use less power than regular incandescent bulbs, but the are also much more durable. Thus making their inclusion in the flashlight a perfect choice. The LED Energizer Hard Case Tactical 2AA Second Generation Handheld Light, which has a suggested retail price of $125.00, can survive a drop of up to 15-foot drops and can be immersed in water. The main LED is a 70-lumen white bulb. Four smaller LEDs surround the main light and are blue, red and green LED lights (useful for night time map-reading) and one infrared LED. The flash light will operate on one or two AA batteries.

[Available at Amazon.com]

Hide in plain sight must have been the mantra when Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories created this sawed-off USB flash driveproject. Without knowing any better, most folks will think that this is a ripped and broken USB cord where the owner is nutty enough to leave it hooked up. Actually, there is a USB flash drive inside, courtesy of a $10 DIY project.

[via Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories]

While I am sure that TSA will have no problem with the Mini Tritium Glowing Keychain, I don’t want to be the person who tests that statement. The mini-keychain uses the same radioactive material found in compasses, watches and other items that glow in the dark. You should never need to purchase batteries, since Tritium glows ‘naturally’ with our the need for a separate power source, even in complete darkness. The Mini Tritium Glowing Keychain will be able to go on glowing for approximately 10 years. It retails for $9.80 each and comes in a choice of a white or green glow.