USB flash drives are extremely handy. But there are many of them on the market and the makers of several more of them have recently sought funding via crowdsourcing, including the Reversible USB Adapter.
What separates U+ is that the hybrid device serves not only as a wireless USB flash drive, but also a multimedia hub, external charger and a selfie shutter. For the latter functionality, it integrates with Android and iOS smartphone and tablet cameras to create a selfie shutter that activates at the click of a button on the U+. The campaign touts that it’s built with a Qualcomm CPU and Samsung RAM, and supports 1080p video.
The device will ship in December in four versions. Retail pricing isn’t available, but early bird pricing for Kickstarter backers starts at $59 for a 16-GB model, $69 for a 32-GB model, $89 for a 62-GB model, and $119 for a 128-GB model. Its makers are out to raise $30,000 via Kickstarter by Nov. 19.
The U+ has long battery life. It offers up to 20 hours of standby time and up to 12 hours of continuous play/streaming. The main question facing the U+ is how many consumers will be looking for a device with this exact mix of extra features.