[PLUG] Waterproof USB Thumb Drives

[Aaron Burt]

On Tue, Feb 21, 2006 at 04:59:46PM -0800, Keith Lofstrom wrote:
> 
> USB Flash Drives.  Handy, but they tend to migrate to pockets, and
> pockets tend to migrate to washing machines.   I just lost my second
> one.  Bits do not like laundry soap.
> 
> I bought a pqi 128MB USB flash drive at Fry's today for $11, with the
> packaging claiming waterproof.  A soak in the sink falsified that. 
> Fryed again!

Dang.  After a rinse in distilled water, did it come back to life?

I wouldn't trust the waterproofing unless I'd personally potted it in
silicone.  The USB connector's pins are gold-plated and widely-spaced
enough to avoid problems with water or mineral residue.

Heck--take it out of its case, stick it in the finger of a disposable
glove, fill with silicone, and you have a Lofstrom Special ducky-drive.
(Maybe you can stick an o-ring in too so you have a handy lanyard loop.)

Hmm... I just saw a row of dime-sized "devil duckies" on someone's desk...