By coupling U3's platform with Kingston's storage hardware expertise, Kingston will make new smart USB flash drives that people can use to enhance the overall functionality beyond the typical storage and file transfer operations. With the abundance of portable software applications expected to be available for use with U3 Powered smart USB flash drives, Kingston will be able to offer innovative and unique solutions to create distinctive products for its customers.

The U3 platform includes three components. The U3 Launchpad is a user-friendly graphical user interface used by both developers and end-users to access and run applications. The U3 software developer kit includes sample code, a standard set of application programming interfaces (APIs), and thorough documentation. The U3 Web Portal is where developers can publish U3-certified applications for purchase and download.

The smart USB flash drives from Kingston will be available later this year. Also, U3 has announced partnerships with Memorex and Verbatim.

Source: Kingston