http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/1757
Talk About a Keychain Drive: Mazda Replaces Keys with USB Drive
August 31, 2005
By Sean Fisher
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
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Quick Alice Aside: We have come full circle. USB drives were first called keychain drives probably after the success of the Mobile Speedpass and those little mini grocery store ATM cards you could hang on your keychain instead of bulking your your wallet.. Problem was, with so much junk on the key ring, the USB keychain drive was quickly renamed the Thumbdrive in some circles. Today marks the day that you can have a keychain drive and actual car key all in one- talk about bizarrely useful. Just dont try and charge your Blackberry in your USB -er ignition port.
Who needs keys when you can start your car with a flash drive? One of Mazdas newest prototypes does exactly that by replacing the traditional key-based ignition with a USB flash drive. Whats more, the drive also has the more conventional flash drive functionality of transferring files (such as music) to the cars hard drive.
Mazda states that they are aiming for young, tech-savvy demographic here. It looks like they are betting that younger buyers will not be as attached to the more tradition type of car key that more experienced buyers are used to. As long as Mazda keeps the Sassou within the price range of younger car consumers, this could work not only in Asia, but possibly even North America as well. Source: Everything USB
Talk About a Keychain Drive: Mazda Replaces Keys with USB Drive
August 31, 2005
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
-
Quick Alice Aside: We have come full circle. USB drives were first called keychain drives probably after the success of the Mobile Speedpass and those little mini grocery store ATM cards you could hang on your keychain instead of bulking your your wallet.. Problem was, with so much junk on the key ring, the USB keychain drive was quickly renamed the Thumbdrive in some circles. Today marks the day that you can have a keychain drive and actual car key all in one- talk about bizarrely useful. Just dont try and charge your Blackberry in your USB -er ignition port.
Who needs keys when you can start your car with a flash drive? One of Mazdas newest prototypes does exactly that by replacing the traditional key-based ignition with a USB flash drive. Whats more, the drive also has the more conventional flash drive functionality of transferring files (such as music) to the cars hard drive.
Mazda states that they are aiming for young, tech-savvy demographic here. It looks like they are betting that younger buyers will not be as attached to the more tradition type of car key that more experienced buyers are used to. As long as Mazda keeps the Sassou within the price range of younger car consumers, this could work not only in Asia, but possibly even North America as well. Source: Everything USB
