Here’s a perfect example of a product being developed for no practical reason other than to prove that it can be done.   Don’t get me wrong, 256GB of flash storage squeezed into a USB thumb drive is technologically cool and all, but in the infamous words of former Philadelphia Eagles’ running back Ricky Watters, “For who? For what?”

The culprit here is Kingston Technology Co., which recently announced that it began shipping its new line of DataTraveler 310 USB flash drives within the U.S.  These 256GB thumb drives, the largest ever available in the U.S., pose several problems associated with their practicality, IMO of course.

Assuming someone actually needs 256GB of portable and pocketable storage, the risks of putting that much information on a USB flash drive are huge.   Although the DataTraveler 310 clocks respectable 25MB/s and 12MB/s idealized data read-write transfer rates (although nowhere near Corsair’s 128GB USB 2.0 flash drive), filling a 256GB drive at these speeds will still require almost six hours, making a full backup of the device difficult at best.   The availability of USB 3.0 capable portable hard drives and flash drives offer far better performance for drives with comparable capacity.

Can you imagine the implications of loosing a device on which 256GB of data resides?   One ripped pocket or misplaced lanyard could create a panic far worse than that caused by a lost set of car keys or cell phone.   Fortunately, the DataTraveler 310 is outrageously priced at $1108, effectively pricing itself out the market and thus preventing folks from falling into its potential data-loss trap.   I’ll definately be sticking with my managable 8GB flash drive for the forseeable future.