SanDisk increases size, decreases availability

We’re now storing more data than ever these days, and carrying it around from device to device is now even easier, with USB devices storing even more.

This year, USB devices are increasing in size, much like how we’re seeing bigger memory cards in smaller physical sizes, and SanDisk has announced it will have a couple of newbies on store shelves of sorts shortly.

Both newbies are minor updates of sorts, taking existing ranges and applying size increases, because we all need more storage these days.

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The first of these is an update to the existing Ultra Dual USB drive, one of SanDisk’s tiny thumb drives with both a standard USB 3.0 connector and a microUSB connector built inside, allowing you to go between phone, tablet, and computer without even thinking.

Technically called an “on-the-go” or “OTG” device, it’s one of the physically smallest USB drives you’ll come across, but offers fairly speedy USB 3.0 transfer rates and now as much as 128GB storage, up from a solid 64GB maximum.

SanDisk’s other change is to its wireless drives, with its Connect Wireless USB stick increasing from a maximum of 128GB up to 200GB.

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Aside for an increase in size, the USB stick is more or less the same device, with wireless technology built inside that recharges a small battery when you plug the drive into a USB port, able to talk to mobiles and tablets over WiFi but still being useful with computers thanks to that aforementioned USB port.

“With the explosion of content, people need more advanced storage solutions to keep up with the volume and quality of the photos, videos and files they’re creating on their mobile devices,” said George Saad, SanDisk’s Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand.

“Our goal is to deliver innovative, intuitive offerings that help them capture life’s great moments without worrying about storage limitations.”

These attempts at lifting the storage limitations from your life aren’t also made to be expensive, and you’ll find the 128GB Dual USB Drive for an expected price of $99.95, while the 200GB Connect Wireless Stick chimes in at $250.

There is one pretty serious catch to both of these products SanDisk is talking up, and it is quite a surprising one: availability.

Or rather, lack thereof.

In the information we could glean from SanDisk’s people on these two new products — of which the company was only too happy to talk about — it did mention how neither of these products could be found in retailers, specifically citing “etailers”.

Specifically, SanDisk says eBay etailers are the only places you’ll find the 128GB SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive while online computer and gadget store Wireless One is the only location getting the 200GB Connect Wireless Stick.

Both of these surprise us, and it’s not just because online is becoming the place to find gadgets and peripherals, but because SanDisk has previously been found pretty much everywhere, both online and offline, so to release two new products to specific online stores is highly unusual.

We’re checking with SanDisk to find out what the go is with this, and whether this limited availability will affect any of SanDisk’s other products, because while at least one of the gadgets looks like a great option, only finding it online is kind of a surprise.