SanDisk announces the Ultra Fit, a USB 3.0 flash drive promising "exceptional performance" within a form factor so small "you hardly know it's there."

The Ultra Fit line follows on the SanDisk Cruizer Fit series with an updated design, as well as improved performance for the moving of media between devices. Read speeds clock at up to 130MB/s, while SecureAccess software provides security with password protection and 128-bit security.

Write speeds differ between drives of different capacities-- the 16GB drive  reaches 20MB/s, while the 32 and 64GB models reach 40MB/s.

Kingston launches the DataTraveler microDuo 3.0 and the UHS-I 90R/45W microSDHC/SDXC card-- two storage solutions ideal for use with both PCs and mobile devices.

The DataTraveler microDuo 3.0 adds storage to OTG-enabled devices, and features both standard USB 3.0 and micro USB connectors. It comes in 16, 32 and 64GB capacities, and can also be used with any USB On-The-Go compatible device to transfer data without need of a PC.

Meanwhile the microSDHC/SDXC UHS-1 Class 10 card (in 16, 32 and 64GB) provides 90MB/s read and 45MB/s write speeds, making it ideal for HD video, 3D video and real-time broadcast applications.

Samsung launches the 850 Pro SSD range, the first packing the company's Vertical NAND (V-NAND) technology to bring boosts in performance, density and durability when compared to normal SSDs.

V-NAND technology stacks 32 cell layers on top of each other into "3D" structure stacks, using a "vertical interconnect process" to connect layers electronically by punching holes from highest to bottom layers.

The result? Samsung claims 850 Pro drives offer twice the durability of regular SSDs (it even offers a 10-year warranty), a 30% decrease in power consumption (or 93% when in die mode) and sequential read/write speeds of up to 550MBps/520MBps.

Reviewers seem to agree, too-- for instance Tom's Hardware describes the drive as "fastest of all time", if one restricted by its SATA 6GB/s interface.

WD launches the My Book Duo-- a storage solution ideal for prosumer and creative customers promising 4, 6 and 8TB capacities and file transfer speeds not available in single-drive solutions.

It carries two WD Red internal HDDs combined into a single volume using either RAID 0 for maximum performance and capacity or RAID 1 for real-time backup capability.

USB 3.0 connection enables transfer speeds of up to 290MB/s.

The LaCie Rugged Hard Drive gets an upgrade making it not only tougher but also faster in the shape of SSD version armed with an integrated Thunderbolt cable.

The combination of SSD and Thunderbolt provides data speeds of up to 387MB/s according to the company.

In comparison the HDD version performs at speeds of up to 122MB/s.The drive also includes a USB 3.0 port for use with other devices, and the integrated Thunderbolt cable stows neat when not in use.

SanDisk says the Extreme PRO SSD is a drive ideal for gamers, enthusiasts and media professionals, since read speeds of up to 550MB/sec and write speeds of up to 520MB/s make it ideal for graphics-intensive applications.

"Building off the success of our award-winning SanDisk Extreme II, the new SanDisk Extreme PRO leverages the latest developments in our innovative nCache Pro technology to enable 24x7, real-world drive performance and responsiveness,” the company says.

In fact, SanDisk is so confident in the drive that it even offers a 10-year limited warranty.

According to SanDisk random read/write speeds clock at 100000 and 90000 IOPS, with nCache Pro two-tiered caching technology optimising speed and endurance for heavy workloads.

Sanho Corporation – manufacturer of the HYPER line of mobile accessories – announces the successful launch of its Kickstarter campaign for iStick. iStick is a USB flash drive with both a USB connector and an Apple MFi Certified Lightning Connector that connects directly to recent iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models. iStick allows users to easily, quickly and safely transfer data between computers, iPhones, iPads and iPod touches without the need for iTunes, Internet, wireless networks or the Cloud.

Toshiba launches a microSD memory card series it claims is the first to comply with the high-speed UHS-II standard, the interface defined in the SD Memory Card Standard v. 4.20.

According to Toshiba the cards allow high-quality 4K video capture at minimum write speeds of 30MB/s, making them ideal for use with compatible high-performance cameras.