The Philips-Swarovski crystal USB flash drive

When Philips and Swarovski announced a partnership back in March, they proclaimed a goal of producing "a range of new and unique products that will take technology to a new, fashionable level for women." Their intent was for this collaboration to build on the unique knowledge of each of the companies, leading to a large variety of products that emphasize both form and function. The final results would cater to upper-class women who needed useful products but remained fashion-conscious at the same time.

The first products to be announced were a line of accessories for cellular phones known by the Active Crystals brand name. They featured items that were designed to look more like jewelry than the standard mobile phone headsets, which tend to be made with plastic and rubber pieces in a neutral color, with the occasional addition of metallic accents.

Now, the companies have announced a new set of additions to their Active Crystals lineup: USB flash drives. Each of the four models is trimmed in silver and prominently features a multitude of glimmering Swarovski crystals. The Heart Ware and Heart Beat models feature heart-shaped pendants which open to reveal the USB connector. One half of the heart is silver, while the other half is covered in crystal. A cord is included to wear around your neck, but adding a silver necklace in its place would probably add favorably to the look. The Lock In and Lock Out models are designed to be attached to a keychain and are constructed as one piece accordingly.

All four of the models are expected to ship with 1GB of storage and feature built-in password protection. So, even if your drive is stolen, the thieves won't have access to the potentially more valuable information contained inside these gems. Pricing information is not yet available, but early indications are that you will have to part with about $200 US to pick up one of these shimmering beauties when they become available in August 2007 at high-end retailers and Swarovski stores. But isn't that a small price to pay to have a bit of sparkle attached to your Swarovski handbag?

Note: A limited amount will be available in June for those of you who are true early adopters, but you will need to also purchase yourself a flight to France, because the only place to get the first release of these drives is exclusively at the store Colette, a Parisian boutique specializing in artistic design pieces.

Read the Philips-Swarovski partnership announcement here.

If all of the crystal is a little too blinding for you, check out another high-end flash drive, this one from Pasha de Cartier.