A paper-thin E Ink display has been added to Lexar's latest USB flash drive, which has been unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, giving users an indication of free storage capacity.


Lexar JumpDrive Mercury


Whilst we've never a problem with checking Windows Explorer to see how much free storage space is left on our USB sticks, there's little doubt that having an at-a-glance idea of there being enough free space without working your way through several memory sticks could prove highly useful, especially if you're in a hurry.

No batteries are required for the display because E Ink doesn't require any power to show the "ink" once it's been written, meaning the capacity information will remain showing when disconnected from a computer - however when the drive is in use the E Ink display will automatically update to reflect the changing capacity as data is added and removed, by drawing a small amount of power from the USB socket.

The Lexar USB JumpDrive Mercury are set to be made available in a choice of 1GB and 2GB models, although no pricing or release date has been announced yet.