The MobileLite G2 features a dual-slider design: On one side lies the USB plug, and on the other, the card readers. Both sides, when slid outwards, protect what’s within. It sounds kind of complicated, but isn’t too hard to use, though it certainly requires more steps than a typical card reader. To insert a card, you push the card reader side toward the middle, revealing the slot for your card. After your card is safely in its slot, you extend that side back out again, protecting the cards (or not, you can leave them unprotected if you’re some kind of negligent owner). Then, push the USB side in, revealing the USB jack, and plug it into your computer.

It does sound a little complicated when I explain it, but really it’s pretty simple: Both the card side and the USB side extend to cover their respective delicate bits. (Note: The first person to say “foreskin” will be either banned or promoted, I haven’t decided which). Unfortunately, the MobileLite G2 only supports SD/HC, microSD/HC and Memory Stick Duo, not CompactFlash, which is a bummer. But it’s given an MSRP of $US11, and it could well retail for less. It’s a pretty handy little gadget to have around, that’s for sure, and it should be available later this week. [Kingston]

While it may look like a somewhat ugly and useless perfume bottle, popping off the lid to reveals a USB plug. On the bottle’s underside, you’ll find ports for SDHC, micro SDHC, microSD/T-flash, Sony M2, Memory Stick and MS Duo. Then, when you’re done pulling information off your cards, the perfume bottle can sit back on your desk. That is, until you hear about next month’s Earwax Vacuum USB Night Light*. [USB Geek via Nerd Approved]

*Note: The Earwax Vacuum USB Night Light could be and probably is a real product. Anyone looking to steal the idea should proceed with caution.

USB flash media readers aren’t exactly ripe for innovation, so it’s rare that they surprise us in a way that doesn’t inspire laughter. But 69ing two readers into one compact, featureless lump? That’s kinda genius.

Designed by the same folks who brought us those wiseass USB “Keys”, the LaCie Data/Share is proudly simple, which is the source of both its strengths and its weaknesses. Along with plain card-reading capabilities, it offers a great way to store an extra SD or MicroSD card on the go, consolidating case and reader into one unit and eliminating dust and fragility concerns for both. That said, it could stand to do a little more; SD cards are well and good, and I know LaCie is aiming to keep things small, but nowadays it’s taken for granted that SD readers can handle at least a handful of other flash media as well.

The Data/Share isn’t yet listed on LaCie’s website, but it’s expected to ship at around $US15. [Electric Pig]

Three levels of the card reader rotate 270-degrees each, with slots to fit SD/SDHC, T-Flash (Micro SD/Micro SDHC), MMC, M2, MS, MS DUO, MS PRO, MS PRO DUO and XD cards. Just don’t be surprised when every jackass in your office is constantly grabbing pulling the hub’s USB cable from your computer, only to find that, no, this piece of crap isn’t a real Rubik’s at all! $US12 [Brando]

The latest creation from the industry leader in extremely unlikely gadgets, Brando’s Rota-Rota USB hub combines three swiveling USB ports, readers for most flash memory formats (sorry, CF) and, uhh, two thermometers?

Styled more like a 1950’s car accessory than a USB device, the Rota-Rota only looks like it’s made of metal. And before you just laugh this off, consider this: you probably have a USB hub or a card reader, but do you know exactly how hot it is in your office? In Celsius and Fahrenheit? That dream is just $US15 away, people. [Brando]

The MR-SMC03 is so small that it kind of looks more like a USB hole stopper than a media reader. To use it, you slip your microSD card into the top part of the usb stick and then plug it into your computer. It’s available in cherry pink, Azuria pink, black and white for roughly $US13… from Japan only for now. [Elecom via Gizmodo Japan]

Basically, they are set to roll out these cards to government officials and then on to private citizens as a way for the authorities to to protect identities and safeguard borders—but not a single police station, border entry point, or job centre has a reader capable of extracting information from the card’s biometric chip.

It took a Cambridge University security expert to explain the obvious:

“If this capability is not there then the biometrics are, in short, a waste of time. I would have thought that the government would have tried to get the readers rolled out as soon as possible as it is only when you get serious deployments that you start to learn what can go wrong.”

The government reaction to the situation was swift and decisive:

“We have always said that we would roll out the scheme incrementally. The card will not be as useful as it could be until we have got the volumes out there. There’s no prospect in the immediate future for the government directing anybody that you have to buy those things [readers] because we would be placing a burden on these organisations. The manufacturers of the machines have also got to decide whether it is worth their while to produce them. I think that organisations will decide in time that it is better, quicker and cheaper to have them.”

Woah, wait a minute! This is going to cost money? Nobody said anything about money! [Daily Tech via CrunchGear]