Custom Cryptex Drives – Update

by Nick on August 2nd, 2011

cryptex

  • Current ETA: 4-6 Weeks

Lastest Update 2/08/12
Latest update on our website here: http://www.usbmemorydirect.com/hi_reddit.php5

Make sure to follow us on Google+ for most up-to-date info: https://plus.google.com/114203052225171671770/posts

UPDATE 8/22/11

Tarator the original creator has already sold the rights to this particular device. We have initiated contact with the new rights hold, gifts.ru, in an attempt to obtain the right to sell it in the US markets, this would include orders out of country but only if they are reached via US based marketing IE all of reddit. Tarator has also made an offer for us to purchase rights of his latest creation http://steampunker.ru/blog/4677.html, not as interesting as the cryptex drive i must admit. We won’t be giving up so easily, there are many other routes that can be taken.

UPDATE 8/30/11

We are attempting t forge an agreement which will allow us to use their manufacturing facilities. This will reduce our lead time in producing the device. The sample is being created as we speak and should be done within a week. At that point we will be able to negotiate pricing for the rights.

UPDATE 9/2/11

We will get some initial cost info from the rights holder. As it stands we are prepared to make two offers depending on whether we can use their manufacturing plant (of course we will make sure quality is good). The amount we offer for royalties is contingent on us not having to fabricate milling parts to produce the drives and of course how much their factory will charge us.

The latest email which came to use today informed me that we will have price points from their factory first thing Monday morning. At which point it will take a couple hours to prepare our offer to them. If all goes smoothly we’ll have word by lunch time.

UPDATE 9/14/11

We are reaching the end of negotiations. Hopefully we will arrive at some sort of accord shortly. Once the agree has been finalized we will need to make sure we are covered and sign contracts, this could take a couple days. After that it is smooth sailing and we should see the first samples within a couple weeks. Full production a week after. We will be emailing everyone with any major updates.

UPDATE 10/18/11

We have reached an agreement with the company that owns the rights to this drive in Russia. Samples are close to being completed in the factory which gifts.ru is using for creating these drives. Fahad posted below about a patent that was undoubtedly used as the idea for the basis of this drive. Whether or not it would be considered a derivative work is something that might be up to a court. In light of this we have contacted a couple IP attorneys for legal support and while the goings are slow they are still goings.

One thing is for sure, I am going to try my best to green light this all the way through regardless of the legal implications. Hopefully we sell enough to cover a $250k legal proceeding lol, fingers certainly crossed on that one.

 

27 Comments
  1. Matt Cross permalink

    This still looks so cool. Is there a mailing list to let me know when they are ready?

  2. I can’t wait! I hope you will have an ‘antique brass’ option, I’d be all over that.

  3. Mike permalink

    I do like the other link. However the Cryptic Drive just looks/is more incredible…

  4. narddawg314 permalink

    I think they are both incredible…the second one has a more “industrial” feel to it..I say take him up on the offer and try to work something out for the cryptex too. soo awesome!!!!

  5. Mike permalink

    Please, for the love of god make this. Also for the love of god please use quality hardware. Its a really cool idea and can’t wait to get one, but if it’s crap hardware it’s pretty much moot. It would be pretty awesome if you guy’s ended up doing something like Iron Key with it.

  6. Jack permalink

    I’m down for the pocketwatch usb drive… Hell I think that looks cooler.

    • Nick permalink

      I’d most likely get one. I can totally picture myself walking around the office wearing a top hat pretending I’m Sherlock Holmes as a bust out my pocket watch USB drive lol. Only downside to that newer concept is that it looks vastly more complicated for mass production with our current shell factories (USBs are produced in two factories shells in one the PC boards and memory in another, it’s more complicated than this but that’s the jist).

  7. Don’t forget to check with the trademark holder for the word “Cryptex”. There may be problems with marketing a device using that name if it is trademarked.

    • Nick permalink

      We intend on seeing how much they want for royalties, my hopes they are way down on this one. We’ll most likely name it something silly like ‘Combo-lock USB’. It would suck but what can you do.

  8. You know, for a minute there I was SOOOO excited about this product, finally a new idea! But after careful research into the matter, the so-called “inventor” was nothing but a scam! You see, this very same “invention” was invented by a Mr. Carlos de la Huerga back in Dec, 1995 in the U.S (see patent number US 2005/0278186 A1) as a “Puzzle Box”.

    The nerve of some people! Just because he’s a Russian inventor, doesn’t mean he can copy other people’s hard work!

    For anyone interested, check out http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20050278186.pdf

    Thats just a shame! I really wanted one too 🙁

    • Nick permalink

      This is most unfortunate. Our lawyers told us that they stand a good chance in court unless we pay for a stunning legal defense, which we don’t want to. So it really looks like there is nothing we can do to legally produce this product, hopefully the patent holder will be nice and let us produce this without claiming royalties.

      • Fahad permalink

        We hope so too! Keep us updated! If you need any help just drop me a line! 😀

  9. Ross permalink

    Hello there. Is this project is still underway?

    • Nick permalink

      We are suffering some serious complications. An update will be posted today.

  10. egiant permalink

    Any news on this ? Last update was a month ago, and ETA said 3.5 weeks. Hope we can see those drives become a reality soon !

  11. Butch permalink

    Patent law is the worst 🙁

  12. Pollari permalink

    What is the current status of this project? Will we see cryptex usb flash drives?

  13. egiant permalink

    Still waiting!

  14. Neal permalink

    Throwing money @ screen… WHERE IS IT!?!?!

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