SanDisk

You can now add 128 gigabytes of storage to your PC or another device via a flash drive that you never have to remove.

Launched on Monday by storage vendor SanDisk, the 128GB SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0 flash drive is the world's smallest USB 3.0 flash drive, according to the company. Without its cap, the drive measures three-quarters of an inch in length, 0.63 inch in width and 0.35 inch in height, which Sandisk says makes it smaller than a dime. So you can plug it into any USB port and never have to worry about unplugging it.

SanDisk's 128GB drive solves one problem that affects notebook users who need more storage. Yes, you can connect any flash drive to your computer to add more capacity. But most flash drives are too big and long to keep connected to your notebook if you want to travel with it or stick it in a case. SanDisk's new drive is compact enough that you can keep it plugged in permanently. So you can carry around your music, photos, videos or other content that you want with you all the time without having to connect and disconnect the drive.

The company said it designed the drive for "media enthusiasts who want to expand storage of their notebook, tablet, TV, in-car audio system, gaming console and more." So you can also plug it into hard-to-reach devices, such as a gaming console, and just leave it alone. Also available in capacities of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, the drive offers a transfer speed of up to 130 megabytes per second when connected to a USB 3.0 port.

The storage vendor also has unveiled a 256GB edition of its Ultra USB 3.0 flash drive with a $200 price tag. Though larger and longer than its Ultra Fit counterpart, the new drive offers twice the storage capacity, a first for this particular model. Also available in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities, the drive provides transfer speeds of up to 100MB per second in a USB 3.0 port.

Both drives come with SanDisk's SecureAccess, which lets you create encrypted password-protected folders for private files. You also receive a free year's subscription to RescuePro software, which attempts to restore files that have been lost or accidentally deleted.

SanDisk said that both of the new drives are available at online retailers and at stores around the world. Searching online, I couldn't find either drive listed at popular retailers, so they may not be available or at least not appearing just yet.

SanDisk did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.