I'm looking for recommendations/advice on USB 'pen' drives and high-end laptops.

The pen drive should be <=$100, the laptop should have nice graphics/multimedia for entertainment and games.

I mentioned it in the other thread, but you might want to look at the AlienWare stuff. My Sims can't get enough of them. If you don't mind spending 2 grand on a laptop, you can get one with an actual graphics card!

Would an iPod Shuffle work as a pen drive?

I just bought this:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=20-214-009&depa=0

It's amazingly small - comes with a credit card holder so you can keep two in your wallet. Very quick, as well.

Only downside is that there's no way to keep it on a key ring or badge holder.

Philo

The best pen drives are the SAn disk cruzer. They win most bencmarks but more importanly have little usability featurs, like being thin so they don't blcok the neighbouring USB port, having a light at the end so you can see if they're working and loading, and having the cap fit on the bottom when they're plugged in so you don't lose it. Should be able to get 512MB for $100.

"Would an iPod Shuffle work as a pen drive?"

I'm not sure if it can mount as a generic USB drive without needing drivers.

"Should be able to get 512MB for $100"

...or get the 1GB one I posted for $67. Your call. :)

Philo

Is it posted here or on ebay or something?

I'd be interested in it.

I've jsut checked direct prices on the Sandisk site. The cruzer mini 1GB goes for $99 and the 512Mb for $59.

They are producing a waterproof one for OEMs for keeping your medical reocords on permanently. They sell the 1GB ruggedized , waterproof version to Oems for $99. Having had to chuck away an LG drive I put through the syntthetic wash cycle because it would sometines corrupt data, I can see the point.