From slotting it into a pair of shades to decking it in garrulous outfits, there’s little shortage of new ways to make the simple accessory just a little more complicated. The SolidAlliance MMnemosyne 16GB USB Cube 16GB USB Cube takes the concept a little too far, transforming a piece of flash storage into a $10,000 affair.
Created by Italy-based designers Toshi Satoji and Katsuya Masaki, the contraption sets the actual storage panel inside a plush-looking aluminum puzzle cube. Essentially, you’ll have to disassemble the rig before being able to get to the actual USB key.
“As we wanted our USB flash drive to be used with care and attention, we chose a precious, expensive, bulky and heavy material, that would be difficult to use,” Toshi Satoji said.
While the puzzle looks deservedly luxurious, it’s an odd way to store data. As far as I can tell, there’s no magic secret to disassembling the cube – just pull out each component much like you do with a LEGO creation. The real challenge is putting it back together, which you’ll likely end up not wanting to do anyway.
“This is exactly the opposite way that a common USB Flash Drive is used. Something very precious shouldn’t be easy, in the same way an opera of art isn’t,” he added.

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