TOYAMA — After fishing around for new ideas, a designer in Toyama Prefecture has come up with a popular new product — a USB flash drive shaped like a firefly squid.

When the storage device is inserted into a USB computer port, it glows dimly just like real firefly squid.

The product was designed by 30-year-old Tappei Maruyama, from Imizu, Toyama Prefecture, and turned into a product by Solid Alliance Corp. with assistance from the University of Toyama. Toyama Prefecture is known for its firefly squid.

The device has a storage capacity of 512 megabytes, and come with a price tag of 5,980 yen. It will be sold online and at some electrical appliance stores.

The device, whose packaging resembles that of sashimi sold at supermarkets, bears an image of a firefly squid, and a recipe on how to cook them.

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By Sun Tzu on 14-01-2007