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Apple Shipping Lion Recovery USB Keys, Not Available For Purchase Yet


Apple has begun shipping Lion USB Recovery Media to some customers, reports 9to5Mac.com.

However, we don't think these aren't the $69 thumb drives that Apple plans to put on sale at some point this month. These are likely the keys available free to certain users via AppleCare.

We spoke to an Apple representative on Apple's sales line at 800-MY-APPLE. He told us that the $69 Lion USB Keys aren't for sale yet and would be available later this month, but there is no concrete date for their release.

Top Rated Comments

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Avatar1
3 days ago at 11:49 am
Apple should sell those USB keys blank as a product, they are cool looking.
Rating: 8 Positives / 1 Negatives
Avatar1
3 days ago at 11:42 am
I have absolutely no need for this since I already created an SD card with Lion on it.

But now I want one. :o
Rating: 7 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar1
3 days ago at 12:16 pm

Buy a Verbatim "Tough and Tiny" from newegg.


Not really the same thing, is it?

Rating: 6 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar1
3 days ago at 11:51 am
I heard if you insert them properly a micro-speaker releases a "roar".
Rating: 6 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar1
2 days ago at 10:58 am

Call me old school but I don't even want to think about installing Leopard unless I have some kind of physical media.


If you are thinking of installing Leopard then I would be inclined to call you old school.
Rating: 3 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar1
2 days ago at 09:47 am

Funny. The idea that Apple is even creating a "recovery" disk/tool confirms or suggests that Lion is problematic.


Seriously? That's one of the silliest statements I've heard in a while.
Rating: 2 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar1
2 days ago at 08:02 am

Funny. The idea that Apple is even creating a "recovery" disk/tool confirms or suggests that Lion is problematic.


Uh ? Where did you get this bit of logic from ? Every OS I've ever known had a recovery strategy and vendor tools for it. It has nothing to do with the level of "problems" the OS might have.

Problems happen, and when they do, you don't want to be left out in the cold.
Rating: 2 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar1
1 day ago at 06:45 pm
I took my LaCie key and just made a bootable Lion Installer drive...



It actually impresses my friends and clients when I take it out of my keychain and plug it into their computers... ;-)

I know there is a utility to make a bootable recovery Lion flash drive but I made mine before the utility came out.

I just took all the files from the InstallESD.dmg image (including the invisible ones) and copied them to the key (GUID partition of course)

The nicest thing about this is that my key is 8GB so I made two partitions. In one I have the Installer and the other one I keep for the upcoming updates. I actually carry iTunes 10.4 on the key which is not included in Lion.

So, cent by cent, If you already own Lion, you can spend less money on a better bigger and cooler flash drive...
Rating: 1 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar1
2 days ago at 01:26 pm

Again guys, it's all flair and no substance. I have one, the build quality really sucks on these.


How does the build quality of a USB stick suck? Does it fall apart when you hold it in your hands? Does the Apple logo peel off? :p
Rating: 1 Positives / 0 Negatives
Avatar1
2 days ago at 07:25 am
Call me old school but I don't even want to think about installing Lion unless I have some kind of physical media.

I will wait for these drives to become available for purchase before thinking about jumping to Lion.
Rating: 1 Positives / 0 Negatives

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