Abstract: Mobile handheld communication devices such as cellular and/or smart phones are equipped with a detachable USB drive, and optionally, a biometric scanner and/or an electronic release mechanism and/or circuitry. The communication device has a housing, a central processing unit (CPU) within the housing, a memory controller within the housing and coupled to the CPU, and a universal serial bus (USB) hard drive that electrically communicates with the memory controller. The USB hard drive has an outer surface or casing that is integrated and/or integratable with the housing. The USB device may include a USB interface, a hard drive that communicates through the USB interface, and a biometric sensor. The biometric sensor establishes or authorizes electronic communication between the hard drive and the USB interface when biometric data obtained with the biometric sensor matches data stored in the hard drive.