Talk about a mega-bite. US-based writer Irv Bupkes has created what is surely the world’s first electronic bagel.

He has developed the Bagel Drive — a mini-bagel complete with a fully functional USB 2.0 flash memory drive. It can store files, photos, video, music and any other digital tchochkes (precious bits and bobs).

Fifty-two-year-old Mr Bupkes, who writes for a selection of science and medical publications, says he initially came up with the concept as a joke and did not expect it to take off the way it has. Bagel Drive has been generating a lot of consumer — and media — interest.

“I’m often doing things to amuse my friends and family,” he tells People. “When the kids were younger I would send them stamped-addressed bagels — no envelope — in the post, just to make them laugh. Then recently I came across a bunch of hard drives at home and was thinking about what I could do with them. I figured I could try make them into a bagel.” And so he did.

It’s not edible, mind. As Mr Bupkes says: “It’s baked to perfection, carefully preserved using a proprietary process, and equipped with 1 giganosh (gigabyte to the less technical of you) of fully functional USB 2.0 flash memory.

He adds: “It wasn’t intended to be a business and I hadn’t planned on selling them.”

You can bag yourself a Bagel Drive from www.bageldrive.com for $24.95. Smoked salmon an optional extra.