Properly define "hacking", please.
You can use most if not all USB drives(1) to generate a bootable image. Heck...just about any linux booter has a way to boot from the device. And if the original hard drive isn't encrypted (which it still mostly isn't), then you can access files on it without much problems.
For further hacking, drive images like hiren or
@Jayro 's
medicat DVD are filled with interesting tinkering tools should things go belly-up with a laptop.
I've got to be honest: I have no idea to what degree those devices you mention are anything other than pre-built USB drives. I mean...you can define 'hacking' also as being able to override BIOS bootpriorities to allow the drive to boot (which...it might? Or not?
). Or as in the overdramatised ways movies and television portray them ("I've just inserted a USB drive in your computer. Therefore, all computer screens within the building will go haywire when I finish speaking, all the lights will start flickering for dramatic effect(2), and there will be explosions. Unless you meet my ridiculous demands.
"). Perhaps these devices can do that stuff...but probably it'll be somewhat in the middle.
EDIT: erm...why is this in the computer gaming section?
(1): I've had my share of "free with corn flakes" drives that flat out refused to boot from USB.
(2): because of course every high-tech office connects their lighting directly into the unsecured network rather than having it be an independent circuit.