Nearly a month after the online release of the new Apple operating system, OS X Lion, the company has finally begun shipping USB drives equipped with the software, providing an alternative for customers who are unwilling or unable to access the download.

The physical Lion is over twice as expensive as the download, costing New Zealand customers $99 compared with $38.99 for the digital version. Shipping time is three to five days.

The price discrepancy is roughly in line with that in the international market, with customers in the US paying US$29.99 for the digital download and $69 for the USB.

Go here to order Lion on USB.