All About USB Flash Drives

What is a USB flash drive?

A USB Flash Drive is a type of storage media. Sometimes called "thumb drives" or "jump drives," these devices are very small, about the size of a pack of gum. Many come with a handle or lanyard and can be attached to a key ring.

USB flash drives connect to a computer by using the computer's USB port, often located in both the front and back of desktop computers. This USB connection is able to transfer large amounts of data at a considerably fast rate.

The type of storage memory used by a USB flash drive is called Flash Memory. This kind of memory has no moving parts; it simply resembles a small circuit board. Flash memory has both advantages and disadvantages.

A major advantage of flash memory is that it's very small compared to disk drives. It's small size allows it to be quite portable. Also, since there are no moving parts in flash memory, there is less chance of malfunction. Flash memory is considered to be more stable than disk drives.

A disadvantage is that current technology doesn't allow more than several gigabytes to be stored on one piece of flash memory. While this is plenty for of storage for most, some people find that more memory is needed to transfer massive files like movies and music collections. Still, even the smallest and cheapest USB flash drives can store hundreds of times more data than a single floppy disk.

Uses of a USB flash drive

USB flash drives are typically used to transfer files from one computer to another. Many people who use both a home and work computer find a USB flash drive to be invaluable in transferring documents and data to and from work. Students often use them to transfer homework and assignments to and from school. Even casual computer users find it handy to attach to a key ring, in case a friend or family member wants to share music, photos, or videos.

Another use for USB flash drives is archiving and backup. For those who prefer not to invest in costly external disk drives and the like, a small USB flash drive can suit them just fine, especially when it comes to small files like documents. You can backup and store hundreds of documents, spreadsheets, and databases on even the smallest USB flash drives. Essentially, it's a cheap way to backup your most important data in case your desktop computer or laptop crashes.

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