The floppy disk was capable of holding 1.44 MB of data which was enough for a few documents and 1 medium resolution photo. USB flash drives are now the way to go as they can currently hold up to 128GB with larger versions just around the corner. What sets them apart is the small size, quick copy speeds and fairly resistant against being dropped and damaged.
What is a USB Flash Drive compatible with?
USB flash drives are compatible with most computer systems with a USB port. If running Windows 2000, XP or Vista you can plug in the device and go with no extra drivers. This makes the use of them very flexible and far easier to switch between PC’s while keeping hold of your personal data.
USB Flash Drive Security
The main draw back of a USB flash drive is that it is very easy to forget. Often around a university or library you will see a USB flash drive sticking out of the front of the PC because the owner has forgotten to take it when they leave the PC they were working on. This puts the users data at a great risk. For a business it can be a serious matter as often times, personal and confidential information could be on the USB memory drive and put in to the wrong persons hands. Various methods of securing data can be used and are often enforced by companies. PGP, biometrics and password protection can be used to secure data. Loosing a USB flash drive full of data can be a pain, but if it’s encrypted or secured then at least you have the comfort knowing that no one else can read what is on there.
Novelty USB Flash Drives
Over the past few years, a number of USB flash drives have been created that separate from the norm. USB flash drives in the shape of food, cars, watches and other various shapes can be found. These work on exactly the same principle, but rather then having a plastic rectangular casing they just look different.
USB Flash Drive Prices
The prices of USB flash drives are constantly falling as the storage space is constantly increasing. A small flash drive can set you back around $10 with prices in to the hundreds for the high end. As always in computer pricing, expect that what you buy now will be cheaper in a few months time.
USB Flash Drive Weaknesses
Flash memory has a weakness in that it can only be written or erased so many hundreds of thousands of times. This may seem like a lot, but flash drives can also have mini OS’s installed which have a lot of write and erase cycles. For this, it is best to get an OS which is optimised to write to RAM rather then keep using the memory on the USB flash drive.
Another downside is the ability to protect data by a switch like you could on a floppy drive. Should you want to restore a PC with the use of virus scanners on a flash drive then you need to be careful the USB flash drive does not get infected also.
Conclusion
USB Flash Drives are great devices to use if you need to keep your personal files with you. Just remember to keep the drive safe and always take it away with you when you leave a computer.
