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Authorized Affiliate

Flash Drives-Not All Are Created Equal





So you're looking for a USB flash drive or as many call them a thumb drive? Yes, they are a great storage device. However, I would suggest not to go with an off-brand just because it is cheap. I was elated when I bought a cheap flash drive, only to have a full life of one day on it. With that being said, I'll explain what a flash drive is, how it works, and give an overview of some of the available flash drives and their capabilities.


What is a Flash Drive

Flash drives are also called thumb drives or USB keys. The flash drive can quickly store and transport small amounts of data. But they can also offer a handy way to back up your data, photos, music or videos. The drives come in sizes as small as 128 mg and moving upward to 64+. However, you'll probably find that the 8 GB or the 16 GB will give you the capacity you need in most cases, at a reasonable price.


How Does A USB Flash Drive Work?


A USB flash drive is usually very simple to use. If it is plug and play, all you have to do is:

1.) Insert the portable drive in an USB port on your computer
2.) The computer's operating system will detect the flash drive and install the necessary drivers that is needed to run the flash drive.
3.) Once the drivers are set up you can begin using your flash drive to store data.

The internal workings of a flash drive consists of a printed circuit board. These small, portable devices are covered either in a plastic or rubber casing, giving it a sturdy foundation.

Now that you know how a flash drive works, what should you consider when choosing a flash drive?


USB Flash Drive To Fit Your Needs

Flash drives have come a long way, and because of it's storage capacity, speed, portability and low power consumption, these flash drives have become one of the most popular storage devices. Remember, not all flash drives are created equal. You will need to take a moment to consider which USB flash drive fit your needs and serves your purpose. For example:

1. Sensitive information - If you want to store sensitive information on the drive, you should look for password protection and data encryption capabilities. In some cases, you can buy a thumb drive that allows you to partition the drive so that you can have both a secure and an unsecure area. 

2. Protective cases - If you're rough on drives, you should choose a drive that can handle the physical abuse. For example: the Corsair Flash Voyager offers a water-resistant rubberized case, while the SanDisk Cruzer Titanium is crushproof.

3. Cap or Retractable connector - The chose of a cap or a retractable design is mainly a matter of what the user feels comfortable with. Some do not like the cap because they have a tendency to lose it.

The retractable design has no cap, with the retractable portion being open to the elements. However, some companies have created flash drives with a swivel cap, thus, eliminating the cap but completely covering and protecting the retractable portion. (Imation Swivel Pro is one such example).



Popular Flash Devices Available From Amazon

Though not complete, here is a sampling of some of the most popular flash drives on the market:



SanDisk Cruzer - The SanDisk Cruzer comes in different sizes. It has a sleek, compact and solid construction which comes with a cap. It's easy to use, just plug it in and go. The 4GB comes with U3 software and other bundled apps-such as Avast anti-virus and Skype.

However, the U3 software may slow the transfer speeds. If you want to remove U3 from your drive you can find a special removal tool available on the U3 site. However, once you 
have removed it from your flash drive you can never reload it on the device. And sad to say, they (U3 company) will not provide a downloadable version of U3.

If you don't need security you can download "Portable Apps' as an alternative to the U3 software. Using the PStart utility to replace the U3 launch pad you can gain the ability to run
the latest apps of your choice without U3 or Sandisk to certify it. Or, you can set your computer to not run U3 on connecting.


Corsair Flash Voyager - Corsair Flash Voyager 8,16, 32 and 64 Gig. The Corsair works well whether you are Whether you are transferring data, encrypting data, saving data, or syncing data. It allows you to run the browser from your flash drive and most importantly, keep your personal information off the local computer. You can format your drive either as a FAT or NTFS. And if you have Windows Vista or Windows 7, you can format it as exFAT.

One small drawback, the protective rubber coating around the drive can make it difficult to plug into multiple USB devices. However, the Corsair does provide a USB cable extension to solve this problem.


PNY Attache - The PNY Attache comes in different size, from 128 to 8GB. It is compatible with most PC/MAC laptop and desktop computers. The Attache drive can be reused over and over without any loss of quality. And, the Attache drive performs very well in a variety of climates, weather conditions and temperature extremes. This flash drive is simple and the transfer speed is reasonable. (From my personal experience, I've found the PNY Attache with ReadyBoost a fairly cheap usb flash drive that is reliable.)


Kingston Flash Drive - The Kingston USB Flash Drive comes in different Gig sizes. It offers a great price for the budget-conscious user. It's lightweight and compact, offering a capless, swivel design for functionality and ease of use.

Data transfer speed is quick and reliable. Kingston also includes an application that allows you to install other popular free apps and games right to it. However, some found it difficult getting the driver installed on their computer. You may have to go to the Kingston web site to download the driver.


Product Features

Product features vary from one flash drive to another. Currently the following different product features are available on flash drives:

• Interface Protection includes retractable connector or cap
• Shock Resistant - helps to protect against data loss.
• Water Resistant - drive can be placed in water and still function properly
• ReadyBoost - ReadyBoost is a nice feature. This allows your USB to load information at 80 to 100 times faster than normal.
• LED - is a light indicator that tells you that a file is being read or copied


Included Software


• Sync Tool - Software that allows you to sync two different computers-Such as between a work computer and a home computer.
• Anti-virus
• Encryption
• Password protection
• Virtual Application Platform- Small programs, such as email, password managers, backup applications, etc.