Some Standard and Advanced Features of Pen Drive

Roberto Sedycias asked:

Sporting all the convenient features of a removable storage device – feather weight, small size, larger storage space, and durability – pen drive is a must-have device for the technology freaks. Of late, pen drive has evolved from being a mere storage device to multi-functional unit for the computer users.

For average users of pen drive, the device is a simple storage mechanism and they scarcely bother about the features so long as it solves their basic purpose of storing and transferring information. But the tech-friendly and discerning users of pen drives are more careful about the features.

Though the basic selection of pen drive is based on prime feature of storage space, technical enthusiasts are developing special interest for advanced features of pen drives.

Apart from the generic features of huge storage capacity, pen drives also feature built-in micro camera, voice recorder, biometric security, MP3 playback. Let us discuss about some of the basic as well as advance features of pen drives.

Storage capacity:

The ubiquitous Pen drive has earned its popularity due to its exceptional storage capacity. Earlier, the pen drives were available with 8 MB storage capacity, that was several times more than other removable storage device such as floppy and CD-ROM. Recently, pen drives are available with storage capacity of 32 GB, 64 GB and 80 GB.

Technology experts are looking forward to develop pen drives with tera bytes. Before a year, the pen drives with high storage space was not popular for their high price tags. But the rapidly decreasing price has made pen drive a easily accessible device.

Compatibility:

Compatibility is the most remarkable feature that you can find in your pen drive. The prime reason why you are using pen drive is to access the same data or information in different computers. But all computers you use may not have the same operating system to support. Most advanced pen drives are compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux. Basically, while choosing a pen drive you should look for this feature to get maximum benefits out of it.

Rechargeable battery:

The pen drive that provides MP3 playback through earphones needs power backup. That`s why some pen drives come with built-in rechargeable batteries. The battery gets charged when connected to the USB port of the computer.

MP3 player:

Music lovers can get their best from the MP3 player facility available with pen drives. The pen drive with MP3 player also features mini USB port, and an audio input and output.

LCD displays:

The LCD display of pen drive has made it a high-end device. The LCD display enables browsing through the list of songs that you store in pen drive.

Camera:

Camera is one of the most advanced features that are available with a pen drive. Basically, it is a still camera for a generic use. But when the pen drive is connected to the USB port of a computer, it functions as a web cam.

These days, pen drives are being developed with tiny speakers. Some pen drives are coming with inbuilt card readers. You can also find pen drives with finger print scanner as advanced security system.

While selecting pen drive you may be flooded with options regarding the shapes and sizes. Some resemble bricks and other toys. Of late, pen drives have been integrated with other necessary items that people love to carry such as watches and pens. If you look for advanced features in your pen drive you should collate adequate information regarding pen drives, their features and feasibility for your purpose.

What is a USB Flash Drive?

Derek Rogers asked:

USB Flash drives are considered to be one of the most popular storage devices on the market. They were first introduced to the public by IBM in 1998. They received instant popularity when they were launched and they have replaced both floppy discs and CDs. You can take them anywhere, on your key ring, in your wallet, or in your pocket. One benefit is the fact that they are rewritable, meaning that they can keep all of the memory stored without a power supply.

The USB flash drive comes in various formats: a 256MB, 512MB, 1GB, 128GB etc. The one that you choose depends on how much storage you need and how much you are willing to pay for the device. As of 2006, there were USB flash drives that could hold as much as 16GB of information and could be used with any computer as long as it supports the USB mass storage file system. Most computers have this format and it is very hard to not find one that has it. USB flash drives are also known as “chip sticks”, “thumb drives”, “pen drives”, and “USB keys”.

Flashbay is one company that is a leading provider in USB flash drives, as well as other forms of storage devices. They have all different flash drives available, in multiple colours and storage formats. You can also have the USB flash drives monogrammed with your name or a company logo for business purposes.

When USB flash drives were first introduced to the public, they were very simple in style and shape. Usually, if they were available in different colours, then it was only primary colours. Many of the devices were not even patented yet, and IBM was one of the sole companies that sold the products.

Now, you can purchase a USB drive in any colour, style, company, etc.

In order to better explain the process, USB stands for “Universal Standard Bus”. This means that it is a port that can be used with any type of computer to access a number of accessories, programs, and files. A USB flash drive is compact and acts as a removable storage device that allows the user to store very large quantities of information without losing it when the device is removed.

Inside of the tiny device is a small printed circuit board that is enclosed in a sturdy plastic shell and sometimes a metal shell. For extreme hard wearing, metal is the way to go. The only part of the device that you can remove from the shell is the cap. It protects the USB protruded end of the device that connects to the computer.

You do not need another power source or a battery for the USB flash drive to function on the computer.

However, the only way to access any of the information on the port is to be connected to a computer. Students find that a USB flash drive is essential for all of their important documents. Most high school students and college students are always having to use a computer for their school work. Instead of using paper, they can simply store all of the information on the USB flash drive.

In recent years, floppy discs were thought to be easily damaged or could be erased if you held them in a particular way. CDs are also easily scratched. With the use of a USB flash drive you can save your desktop programs so that you can access them from another computer. The future for the flash drives is very large and they are only thought to improve from here on out.