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Flash Drives - Overview And Characteristics
By admin | May 19, 2007
A small, portable NAND-type flash memory card that plugs into a computer’s USB port and functions as a portable hard drive. USB flash drives are compact and easy-to-use devices that are similar in use to your computer hard drive. Memory capacity typically ranges from 8 megabytes up to 64 gigabytes, limited only by current flash memory densities, although cost per megabyte increases rapidly at higher capacities due to the expensive components. USB flash drives are touted as being easy-to-use as they are small enough to be carried in a pocket or conveniently around your neck or on a keychain, and can plug into any computer with a USB drive. They are really ultimate portable storage. USB flash drives have less storage capacity than an external hard drive, but they are smaller and more durable because they do not contain any internal moving parts. USB flash drives finally fulfill the real promise of the digital age: complete freedom and mobility.
Despite the different brands and names you’ve heard for USB flash drives – JumpDrives™, Pocket drives™, Pen drives™, and Thumb drives™ – they all pretty much operate the same way. The difference is mostly in price, capacity, design, functions and features (for example, some have built-in MP3 players).
USB flash drives have several advantages over other portable storage devices, particularly the floppy disk. They are generally faster, hold more data, and are considered more reliable (due to their lack of moving parts) than floppy disks. These types of drives use the USB mass storage standard, supported natively by modern operating systems such as Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows XP.
A flash drive consists of a small printed circuit board encased in a robust plastic or metal casing, making the drive sturdy enough to be carried about in a pocket, as a keyfob, or on a lanyard. Only the USB connector protrudes from this protection, and is usually covered by a removable cap. Most flash drives use a standard type - A USB connection allowing them to be connected directly to a port on a personal computer.
Most flash drives are active only when powered by a USB computer connection, and require no other external power source or battery power source; they are powered using the limited supply afforded by the USB connection. To access the data stored in a flash drive, the flash drive must be connected to a computer, either by direct connection to the computer’s USB port or via a USB hub.
Sources: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/U/USB_flash_drive.html, http://www.usbflashdrive.org/usbfd_overview.html, http://www.usbflashdrive.org/usbfd_overview.html, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash%5Fdrive
Topics: Computers & Software |