M-Systems, an Israeli company, were granted a US patent on November 14, 2000, titled "Architecture for a [USB]-based Flash Disk", and crediting the invention to Amir Ban, Dov Moran and Oron Ogdan, all M-Systems employees at the time. The patent application was filed by M-Systems in April 1999.[6][1][7] Later in 1999, IBM filed an invention disclosure by one of its employees.[1] Flash drives were sold initially by Trek 2000 International, a company in Singapore, which began selling in early 2000. IBM became the first to sell USB flash drives in the United States in 2000.[1] The initial storage capacity of a flash drive was 8 MB.[7] Another version of the flash drive, described as a pen drive, was also developed. Pua Khein-Seng from Malaysia has been credited with this invention.[8] Patent disputes have arisen over the years, with competing companies including Singaporean company Trek Technology and Chinese company Netac Technology, attempting to enforce their patents.[9] Trek won a suit in Singapore,[10][11] but has lost battles in other countries.[12] Netac Technology has brought lawsuits against PNY Technologies,[13] Lenovo,[14] aigo,[15] Sony,[16][17][18] and Taiwan's Acer and Tai Guen Enterprise Co.[18]
A drawback to the small size of flash drives is that they are easily misplaced or otherwise lost. This is a particular problem if they contain sensitive data (see data security). As a consequence, some manufacturers have added encryption hardware to their drives, although software encryption systems which can be used in conjunction with any mass storage medium will achieve the same result. Most drives can be attached to keychains or lanyards. The USB plug is usually retractable or fitted with a removable protective cap.
A minority of flash drives support biometric fingerprinting to confirm the user's identity. As of mid-2005,[needs update] this was an expensive alternative to standard password protection offered on many new USB flash storage devices. Most fingerprint scanning drives rely upon the host operating system to validate the fingerprint via a software driver, often restricting the drive to Microsoft Windows computers. However, there are USB drives with fingerprint scanners which use controllers that allow access to protected data without any authentication.[70]
The U3 company works with drive makers (parent company SanDisk as well as others) to deliver custom versions of applications designed for Microsoft Windows from a special flash drive; U3-compatible devices are designed to autoload a menu when plugged into a computer running Windows. Applications must be modified for the U3 platform not to leave any data on the host machine. U3 also provides a software framework for independent software vendors interested in their platform.
A USB flash drive[note 1] is a data storage device that includes flash memory with an integrated USB interface. It is typically removable, rewritable and much smaller than an optical disc. Most weigh less than 30 g (1 oz). Since first appearing on the market in late 2000, as with virtually all other computer memory devices, storage capacities have risen while prices have dropped. As of March 2016, flash drives with anywhere from 8 to 256 GB were frequently sold, while 512 GB and 1 TB units were less frequent.[2][3] As of 2018, 2 TB flash drives were the largest available in terms of storage capacity.[4] Some allow up to 100,000 write/erase cycles, depending on the exact type of memory chip used, and are thought to last between 10 and 100 years under normal circumstances (shelf storage time[5]).
The 32GB capacity of this SanDisk Ultra SDCZ48-032G-A46 flash drive provides ample room to store photos, music, videos and other files. The USB 3.0 interface and up to 80MB/sec. read speed make it easy to transfer files to and from your computer. (Ten times faster than USB 2.0 drives. Write speeds up to 10 times faster than Cruzer USB 2.0 drive.)* *USB 3.0 port required. Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending upon host device.
We offer the most reliable and consistently top performing customizable, no minimum USB flash drives out there. With more than 25 styles and over 550 different looks, our drives are available in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities–with most available in USB 3.0 from 16GB and up. We’re so confident in the quality of our drives, each one includes a lifetime warranty.
Most flash drives ship preformatted with the FAT32, or exFAT file systems. The ubiquity of the FAT32 file system allows the drive to be accessed on virtually any host device with USB support. Also, standard FAT maintenance utilities (e.g., ScanDisk) can be used to repair or retrieve corrupted data. However, because a flash drive appears as a USB-connected hard drive to the host system, the drive can be reformatted to any file system supported by the host operating system.
Custom flash drives are practical giveaway items you can personalize with a logo or company name to help promote your brand. In the age of information and data storage, thumb drives are a hands-on approach to transferring data when a “cloud” isn’t readily available. Browse our catalog and select form a variety of styles that include plastic, leather, metal and novelty designs to truly impress your audience. Compact and easy to transport, our wholesale USB flash drives can be custom printed, or laser engraved to fit your portable storage needs. Combine a with a custom lanyards for the perfect trade show giveaway - enjoy Guaranteed Low Prices and Free Shipping!
The U3 company works with drive makers (parent company SanDisk as well as others) to deliver custom versions of applications designed for Microsoft Windows from a special flash drive; U3-compatible devices are designed to autoload a menu when plugged into a computer running Windows. Applications must be modified for the U3 platform not to leave any data on the host machine. U3 also provides a software framework for independent software vendors interested in their platform.
Custom flash drives are practical giveaway items you can personalize with a logo or company name to help promote your brand. In the age of information and data storage, thumb drives are a hands-on approach to transferring data when a “cloud” isn’t readily available. Browse our catalog and select form a variety of styles that include plastic, leather, metal and novelty designs to truly impress your audience. Compact and easy to transport, our wholesale USB flash drives can be custom printed, or laser engraved to fit your portable storage needs. Combine a with a custom lanyards for the perfect trade show giveaway - enjoy Guaranteed Low Prices and Free Shipping!
Bulk USB purchases save money, its that simple. By planning ahead and knowing what your promotional flash drive needs will be through the year, you can save on run charges, artwork setup, and shipping. Over the course of the year, this can add up. With bulk USB orders, we can lower the per unit cost. Beyond the cost, by having a quantity of USBs in stock, you lower the risk of running out of your promo item. Take advantage of bulk USB purchasing. You can even order Bulk 256GB USB Flash Drives through iPromo now.
Most USB flash drives weigh less than 30 g (1 oz).[31] While some manufacturers are competing for the smallest size[32] with the biggest memory,[33] some manufacturers differentiate their products by using elaborate housings, which are often bulky and make the drive difficult to connect to the USB port. Because the USB port connectors on a computer housing are often closely spaced, plugging a flash drive into a USB port may block an adjacent port. Such devices may carry the USB logo only if sold with a separate extension cable. Such cables are USB-compatible but do not conform to the USB standard.[34][35]
A USB flash drive[note 1] is a data storage device that includes flash memory with an integrated USB interface. It is typically removable, rewritable and much smaller than an optical disc. Most weigh less than 30 g (1 oz). Since first appearing on the market in late 2000, as with virtually all other computer memory devices, storage capacities have risen while prices have dropped. As of March 2016, flash drives with anywhere from 8 to 256 GB were frequently sold, while 512 GB and 1 TB units were less frequent.[2][3] As of 2018, 2 TB flash drives were the largest available in terms of storage capacity.[4] Some allow up to 100,000 write/erase cycles, depending on the exact type of memory chip used, and are thought to last between 10 and 100 years under normal circumstances (shelf storage time[5]).
The memory in flash drives is commonly engineered with multi-level cell (MLC) based memory that is good for around 3,000-5,000 program-erase cycles,[40] but some flash drives have single-level cell (SLC) based memory that is good for around 100,000 writes. There is virtually no limit to the number of reads from such flash memory, so a well-worn USB drive may be write-protected to help ensure the life of individual cells.
The advent of USB 3.0 makes data transfers over ten times faster than USB 2.0. If you have USB 3.0 port on your device, and you transfer files on a regular basis, the added speed on the PNY flash drive can be a big boost for getting things done (Even if you have a USB 2.0 port, you can still use USB 3.0, but you won’t get the same speeds). Pros: Fastest file transfers of any of the options. Cons: Some found the built-in external cover difficult to move. Image Courtesy of Amazon
On the more practical side our flash drives, also called thumbdrives or memory sticks are available in memory capacities from 64MB to 256GB. With memory capacities like that, we certainly have the options to cover whatever your data storage requirements may be. For more information on data storage capacities, check out our USB Flash Drive Capacity Guide.
"Helps transfer data without bulky external drives....Compared to the Ultra Flash Drives I purchased (which are designed for faster downloads), this Flash Drive took just a little bit longer for downloading a large quantity of items, but it really was not that much of a time difference, so I am extremely satisfied with the speed and abilities of the Cruzer"
Modern devices are thinner and lighter, and the Type-C connector is a plug format designed to work with these products. In addition to being smaller than a standard USB plug, Type-C connectors are reversible, so they're easier to use. Some USB flash drives include both a traditional plug and a Type-C connector. These products are ideal for transferring files between computers and portable devices such as smartphones or tablets.
