USB flash drives use the USB mass storage device class standard, supported natively by modern operating systems such as Windows, Linux, macOS and other Unix-like systems, as well as many BIOS boot ROMs. USB drives with USB 2.0 support can store more data and transfer faster than much larger optical disc drives like CD-RW or DVD-RW drives and can be read by many other systems such as the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, DVD players, automobile entertainment systems, and in a number of handheld devices such as smartphones and tablet computers, though the electronically similar SD card is better suited for those devices.
Universal Disk Format (UDF) version 1.50 and above has facilities to support rewritable discs like sparing tables and virtual allocation tables, spreading usage over the entire surface of a disc and maximising life, but many older operating systems do not support this format. Packet-writing utilities such as DirectCD and InCD are available but produce discs that are not universally readable (although based on the UDF standard). The Mount Rainier standard addresses this shortcoming in CD-RW media by running the older file systems on top of it and performing defect management for those standards, but it requires support from both the CD/DVD burner and the operating system. Many drives made today do not support Mount Rainier, and many older operating systems such as Windows XP and below, and Linux kernels older than 2.6.2, do not support it (later versions do). Essentially CDs/DVDs are a good way to record a great deal of information cheaply and have the advantage of being readable by most standalone players, but they are poor at making ongoing small changes to a large collection of information. Flash drives' ability to do this is their major advantage over optical media.
Apple smart products don’t come with USB ports, so you will need a backwards compatible drive that can also plug into lightning devices. This thumbdrive from SanDisk is designed for ease of use with iPhones and iPads, thanks to a curbed plastic connector that fits behind the back of the screen. It has high-speed USB 3.0 transfer speeds and can hold over 7,200 photos or 8,000 songs. It has automatic photo backup and contact transfer to help free up space on your devices without having to deal with the slow upload speeds.
USB flash drives are portable and easy-to-use data storage devices. They're compatible with desktop computers and laptop computers as well as a broad range of game consoles and media devices. Use them to transfer data between systems, share files with friends and colleagues or create backups of critical information. Staples offers a complete selection of high-capacity thumb drives, including popular brands such as Lexar, PNY, Samsung, SanDisk and Verbatim.
The entire case of the Kingston flash drive slides into the USB port, making it a tremendously compact and sleek option for data storage. The hole in the back allows it to be attached to a keychain, which ensures you won’t forget it at home when you need it at work. Pros: Affordable, sleek design, good option for travel. Cons: Some found that the small casing made it more delicate Image Courtesy of Amazon
“The Samsung BAR is incredibly small and easily portable, measuring just under 2-inches long,” our tester said. He added, “It's also extremely durable: waterproof, shockproof, as well as x-rays and magnets [proof].” The included key ring adds to its portability, according to our reviewer. On the flip side, he called the transfer speeds “decent but mostly unremarkable.” Our tester concluded, “Most of the BAR's problems are due to Samsung releasing a newer, cheaper model, the BAR Plus.”
The applications of current data tape cartridges hardly overlap those of flash drives: on tape, cost per gigabyte is very low for large volumes, but the individual drives and media are expensive. Media have a very high capacity and very fast transfer speeds, but store data sequentially and are very slow for random access of data. While disk-based backup is now the primary medium of choice for most companies, tape backup is still popular for taking data off-site for worst-case scenarios and for very large volumes (more than a few hundreds of TB). See LTO tapes.
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.
Many types of USB drive, sometimes referred to as a thumb drive, also have handy features like a key chain ring or a small LED flashlight. Some can even transmit your data wirelessly for the ultimate in digital convenience. And as with any fun accessory, there are plenty of novelty versions of flash drives designed to show your personality, display your sense of humor, or broadcast your team loyalty.
