Uses of USB Flash Memory
2011
One probably the most widely utilized inventions of the past 20 years are the ubiquitous USB Flash Memory sticks. Variously known as Jump Drives, Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks, and many other names, these portable memory devices are to be found everywhere.
Probably the most common use is with PC's and Laptops for storing and transferring files, and they are not just to be found in the Computer Science or Engineering departments.
Memory cards using exactly the same technology are also widely utilized in digital cameras. The big capacity is what permits hundreds of pictures to be stored before it's essential to download the pictures and clear the memory.
An additional extremely well-liked use for USB drives is as a give-away at trade shows. Promotional flash drives are a welcome and useful item, and a lot more functional than an emblazoned key chain or desk calendar.
This item has noticed an explosion in capacity and a fantastic reduction in cost in recent years. Once they had been first introduced within the late 1980's flash drives could only store a few megabytes of information, and that information came having a respectable cost tag. It's now fairly typical to find devices with 16 gigabytes of memory for below $80.
It is a key component with the popular MP3 players, as well as cellular phones, ATM's, and just about any device that utilizes upgradeable software program, known as firmware.
Look for there are more uses for this type of memory within the close to future. As the reliability increases and price decreases, they may replace hard drives in some applications.
