| USB is an acronym that stands for Universal | | | | drives and consist of a small printed circuit |
| Standard Bus, a standard port which can be | | | | board encased either in sturdy plastic or |
| used with any computer to connect a number of | | | | metal; the latter makes flash drives even |
| computer accessories. USB flash drive is a | | | | more hard-wearing. A removable cap protects |
| compact USB flash memory that acts like a | | | | the USB connected which is the protruded part |
| portable hard drive, letting the user store | | | | in the USB fitted to the proper USB port on |
| and transport huge quantities of computer | | | | the computer. USB drives may either be |
| data better than disks. Nowadays, USB flash | | | | connected directly and/or may come with a |
| drives, depending on the kind, can be used to | | | | think plug designed for use with a standard |
| hold vast amounts of information and are made | | | | USB port. |
| to be small enough to be easily carried | | | | |
| around by the users. One slips easily into | | | | USB flash drives do not need an external |
| the pocket, may be used as a pendant to be | | | | power source or a battery for it to function |
| hung around the neck or even as a keychain. | | | | and are powered by a USB computer connection. |
| | | | Hence, data accessibility is only possible if |
| As of 2006, there are USB flash drives that | | | | the flash drive is connected to a computer. |
| can carry as much as 16 gigabytes and may be | | | | |
| used with most computers as long as the | | | | First invented in 1988 as a floppy drive |
| operating system you use has the driver that | | | | replacement, the first flash drives were made |
| supports both USB mass storage plus the file | | | | to store data ranging in size from 8 to 64 |
| system used on the various information stored | | | | megabytes which were quite expensive then. |
| in it. The needed drivers to make the USB | | | | Asian manufacturers soon followed suit |
| flash drive work comes when the device is | | | | manufacturing flash drives which can hold as |
| bought and is very easy to install in the | | | | much as 256 megabytes at cheaper prices. |
| computer. | | | | Although initially conceived for data |
| | | | sharing, flash drives are becoming more and |
| Pen drives, chip sticks, thumb drives or USB | | | | more utilitarian in nature, its uses only |
| keys are other terms given to USB flash | | | | limited by the users. |