What Is a Flash Drive?

Flash drives are very handy tools for storage or transferring data between computers or other devices. So what are Flash drives? Flash drives are small portable storage devices for computer data like photos, word processing documents, programs, and just about any information that can be stored on a computer. They are slightly bigger than a stick of gum. Most flash drives typically connect to computer via the USB (universal serial bus) connector. For an idea what a USB port looks like, read this post.

The name flash drive comes from the use of flash memory, which employs a solid state memory chip and is very different from your computer’s hard drive and its spinning magnetic disk. Flash drives don’t require any internal or external power source like a battery or electrical plug. When inserted into the USB port of a computer, the computer itself powers the flash drive. These drives can be plugged in and removed at any time. Flash drives are sometimes also called USB sticks, jump drives, or thumb drives — because they're about the size of your thumb.

These little devices have many benefits. Flash drives are relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain—you can get them just about anywhere. They can have data stored on them and erased and reused an infinite amount of times. Flash drives are typically compatible with Windows, Macs, and Linux operating systems and are easy to use. CDs are slow to write information on but with USB flash drives files are transferred and saved within seconds. Flash drives are very small, easy to carry, and are very strong. Because they are so small and convenient, they’re also easy to lose and easily stolen. Many flash drives are highly shock resistant; they are very sturdy and can take a lot of abuse. You do want to treat them with care, though; like any device, a lot of water can take its toll. They can be damaged and after time they can just go bad. Flash drives in a number of sizes from 1 GB (gigabyte) to 1 TB (Terabyte = 1,000 gigabytes). Most people don't have a even have half a terabyte of data are their home computer. Can you imagine?

Flash drives have a myriad of uses. They make file transfers easy and painless. Students can use them to take papers and assignments from home to school. Not everyone has a printer in their home; if you don't, you can use a flash drive to take your documents to your local copy shop to print. These handy drives are also great for backing up data. If you have a very important document or photo on your computer, you might consider keeping a second copy on a flash drive just in case.

There are some fun, unexpected uses for flash drives as well. For example: did you know you can use a flash drive as a key to lock and unlock your computer? If it's configured right, it allows you to use the computer when it's plugged into the USB slot; when you remove the drive, the computer is locked.

You can run apps, games, and software off a flash drive. Did you know you can turn your flash player into an MP3 player? Just copy the music files you'd like onto a flash drive and, when you get to work, you can plug it into your computer and listen as you work. Never be without your favorite music. It might take someone a little more tech savvy to help you, but you can also use a flash drive to remove viruses from an infected system, or even use one to completely reboot your computer. A flash drive is a must-have tool if you own a computer.

Are you already a big flash drive fan? Let us know your favorite use for this nifty tool in the comments below.