Back in the early days of computers, to carry around your data from machine to machine, you’d probably use a floppy disc. Today these old floppies are well and truly dead and their replacements are the USB thumb drives.
A USB thumb drive - or USB key, as they are sometimes called – is a non-volatile memory device. Non-volatile means the memory doesn’t loose its data when there is no power. An example of volatile memory is the RAM in your computer. These devices are small, some no bigger than your finger or thumb, but they can hold hundreds or thousands of megabytes worth of data. Considering that our old floppies could only hold a maximum of two megabytes, you’d easily see why these have been adopted so quickly.
So why get a USB thumb drive? Simply, they are so convenient and so portable. They are very easy to use and in most cases they need no software installation, so you can go from machine to machine easily. They also don’t need batteries or any other accessories, as they are powered by the computer.
USB 1.1 and USB 2.0
The only performance area to worry about is the transfer speed between the drive and the computer. The biggest factor in this is whether your computer has USB 1.1 or USB 2.0. The speeds between these two vary greatly, as the older USB 1.1 can only transfer data at 12Mbps, while the new USB 2.0 can transfer data at a whopping 480Mbps.
But it can be hard to know what standard of USB your computer has. One way is to check your computer’s specifications; the other is to open your control panel, then double-click the system icon. Once this is open you need to find the “Device Manager” button or tab. Once this is open, look through the list for anything that mentions “Enhanced USB Host Controllers” or “USB2”. If you find any of these, you have USB 2.0. If not, you have the older USB 1.1.
If you want to upgrade to the faster speeds, you don’t need to buy a new machine. Most computer stores stock USB 2.0 expansion cards that will add this to your computer.
Devices tested
There are numerous USB drives on sale now – some are efficient and reliable, others little more than toys and not suitable for storing important data. Price varies according to storage capacity, and it’s always best to buy from a reputable electronics retailer. NetGuide is not responsible for changes in availability or pricing.
Comsol flashIT2 USB 2.0 Flash drive – 1 Gigabyte
Web: tinyurl.com/c2c28
Comsol’s USB 2.0 flashIT2 is an awesome little drive. It comes with neck holder and a USB extension cable, as well as a CD with drivers for Windows 98 users and a few utilities to keep your data protected. The flashIT2 is available in sizes 128Mb, 256Mb, 512Mb and 1Gb.
Pros: This drive scored second in speed tests. Transferring a 100Mb file to the drive only took nine seconds and copying it off the drive only took six seconds. It also has a switch on the side that will turn it into a read-only device to protect your data.
Cons: Very little, except its size might need the included extension cable to connect to some USB ports.
Verdict: Brilliant, and with a two-year warranty, you can’t go wrong.
NetGuide rating: 
Imation USB 2.0 Flash Drive Mini 512Mb
Web: tinyurl.com/8qyxy
Designed to be small and easy to carry, the Flash Drive Mini comes in three sizes of 128Mb, 256Mb and 512Mb, and has a key ring attachment.
Pros: It’s a self-contained unit that spins open to reveal the USB connection. It’s small enough to not to need a USB extension cord unless you have a strange USB setup.
Cons: There is no software included, and if you have Windows 98 you will need to download the drivers from the Imation Web site.
Verdict: This drive is good, but average. The data transfer test reported 25 seconds to copy the file to the drive and nine seconds to copy it back. But it’s still a good value drive.
NetGuide rating: 
Lexar JumpDrive Lightning 2 Gigabyte
Web: www.lexar.com/jumpdrive/lightning.html
The Lexar JumpDrive Lightning has loads of space and returned the fastest transfer speed in the tests. It also comes with software that allows you to hide your data on the drive. It is only available in two sizes, one gigabyte and two gigabytes.
Pros: The transfer speed is phenomenal. It took only six seconds to transfer a 100- megabyte file, and copying it back took only four seconds. The security application supplied with this drive also hides and encrypts your data.
Cons: No apparent support for Windows 98. It is also very expensive.
Verdict: The performance and capacity factors are spoiled by the price.
NetGuide rating: 
SanDisk Cruzer Mini 256Mb
Web: www.sandisk.com/retail/cruzer-mini.asp
The Cruzer Mini ranges in sizes from 128Mb to 4Gb. It comes with a neck strap, spare USB covers and software already loaded onto the drive.
Pros: The unit comes with a really easy-to-use file locker that protects your data. It is really cheap. It is also the only drive in this roundup to come with labels.
Cons: Transfer speeds are slow, with the unit taking 35 seconds to copy the test file and 11 seconds to copy it back.
Verdict: Slow and lacking in features, but really cheap.
NetGuide rating:
Does it fit?
One thing you have to watch when purchasing a thumb drive is whether it will fit into your computer. In most cases these devices will plug into your machine without any fuss, but some have cases that are a little too bulky. You can tackle this either by purchasing a USB hub, which will give you more USB ports and easier access, or using a USB extension cord, which is sometimes included with the drives.
Accessing the drive
Since most thumb drives don’t need any special software to run, they therefore have no applications to load your data upon them. But that’s OK, as the standard Windows Explorer software is more than enough to do the job. You can locate this software in your Start>Programs group or by pressing the Windows key and the letter E at the same time.