Okay I’m not a geek (I don’t think, anyways), but I love me some crazy gadgets. They make life just a little more fun. And who among us couldn’t use a little more fun in their lives?

Fun With USB Flash Drives

The possibilities of shapes for the USB flash drives themselves are as limitless as your imagination (which, I realize, isn’t saying much for some people). The designers of these little wonders can create almost anything you can dream up. There is in fact a web site that deals in all things USB accessory related (including the designs of the USB’s and hubs themselves). Want to know what kinds of goofy accessories you can get with USB drives? Here goes: a personal face tanning ‘booth’; lighted, erasable note pad; foot and hand warmers; a flower pot that is actually a speaker; a USB hamburger or hot dog (complete with condiments); a rice omelet; sushi (several choices); bacon and eggs; breaded shrimp; and even a USB finger dance mat to keep those fingers up to the task of dancing all over the keyboard. And then there’s always the toaster USB and hub. One ‘toaster’ shaped hub with 4 ‘pieces of toast’ (USB’s) stuck in the top.

They’ll Put Anything On a Stick These Days, But…..

Windows? On a stick? Come on now. Alas, it’s true. The new Windows 8 can be found on a stick—albeit a USB stick. They have ingeniously decided to name it “Windows To Go”. It will run on most PC’s (Windows claims any one; even ancient brands and models) and has about 32GB on it. Availability and price however, remain to be seen. It’s only been displayed as a demo. Windows also claims that it will be comparable to taking your entire desk on the go right along with you wherever you go.

The downside of carrying your whole desk around (figuratively) is that if we can lose our phones, our wallets/purses, keys and more—what’s to stop us from laying down that little ‘stick’ and someone else picking it up? Can you say “hacker’s dream come true”?

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Used to be that when you thought about promo gifts you thought pens, pencils, magnets, post it pads, regular note pads, key chains, etc. Well jump into the millennium buddy…USB flash drives are the new free promo gifts!

How Much Will This Set Me Back?

Even small businesses can afford to give away USB’s as promo gifts with their logo and info printed on the outside. At 1 GB of memory, these little gems can be picked up for somewhere in the ball field of $3.50 each when purchased in bulk—which is of course how you will be buying them for promotional purposes. What you have printed on the outside, what materials need to be used to make your custom shape and whether or not you want more memory on them will alter the price. The really good news is that if you want a very specific, unique shape that designers can create almost anything your imagination can conceive of. Again, however, it will alter the price. Some shapes that I’ve noticed are as follows: a flip-flop, the Eifel Tower, poker (casino) chip, shark, snowman, car, turtle, Statue of Liberty, and fire extinguisher. Loony Toons characters are also available. Print options are Epoxy Dome printing, embossing or stamping, engraving by laser, 4-color, or silkscreen.

What Are The Latest USB Gadgets?

If you love gadgets and you love USB’s you’ll love some of the crazy gadgets you can get that combine both. There’s the paper shredder (USB driven); a heated rest cushion for your wrists (placed at the base of your keyboard); ‘erasable’ memo pad (you have to see it); an air purifier and—you’ll never believe it—the USB tanner. You plug this baby in and refresh your summer tan (at least on your face). Now for even more gadgets we turn to the USB ‘Toaster’ hub. The ‘Toaster Hub and Toast USB Drives’ is a real hoot! The actual hub is shaped like a toaster and the little USB flash drives (4) are shaped like pieces of toast (bread). The drives are inserted into the top of the toaster; just like the real thing.

That’s more fun than any one person should be allowed to have at the office.

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Does your child have a birthday coming up?  If so, you are probably searching at the mall for the latest toys and clothing for your child.  Parents like to spoil their children.  You are not the only one.  While you are at it, make sure to purchase a USB flash drive for your child.  This inexpensive tool is essential for every child.

School Work

The USB drive is actually a preferred school supply among many teachers.  Today, it is very common for children to spend a good amount of time on the computer.  Since these computers are public, your child will need an alternative option to save his or her files.  The USB drive makes it easy for your child to save files.  This way they can finish working on them at home.

Child Friendly

Furthermore, the USB drive is very child friendly.  It is the perfect size for your child’s backpack.  You don’t have to worry about it taking up space.  It also holds up to abuse from other options – unlike the CDs and DVDs of the past.  The only downside is that it is easy to misplace or lose the drive because it is so compact.  For this reason, many parents suggest finding a place in the backpack for this tool.  Most of the time a pocket will work great!

File Their Work

Finally, the USB drive will also help you save your child’s computer work.  You can have a separate drive for each child.  This way you will always have a record of their work and progress on the computer.  Many times, the computer work is as meaningful as the typical child drawing.  Therefore, it is important to have a place to save these files.

Invest in a USB drive today.  They are inexpensive and important for every growing child.

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Several years ago, you had one option for most of your shopping needs.  There was one grocery store, one dry cleaners, one clothing store, and one restaurant.  This low maintenance world made life simple.  However, there was little competition to entice you to buy.  Today, you can get your goods just about anywhere.  If you are looking for the best USB flash drive, here are some places to check out.

Walmart

First, stop by the low-cost leader.  Walmart has just about anything.  You can count on them to have the flash drive you are looking for.  The downside of Walmart is that it is usually cluttered.  Plus, they have less selection.  Since they do not specialize in USB drives, their selection may be limited.  If you are not worried about selection, this option will serve you well.  You will find something you need that works with your budget.

The Internet

If you have the time to wait for your USB drive, you might want to look on the internet.  You can usually find the best deals online.  Sites like amazon.com have unlimited options that will allow you to find exactly what you are looking for.  The downside of this option is that shipping charges will be expensive if you need your drive quickly.  If you have time to spare, you will be able to get what you need with minimal effort.

Best Buy

Finally, when all else fails, you can always head to Best Buy.  This electronics superstore has anything and everything you might need when it comes to technology.  They will have a better variety than your local Walmart.  However, you might pay a little bit more at Best Buy.  If you need something specific and you are on a time constraint, this is probably the best option.  Find one close buy.  You can even call ahead of time to make sure they have the drive you are looking for.

USB drives are not hard to find.  Many people use these drives daily.  When they fill up one, they invest in a new one.  You can too.  Visit the store of your choice and purchase the USB flash drive that you prefer.

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When it comes to technology, there are certain items that are considered essential.  The rest of the stuff is merely exciting and cool.  Those on a budget have to prioritize their technology needs.  Usually, they choose essential pieces first.  One of the most essential items you can invest in today is a USB drive.  Here are the reasons why.

Durability

One of the top reasons to purchase a USB drive is because it is durable.  Many people often save their files on CDs or DVDs.  This is a decent option.  However, it is easy to damage a CD or DVD.  If you do damage it, you run the risk of damaging the files on the disk at the same time.  Fortunately, there is a more durable option for file saving.  The USB flash drive is this option.  It is easy to store and transport files with this device.  And you won’t risk damaging them during the transport.

Space

Furthermore, the USB drive is one of the largest places to store your files.  In fact, there are some USB drives that have more storage than the standard computer.  If your computer is old or lacks space, you might want to start saving your data on a USB drive.  You can purchase a drive with over 100 GB of space.  You will have a difficult time filling this drive.  However, if you have a lot of music or video files, you might fill it sooner than expected.

Travel

Finally, many people travel and work.  Usually they carry laptops.  However, some people go from office to office.  If you are one of these individuals, a USB drive will come in handy.  You can store your presentation on this drive.  You can also store videos, printed materials and more.  This way you have everything you need in a small compact device.  It makes traveling easy.

In addition to durability, space, and travel, there are several other reasons why it makes sense to carry a USB flash drive.  Invest in one today.  They are very affordable and worth every penny you will spend on them.

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The first step to using a new USB drive is to use the disk that came with your USB drive and install the drivers on your computer. Drivers are important because, it will enable your computer to see your flash drive and allow you to start using it; most computers will able to find the flash drive automatically but some won’t so it’s always a good idea to install the drivers first.

What To Do If You Don’t Have The Drivers Disk

If you were given a free flash drive and you don’t have a disk for it that contains drivers, you can easily download those drivers from the internet; all you have to do is use your favorite search engine to look up the make and model of that flash drive then download the drivers that you need.

USB Drive Security

With any USB drive make sure that you password protect it because, USB drives are always easy to steal and anyone can get their hands on your USB drive then swipe the data from it. Your USB drive password should not include your name, address or birth date, it should be a password that nobody would guess and include at least one capital letter, number and other character like an asterisk.

Take It With You Wherever You Go

During the process of buying a USB drive make sure that you purchase a model that comes with a keychain hook so you can take it with you wherever you go because, there’s nothing easier than being able to take your USB drive with you on your keychain and have it with you when you need it the most.

Thanks to USB drives our lives are a lot easier, we have the ability to save files, games and even whole operating systems; you should integrate your USB drive into your daily workflow and make it a part of your everyday life.

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In today’s world almost everyone uses a USB flash drive and the sad thing is that the average person isn’t protecting their flash drive from someone who could steal it and gain access to their data. What’s the solution to this problem? It’s password protection and what the average USB drive owner doesn’t know is that password protecting their USB drive is a lot easier than they think.

Every USB Drive Is Different

The first step to password protecting your USB flash drive is to follow the manufacturers instructions that come with your flash drive, most flash drives will have a tools option that will enable you to easily create a password. If you don’t have a tools option on your flash drive you should have some type of menu that will allow you to edit or change the security features that your flash drive currently offers.

How To Create The Perfect Password

The key to success with password protecting a USB flash drive is to use a password that’s not easy for anyone to guess, including your friends and family members. Your password should also include one capital letter, exclamation points and other characters that will make it hard for anyone to guess, just make sure that you write your passwords down someone and put them in a safe place just so you can easily have access to them if you need them later.

USB Drive Age

Since USB storage is so affordable in today’s world it doesn’t make sense to hang onto old USB drives because, for $30 dollars or less you can buy a USB flash drive that has all of the storage capacity that you need for business or personal use. You should upgrade to a new USB drive every two years because, it’s the best way to consolidate all of your files onto one drive, save space and money.

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If you use USB drives regularly the biggest asset you could ever invest in is an un-delete program for your computer because, with USB drives it’s easy to want to delete files to save space on the USB drive but the reality is that once you delete a file from your USB drive and it’s been written over, you will no longer be able to recover that file.

How To Use An Undelete Program Effectively

If you are ever in the position where you’ve accidently deleted a file on your USB drive, follow these steps:

• Stop using your USB drive ASAP.
• Don’t restart your computer.
• Don’t save any new files to the drive.
• Use your un-delete program and if that doesn’t work contact a computer backup professional for help with recovering the files.

Promotional USB Drives vs. Paid

At the end of the day we are all looking at how much money we’re spending and with computer stuff the costs can add up, especially when you’re faced with buying a new USB promotional drive. What’s the solution to the problem? Use a promotional USB drive. Most free USB promotional drives in todays world come with the same storage capabilities as paid ones do and you can easily save yourself $100 or more by using a free USB drive vs. a paid USB drive.

USB Drive Promotional Marketing

If you’re a business owner and are searching for the best way to promote your business, you should consider giving away free USB promotional drives to your clients because, just about everyone in today’s world has a need to backup files from their computers.

USB promotional drives are very inexpensive and can be purchased online plus shipped almost anywhere in the world for pennies on the dollar. If you need a hot promotional item to market your business there isn’t anything better than USB drives.

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Most of us end up with more flash drives than we need. These things make great promotional items and are inexpensive enough that companies can afford to give them away for free. Even so, some people still don’t quite get it when it comes to USB’s. If they do actually get it they may still have some questions regarding USB flash drives.

Security Issues and Customization

Here we go–Q: Is it possible to steal a password with a USB? A: The person, not the USB, actually steals the password. The USB does however make it possible. Q: Is it possible to protect info on a USB from being deleted? A: Yes. Make the files ‘read only’; or generate a CD partition on the flash drive. This does not mean someone can’t copy it, but you won’t delete it either. Q: Is it possible for a flash drive to contract a virus? A: Not only is that possible but it is highly likely that most of us have literally infected our computers through the utilization of some drive or another. What about those cool little customized USB’s? Q: How much do those usually cost? A: Prices keep dropping on these things so you can usually pick them up pretty cheap. Of course it also depends on 1) design complexity, 2) print process or materials used, and 3) available storage. A 1 GB drive should be able to be picked up for around $3.50/a piece when purchased in bulk. And designers can make your little custom USB’s in almost any shape you can imagine.

Troubleshooting

Q: Oops…I deleted info from my USB accidently. Can I retrieve it? A: Yes. It’s still in there somewhere. There are purchasable or free online softwares for retrieval (data recovery). It’s not 100% for sure that you’ll get all your stuff back but it’s the only option other than having a professional service doing it—even then there’s no 100% guarantee.

You can also find a plethora of info on USB’s online through your favorite search engine.

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