Flash memory data storage devices of portable usb drives are the modern replacement of the floppy disks. With a high storage capacity, small and lightweight, portable USB drives make possible the the transport and transfer of videos, movies, documents or photos between PCs rapidly and efficiently. The advantages of portable USB drives are superior to the rest of portable storage devices and here we point to floppy discs and compact discs (CDs) too. Flash cards are compatible with all computer operating systems such as Mac OS X, Linux and Windows. Technically, they consist of a small printed circuit board that has a metal, rubber or plastic cover for protection.

Portable USB drives represent a technological combination that led to the design for advantageous data storage environments while achieving a low power consume and maintaining costs low. The usage range of the standard flash memory microprocessor cover a huge number of modern accessories that we depend on, from GPS devices and iPods to MP3 players and digital cameras. Moreover, portable USB drives have become basic tools in the equipment of network administrators that can load them with software for troubleshooting, recovery and maintenance. Such an options is a lot more rewarding than carrying around a pack of CDs with drives.

Presently, the very comprehensive storage space available with portable USB drivers gives one the chance to also have installers for updating and system re-installation available within immediate reach. Then, the recovery and anti-virus software transfer to infected PCs is also possible, allowing for a partial archiving of data on the host machine. Computer forensics and criminal justice also rely on the use of portable USB drives for a wide number of situations. This was possible through a Microsoft application designed to extract digital evidence.

usb 2.0 portable hard drives make a cheap data carrier solution, and the average user already considers such a device a piece of highly efficient hardware. The drive could also turn into a backup medium for point-of-sale systems, but additional technology may be required for the purpose. Reliability and resistance, these are two other inherent features of portable USB drives that we should mention before concluding. Pretty different from hard drives, memory flash drives are not fragile and use very little power. The only inconvenience may be the possibility to misplace, lose or leave the drive behind due to its very small size.