| The pen drive or the USB drives are storage devices | | | | With the new model of pen drives it became possible |
| that store memory and it is coupled with universal | | | | to serially access memory storage together with the |
| serial bus connector. It is characterized by its small size, | | | | development of small and yet high speed (using low |
| featherweight and by its qualities of removable as well | | | | power) systems that became integrated in mini |
| as rewrite ability. | | | | compact systems. Many MP3 players can be used as |
| The pen drive has an edge over other storage tools - | | | | a pen drive. |
| in particular the floppy disk. These are more compact, | | | | Many claim to have been pioneers in the manufacture |
| swifter, have a bigger capacity to hold data and above | | | | of the first pen drives. Trek first marketed it in 2000. |
| all are more reliable because there are no mobile parts | | | | The next generation of flash or pen drives have USB |
| involved. The design too is durable. Usually computers | | | | 2.0 connectivity. |
| are packaged without floppy but pen drives are | | | | There is no limit to various shapes and sizes of pen |
| available at all PC and lap top outlets. The pen drive | | | | drives - one even looks like a delectable piece of sushi! |
| uses the USM mass storage standard and is | | | | Too much of designing however leads to bulkiness. |
| supported by the latest operating systems like | | | | Pen drives have been integrated with other items that |
| Windows, Mac, Linux and others. | | | | people carry or wear like - watches, pens and even a |
| The pen drive or flash drive consists of a small circuit | | | | pen-knife. Some even look like bricks and others like |
| board made of plastic or metal. Recently rubber | | | | toys. |
| casings are being used. This makes it convenient to | | | | Pen drives are being widely used and this raises the |
| carry around the pen drive in the pocket like a key | | | | point of security. For this biometrics and encryption are |
| chain. A cap protects it. It can be connected directly to | | | | becoming the norm. Pen drives are popular with those |
| the computer. | | | | who deal with system and network administration for |
| To get access to the stored data the pen drive has to | | | | configuration, system maintenance including trouble |
| be linked to the computer either by plugging it into a | | | | shooting and recovery. In the PC repair field the pen |
| built-in USB host controller or into a USB Hub. Pen drive | | | | drive has become indispensable. |
| becomes active only then - drawing its lifeline from the | | | | Pen drives are practically immune to scratches and |
| computer. | | | | dust problems. This makes them ideal for transferring |
| The pen drive is the product of combination and | | | | data from one location to another unit, like from home |
| integration of old technologies with new features like | | | | to office and vice versa. The object is almost |
| mini size, low cost and minimum power consumption. | | | | ubiquitous. It means it will work with any computer. The |
| The memory has its base on previous EPROM | | | | storage capacity is dense while on the other hand |
| expertise. The latest ones use state of the art | | | | power consumption is very low. No additional device is |
| technology. Contents can be erased electrically without | | | | required to read from and write on pen drives. Pen |
| the use of UV light and the erasing is total. But the later | | | | drives can even survive chewing attacks from puppies |
| models improved upon this and partial erasure became | | | | and submergence in the washing machine. It is |
| possible. It required a lot of support from the computer | | | | amazing how a small device can be of such great |
| so that it can be said that the latest pen drives are | | | | use! |
| miniature version of the microprocessor system. | | | | What more can be desired? |