| The flash drive was born in 1998 at IBM, as a floppy | | | | and 64MB, they were marketed as the true floppy |
| drive replacement for the ThinkPad line of products. | | | | killer. |
| Almost all people know what a floppy drive and a | | | | If you are the athletic type, a runner or jogger, who |
| floppy disk is - but a larger percentage isn't quite sure | | | | likes to listen to the tunes during your workout you |
| about the flash drive. Technically, it is a "NAND-type | | | | want to look into a flash drive player. Even if you |
| flash memory data storage devices integrated with a | | | | have a hard drive player it is smart to own a flash |
| USB interface". It is fairly new to technology, yet | | | | drive player because you'll want to take it running or |
| many computer literate people enjoy its small size, | | | | jogging with you because the hard drive is bulkier |
| lightweight, removable and the fact that it's | | | | (hence "hard" drive) and weighs more. It will skip and |
| rewritable. Another huge advantage is its memory | | | | even break, where a flash drive is more comparable |
| capacity, ranging from 8 megabytes to 64 gigabytes | | | | to the old school walkman players in its durability. |
| - limited only by the densities of its current flash | | | | Next, most flash drive players come with neat little |
| memory. Unfortunately, as its capacity moves up, so | | | | additions like a stopwatch or voice recorder. At first |
| does the price. Almost all types of drive use the USB | | | | this may sound worthless or pointless to you, but |
| mass storage standard, supported by the modern | | | | sometimes a stopwatch can be handy while running |
| operating systems, and most flash drives are active | | | | and who hasn't had a great idea while exercising only |
| only when powdered by a USB computer connection. | | | | to have it escape during the cooling off process? A |
| They require no other external power source or | | | | flash drive player will give you more extras while |
| battery source. | | | | coming for a reduced price tag. |
| There are several advantages of the USB flash | | | | Another nice extra when buying a flash drive player |
| drives as compared to the other portable storage | | | | is you almost always have an FM tuner included, |
| devices, such as the floppy disks, Zip disks, and the | | | | meaning if you are tired of the music you |
| CD-R/CD-RW discs - with the floppy disc as the | | | | downloaded you can listen to your favorite local |
| most popular. The USB flash drive is much faster, | | | | station. Flash drive players give you this, along with |
| definitely holds more data, and is more reliable due to | | | | what was mentioned above, for a reduced price tag. |
| their lack of moving parts. They ignore the scratches | | | | Most flash drive players go for as little as $59 and as |
| and dust that plagues any earlier forms of portable | | | | much as $149 depending on the brand and the size. |
| storage, such as compact discs or floppy disks. Their | | | | Six percent of the internet usage in year 2000 U.S. |
| design means they often survive impacts, dropped, | | | | will jump to 62% in 2010, due to music downloading |
| crushed, and washed with a load of clothing. Because | | | | and the use of data compression, quickly transferring |
| of all of this, they are perfectly ideal for transporting | | | | music over the internet. Also, a corresponding rise of |
| personal data or work files from one place to | | | | portable digital audio players, and digital cameras |
| another. The user also wants to use them for | | | | became very popular due to their smaller sizes and |
| carrying around personal data that they can access in | | | | much reduced cost. |
| different places. Being available in 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, | | | | |