Moving data
Moving data from computer to computer can be quite a daunting prospect. You could copy what you want to CD or DVD and wait a while for it to burn to those disk, you could copy it to 3.5inch floppy (which these days many people don’t have to either copy to or copy from) or you could copy it to a USB enabled flash drive.
For the last few years, small flash drives which are no bigger than a pack of chewing gum have become an essential way for people to move their data from one computer to another. They provide a great way to show photos at a family gathering or share other important files with others without the need to complicate the process of saving data for sharing.
A few years back, 128MB was considered quite a powerful flash drive, these days with the advances of technology, its 1GB that you should be getting. And it’s no ordinary flash drive you should consider. The way to go it to make sure it is U3 enabled.
U3 is new technology that has been adopted by many flash drive manufacturers including Kingston Technology and Verbatim.
Through U3, people can take data on the move and even more clever that standard flash drives is that U3 technology allows users to sync files between their computer and the flash drive.
It means that when you are on the move you can connect the flash drive to any PC and that PC will then show your personal setting and files. As soon as you remove you flash drive, that PC will no longer have your data. Ideal for those who are on the move.
Even better of course is that you take your personal setting of software and its applications with you. For example, if you have a Skype account for making phonecalls, then by putting Skype onto your flash drive, whenever you are on a computer you just insert your flash drive and your Skype settings are exactly the same as you home or office computer. All your history is stored.
The technology built-in to U3 also means that you can set up password protection to stop unautorised access to data on the flash drive.
For a 1GB drive, expect to pay around £50.
Both Kingston Technology and Verbatim offer 1GB devices.
Kingston’s U3 Datatraveler is ultra-slim and very stylish. It offers everything you expect from a flash drive and comes with a five year warranty.
Verbatim is slightly larger that Kingston and comes with McAfee anti-virus which means everything is auotmatically scanned before its is stored on your flash drive.
Of course, regardless of what software comes with the flash drive, you can install almost anything you want and that includes other virus checkers. There’s also a version of the Firefox web browser available that can be installed on the device and whenever you use it all the setting are stored.
If you are looking for a flash drive for home or office, then make sure it is U3 enabled as over time you will certainly be able to do much more than standard flash drives.
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