USB flash drives are also called thumb drives, USB keys and, in Britain, pen drives. You can use them to quickly store and transport smaller amounts of data. They're especially handy for taking copies of files from your work computer to your home computer, for example, and they can be useful if you need to migrate data from an old computer to a new system. Flash drives are available in capacities from 1 GB up to 64 GB, but the most common sizes are 8 GB and 16 GB, which are generally the best value.

Reviewers say the following about shopping for a USB flash drive:

  • Decide how much storage you need. Capacity determines price, but prices for smaller sizes (generally from 1 to 16 GB) are often only a few dollars in difference. 32 GB and 64 GB drives are a lot more expensive.
  • If you plan to store sensitive information on the drive, look for password protection and data encryption. Military-grade technology and Internet backups might seem overkill for some, but useful for others. Some less expensive, general-purpose drives have a small utility that lets you create a hidden secure partition on the drive, as is the case with the Corsair Flash Voyager.
  • Decide if you need a more protective case. If you're rough on your drives, hauling them everywhere and continually dropping them into the bottoms of briefcases, choose a drive that's robust and can take the physical abuse. Some, like the Corsair Flash Voyager, have a water-resistant rubberized case. The SanDisk Cruzer Titanium is crushproof.
  • Retractable connector vs. a cap. A minority of reviewers like retractable connectors, since you don't need to worry about losing a cap. However, retractable designs still leave some of the connector exposed.
  • Consider U3 or similar technology if you want to run applications. If you don't plan to do this, get a regular drive. Many owners ultimately find the U3 software annoying, and for many drives, you have to have administrator access to control the drive's security features. U3 flash drives are PC only. U3 is scheduled to be replaced with StartKey, a more robust technology, in the not too distant future.
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