PEN DRIVES

INTRODUCTION

USB flash drives or pen drive are NAND type flash memory data storage devices integrated with a USB (universal serial  bus).They are typically small, lightweight, removable and rewritable device. USB flash drives offer potential advantages over other portable storage devices.

HISTORY

Several companies claim to be the first to have invented the USB flash drive.Trek was the first company to sell a USB flash drives in early 2000 M-system (acquired by San disk in Nov. 2006) had been working on USB flash drive since 1998.

TECHNOLOGY

Flash memory is actually a combination of a number of older technology, the low cost, low power consumption and small size being made possible by recent advances in microprocessor technology. The memory storage is based on EPROM technology. It is accessed very much like hard disk drives.

COMPONENTS

1. USB connector
2. USB mass storage controller device
3. Test points
4. Flash memory chip
5. Crystal oscillator
6. LED
7. Write-protect switch
8. Space for second flash memory chip

 

SIZE AND STYLE OF PACKAGING

Flash drives come in various, sometimes bulky or novelty, shapes and sizes, in this case IKURA SUSHI. USB flash  drives have been integrated into other things such as a watch or a pen.

COMMON USES

• System administrator

• Computer repair

• Application carriers

• Boot operating system

• Personal data transport

• Audio player

• Music storing

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS

• Strengths :-Flash drives are nearly impervious to the scratches and dust. It is also relatively dense form of storage. Some flash can retain their memory after submerged in water.

• Weakness :-Like all flash memory devices, flash drives can sustain only a limited number of write and erase before failure.

COMPARISON TO OTHER PORTABLE MEMORY FORMS

• Flash storage devices are often compared   to other common, portable, swappable data storage devices, such as floppy disks, zip disks, miniCD, miniDVD, CD-R/CD-RW, and DVD-RW discs.

• CDs/DVDs are good way to record a great deal of information but not good for making small changes in record data.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Semiconductor corporations have worked to reduce the cost of the components in a flash drive.

CONCLUSION

• Pen drive is a better option now a days to transport/store large amount of useful data, files, important documents.It has fastest ever read/write speeds with other storage device.

• Pen drive also contain a functions of ente- -rtainment like MP3, FM radio etc.