Flash Drives are Taking Over - Why should you use a flash drive?
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When looking at the options for transferring data, most users automatically go ahead and pick up a blank CD-R. Most users at the very least have a CD Recorder drive in their system. The good old CD-R lets users handle 650-700MB of data per disc. In cases where users need to back up more than 700MB, their best option is to record onto a DVD-R or DVD Dual Layer disc. These discs give them the option of recording 4.7GB of data or 8.5GB of data onto a single disc. It does require users to have a DVD recorder in their systems. And even then, once you record the data, can you erase the data and write to it like new again? Unless you're using special rewriteable discs, you cannot.
Very small in size, flash drives can easily be carried around in pockets, or attached to lanyards or key chains.
One of the major drawbacks to using recordable media is that they are prone to scratching. A scratched disc cannot be played in the computer, it will simply give an error every time you try to copy data off of it. This is a potential disaster if the user has erased their system, or had no other means to back up the data. Along with scratches, another problem with CDs is transporting them. You need cases to help prevent scratches, which brings the size issue into consideration. Sliding a CD into your pocket is hard enough; protecting it with a case is even more of an inconvenience.
Transferring data using a flash drive gives you certain advantages. The drives themselves are incredibly small, a little bit larger than your keys. So flash drives can be transported many ways: you can slip one easily into your pocket, on your key chain, or around your neck using a lanyard (which a lot of drives come with). Some companies have even integrated flash drives into common devices such as watches, pens and Swiss Army knifes.
Besides being small, flash drives come in a wide assortment of capacities. Drives get as small as 16MB and at the time of this review have peaked at 8GB. Even with that much storage, they still remain the size of a small key chain.
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