usb flash drives...

[maimie]

is this what i want?  :003:

[SMEE]

Depends on what your needs are.....if its for getting back and fore to the shops...then its not much use.......if its for storing word documents, spreadsheets, sound files or whatever, they are the bizz :021: Ad go for at least a 2 GB one

[Heilandee]

USB flash what?

[maimie]

USB flash what?

:crazy07:

[maimie]

does it just work like a hard drive or something where you can continually update what's on it?  i mean it's not like a cd where you can only store stuff and not expand it if you know what i mean?

not sure if i'm making sense to you but i am to me.... :003:

[SMEE]

Yeah maime, its just like a mini hard drive. you can delete individual files u no longer need. They are handy lil devices as they are compatible with any machines (that have a usb slot, which is about 99.999999999% of machines I know of) and so its easy to transfer files from one computer to another :021:

[maimie]

thank you smee!  glad someone understands me....

now - where and how much?

[SMEE]

Currys.....Dixons (Currys Digital) PC World (biggest choice!),  and think tescos prolly do them. For 1 Gb you can get from 6-8 pound. Personally ad go for 2GB which wil prob be between 9-12 quidage.

[maimie]

Currys.....Dixons (Currys Digital) PC World (biggest choice!),  and think tescos prolly do them. For 1 Gb you can get from 6-8 pound. Personally ad go for 2GB which wil prob be between 9-12 quidage.

choice???  oh dear...  :010:  have you not read my mobile phone threads...  :001:

[+CaleyD]

All depends what you want to be able to do.......

You get portable USB drives that also double up as MP3/4 players, FM Radios and Dictaphones.  The come in all kinds of sizes and depending on the number and type/size of files your looking to make portable then you may need anything from 512MB upwards.

You can also get ones with expandable memory that take memory cards (handy for transferring things from someone's phone/digital camera)

You may not even need a seperate USB Drive as most mobile phones these days can do the same job with the addition of a usb lead and a suitable memory card.

[maimie]

i guess what it's for in the first instance is really carting things about from one pc to another.  i have supp club stuff on the one at w*rk i can't access at home and vice versa..  then i have trust stuff i might want to access at different times too..

now mp3 players - i was looking at them at the weekend but i reckon that's another thread in itself!  :001:

[clacher_holiday2]

Check online maimie, ebays the best place for deals on flash drives (for anything really).  In the past year I've picked up a few 2gig ones for about ?7 each, the lifespan on them should be about 6 months though I'm still using the very first one I bought and havent had any problems with the others.

You should check out portableapps.com once you have one, some cracking software on there including portable versions of office, firefox, file sharing programs etc.  You'll get good advice on their forum on the latest deals on the go too.

[maimie]

cheers CH

but ebay's a really scary place..... :crazy07:

[SMEE]

Check online maimie, ebays the best place for deals on flash drives (for anything really). 

Absolute myth that! It used to be the case a few years back..... but certainly not now. For example, i saved ?9 on star wars trilogy just last week  by going elsewhere! Granted, there are deals to be had on ebay, but its not a given!

[Scotty]

Maimie ...

Given the low cost of USB flash drives, I would just go into somewhere like PC World and buy a cheap 2 or 4 gig one. I would probably grab a better known name like PNY or Sandisk (2Gb = 12.99 / 4Gb = 18.99 / 8Gb = 40.00) as the price difference is quite small compared to "no-name" brands.

If you are considering an MP3 player soon, then you probably dont need anything beyond 4Gb as most MP3 players can perform a dual function as a music/video player and portable drive so you could easily store all your songs, photos, films, or documents on the MP3 player and just use the flash drive for what you need that day.

Just for an example .....

I have a 4Gb flash drive and can use it as a portable web server for testing this site, as well as holding a bootable copy of Linux, a password reminder program (RoboForm), tons of documents and right now a couple of AVIs of TV programs to watch in my lunch hour ! Even with all that on it, its still only half full.

My MP3 player has more than 4000 photos, loads of E-Books, half a dozen full length films, and thousands of music tracks. I routinely move stuff between my Home PC, Laptop, MP3 player, Flash Drive, and even my phone just by hooking them up to the USB port of each machine ... I am confident that even "Technophobe Maimie" could do this !!!

[+Wanderer]

Virus check it regularly...especially if you are using it with 'unknown' computers ! They are the digital equivalent of herpes!  :crazy07: 

[Hamish]

I've got a 4GB one which is very nearly full. Although I do store nearly all my files on it. When I'm in the US in April I'm going to get a 32GB one!  :021:

[Scarlet Pimple]

Can you use a USB to back up your computer  and , if so, can you update it from time to time  so that it alwqays reflects your hard drive content?

:023: SP

[Hamish]

Yes, if you've got a big enough one. But they are quite small and can be lost relatively easily!

[Hamish]

That reads a bit counter-intuitive! By a 'big enough one' I obviously mean memory and by 'small' I mean physical size.

[Scarlet Pimple]

Thank you Hamish. Just pipped Scotty to the post no doubt.

I will be sure to get a big one and I'll put it in a drawer to make sure I don't lose it. :016:

[Scarlet Pimple]

Hamish

Er.. I was just wondering...how do you update it--do you just put it in and wiggle it about like?

Or Do you put it in and press some buttons .

SP :004:

Seriously .. :003:...I would like a detailed answer.

[Hamish]

Hamish

Er.. I was just wondering...how do you update it--do you just put it in and wiggle it about like?

Or Do you put it in and press some buttons .

SP :004:

Seriously .. :003:...I would like a detailed answer.

You just move fils about within Windows Explorer as you would between any drives. Drag and drop. Very simple, even my mum can manage it  :001:

[+L_G]

I thought that Maimie would have been along with an update.  After much research and investigation, several trips to the shops to view the options, she has finally made her purchase ............................................

SHE BOUGHT A PINK ONE.  :015:

[Heilandee]

I thought that Maimie would have been along with an update.  After much research and investigation, several trips to the shops to view the options, she has finally made her purchase ............................................

SHE BOUGHT A PINK ONE.  :015:

:015: Good to hear she's getting a handle on the technical aspects at last.