All across the globe people are opting for technology that they could take along with them anywhere and everywhere. The trend even suggests that the more compact a device is, the better. Take a look at laptops and cellular phones, for example. Is it just me or are they getting smaller and smaller each time? Nowadays, some people even find laptops to be too bulky for their liking. As a new and improved take on the floppy disc, the USB flash drive was developed. For those of you who don't know what a USB Flash Drive is yet, it is commonly defined as a compact and portable hard drive that is convenient and universal. They can easily be kept in your pocket and even directly worn on your body for ultimate storage. I am no expert, but it seems to me that it is fast becoming a digital necessity of our age.



The most compact USB Flash Drive I've encountered is the Sony Micro Vault Tiny 1GB. It's actually the same size, or maybe even slightly bigger than a USB port connector. I can't see how portable USB drives can get any smaller than this. The only way these little buggers can be smaller is if a port connector has a micro chip for its head, but that will be the day. Sony has, once again, proved how great things can come in small packages. The Sony Micro Vault Tiny 2.0 device is also available in other storage capabilities depicted by a variety of colors, ranging from as high as 2GB that can save up to 5 hours of video and around 500 songs in MP3 format, and as low as 256MB. But I suggest you keep it somewhere you won't easily forget because small items tend to get lost easily. You can get your very own Sony Micro Vault Tiny at www.superwarehouse.com and get it at a special discounted price of only $59.99.

When considering to purchase a USB Flash Drive, you would need to check its specs and compare it with what you are actually looking for in a data storage device. There are countless of brands and capacities to choose from and it can get quite intimidating at times. I personally believe that the existing Lexar line of current flash drives is exceptionally noteworthy. Despite the recent recall done to one of its products, Lexar remains reliable in providing its customers high quality and top performance. In terms of speed, the Lexar JumpDrive Lightning 1GB is at the top of the list. Its chrome cover and body makes it look sleek and sophisticated. I just bought one for my best friend recently and he told me he was quite satisfied with the product. It has 22MB per second read and 15MB per second write capabilities, which I think isn't too shabby for such a small thing. It can also protect date and keep files in sync with its innate software. It retails for as much as $79.99 but over at www.compuplus.com, it only costs $47.50.

There are quite a lot of USB Flash Drives out there having unlikely shapes and characteristics. Multi-functional flash drives seem to get the most attention because they don't only serve as portable memory storage devices, they also come in a variety of hybrid features. Examples of flash drives that combine data storage with functionality are mp3 players, digital cameras, key chains, writing pens, and other company promotional items. I even saw a couple that could be worn as earrings! A hot new item in Flash Drive wearables is the Imation Flash Wristband 256MB. Only released early this year, this stylish and durable flash drive combines portable memory storage that could also be worn as a wristband. Homework, reports, pictures, music, and other data are protected due to its flexible rubber material. It is carefully designed to fit your wrist conveniently and doubles as hard drive with one swift unplugging motion. For an unbelievably low price of $19.09, you can order it online through Colamco, Inc.

Start synching those laptops and desktops with the variety of USB Flash Drives available in the market today. It's time to get rid of those floppy discs and trade them all in for a smaller, more efficient solution to data storage.