Flash Drives

Flash Drives are commonly used for storage of information from a computer. Here are a few examples of Flash memory:

• Your computer's BIOS chip
• Compact Flash (most often found in digital cameras)
• Smart Media (most often found in digital cameras)
• Memory Stick (most often found in digital cameras)
• PCMCIA Type I and Type II memory cards (used as solid-state disks in laptops)
• Memory cards for video game consoles

An increasingly popular type of Flash memory is the removable solid-state storage device. These memory cards can be inserted into your computer and then removed easily so you can take it with you. There are many reasons that Flash memory is becoming highly popular as compared to a hard disk.

First, it is a noiseless way to save information. It goes straight into the memory and does not need to be burned onto anything so it is silent when it stores data off your computer.

Second, a flash drive offers faster access. For example, on a computer the flash drive can be plugged in to an ISB port and instantly a window pops up on your screen. Items are ready for your viewing almost immediately.

Third, Flash memory is lightweight and easy to move around. Flash drives are small enough to fit in your pocket or on a keychain so they are a very convenient way to store information.