Example. I admit it, I always buy myself cool gadgets with some of the $ I get for Christmas and last year I decided I could really use a USB Drive. I work with computers and do a little development work as well as one-off PC support type stuff and always found it a hassle to have to e-mail files back and forth (too large for 3.5 too small to waste a CD) or to download utilities and such off the web every time I visited a machine. I ended up purchasing a 256M drive and have used it almost daily since I got it. I chose one to use as my key chain, which is useful as it is with me wherever I go (and I no longer loose my keys!). If anyone knows a gadget/computer aficionado and doesn’t yet have a Christmas gift for them I think these are a great idea. Other dopers please share you opinions!
I do software sales, so I am constantly doing demos at customer sites. It is a pain to get my laptop configured to work on the customers network every time, so I carry all my powerpoint presentations and documentation on my flash drive (128M) and just plug it in to the customers machine.
I can’t calculate the ammount of time and headaches that little thing has saved.
I even sell the things for the company - I tell everyone to get one for backing up their databases at night. Its on a keychain so it goes everywhere you do. I ought to get commision.
I can’t believe these aren’t more popular than they are. I have one and love it. Makes moving files anywhere a breeze.
Wish I knew why no one is talking about them.
I love mine too! In my case, I go back and forth between Macs and PCs a lot, and it’s just fabulous - no worries about incompatible disk formats or the like. And I keep mine on my keychain as well, so I don’t have to worry about forgetting it at the office.
I love them too. In fact you can find great deals on 64M ones ($10-$15 with rebates), so it’s a cool present for the unitiated.
However, a hot removal on our Win98 systems will crash them. The WinXP system has a control panel utility to disable it in the OS before removal from the slot.
I use mine all the time too. Very convenient to not have to email a file to myself when I need to work away from my computer.
My only issue is in the computer labs where they disable right clicking in the taskbar. This means I can’t remove the stick from the USB port without risking losing some files. Made me lose an excel file completely once.
I love mine too! I use it to bring files back and forth to school and work. I picked up one of the 128MB ones also. It’s the coolest gadget I ever bought for myself. I love the looks when I pull it out of my pocket and stick into the port on my computer. “ what’s that??”
Incidentally, if you happen to leave it in your pocket, and your wife does laundry and she doesn’t empty pockets… as long as it doesn’t go through the dryer, it will still work fine.
I have three Tdrives and they are useful. I’m waiting for a 1 gig thumb drive unit to fall enough in price I can justify using it for transporting CD programs
Here it is the USB watch in the US for $ 100.00 dollars
what’s that??” 
