# Thumb drive manufacturers - Would it kill you to include a \*\*\*\*ing lanyard? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 8, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640 "2008-07-08T02:22:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/1 "2008-07-08T02:22:56Z")
A tiny little rant. I’m tired of paying $40 to $80 for high capacity thumb drives, and then have to go scratch up a damned little nylon lanyard. The drive has little hook for a lanyard, but no lanyard! A few years ago they used to have them on all thumb drives, but no more! Lanyards are good to have, and keep the drive from getting lost too easily. A lanyard might cost, what… 25 cents at most in quantity, yet apparently they are just too damned expensive to include. I’ve had to go buy small broken film cameras in Goodwill just to get the lanyard off it for a thumb drive. Do people really not use lanyards with thumb drives? Is my lanyard fetish out of the mainstream? Give me a damn lanyard you cheap, miserable bastards! ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/2 "2008-07-08T02:27:46Z")
What you do with lanyards is your own business. Freak. Can’t say I’ve really been bothered by the lack of them, to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/3 "2008-07-08T02:34:26Z")
[QUOTE=astro] Do people really not use lanyards with thumb drives? Is my lanyard fetish out of the mainstream? [/QUOTE] When I need a thumb drive, it goes on my key ring. Oddly enough, my key ring has a lanyard attached to it. Mostly to make finding my keys easier amidst a mess. And because the lanyard looks damn cute hanging out of my pocket. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/4 "2008-07-08T02:36:43Z")
I just have a little case for mine. It goes in my purse so I’ve got a thumb drive whenever and wherever I need one. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/5 "2008-07-08T02:37:28Z")
I wear a lanyard at work with my ID. Guess what’s attached to it? ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/6 "2008-07-08T03:53:31Z")
How many thumb drives do you go through that you need to pirate lanyards from old digital cameras? The first thing I do with a new thumb drive is throw away the lanyard. Then I put the drive in my pocket. I’ve never lost or broken a single one. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/7 "2008-07-08T04:00:16Z")
[QUOTE=Rhubarb] How many thumb drives do you go through that you need to pirate lanyards from old digital cameras? The first thing I do with a new thumb drive is throw away the lanyard. Then I put the drive in my pocket. I’ve never lost or broken a single one. [/QUOTE] You get lanyards with yours? You lucky, lucky man! Which manufacturer includes a lanyard? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/8 "2008-07-08T04:07:17Z")
[Here, go nuts](http://cgi.ebay.com/10-New-Black-Cell-Phone-Lanyard-MP3-IPOD-Flash-Drive_W0QQitemZ230171937149QQihZ013QQcategoryZ20336QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/9 "2008-07-08T04:12:32Z")
[QUOTE=astro] You get lanyards with yours? You lucky, lucky man! Which manufacturer includes a lanyard? [/QUOTE] The last 2 gig drive I bought from PNY had a lanyard. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/10 "2008-07-08T04:20:58Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] [Here, go nuts](http://cgi.ebay.com/10-New-Black-Cell-Phone-Lanyard-MP3-IPOD-Flash-Drive_W0QQitemZ230171937149QQihZ013QQcategoryZ20336QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247). [/QUOTE] Where exactly do you attach a lanyard to an iPod? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/11 "2008-07-08T04:46:56Z")
I love my lanyard, otherwise I would have long since lost my thumb drive. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/12 "2008-07-08T04:50:15Z")
[QUOTE=atomicbadgerrace] When I need a thumb drive, it goes on my key ring. Oddly enough, my key ring has a lanyard attached to it. Mostly to make finding my keys easier amidst a mess. And because the lanyard looks damn cute hanging out of my pocket. [/QUOTE] [d&dnerd]That would equate to a +2 bonus to Thievery attempts to get the thumb drive.[/d&dnerd] ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/13 "2008-07-08T04:53:56Z")
Deleted duplicate. ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/14 "2008-07-08T04:54:06Z")
[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF] Where exactly do you attach a lanyard to an iPod? :dubious: [/QUOTE] Ummm, through its iHole? ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/15 "2008-07-08T06:01:23Z")
Pfft, I got myself one of [this](http://www.sony.net/Products/Media/Microvault/products/usm-h/index.html) , and while it does have a little pouch with a lanyard, usually I just put the lil cute thing straight into my wallet. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/16 "2008-07-08T06:31:14Z")
The drive manufacturers probably got tired of hearing people complain about how the lanyard attached to the cap, and the drive fell out of the cap and got lost. Yeah, there were some pretty stupid designs… ---
**Author:** ![GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f1d935/32.png) [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/17 "2008-07-08T09:08:49Z")
Corsair includes a lanyard with their Flash voyager line. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/18 "2008-07-08T09:43:38Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] Pfft, I got myself one of [this](http://www.sony.net/Products/Media/Microvault/products/usm-h/index.html) , and while it does have a little pouch with a lanyard, usually I just put the lil cute thing straight into my wallet. [/QUOTE] Warning I never thought I’d see on a data storage product: > [@](#): > > Keep away from children. If swallowed, promptly see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/19 "2008-07-08T10:45:39Z")
I have one of [these](http://www.sandisk.com/Products/ProductInfo.aspx?ID=2576). It’s an SD card that folds in half to reveal a USB connector. It does not have a lanyard. It rides around in my camera, which does have a lanyard. I keep the camera in a pouch, which has a belt loop instead of a lanyard. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640/20 "2008-07-08T11:02:23Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] I have one of [these](http://www.sandisk.com/Products/ProductInfo.aspx?ID=2576). It’s an SD card that folds in half to reveal a USB connector. It does not have a lanyard. It rides around in my camera, which does have a lanyard. I keep the camera in a pouch, which has a belt loop instead of a lanyard. [/QUOTE] Huh? How do you fold a USB connector out of something as thin as an SD card? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thumb-drive-manufacturers-would-it-kill-you-to-include-a-ing-lanyard/455640.md?page=2)