USB Flash Drives by any other name…
As many of you probably know, USB flash drives are small, portable flash memory storage data devices integrated with a USB interface (USB stands for Universal Serial Bus, in case you were wondering).
Oftentimes, you’ll hear the following names used to refer to a USB flash drive, but should they be?
- USB drive
- Flash drive
- Thumb drive
- Jump drive
- Pen drive
- Key drive
- Memory stick
Technically you shouldn’t use ‘thumb drive’ or ‘jump drive’, unless you’re referring to a “ThumbDrive” (branded by Trek Technology) or a “JumpDrive” (branded by Lexar). 1
Although the phrase ‘memory stick’ could be used to describe a USB flash drive, ‘memory sticks’ sold in stores are not actually USB flash drives (they do not have the USB interface).2
How ‘key drive’ and ‘pen drive’ were coined has been difficult to track down (any insights would be greatly appreciated!)–what I could find about ‘key drives’–the term may have been derived from the brand name “DiskonKey” (M-Systems) or “USB Memory Key” (IBM).
Read on:
http://www.usb-drive-oem.com/history-of-usb-flash-drive.html
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/hardware/articles/64232.aspx
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i need a new one!