Why USB Drives?

I can think of quite a few reasons to use USB drives over other media such as CDs and DVDs:

USB drives are easy to use. Like a CD or DVD, getting data off a thumb drive is not much harder than flipping a light switch. Pop it into an open port, double-click the removable drive’s icon and the files are right there.

USB drives are faster. Writing data to a flash drive is usually much faster than burning a CD or DVD. As a result you spend less time copying files.

Giving a USB drive can make a positive impression. People have probably been handed dozens of CDs are DVDs because those discs are cheap. But if you hand someone a USB drive and tell them to keep it, you are more likely to make a good impression.

USB drives are re-writable. Unlike in the case of a CD or DVD, where the customer/client may copy the files and throw out the disc, there is a high likelihood that they will either keep and re-use your USB drive, or at least pass it on to someone else. Which brings me to my next point…

Take advantage of branded USB drives

Handing out a USB drive is like giving a little present. The recipient of your USB drive is very likely to either re-use it or pass it on to a colleague, friend or family member. Turn this situation into a word-of-mouth marketing opportunity from your business by making it not just any drive, but a branded USB drive.

How many pens in the cup on your desk have the name of a supplier or vendor printed on the side? Flash drives may be recent technology, but giving your clients and customers a freebie that reminds them of your business is certainly not a new idea in marketing. Just like you can print stuff on pens, mouse pads and calendars, you can order custom USB drives with your company name, logo, and even in custom shapes and sizes.

There are many different ways to go with this idea. You can simply bulk-order some drives with your name or logo printed on them, or if you are willing to spend a little more you can have the drives made in all sorts of custom shapes and designs.

Just to be clear, I have no relationship with the following two companies. They didn’t ask me to write this article — I just found them through links on a few different Flickr groups while I was researching this article. Additionally, I have not (yet?) ordered from either of these companies so these words are not based on first-hand experience.

Personalized thumb drives from Pexagon

Pexagon’s personalized thumb drives are available in fourteen different colors. Pexagon will laser engrave up two lines of text (up to 20 characters per line) onto the drives. Other options include choosing a theme or uploading your organization’s logo.

If you are a photographer and are looking to use these drives to distribute client photos, Pexagon has special branded USB options for photographers.

Custom shaped USB drives from CustomUSB

CustomUSB’s tag line is “absolutely anything USB” and from looking at all the crazy flash drives in their image galleries it appears that your imagination really is the limit. They’ve got all kids of nutty stuff on display — wood, metal and PVC thumb drives that look like ships, trucks, animals, even a Gatorade sports drink.

I found CustomUSB’s site through the molotalk blog. Blogger Vadim is an employee of CustomUSB who blogs photos of some of the more interesting designs they’ve done. My favorite is one for a vineyard which looks like a wine cork.

What exactly is it?

A USB wristband is a digital storage device in the shape of a small rubber bracelet. One end of the wristband features a USB plug that connects the device to almost any computer. The USB wristband lets fans purchase digital content from the merchandise booth at a concert, and download it to their Mac or PC later.

Buy a recording of the show you just enjoyed

In this author’s humble opinion, the best and most innovative use of the USB wristband is to load them with recording’s of the same night’s performance. Soundboard technicians immediately load up the tiny devices with a recording of that night’s show, letting fans purchase a copy on their way out of the venue.

My O.A.R. USB wristband

I recently attended an O.A.R. show at Jones Beach in Wantagh, NY where USB wristbands were available. The wristband cost $30, and contained the band’s latest album, a live recording of their hometown show at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, and an assortment of photographs. All-in-all, it is a great package that is well worth the price.

O.A.R. advertised that night’s performance would be available on USB wristband, but the band was prevented from recording the show (more on that here).

Easy to install

The O.A.R. wristband showed right up on my Mac, and all of its contents were easily able to be browsed through the Finder. The music was in DRM-free MP3 format, which I simply dragged-and-dropped into iTunes. There were also links to the band’s website, and a flash-powered photo gallery.

On a PC, a USB wristband should be just as simple to work with. It should show up as a removable drive under “My Computer”. Some wristbands may also come with software that launches automatically when you plug the device into your PC.

What should I do now that I have a ton of stuff plugged into my computer, and no longer have any open USB ports?

You could always start switching over to Bluetooth peripherals… but if you are not keen on spending money on new wireless mice and keyboards, a simple USB hub will solve your problems.

A USB hub is like a splitter — one end plugs into an empty USB port on your computer, and the other end features numerous open USB ports, enabling you to plug multiple USB devices into one USB port. USB hubs can be found on Amazon.com, as well as in almost any electronics or office supply store.

Running out of USB ports is a pretty common problem. USB has become the standard for devices such as keyboards, mice, and printers, all of which used to have their own specific interface. People who have older computers are frequently affected by the problem since their systems usually have only two or three USB ports at most, but even new computers with USB ports in every nook and cranny eventually run out of open space.

Editor’s note: The “USB hub” links in this article lead to Amazon.com search results pages. Since these are search results, their contents may change over time. Of Zen and Computing has not evaluated any of these products. By purchasing products from Amazon.com using our links, you help to support Of Zen and Computing by allowing us to earn a commission from your purchase.

Photo by spierzchala.