A USB flash drive, also known variously as a pen drive, pen drive, jump drive, disk key, disk on key, flash drive, memory stick or USB memory,[a] is a data storage device including flash memory with integrated USB interface. It is usually removable, rewritable and much smaller than an optical disc. Most weigh less than an ounce (about 30 g). Since they appeared on the market in the late 2000s, like virtually all other computer memory devices, storage capacities have increased while prices have fallen. As of March 2016, flash drives ranging from 8 to 256 GB are often sold; less frequent are the 512 GB and 1 TB drives. Storage capacities of up to 2TB are expected, with continued improvements expected in size and price per capacity. Some allow up to 100,000 write/erase cycles, depending on the exact type of memory chip used, and are believed to last between 10 and 100 years under normal circumstances. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay USB flash drives are often used for the same purposes that floppy disks or CDs were once used for; i.e. for archiving, data backup and transfer of computer files. They are smaller, faster, have thousands of times greater capacity, and are more durable and reliable because they have no moving parts. Furthermore, they are immune to electromagnetic interference (unlike floppy disks) and are not damaged by surface scratches (unlike CDs). Until about 2005, most desktop and laptop computers shipped with floppy disk drives in addition to USB ports, but floppy disk drives became obsolete after the widespread adoption of USB ports and the larger capacity of the USB drive compared to 3.5 inch 1.44 MB floppy disk. USB flash drives use the USB mass storage device class standard, which is natively supported by modern operating systems such as Windows, Linux, macOS, and other Unix-like systems, as well as many BIOS boot ROMs. USB drives with USB 2.0 support can store more data and transfer it faster than much larger optical disc drives such as CD-RW or DVD-RW drives, and can be read by many other systems such as Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, DVD players, automotive entertainment and in numerous portable devices such as smartphones and tablets, although the electronically similar SD card is more suitable for such devices. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get Custom EssayA USB stick consists of a small printed circuit board containing the circuit elements and a USB connector, electrically isolated and protected inside a plastic, metal or rubberized case, which can be carried in a pocket or hung on a key ring, for example. The USB connector may be protected by a removable or recessed cap into the body of the unit, although it is not likely to be damaged if left unprotected. Most flash drives use a standard USB Type-A connection that allows connection to a port on a personal computer, but drives for other interfaces also exist. USB flash drives draw power from your computer via the USB connection. Some devices combine the functionality of a portable media player with USB flash memory; They only require a battery when used to play music on the go.