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skier
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Post by skier »

why are flash drives also called USB drives, Thumb Drives, travel drives, Zip drive etc. and what are the differences between ones that are actually different?
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Post by Skippman »

To my UNDERSTANDING Flash drives refer to the type of memory inside them. Thumb Drive, Travel Drive, Etc are trademarked names for them.

It's kinda like calling all cola Coke or Pepsi.

As for Zip Drives, I've never heard them called that and I'd be really suprised to find a vendor who actually DOES as that would seem to warrent an immediate Trademark Infringment lawsuit from Iomega the company who made the Zip Drive. If you're to new to the game, Zip Drives were the only choice for large scale (100mb +) storage before CD Burners became cost effective and prevelent.
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TristanM
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Post by TristanM »

USB drive - because they plug into USB ports.
Thumb drive - because its about the size of yer thumb.
Travel drive - because you can take it with you.
Zip drive - misnomer as far as I'm aware, there used to be something called a zip drive way back about the mid-90's that was at the time the latest in portable storage.


I could be wrong. :)

Edit - someone beat me to it, and with a better answer.
Last edited by TristanM on Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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skier
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Post by skier »

im pretty sure ive heard people call a flash drive a zip drive, mabie im remembering wrong
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Post by Darkstar »

hey you might have, i have heard some one refer to a thumb drive as a thumbnail drive lol

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Post by Alathald »

I've also heard them called a jump drive... :?
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Post by prozac26 »

The all basically mean the same thing AFAIK.
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Post by Skippman »

I have nothing else useful to contribute to this post.
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Post by DaddyRabbit »

Wiki has a good write-up

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive
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Post by Gamble »

Now those "flash" technologies are being applied to Solid State Drives...faster performance, and no worries about a head crash. Samsung(?) has already realeased a 32gb model for mobiles I believe...
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Post by DaIceMan »

TristanM wrote:USB drive - because they plug into USB ports.
Thumb drive - because its about the size of yer thumb.
Travel drive - because you can take it with you.
Zip drive - misnomer as far as I'm aware, there used to be something called a zip drive way back about the mid-90's that was at the time the latest in portable storage.


I could be wrong. :)

Edit - someone beat me to it, and with a better answer.
The 90s? Holy hell... do history books date back that far?!? :)
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Post by Skippman »

I'd feel old if I hand't just read the demographics of the site.

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TristanM
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Post by TristanM »

DaIceMan wrote:
TristanM wrote:USB drive - because they plug into USB ports.
Thumb drive - because its about the size of yer thumb.
Travel drive - because you can take it with you.
Zip drive - misnomer as far as I'm aware, there used to be something called a zip drive way back about the mid-90's that was at the time the latest in portable storage.


I could be wrong. :)

Edit - someone beat me to it, and with a better answer.
The 90s? Holy hell... do history books date back that far?!? :)
Hahaha... dunno about the books but my memory does - I guess that makes me old... but not according to the demographics thread :)
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Post by KnightRid »

TristanM wrote:
DaIceMan wrote:
TristanM wrote:USB drive - because they plug into USB ports.
Thumb drive - because its about the size of yer thumb.
Travel drive - because you can take it with you.
Zip drive - misnomer as far as I'm aware, there used to be something called a zip drive way back about the mid-90's that was at the time the latest in portable storage.


I could be wrong. :)

Edit - someone beat me to it, and with a better answer.
The 90s? Holy hell... do history books date back that far?!? :)
Hahaha... dunno about the books but my memory does - I guess that makes me old... but not according to the demographics thread :)

Hell i still HAVE a USB Zip100 drive :oops: wanna buy it :mrgreen:

Mike
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