The Computer Revolution/Hardware/Jump Drives

A jump drive, also known as a USB flash drive or thumb drive, is a type of storage device that is simply connected to the computer through an existing USB port.

They use flash memory, which enables them to bring unparalleled convenience when compared to other storage devices. Jump drives do not require the computer to be restarted in order to recognize the drive, unlike other connected drives that need to be recognized during the boot process. Jump drives rely on power provided by the case and do not need an external power supply like electricity or batteries, which increases their portable convenience and eliminates the need to carry around batteries or to find a socket to plug into for electrical power. Because of the use of flash memory, jump drives do not wear down as fast as CD-RW's or Floppy disks and have comparable dependability to solid-state drives, which utilize the same type of memory.

The capacity of USB drives is another feature that makes them convenient. Today, USB drives can be found to have a capacity of up to 64 GB. This capacity is likely to change with the ever-evolving storage technology.

To use a USB drive or jump drive you need to plug it to your computer via the USB port. You May need to wait a second or two for your computer to read the USB drive. On Windows, you can view it by going to my computer or just computer on Windows 7. Then look under device with removal storage select the right drive and you are ready to save your document in to the USB drive.