It’s probably been said a million times before, but we are living in an information age. Or more specifically, an instant information age. Super-fast WiFi and the growth of the cloud at consumer and enterprise level means there’s less need for physical storage, which is not good news for the USB flash drive. Quite simply, the flash drive is dying, as users seek faster and more open ways to access and share information and the death of the USB flash drive will likely come as users hit connectivity and online storage constraints.
But for organisations, USB flash drives still have a place – for now. And, there are flash drive vendors out there who continue to innovate in this market. For example, at CES 2014 the 2-in-1 Micro USB Flash Drive by Imation was shown off. This USB flash drive was targeted at Android users and provided additional storage space thanks to a handy micro USB connector. By targeting a specific user, Imation created a successful USB flash drive where others failed.
“The USB flash drive is still the most convenient way to store and transfer data locally.”
For most people and especially organisations, USB flash drives have one function – to carry data and transfer that data from machine to machine. When you consider that this can be achieved efficiently through the cloud and an unlimited number of online services, it’s easy to see why the USB flash drive is becoming irrelevant. It’s simply a relic compared to the technology that’s available right now, technology that’s designed for collaboration and data consolidation – technology that’s extremely valuable to users. But despite the availability of such technology, I believe that the USB flash drive is still the most convenient way to store and transfer data locally. It’s simple, fast and limited only by the squishy organic matter using it.
Which is why promotional technical gifts such as USB flash drives are still a recommended promotional product for modern organisations. If your organisation is considering purchasing promotional merchandise to increase brand awareness and visibility, USB flash drives are an excellent choice for there’s a very good chance that people who are given one will use it. And every time they do, they will see your company logo. USB flash drives are smart because they’re low-cost and effective.
If you work within an environment that shares a lot of information locally, then, USB flash drives are probably – and probably always will be – the go-to technology for sharing. The cloud is as effective, but there are still concerns surrounding security and availability which need to be addressed and until they are there’s no safer or more available technology than flash storage.
And so, USB flash drives are still relevant in this day and age. But, they are at risk of becoming irrelevant as the main concerns surrounding the cloud are addressed.
Until then, enjoy using your little stick because it’s at risk of becoming one of the last physical connections we have with our data.