The Product: USB Flash Drive

Storage is becoming cheaper and more portable by the day. If you are looking for a device to help bridge the gap between a floppy disk and an external hard drive, then a portable flash memory device is a great option. Simply plug it into your USB port and it’s ready to go.

Recommendation: Crucial Gizmo USB 2.0 Flash Drive

Crucial is a subsidiary of Micron Technologies which is one of the largest memory manufacturers in the world. The company only sells directly from their website which keeps their prices very competitive. The Gizmo drives (which are generically known as “keychain storage”) come in a variety of capacities and will allow you to easily back-up and transfer files between computers. They are tiny, inexpensive and durable (no moving parts). I’ve had my Gizmo for almost two years and have even mailed it back and forth to graphic designers and it’s never had a problem. In a world without floppy drives, it’s nice to have a way to store files on a portable form of media.

Devil's Advocate:

If you don’t have a USB 2.0 connection, the Gizmo will still work with your computer, although it will take a lot longer to transfer your data. Still, it’s probably your best option.