We have come a long way from the times when floppy disks were the mode to store and carry data from one computer to another. CD-ROM and DVD`s replaced floppy disks for transporting data but all these were not very handy. Users of computers craved for something which they can carry easily in their pocket and although being small something which can store huge amount of data. The Pen Drives have emerged as a solution to this. Accessing and transporting data has been made quite easier with the use of Pen Drives.

Pen Drives comes in shape and size of a normal small pen and weighs a mere 21 Gms.Though small in size it comes in massive data storage capacity ranging from 32 MB to 8 GB which is about 5600 times more than a 1.44 MB floppy disk. It is a dust proof, shock proof device without requiring any batteries. It is compatible to be used in PC`s and laptops and does not need any cables or software but just a USB port on your computer. The USB Pen drives just need to be plugged into the USB port of your computer which will then automatically detect it.

The small size of the Pen Drives makes them easy to be carried anywhere as they fit easily in the pocket or can be worn around the neck. The main purpose of the USB Pen Drives is to transfer and transport data from one computer to another and they are also needed to store personal data. These devices are very easy and fast to use. Since these are very new device, manufacturers are continuously adding new features to them. They are available with lots of added features such as MP3 playback, Built-in Cameras, fingerprint biometric privacy etc.

The most common uses are:

The most common use of a Pen drive is to transport data fro one device to another. Personal data such as files, pictures and videos can be stored and transported easily with the help of it. Information and Alerts for medicines etc. can also be stored in it.

While repairing of Computer and retrieving of lost data, Pen Drives are known to play a major role. They are used for data back-ups and transfer recovery software or anti virus software to the infected machines. It can archive host machines data in case of an emergency.

Pen Drives are commonly used by System and Network Administrators to store configuration information and software used for maintenance of the system. Since it is very portable it has become most familiar with them.

Pen Drives are used as an Audio Player since they come with additional features of MP3 playback. Companies have started manufacturing digital audio players using pen drives for sound output. Some have LCD display for track browsing and audio input jack.

Pen Drives are also used as application carriers which can run on host computer without the necessity of installing them on the hard disk. There are so many software which can run from it and can turn its host PC and other nearby PCs in to a web like environment.

So, USB Pen drive is all the rage today and is earmarked to be the next big thing in the Computer USB flash drive industry. Although being most useful due to its size, the small size also sometimes becomes a deterrent to its use. Owing to its ultra small size it needs to be kept very carefully as there are chances of misplacing the same or it getting lost among other things.