Flash Memory Advantages
Flash memory has many features that make it a great solution for business and home use. Some of these features include:

• Portability- Flash memory is much smaller than floppy disks or CDs, although they are able to store much more data than floppy disks and as much or more data than a CD. They are very portable and can be easily transported and shared between multiple computers. Most Flash memory devices are small enough to fit in a pocket, which makes them ideal for traveling and business use.

• Durability- Flash memory is solid state, which means it has no moving parts that can be damaged or fail like hard drives. They are very resistant to shock and environmental damage such as temperature, which makes them a great storage device for travel and regular use.

• Reliability- Flash memory has an extremely low error rate, only getting about 1 bit error in every 1,000,000,000,000,000 bits read. Some forms of Flash memory even have ECC (Error Correction Code) capabilities, which allows them to correct even these tiny amounts of errors. Flash memory can also store data for an average of 10 years and can be written and rewritten around 300,000 times.

• Capacity- Flash memory cards are available in a wide range of sizes, from 32MB up to 4GB, with higher capacities being developed all the time. This allows Flash memory cards to store as much or more data than CDs despite being much smaller.

• Performance- Compared to former storage technologies such as floppy disks, Flash memory offers a much higher data transfer rate, allowing for quick and easy data storage. This offers a big performance boost in devices like digital cameras, allowing you to take pictures with less delay between shots, as well as making transfers to and from the Flash card to the computer much quicker.

• Power consumption- Flash memory does not require power to store data, unlike typical system memory. As an added benefit, the low amount of power required to operate a Flash card means that devices that use Flash memory, such as MP3 players and PDAs will have a longer battery life.

• Plug-and-Play- As soon as you plug a piece of Flash memory into a device, it is recognized and the data is loaded. This allows for quick and easy access to your photos, documents, music, or whatever you store on your Flash card. You also do not need to power down the Flash card before removing it from a system and plugging it into another system. This makes it even easier to share data between as many devices and computers as you'd like.

There are quite a few types of Flash memory devices available on the market today. Here are some of these devices, their common uses, and some benefits and drawbacks of each.

USB Flash Drives
USB Flash Drive- A very popular device for transporting and sharing data. USB Flash drives come in all shapes and sizes, although they are usually very small. Many different manufacturers have their own USB drives, which come with different features such as password protection or pre-installed software. In general, USB drives are quite durable and portable. They come in USB 1.1 or 2.0 speeds. USB 2.0 is about 40 times as fast as the USB 1.1 specification. USB drives range in size from 16MB all the way up to 4GB. USB drives operate like a large-capacity, high-speed floppy disk and are rewritable thousands of times. They are not recognized by Windows 95 and 98 untill required drivers are installed to recognize the drive.

Compact Flash Cards
CompactFlash (CF)- The most common type of Flash memory for use in digital cameras and camcorders. It is extremely small and lightweight, but can hold a great deal of data. CompactFlash cards are currently available in capacities up to 2GB, but the storage capacity is constantly increasing. There are also regular and high-speed versions of CompactFlash available.

Multi Media Cards
MultiMediaCard (MMC)- One of the smaller forms of Flash storage available, MultiMediaCards are about the size of a postage stamp. Commonly used in digital cameras, MP3 players, PDAs, and some mobile phones. Available in sizes up to 1GB.

Secure Digital Cards
Secure Digital (SD)- Similar in size and form to MultiMediaCards, Secure Digital cards are used in the same kinds of devices. There are regular and high-speed versions of Secure Digital available. Some Secure Digital cards come with locking data-protection switches that prevent data from being accidentally overwritten.

Memory Stick (Sony)
Memory Stick- Used mostly for digital cameras, camcorders and audio players, Memory Stick devices are smaller than a stick of gum. Contains built-in data security by preventing accidental erasure. Available in 64MB to 512MB and up to 2GB in the Memory Stick Pro Versions.

XD Picture Card (Olympus)
XD-Picture Card- Developed by Olympus as a replacement for SmartMedia, xD cards are the smallest storage currently available and allow for large storage capacities. Available in sizes from 64MB-512MB. XD is also one of the fastest storage technologies on the market today.

Smart Media Cards
SmartMedia (SM)- An older but very popular storage format, SmartMedia is used in a large number of cameras, phones, and PDAs. The thinnest type of Flash storage available, SmartMedia is a low-cost solution for storage. Available in sizes up to 128MB.