A Step in the Right Direction for Interoperability...

(Author: Stebee | Article Views: 10 | Word Count: 354 | Published: Oct 9th 2008)

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The Universal Serial Bus port, or USB, was seminal in standardizing computer interfaces. Previously, separate ports, generally serial ports, were individualized according to the type of device that required connection to the main computer terminal. With the invention of the USB port, greater versatility and interoperability was achieved that allowed the average computer-user far greater ease with which to connect external devices. The USB cable was even more convenient for the fact that it does not require that the computer be rebooted before use.

Perhaps the most visible change created by the introduction of the USB cable is the proliferation of USB flash drives, or compact, external memory devices. These devices are quickly replacing the need for traditional hard drives and their prices have continued to fall since their introduction into the marketplace. These drives are not only useful for users, then, but are also more cost-effective to produce. They have a 200 million-hour mean time before failure while a hard drive has a fraction of that.

In addition, jump drives are far more energy efficient. For all these reasons, consumers are quickly coming to appreciate the kind of technology that the USB allows. Of late, security has become an issue with the use of USB flash drives, due to their small size and portability. To ensure greater security given the potential confidentiality of much of the information they contain, certain manufacturers, such as SanDisk, have begun making secure flash drives. These secure flash drives require complex passwords in order to access their information. While they are admittedly more expensive than previous and less secure incarnations of the flash drive, many users are willing to pay the price. “If you really care about security,” says Michael J. Miller of PCMag.com, “then the extra cost is worth it. I know a lot of people with sensitive financial information, and I always recommend they look into secure drives.” With the increasing popularity of the USB flash drives and the move to using exclusively USB ports, technology will be racing to make these drives more secure, more affordable and ultimately more profitable.

About the Author

Lindy specialise in a wide range of computer hardware connections, and technology products; from KVM cables to USB cables, and from AV cables to Audio Cables. Whatever type of connection you need, you're sure to find it there.

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