Last week presented my inbox with a bunch of emails about thumb drives.  (See last week’s column for more details.) 

At that time, I wrote about the Flash Padlock (www.corsair.com) which has a great security feature.  I was asked what thumb drive I use and about software for security when you already have a thumb drive.  So this week I will start there.

I will take the shortest answer first dealing with software for thumb drive security.  I have no idea which one is best.  Up to this point I have only seen security software that has a cost associated with it.  Since I don’t have tons of money to spend on testing all of them I have no idea which one is best or their individual features.  So you will have to Google on your own for that one.  Wow, that was easy.

Next, what thumb drive do I use?  This answer has changed over the years.

When I started out with them several years ago I had a PNY, 256mb model (www.pny.com).  I believe it cost about $60.  It lasted several years and made it through several clothes washes, from being left in my pants pockets.  By-the-way, after the washings it was in perfect “data” shape.  The only problems were the silver covering started peeling off…no biggie to me.

Next, I advanced to the Kingston with 2GB (www.kingston.com).  There was a significant increase in the amount of data it could hold and decrease in the price about $30.  It also suffered through several washings and was left in the car in extreme heat and cold.  It also survived perfectly (ok, other than exterior coloring).

NOTE:  Just because I have washed and abused mine, doesn’t mean that you should try it.  I blundered using mine but those qualifications are not part of their guarantees.

I currently use a Yego (www.ritekusa.com) which looks and operates quite differently from other thumbs. 

I like this one because it is twice the size of my previous device at 4GB.  When plugged into a USB port it provides you with two additional USB ports.  If you haven’t used USB devices before you would see why that is good.  When you normally plug something into a USB port it gives you one less port to plug something else into.  With the Yego, shaped like a “Y”, you get an additional USB port on each of the points on the top of the “Y”.

Of course if you read last week’s column you will realize why I might be switching to the Flash Padlock by Corsair.  Although, I think I have enough for now.  Is there ever enough?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 at 9:00 pm and is filed under Columns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.