PCWorld.com is upgrading some back-end systems. Some site features, such as user registration, may be temporarily unavailable.

Subscribe to magazine

Find a Review

WiFi Finder

Locate wireless services by a specific address, city, state, country, airport, or zip code.

Get Connected Now

RSS Feeds

Get our latest content via convenient RSS feeds.

See All RSS Feeds

Become a PCW Member

Join the community and start enjoying the benefits:

Get tech advice from thousands of PCWorld Members
Rate and recommend the latest tech products
Share your thoughts in blog and article comments
Get free excerpts and exclusive discounts on Super Guides

Signing up is free and easy.

23 Things to Do With a Thumb Drive

Put your USB drive to work as a portable desktop, PC recovery kit, entertainment platform, and more.

Christopher Null

Photograph: John Kuczala

Once known as simple little gizmos that were basically just modern replacements for floppy disks, USB flash drives have suddenly grown up. You can now replicate your desktop environment, encrypt files on the fly, and even rescue your PC with one of these formerly modest devices. Here are some of the coolest things you can do today with the innocuous-looking thumb drive on your desk, as well as details about some particularly useful new drives.

In This Article:

Page 1 of 6
Next »

See more like this:
USB,
flash,
thumb,
portable,
drive,
drives,
storage

"23 Things to Do With a Thumb Drive" Comments

Print Like a Pro

Get professional quality prints at half the cost per page. Learn more here.

Perfect Print Solutions

Find just the right All-in-One Printer for you from HP. Visit the Print Solutions Center.

Lenovo Laptop Deals

ThinkPad Edge A welcome refresh of Lenovo's workhorse line that improves look and feel without sacrificing the features that make ThinkPads so well-loved.

Buy now direct from Lenovo
ThinkPad T400 Performance meets portability in T400's lightweight design, switchable graphics and superior power management.

Buy now direct from Lenovo

People who read this also read:

Best Prices on Hard Drives

My Passport Essential SE Portable External 1TB 2.5" Hard Drive - Black$149.00 and up
See All Prices
Portable 320GB 2.5" Hard Drive$59.99 and up
See All Prices

Caviar Green 2TB Hard Drive$159.95 and up
See All Prices
Caviar Black 1TB Hard Drive$99.80 and up
See All Prices

See all Best Prices on Hard Drives

See also: Flash Memory, DVD-ROM/DVD Writers, Network Storage Devices

12 Criteria for Selecting the Best ERP System Replacement An ERP system is your information backbone and reaches into all areas of your business and value chain. Replacing it can open unlimited business opportunities. This white paper explains the 12 criteria that allow you to identify and select the solution that will meet these expectations.
Leveraging Social Computing Technologies for ERP Applications This white paper details how Web 2.0 technologies support business strategies by improving efficiency, productivity, and collaboration.