For companies to manage, share, and control data efficiently, USB flash drives are essential. However, there are some incorrect assumptions about them, which we will address below.
Essentially, they aren’t as fragile and vulnerable as people think.
1st Incorrect Assumption: The USB Connectors Are Fragile
It’s reasonable for people to think the connectors in USB flash drives are fragile when considering how often they are inserted and removed from ports over time. However, the USB connectors are often the most durable part, and rightly so.
USB connectors are made from metal that is very resistant to damage or bending. Whereas the cases of many USB flash drives, which are made out of plastics or other materials, are much more likely to become damaged over time, the connectors are built to last.
2nd Incorrect Assumption: Water Will Ruin USB Flash Drives
There is some truth to this assumption. If a USB flash drive is plugged in and then gets wet, water will ruin it. If a USB flash drive is not plugged in and gets submerged in water, it will not be ruined as long as it is cared for properly.
To properly care for a USB flash drive that gets wet, follow these steps:
- Take the wet USB flash drive and dry it as much as possible.
- Put it in a sealable bag or jar of uncooked rice or silica gel.
- Keep the container in a warm, dry place for 24 hours (longer if necessary until it is completely dry).
Important note: Most memory chips are designed to be waterproof. While the data won’t necessarily be at risk right away, over time water can corrode the metal parts holding the USB flash drive together. Because of this, make sure the unit gets completely dry inside and out before using it again.
3rd Incorrect Assumption: Magnets Can Ruin USB Flash Drives
Simply put, magnets pose no threat to USB flash drives.
The data in USB flash drives is stored as electric charges and the information is contained in pieces of metal that are given either an excess or a deficiency of electrons. An unmoving magnetic field cannot affect the electric charges.
However, if a USB flash drive gets exposed to a powerful enough moving magnetic field (like from an MRI machine or a microwave), it could induce strong enough electrical currents to erase the data or damage the USB flash drive’s circuits. Household magnets and most other items found around a home or office with magnetic properties pose no threat to USB flash drives.
Get The Best USB Flash Drives From MediaFast
USB flash drives are still relevant as people often use them for marketing, data storage, data sharing, and for many other purposes in combination with the Cloud instead of relying so much on printed materials.
Customizing body style is easy, and creating eye-catching USB flash drives our clients will love is a high priority for us.
To learn more about custom USB flash drives or how we can help you with other marketing materials, contact us today.
Having owned an advertising magazine in Utah, I’ve worked in marketing for over twenty years.
I started writing for MediaFast in 2014. The first time I held one of their video brochures, I thought something like, “Wow! This blows away our magazine and any other print advertising I’ve ever seen. This is like a TV commercial, and I’m holding it in my hands. Amazing!”
Since then, video brochures, video mailers and video boxes have become leaders in marketing performance. It’s a privilege to write about them. I also love MediaFast—with its top-notch product quality, industry leading customer service, and all of the wonderful people I get to work with.
