What are the differences between an USB Flash Drive and Compact Flash, Smart Media, Multimedia card, Memory Stick, Secure Digital card and USB hard disk drive?
The advantage of a USB Flash Drive over all the different other memory cards is that it can be connected directly to the USB port the data can be accessed without the need for an external card reader. The other digital storage formats (Memorystick, SD cards, etc) are for the use in Digital Cameras or other mobile devices. These storage formats are usually not compatible to each other. USB hard disk drives (external hard disks) are much heavier and more sensible than USB Flash Drives. It is only a hard disk drive with a USB interface. The USB Flash Drive is much smaller, lighter and more rugged. It's more ideal for mobile use since it has no moving parts.
