The Similarities Between USB Flash Drives and MP3 Players
Today's MP3 players, like Apple's iPod, are basically fancy USB drives with built in control mechanisms and a hefty price tag. Unlike USB flash drives, most MP3 players lack the ability to share data files, DVD movies and photos easily.
USB flash drives are not only capable of easily sharing music, but can transfer any file that can be stored on a home PC quicker than using CD-ROMs.
MP3 players require a separate program for your computer to be able to upload music or download existing tunes stored on the device. Sometimes these programs are memory intensive or poorly written, making the task more of a headache than it's worth. Even Apple's iPod lacks the ability to download songs from the device to a computer, due to copyright infringement worries.
This is all well and good, until you want to place a song from a CD you bought and ripped to your computer at home to the computer at the office using the iPod as a transfer medium. In addition, you are required to download or install the MP3 player's proprietary program to each computer.
USB flash drives are different; they act as any other storage device used for your computer. Once you plug the device into an available USB slot, the files stored on it become a new drive in your computer's directory, the files can then be saved, deleted, moved, or renamed just as with any other system folder. This makes sharing music between computers a breeze.
You simply load the drive up with your favourite music and carry it to another computer. Once the drive is plugged in, the music can be played directly from the USB drive or the songs may be copied to a folder on the computer's hard drive for later use. No mess, no fuss.
One of the advantages of having an MP3 player is the ability to connect it to your car's stereo system to listen to your music on the road. More and more car stereo manufactures are building USB slots into their products now, though. With a USB slot built into your stereo, you simply plug a USB drive in and all the music stored on the drive will be available to your stereo without added equipment. What's more, many brands of receivers will read MP3 tags and display the title information for the songs and albums, depending on your model.
USB friendly MP3 players can also be plugged into these slots, but the play control remains with the MP3 player instead of the in-dash radio. Multitasking is not a skill you want to develop while driving!
USB flash drives are also considerably cheaper than their fancier counterparts. Leave a USB drive in your car in a bad part of town and it will probably still be there on your return. Leave an iPod, and it's a pretty safe bet that it will be missing soon after you leave. Capable of storing the same amount of songs as twenty or more CDs, depending on drive size and data compression, the cost of a stolen flash drive pales in comparison to the cost of replacing a case filled with compact disks.
The only decisive advantage MP3 players have over flash drives is the ability to directly plug in a pair of headphones. In this day and age, though, how often are we without a computer or car stereo close at hand?
Related Tags: promotional usb flash drives, logo branded usb flash drives, logo branded usb memory sticks, custom usb flash drives, custom usb memory sticks, promotional memory sticks
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For logo branded promotional MP3 players, he recommends Flashbay.com. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Fix Printer, Keyboard, Speaker and Monitor Cables With Funky Organizers
There are different types of cables that are used when you have a desktop computer at home. Most of - The Growing Trend of Asterisk Phone Systems
Truly, businesses are doing everything they can in the economy and competitive world of today to rem - The Future of Business Intelligence: Innovations in Location Intelligence
In the coming years, many business analysts are predicting that Business Intelligence (BI) will play - Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition and What Happened to the Unlock Codes
Adobe has long been known as a star in the digital image editing world and the Adobe Photoshop Album - Choosing the Best Computer For Graphic Design
In the 1980s, desktop publishing came out and graphic designers began to utilize computers for all k - Versatility of Pocket HD Camcorders
In the era of the do-everything handheld gadget, high def camcorders family seems almost passee. The - Contemporary Office Furniture
When considering Contemporary Office Furniture there are a few things that you really should conside - Professional Web Design, Professional Web Designer
There is a lot to consider if you are looking for a Professional Web Design. So let's get to it. Fir - Cell Phone Protection and Safety For Kids
If your like the millions of parents giving your children a cell phone for safety when their away fr - Looking For That Smart Pc Workstation And Desk
Do you need a work area at home. Maybe it is just for doing bills. It may be for a community work ar
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Voip Residential Comparison Guide: Evaluating Packet8, Lingo, And Vonage
Voice over internet protocol [internet telephony] is a rapidly growing technological alternative to - What's The Difference In The Ionic Breeze Quadra?
The Ionic Breeze Quadra is the newer line of ionic breeze units offered by The Sharper Image. These - Selling World of Warcraft Accounts
Everybody knows that WoW is one of the most exciting MMORPGs ever created. This makes selling WoW ac - Film Cameras
Film cameras are simple cameras, which could be used by all easily. People prefer to use film camera - Salesboom SLA-MS Competition
Oh, the irony. Online CRM Services shy away from offering customers a Service Level Agreement. Why t - How To Improve Your Computer Speed Almost Instantly
Probably your computer, even though you bought it last year its no longer that much fast. Like any o - The Mosquito Ringtone - The Tone Adults Can't Hear
Without a doubt, the mosquito ringtone is one of the most popular ringtones ever. Good luck trying - Auto Navigation Systems And Gps Technology While Traveling
If you have managed to do any research on auto navigation systems I'm sure you've come across countl - Do Cheap iPods Really Exist?
If you know anything about music trends, you know that iPods are the hottest portable music device t - Online Mobile Phone Offers: Take 10 Minutes To Save £360 On Your Next Mobile Phone Contract
Cash Is Falling Out Of Your Pocket If you live in the UK, you're probably paying line rental on a m