Latest in usb

You've got your trusty USB flash drive plugged into your computer, and you go to copy some files to it. Then you get this - "The disk is write protected. Remove the write protection or use another disk." Then you say, "Whaaaaaa....?!?!" How did this happen? This is your USB stick, you should be able to read, write and do whatever you want with it! Deep breath and stay calm. It is just an error message.
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USB drives are so pervasive in today’s world of technology, but when they first debuted, they revolutionized data exchange. The first USB flash drives had an 8MB capacity, which isn't much by today’s standards, but a far cry better than the alternatives - the 1.44MB floppy or the CD that required permanent burning. Nowadays we have USB drives that are larger than traditional hard drives.
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It’s been quite a while since USB 3.0 has been included in motherboards, but now we've come to the point where most devices and computers come with the new and improved ports. We all know about the technical data of the new specification, but what does all of that gibberish translate into? What real reasons are there to use USB 3.0 or actively seek devices which offer the port?
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While I’m a big fan of Swype, SlideIT, and other advanced keyboards for Android, there’s something to be said about a keyboard with keys on it. I mean the physical-type keyboards – you know, the clunky ones that go clack-clack-clack as you frantically type your next great novel. I wouldn’t want to have to use one of these every time I have to reply to a quick text or email on my phone.
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If you’re like me, you probably make good use of USB on your PC, from connecting keyboards and printers to smartphones, USB flash memory, Bluetooth, 3G or Wi-Fi dongles, headsets, game controllers and more. USB is a versatile and easy-to-use connection format, but there is one thing that bugs many people (including me) about it.
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If you’re looking to install Windows 8 and your computer doesn't have a DVD drive, you’re not alone. Whether you have a Windows 8 DVD or a Windows 8 ISO file you've downloaded from Microsoft, you can use a free Microsoft tool to copy the Windows 8 installation files to a USB drive and install Windows 8 from the USB drive.
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USB thumb drives are small, portable, and can be read on any device with a USB port. These features make them the perfect vehicles to transport data between computers. Due to their portability, however, they are also easily lost. Thus sensitive files callired on a USB stick should always be protected. Unfortunately, you cannot simply password protect your entire USB stick, like you have password protected your Facebook account.
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USB 3.0 has been around for awhile, but its introduction to the world has been slow. It’s only now common among new desktop and laptops, most of which ship with at least two USB 3.0 ports. Flash drive manufacturers have responded by producing a wide range of USB 3.0 drives sold under exciting names like SuperSonic XT and Voyager. You might be staring at your old USB 2.0 drive and wondering if an upgrade is worthwhile. What’s the advantage?
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Take a look at any piece of equipment related to computer harder and you’ll soon find yourself in a swirling maelstrom of acronyms and foreign jargon. What does it matter if you use IDE or SATA for your hard drive? Do you really need to know the differences between USB 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0? Is FireWire related to Firewall? Sometimes it can get just a bit confusing. With so many types of cables, however, it’s hard to find a singular source of information that highlights the important differences between them all. Here’s an overview of the most common cable types you’ll encounter when dealing with computers.
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When shopping for a tablet or laptop, there are so many ports and connectors, it can be confusing for the uninitiated consumer. Knowing the right ports to purchase for your individual needs can make a huge difference in how much enjoyment you get from your new (probably expensive) toy. You might think everything is perfect [...]
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Have you ever seen the "this device can perform faster" message when you connected a USB device to your computer? This message is Windows’ way of telling you that you’re missing out on the theoretical speed of your hardware, but it may not be clear how to fix the problem. Like many computer issues, particularly with hardware, this problem has a number of possible causes and solutions.
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We've shown you before how to install Windows 7 from a USB drive, but the process assumes you have access to a Windows computer to begin with. That's not always the case, particularly if you're the kind of person who regularly tries out different operating systems. Also, there are more than a few IT professionals who work on Windows computers but primarily use Linux themselves. WinUSB is perfect for them.
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It is remarkable just how much cheap crap we, as a planet, produce each and every year. The environmental impact is worrying, landfills are swelling and carbon emissions must come down - yet more and more junk continues to roll out of the factory. In addition to this, many seem to think that adding USB connectivity to aforementioned plastic junk instantly makes it more saleable.
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I recently bought a nice new setup for my media centre, but I didn’t want to splash out on another DVD drive when physical media is basically dead - and swapping out a DVD drive from another machine just to install Windows seems like such a waste of time when I could be eating Christmas pudding. Today I'll outline a relatively easy way to make a bootable Windows installation USB drive.
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Boot one of over a hundred Linux distros from a USB disk. With Live USB, software you can run on both Windows and Linux computers, it only takes a couple of clicks to make your USB disk a bootable Linux disk. The live CD just might be the most useful tool in any geek's arsenal - we've pointed out 50 uses for live CDs in the past and plan on showing you many more.
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