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Design Technology GCSE Results – Would a Custom USB Project Help

Friday, August 27th, 2010

As the dust starts to settle on the recently announced GCSE results schools and teachers will no doubt now start to look at how they can continue to improve upon this years results. In Design Technology (DT) where there was a wide spread of results with D’s to U’s making up over 36% of the marks awarded one of the challenges is engaging with the students and getting them to think about a product or an idea that excites them.

If you can get the students fired up and interested in a design project then it follows that they are more likely to take an interest in the wider concepts and challenges of product design, product specification, manufacturing processes, packaging and marketing. Some students will need more of a steer than others and some will no doubt prefer to work within a class project or framework that includes a group of them.

One area worthy of consideration because its meets these criteria is a project to design and build a unique custom USB flash drive. Most students will be familiar with USB flash drives with many of them using flash drives to store data, music files, media files and hopefully homework. Typical USB flash drives that are available to buy in the UK are standard rectangular shaped drives that are functional but they don’t always excite.

USB PCB

USB PCB

So, the opportunity for DT teachers is to set their students a challenge to design, build, package and develop a marketing plan for their own custom USB flash drives, perhaps a flash drive that appeals to a specific market niche or a USB flash drive that has a unique design or function. The internal components of a USB flash drive (this is a single PCB that includes the flash memory and the flash controller chips) are readily available from suppliers like USB2U. The challenge is then to design the “shell” into which the PCB sits.

The completed customised USB flash drive will work and function just like any regular flash drive.  Designs that are considered good enough could always be put forward to USB companies as potential products to take to market. The promotional sector is a big user of branded USB flash drives and is always looking for new and innovative designs.

Custom USB Ideas

Custom USB Ideas

Whilst a project to design a new design for a USB flash drive won’t in itself lift the overall pass marks for the DT GCSE it could be just the “spark” to get more students actively engaged in the subject and get involved in a “hands-on” project that they can relate to.

For information on prices for USB Flash Drive PCB’s and tips and advice on how to use them as part of a self build project get in touch with the team at USB2U.

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Design Technology GCSE Results – Would a Custom USB Project Help

Custom USB Words – Inspiring Promotional Products

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

A picture paints a thousand words but what if the picture is the word or in the case of these custom USB sticks manufactured in the shape of a word. When considering branded USB memory sticks as a promotional product most people immediately think of a standard factory designed USB stick that has a logo printed on it. These are great, they’re popular and they do a good job in terms of generating interest, and in terms of affinity to the brand printed on it.

Ironically the downside of using standard designed USB sticks is their popularity. So many USB sticks are now being given away that if you really want something that is truly memorable and something that stands out from the crowd then its worth considering a custom USB memory stick. Custom USB memory sticks (also known as bespoke flash drives) are commissioned pieces that are designed and built specifically for you. As such they are unique and exclusive to you and whomever you give them to. You own the design of any custom USB flash drive and they will not be made available to any other customer.

Custom USB Letters

Custom USB Letters

Custom USB memory sticks can be produced in a wide variety of materials and in any 2-D or 3-D shape you want. Recent examples of custom USB sticks include Forklift trucks, Guitars. Eggs, Erasers and Signs but anything is possible.

Using your company’s name as the basis for a custom USB stick also works incredibly well as these examples illustrate. These simple but very effective ideas just work and arguably they work better than a shape or product that could have been designed to represent the brand or company name.

Custom USB Word

Custom USB Word

The lead times for custom USB flash drives are a little longer at around 4 weeks (this is to allow for the fabrication of the tooling and the custom production) but if you have the time in your project or event schedule then they are worth the wait. The cost of Custom USB flash drives used to be significantly higher than standard models and the minimum order quantities were high at around 1,000+ pieces. Today with increased competition in the market and improvements in mould set-up and production the costs are now only marginally more and the minimum order threshold has dropped to around 200 pieces.

If you are looking for a promotional product that really stands out from the crowd, something that will generate “chatter” and interest in your, your company, your products and/or your news then its definitely worth considering a fully customised USB flash drive.

Don’t worry about having the design skills to develop an idea or concept because good, professional suppliers of USB sticks will have their own experienced in-house design teams who can work on the most basic of ideas and develop a series of mock-ups for you to consider.

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Custom USB Words – Inspiring Promotional Products

Got A Product Launch – Make An Impact With A Custom USB Flash Drive

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

If you’ve got a product launch coming up and you need to make a bit of a splash about it then, in addition to all of the regular “fanfare” activities that you’re no doubt planning, its worthwhile considering supporting your product launch with a fully customised USB flash drive.

Custom USB

Custom USB

One of the primary objectives of any product launch event has got to be getting your audience informed, excited and enthused about your company and your product(s). You want them to go away from your event as advocates; you want them to write positive articles about the product, to post articles on their blogs and to use social networking sites to create plenty of “chatter” about what they’ve seen and what you’re launching.

Typically at any launch event there’ll be plenty of new information to disseminate and then distribute. You’ll have executives and product managers briefed, primed, and well rehearsed to deliver a knock out pitch, your Q & A’s will have been developed and honed to perfection and the venue carefully chosen to create the right ambience and put your audience in the right frame of mind.

With all of this attention to detail don’t forget that at the end of it all when the lights go up and the audience goes to leave you want them to have at hand all of the information on your new product or service. Loading them up with piles of brochures, copies of FAQ’s, technical sheets is unlikely to be popular. You could of course email this information out after the event or post it onto a web site or you could do something a little more interesting and unusual and pre-load

Custom Flash Drive

Custom Flash Drive

all of this information onto a customised (bespoke) USB flash drive.

A Custom USB Flash drive can be manufactured in the shape of your new product or designed to look like your product brand. It will be unique to you and your company, it will function just like any normal USB flash drive and done well it really grab people attention. In addition to carrying your product launch information its highly likely that the flash drive will get used by the recipient after the event to save and carry their own data around. This on-going usage of the flash drive all adds to the viral effect that you need to underpin your launch.

Bear in mind that if you do order custom USB flash drives that you need to allow around 3-4 weeks for the design and production of the flash drives. The data-loading can be done during the manufacturing process or any time right up to the event itself.

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Got A Product Launch – Make An Impact With A Custom USB Flash Drive

Build Your Own USB Flash Drive – A Great School Project

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Ever thought of designing and building your own customised USB flash drive? Well it’s easier than you think but great fun all the same and it makes for a great project for students.

Rather than just buying standard factory designed USB flash drives and printing your school crest or logo one why not engage the students and get them to design something unique to the school or better still unique to them. Anything is possible and some great results can be achieved relatively easily because if you can get your hands on the core components its really just an assembly job.

The two core components of any USB flash drive are the controller chip and the flash memory module. These are then assembled on a PCB and connected to a USB interface. This single (assembled) PCB can then be embedded into any outer casing to create a unique USB flash drive. Just like any commercially available (and assembled) USB flash drive you can buy the PCB’s in a range of memory capacities starting at 128MB all the way up to 16GB albeit 1GB and 2GB tend to be the most popular.

USB PCB

USB PCB

If you do want to build your own USB flash drives then USB2U can supply you with all the components you need including any accessories your might want for your finished product including key ring attachments, lanyards and gift-boxes. So if you feel your creative juices rising and fancy building your own unique USB memory sticks or setting a challenge for your students then give us a call and we’ll talk you through the options.

Who knows if you can use your imagination to tap into something big and create some demand for your design it’s always possible to move production from your back bedroom or classroom to the factory.

We do have a minimum order of 50 pieces for the PCB USB’s so if you did want to get a project off the ground and you’re not a school or company then get your entrepreneurial hat on and start raising the capital you need. Next step -  Dragons Den and a grilling from the likes of Peter and Theo!

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Build Your Own USB Flash Drive – A Great School Project

Custom USB Strawberries – Made For Wimbledon

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Strawberries are one of the most popular soft fruits in the UK and they are synonymous with the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament where around 30,000 kilos are eaten during the course of the Championships (topped off with thousands of litres of cream of course!)

Its not surprising that strawberries are so popular because not only do they taste great but they are a source of natural sugar and provide excellent amounts of vitamin C and potassium both of which are minerals essential in our diet.

Less tasty but nevertheless just as popular are custom USB flash drives and just to illustrate that they can be supplied in any shape you want here’s an example of a tasty looking strawberry that is actually a custom USB flash drive so it would be best to avoid covering these in cream!

Strawberry USB Flash Drives

Strawberry Flash Drives

Of course USB strawberries are not going to be to everyone’s taste but they work just like standard USB flash drives albeit they generate a little more “buzz” and interest when used to promote a product or service. Standard flash drives printed up with a logo are almost as popular as Strawberries at Wimbledon but custom versions are getting more and more popular.

If you’ve got an event, show, conference or press launch and you really want to grab people’s attention and give them something to take away that reminds then of your and you company/product then it’s definitely worth considering a bespoke memory stick. Any design, any product, any shape can be manufactured in 2-D or 3-D and a wide range of materials are available to create the right overall effect.

All that’s needed to start the process is an idea! Once you have this get in touch and our in-house design team will work up some concepts for you and then develop these with you until you’re happy. The next stage is the production of physical samples for your approval and after that the final mass production. Lead times for custom flash drives are understandably a little longer at around 4 weeks but the finished results are definitely worth the wait.

Custom USB Flash Drives

Various Custom USB

Don’t forget to you can pre-load your data onto custom USB flash drives just as you can with any standard drive. So, make sure you have your sales material, your media files, presentation slides and any other data ready to load onto the drives when they arrive. If you don’t want the hassle of having to data load the memory sticks yourself then this can be done by the factory during the manufacturing process (normally free of charge) or the data can be loaded just before they are despatched to your offices.

So, as you sit back in the sunshine and watch the tennis get your thinking cap on and come up with your own ideas for a killer custom flash drive!

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Custom USB Strawberries – Made For Wimbledon

The Winner In The Clubhouse – Custom USB Golf Clubs and Balls

Friday, May 28th, 2010

The golf equipment and clothing market is a multi-billion pound global market, which given that there are reckoned to be in excess of 30 million regular golfers worldwide is not surprising. Like many sports several key brands tend to dominate the market albeit these brands tend to fragment into clubs, golf balls, clothing and accessories.

Some of the most recognised brands include: Dunlop, TaylorMade, Adidas, Ping, Titliest, Callaway, Wilson, Nike and Mizuno. Every player will have their favourite clubs manufacturer, favourite golf ball manufacturer and so on and these global brands commit millions of pounds each year on R&D, design and sponsorship to make for example their particular golf clubs or golf balls the preferred choice of the golf community.

USB Gold Bag

USB Golf Bag

With every manufacturer scrambling for consumer spend in the midst of tough economic times its interesting to see the innovation now creeping into the advertising and marketing plans of many brands. Nowhere is this more evident than in the use of USB flash drives. Of course they are not using just any old factory designed flash drive with their logo printed on, no, they are commissioning fully bespoke flash drives in the shape of their equipment.

So, next time you’re at the London Golf Show or the Scottish Golf Show or any Golf Show for that matter don’t be surprised to coaxed onto a trade stand with the lure of a Custom USB Golf Ball or a Custom USB Golf bag. These super little promotional products are facsimiles of the real thing just a little smaller and of course they’re fully functional USB flash drives.

The beauty of these products is that the manufacturer can pre-load onto the flash drive all of their product range, technical data sheets, video’s of the product in use, testimonials from professional players, details of local stockists, links to their web site and so on. Rather than hand out lots of glossy but heavy and expensive marketing information

USB Golf Ball

USB Golf Ball

its far easier for all concerned to have this information on a small, handy and imaginatively produced flash memory stick. Easier for the recipient as they won’t be burdened with lots of brochures to lug around the show and easier for the giver as their print costs, storage costs, transport costs etc. will all be dramatically reduced.

Because USB flash drives are incredibly popular products they will be welcomed as promotional gift and unlike CD’s or DVD’s they will be used.  Done well they’ll also generate a real level of interest and “chatter” which is precisely what any good promotional product should deliver.

Custom flash drives, as these images illustrate, can be manufactured in any shape and in a range of different materials. Pricing is just a little more than a standard flash drive you just need to allow a week or so more for their manufacture.

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The Winner In The Clubhouse – Custom USB Golf Clubs and Balls

Custom USB Flash Drives – Promotional Products Par Excellence

Monday, May 10th, 2010

If you’re looking for a promotional product or corporate gift then you should give custom USB flash drives serious consideration. Don’t just settle for the all too obvious branded mug, baseball cap, T-shirt, pen or soft toy because they’ve all be done to death already and promotional products need to help your brand stand out from the crowd.

Custom USB flash drives are made to order, bespoke, flash drives that are manufactured in a shape, style and material of your choosing. Typically a custom flash drive is produced in a 2-D or 3-D shape that represents something about your company or your company’s products. So, if your company manufactures forklift trucks you could get a bespoke flash drive produced in the shape of a forklift. Similarly if your company imports fruit you could get a custom USB memory stick produced in the shape of a banana or apple.

Custom USB

Custom USB Forklift

Alternatively if you have invested in an advertising campaign (TV, Press, Radio etc.) then you might want to come up with something that links into the campaign. Orange Mobile for example recently commissioned some brilliant custom USB cartoon characters that were designed around the characters in their TV and poster campaign. The reaction to the memory sticks from their customers and partners has been brilliant and far exceeded their expectations. The sticks themselves also show just what can be done with a little thought and imagination.

The process to order custom USB flash drives is not as difficult as you might think. It’s really just a question of coming up with the idea and then asking our design team to work up some ideas for you. Of course if you have some very fixed requirements (like Orange) then it’s even easier because the flash drives will be designed to match, exactly, the characters.

Custom USB Examples

Custom USB Examples

Once a design has been agreed the factory will produce a physical sample for you to approve. This will be air freighted in from the factory because it’s important that you not only see and feel the sample but that you confirm the material that it’s proposed to manufacture the drive from.

Once the samples have been approved its full steam ahead with the production. The total lead time to consider for a custom flash drives is around 4 weeks from initial contact but this can increase if multiple samples and amends are needed so where you can factor in a little extra time.

As the examples above illustrate custom USB memory sticks can look fantastic and they really do create a level of interest, “chatter” and response that simply cannot be matched by more traditional promotional gifts and give-aways.

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Custom USB Flash Drives – Promotional Products Par Excellence

Bespoke USB Flash Drives – Take Control

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

If you’re looking to buy some branded USB flash drives for a forthcoming event, product launch or show then rather than settling for a standard design with your logo or brand printed on it why not consider a bespoke solution.

The vast majority of promotional memory sticks given away in the UK are normally one of a small handful of standard “factory” designs with the ubiquitous “Twister” or “Rotate” model as its sometimes referred to being the most commonly used.

These standard models are popular because they are easy to source, they come in a range of colours and they carry print well. As a promotional product they are great in so far as they go hence why they are ordered in such large volumes. These standard drives are a “safe bet” and because they are readily available and can typically be delivered in a week or so there is little need to forward plan.

Whilst these attributes are all excellent and they really do deliver as a promotional product (particularly if you pre-load them with data) there is no doubt that bespoke flash drives will really get you noticed and will generate a level of “chatter” and interest that standard flash drives simply can’t match.

Of course if you just want your branded flash drives to carry your logo and be a vehicle for distributing presentation slides, product information etc. then a standard drive might be appropriate.

Custom USB

Custom USB

Bespoke flash drives are designed and manufactured to your exact requirements. They can be manufactured in any 2-D or 2-D shape and from a range of different materials. Just like a standard flash drive they are available in a range of different memory sizes and they can be printed, embossed or engraved as required.

When it comes to designing custom memory sticks pretty much anything can and has been done ranging from USB fruit, USB people, USB vehicles, USB cartoon characters and so on. So, if for example you are a widget manufacturer and you’re about to launch a new widget on the world and you have a press launch arranged to underpin the launch you might consider commissioning a bespoke flash drive in the shape of your widget. Consider the impact when these are handed out at the press event and product launch particularly if they are pre-loaded with all the launch material.

Standard branded flash drives are still incredibly well received and whilst we’re not quite at the point of people saying or thinking “so what” there is no doubt that the market is in danger of saturation. You can cut through this by going the extra mile and commissioning a bespoke flash drive. Do bear in mind that the lead time for bespoke flash drives is 2-3 weeks longer so build this into your plans.

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Bespoke USB Flash Drives – Take Control

We Never Tyre Of Custom USB Flash Drives

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

BFGoodrich are one of the leading tyre manufacturers in the world so when it came to ordering a USB flash drive for one of their promotional activities they were adamant that the flash drive should reflect not only their brand but their core products – Tyres.

Standard branded memory sticks were never going to be able to do the job because whilst they are great at showing off a brand the challenge with BFGoodrich was to go the extra mile and come up with something that was not only visually excellent but was also a tactile representation of what they do and what they stand for.

Working with the BFGoodrich team we came up with the idea of a rubber USB wristband. These flash drives are a little different because they wrap around the users wrist just like a bracelet. They relatively light, easy to wear and look a lot like the charity wristbands that you see a lot of these days. But, for BFGoodrich the idea was to develop the wristband and create a unique mould so that the finished product was not only rubber but had a tyre tread on the surface.  The wristband was then produced in black and with their logo on and the end result looks stunning. In fact it looks just like a piece of tyre tread fashioned into a wristband!

USB Wristband

Whilst not to everyone taste there is no doubting the innovation behind it and the “wow” factor these custom memory sticks create. What BGGoodrich have shown is that with a little imagination you can come up with a really interesting, imaginative and eye-catching custom USB solution.

Custom memory sticks can be fashioned in 2-D and 3-D shapes and manufactured from a range of different and flexible materials. The incremental cost of a fully bespoke drive is not much more than a standard factory model but you do need to allow a little more time for the production because the factory will want time to produce physical samples and proofs for your approval. If you can afford the time and you can build it into your project plan then custom sticks are definitely worth the wait.

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We Never Tyre Of Custom USB Flash Drives
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