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Posts Tagged ‘promotional USB flash drive’

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What’s The Most Popular Storage Capacity for Promotional USB Memory Sticks?

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Branded USB Memory sticks are becoming evermore popular for the transfer and storage of large amounts of data. This popularity is mainly due to their compact size, ease of use and the dramatic reduction in price over the past few years.

One of the key decisions to make when purchasing Branded USB Memory sticks in the storage capacity.

Before delving into which capacity to select a short technical overview as is useful to understand the measurement terminology used when defining memory capacity.

Electronic data is measured in ‘bytes’. Multiples of these are:

•      1 Kilobyte (KB) is equal to 1,024 bytes

•      1 Megabyte (MB) is equal to 1,024 Kilobytes (1,048,576 bytes)

•      1 Gigabyte (GB) is equal to 1,024 Megabytes (1,073,741,824 bytes)

Branded USB Memory sticks range from 32MB to 16GB. They double up in size from 32MB:

•      32MB (almost obsolete)
•      64MB
•      128MB
•      256MB
•      512MB
•      1GB
•      2GB
•      4GB
•      8GB
•      16GB

You need to be aware that all Promotional USB Memory sticks need a small amount of capacity to allow it them work. As a general rule of thumb around 5% of the storage capacity will be used by the Memory Stick to manage how it stores the data on the stick.

So, how much data can each stick hold? The amount of data that can be stored depends on the type of the data, such as MP3 audio files, digital photos, word files etc. and the quality for example the resolution of photos.  As a benchmark 512MB memory stick would typically store about 250 photos.

When deciding what capacity to select for your Branded USB Memory sticks you need to consider the following.

• What is the objective of your Promotional USB Memory stick campaign. If it is to provide specific data or information that is pre-loaded, then the size should match the amount of data to be loaded. If the requirement is to allow the user to use the Memory stick as a promotional keepsake, then there needs to be sufficient headroom over and above any data that you may wish to load.

• What budget do you have? The higher the capacity the higher the price. However, the price differential between a 64MB and 1GB is no longer that great.

• The market for flash memory is volatile and is driven by supply and demand. Therefore, it is worth checking if there are any special offers on different USB Memory capacity. For example it has been know for 512MB to be cheaper than 256MB.

• If the Branded USB Memory sticks are gifts for prospects or existing key clients, you need to consider the perceived value of the item you are giving. So if budget is limited it may be prudent to buy less of higher capacity Branded USB Memory sticks.

Based on the above criteria, currently the most popular capacity for Branded USB Memory sticks is 1GB, but watch this space!

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What’s The Most Popular Storage Capacity for Promotional USB Memory Sticks?

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Top Ten Pitfalls Of Buying Promotional USB Memory Sticks

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Buying Branded USB Memory sticks should be a painless process and for the most part it is. However, there are numerous examples of where things have gone wrong – some real horror stories! However, the good news is that by asking the right questions and selecting the right supplier you can avoid most of these issues.

This guide illustrates the top ten pitfalls of buying Promotional USB Memory Sticks and how to avoid them.

Find a reputable supplier

There are many suppliers providing Branded USB Memory Sticks As with any industry the quality of the organisations varies widely. Whilst normal due diligence is always required, here are a few tips to help you with the process:

• It is always good practice to run a credit check to make sure your supplier is in good financial health. This is more important if you are being asked to pay upfront for the Branded USB Memory sticks.

• Reputation speaks volumes. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and testimonials from their existing customer base and make contact. If they have provided excellent service levels, they will not be embarrassed to share their successes.

• Make sure there are full contact details on the web site including address and contact telephone numbers – and phone them!

• Ensure they are working from a business premises. There is a growing trend for individuals pertaining to be companies are working from home without the infrastructure to support you if things go wrong. An easy way to check this is by using Google Earth.

Hidden costs

When stating your requirements to a supplier be specific about your needs and ensure that they are all met by studying your quotation carefully. Ask for terms and conditions and be aware of payment terms and delivery date promises. For example some companies will charge extra for print and origination, so ensure that these are covered in the quotation.

Quality of Chipset / Housing

If you quote sounds to good to be true – then it probably is! The core cost of any Branded USB Memory Stick is made up of the USB Housing and USB Flash Chip components. There are ways of saving costs on these buy using poor quality housing and reconditioned USB Memory chips.   Both carry reputation risk for you or your client if things go wrong. So ensure you ask for a sample to check the housing quality and your supplier provides new branded A Grade chipsets such as Samsung, Hynix, Micron or Intel.

It is also worth asking what the manufacturer’s Quality Assurance testing procedure is.

Dataloads

To autorun or not to autorun that is the question! Many clients are faced with the dilemma of whether they should add an autorun facility to their promotional USB Promotional Memory Sticks.

An autorun facility allows users to insert a USB Branded Memory Stick and for the computer to automatically run a programme e.g. a movie file.

The advantages of this facility is that it ensures the user is presented with the information the client wants them to see, without having to find the information themselves. This makes is a very intuitive process and ensures the information on the USB Memory Stick is delivered. However there are some hidden pitfalls:

• Nuisance factor. If one of the objectives is to ensure that the USB Promotional Memory Stick is a keepsake that the end user will access on a regular basis then its worth bearing in mind that every time the user wants to access or save a document they will have to run through the dataload programme. Fine for the first few times, but thereafter they may find this an irritation and relegate the memory stick deep into a draw!

• Autoruns will not work on Win 98 or 2000 operating systems – beware there are still many users out there with these systems. You will also need to ensure that the appropriate code is written into any autorun for it to work on Mac operating systems.

• Some corporate firewalls restrict autoruns, so the danger is that the end user will never see the data.

There is a middle way, why not consider loading the data onto the USB Branded Memory Stick with an icon labelled ‘Click Here To Start’ and allow the user to access the data when they want.  This data can be protected so it would not be deleted, but overcomes may of the issues detailed above.

Proofs/screenshots

Many suppliers will mock up a visual of what the Promotional USB Memory Stick will look like before production. This does not always match the finished product. So ensure that the proof carries the colour pantone references and size of the logo. Some suppliers will provide a picture of a printed pre-production so you know exactly what you are going to get.

Shipping / Customs

Almost all Branded USB Memory sticks are manufactured in the Far East and as such need to pass through both Chinese / Taiwanese and UK Customs. For the vast majority of orders this is pretty seamless process. However, any consignment can be pulled for inspection and customs may request additional information. If a global brand is printed on the Promotional USB Memory sticks they may ask for written authentication from the end clients that the goods are not counterfeit.  Either way a custom check will delay your order from a few days to up to 3 weeks!

Returning goods / Warranties

Things go wrong! The mark of a good supplier is how they manage these issues. All Customised USB Memory Sticks should carry at least a 12 month warranty. Ensure your supplier stipulates this as part of their Terms and Conditions.  However, if the items need replacing it make take several weeks for the Branded USBs to be returned to the manufacturer and repaired or replaced.

Poor Packaging

Poor quality packaging can ruin a great looking USB Memory Stick. In particular the insert that holds the USB memory stick within a box needs to be of the same shape and size of the USB Branded Memory drive. Again the only solution is to have a sample of a box before you order.

Delivery Timeframe

Do not leave the ordering of Branded USB Memory sticks to the last minute unless you want to pay a premium for rush fees and limit your choice of what is available in the UK. Allow at least 2, ideally 3 weeks, from providing your supplier with the artwork, which kicks off the production process.

Quality Of Print

The printing of logos onto your Branded Memory stick is a real art form that at best makes a perfect reproduction of your logo at worst makes it look like real mess and something you would not want to associate your brand to. The typical printing process is spot or screen-printing. This is great for simple logos with up to 4 colours. However it cannot print tints, tones, complex logos or a logo with many colours. A new full colour printing process is now evolving allowing greater printing capabilities. Again if time permits ask for a pre-production printed sample and remove this potential pitfall.

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Top Ten Pitfalls Of Buying Promotional USB Memory Sticks

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Drawing in the Crowds

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Many companies and businesses today are finding more and more that attending trade/marketing shows is one of the best ways to attract new business, especially in these hard times of the recession. Many potential clients can be approached face to face, and leaflets and freebies can be handed out, which help people to remember different companies and their services.

There are many types of giveaways that companies can offer to prospective clientele. Free pens with the company logo or slogan written on them are a big hit, as everybody needs a pen from time to time. Other companies opt for things such as stress balls, chocolates, balloons and even alcohol, occasionally, to draw in customers. All of these usually have the company logo and details featured prominently on the packaging and are ordered in mass quantities.

However, it seems that one of the latest trends in advertising your business is to use promotional USB memory drives, or pen drives. These are memory sticks which come in a variety of sizes, from as small as 64mb to a larger 4 GB, or sometimes even more. They can be used to store vital company information on them, such as price plans, contact information, available packages on offer and even videos and images showing the company to its best advantage. Also, they can be locked after they have been created, meaning that once the information is on the promotional USB memory drive, it cannot be deleted.  In addition to all these benefits, the exterior casing of the USB pen drives can be customised to show the company logo and/or slogan on the front. A lot of them also come in plastic cases that prevent them from being damaged and make them easier to stack and display on a marketing stand.

A lot of companies that are using promotional USB memory sticks to advertise their business seem to be finding that they have a bigger impact than using items such as chocolates or balloons. This may be because they are easy to slip in a handbag or wallet, so people will find them after they have left the show and access them to jog their memory of the company. Also, as it is so easy these days to use a laptop whilst travelling, people can access the promotional USB memory sticks even when they are going home on the train or the tube, for example.

The range of promotional USB memory drives that are available is ever growing. From the classic brushed aluminium style to leather, from wooden ones to novelty varieties such as wristbands or spheres, there is a type out there to suit every need. They can also be bought in an array of colours including yellow, green, red, blue and pink. Eco friendly memory sticks are also available, which are classed as environmentally friendly.

So, if you have booked yourself in for a trade show and need to find some way of advertising your business that is not only cost effective, but doesn’t hurt the environment, USB sticks may be the way forward. With such a wide range to choose from and incredible versatility when it comes to choosing the actual design that will best suit your company, promotional USB memory drives cannot be beaten.

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Drawing in the Crowds

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Secrets to Growing Your Business: Promotional Pen Drives

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Portable USB memory has advanced significantly in the last few years, and the range and style of flash drives available today are many. Companies who want to market their logos and products to a large audience of potential customers are using promotional pen drives to “spread the word” about their business.

The phrase “pen drive” is a general term for many types of USB storage that don’t all necessarily look like pens. The other interchangeable terms for this type of portable storage are flash drives, jump drives, and memory sticks.

However, the most stylish pen drives do resemble executive ballpoint pens. When you unscrew the cap, however, instead of a writing instrument you find a handy USB flash drive to store documents, data files, pictures, and other important information that can be used with any available computer.

For a business that sells products or services, promotional pen drives offer opportunities for cost-effective advertising and for building up brand awareness with their clients. Customers appreciate these promotional “freebies,” since they can be plugged into any available USB port on a Windows or Mac-based computer and used without any previous setup requirements.

Offering pen drives to all your customers makes smart business sense, since it generates opportunities for repeat business when people use the devices outside of your place of business. What you really get is a portable business card that has your business name, logo, address, or phone number.

If the recipient uses this device in public, it may generate conversation from satisfied customers who can tell others about what your firm does or how well they were treated when they did business with you.

As data files, computer documents, and digital photo files get larger and carry more information, a pen drive can provide some much needed storage space for frequently used files on a computer that are not vital to the operating system. Those who design audio devices, satellite receivers, and other electronic equipment are adapting their products to accept pen drives by adding USB ports to their components for easy transfer.

This means that music files, pictures, and digital media can now be accessed on more than just computers. The increasing availability of high-speed internet service and wireless networks allow business people to share information more quickly and easily than ever before.

In essence, by offering promotional pen drives to business associates and customers, not only are you contributing to the growth of your brand name and reputation, you are opening doors to inexpensive channels of communication that weren’t possible less than ten years ago. Flash drive companies are also addressing data security concerns by including encryption software with many of the newer drives.

The cost of producing flash drives is dwindling, and those savings are passed on to those who purchase them. They are more lightweight, durable, and reliable than other forms of media storage, with no moving parts. In addition, there are now wide ranges of “sizes” of pen drives that can now store up to 64GB of re-writeable data, although 16GB drives are much more common.

Remember, these are small devices that can easily fit in briefcases, backpacks, even trouser or shirt pockets. The colour, size, and style combinations now available are incredible, and designing promotional pen drives to match the personality of your business could be a small step that generates repeat customers and a greater market share than one might think possible.

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Secrets to Growing Your Business: Promotional Pen Drives

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USB Hubs and promotional pen drives

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

USB ports have a number of applications, allowing connection of USB sticks and promotional pen drives.  However, many people choose to use hubs.  Hubs are a device that allows for many other devices to be connected to a single USB port.  The advantage of this is that hubs are often built into computer equipment.  This allows for each device to work on one internal USB as opposed to every port having independent USB hardware.

Hubs come in a variety of forms.  Along with more regular hubs are hubs that are known as inverse or shared and these allow several PCs to access a single peripheral.  Only one PC can access a peripheral at any one time, but many computers can be hooked up, using all recognized devices off and on.

If a USB network has many hubs, it requires the hubs to be connected to each other.  A hub network can only extend a USB network up to five times.  Bus-powered hubs are not allowed to be connected with each other in a series; these specific hubs draw all of their power from the computer’s interface.  Many devices use more power than this type of hub can provide.

When creating hubs, you may end up blocking other ports.  Ports are closely spaced, of course plugging in certain devices may block a port rendering it unusable.

Due to hubs being external, you can now get them in novelty shapes to make your computer look more fashionable.  There are designs from time traveling spaceships to nuclear missile launch consoles to name just two.  We need to have these hubs for all our gadgets, but we also want to be looking good while using them.  Gadgets such as USB devices and promotional pen drives cater for our needs for novelty as well as practicality.

To allow for high-speed devices to work in their fastest mode, all hubs between the computer and devices must be high speed.  Devices should fall back to high speed once plugged into a full-speed hub. It is best to use USB 2.0 with high-speed devices.  Although this is true, USB 2.0 also incorporates and surpasses USB 1.1.  This means that full-speed and low speed devices are compliant, but not all 2.0 hubs operate at high-speed.

USB hubs use one or more integrated controllers.  They usually support a four port hub system.  You can get hub controllers that support 7 ports.  Some hub controllers can convert PS/2 to USB for your mouse and keyboard.

A self-powered USB hub is suggested for your smaller devices such as mice and keyboards.  When getting into your larger devices such as, external drives, printers and scanners, AC powered hubs are said to be a better choice.  Some AC powered hubs come with an adapter while others don’t.  Make sure to get the hub that best suits your needs.

If you have multiple devices that you will be using with your computer, hubs are probably the way to go.  They make your ports conveniently accessible.  They are inexpensive and especially handy with laptops where you may need more ports in order to use more devices.  You really can’t go wrong using a hub to support your devices.  You are more likely to have what you need right at your finger tips.  No matter whether you are using your promotional pen drives, a USB keyboard or mouse, make sure you have the correct hub.

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USB Hubs and promotional pen drives

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What to Look For in A Flash Drive

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

To get the best value on a flash drive, there are things that you should look for while you are selecting.   You need to decide how much room you need.  If you only need a small amount of space (1-16 GB), you do not want to spend the money for a flash drive with 32-64 GB.  If you do not need this much, you will be paying a lot more for something that you will not use.

You will want to think about the type of information that you will be dealing with.  If the information that you are going to be storing is sensitive in nature, you will want to look for password and encryption ability. These securities can be anywhere from military grade on down.  If you only need a little protection, some smaller drives allow you to create a hidden, secure partition.  This is usually plenty for everyday use.

Decide if you need a more protective case.  How are your promotional flash drives going to travel most of the time?  If you tend to be a person who is rough, you may want a driver with a cap as opposed to a retractable.  Also pick a more sturdy material such as metal instead of plastic.  A model that is more robust will take a beating a lot better.

If you do not plan on running applications, don’t spend the money on U3 technology.  Some people find this technology annoying or frustrating.  It also requires administrator access most of the time.  You can keep it simple and stay with a regular drive, as this will keep things simple.  You don’t want to mess with something you don’t need.  Who wants to be bothered?

You should only worry about what you are going to use.  Don’t worry about a bunch of extra actions.  At the same time, you do not want to come out with a drive that doesn’t have what you need.  Check consumer reports to help you find what you need.  You can also get the scoop on the best drivers based on function and price.

When looking at good and bad reviews, keep in mind that many of the reviews are based on the fact that people just didn’t get what they wanted.  They have a drive with too much or too little.  You do want to focus on reliability and durability when looking at reviews.  Does the driver do what it is intended to do?  In the long run, this will save you a lot of time and hassle trying to fix your driver.

Take your time picking out promotional flash drives.  Get what is best for you based on function and price.  If you take care in picking out your product, you will be a lot happier with its function and performance.  Checking reviews is a great way to help you decide if what you are looking for is going to be dependable.  This is especially important if you will be saving and transferring a lot of business related data on promotional flash drives.

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What to Look For in A Flash Drive

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The potential for unusual flash drives

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

There is a world out there beyond the typical everyday flash drive.  This world is comprised of unique and personal ways of showing and sporting your promotional flash drives.  These are sure to grab anyone’s attention!

Flash drives now come in jewellery for the ladies.  You can wear them as a stylish necklace or a dazzling bracelet.  Not only are you carrying the information you need on you, you are doing it in style!  These are so realistic looking that no one will even know they are promotional flash drives until you take it off and plug it into your computer.  That is when people will begin to ask you the questions out of sheer curiosity.

We have all heard or even used the popular term ‘thumb drive’.  Now that can be a literal statement!  You can buy a very realistic looking thumb that has a retractable flash drive!  People will wonder what you are doing with that extra thumb!  Putting that aside, imagine the looks when it is sticking out of your computer!

Along with these very intriguing drives, you can get sports balls, animals, iPods, cars, and just about anything you can imagine.  If you are going to have something on you, it might as well be unique, trendy and well, you!  Trendy really can meet technology with these whimsical designs.

There are sites that will design promotional flash drives for you.  There is anything from crosses, wristbands with personalized sayings, gold bars, cameras, and many, many more.  Go for it and be creative!  The aspect of the wristbands and jewelry are an advantage because they are actually attached to your body.  You will be much less likely to lose them.

If you are currently in sales, think about the fact that this could be a sales tactic and advertising tool.  You can get trendy promotional flash drives that are representative of what you are selling, or your business services.  Maybe you just want something to draw attention as a conversation starter. It could be for personal reasons to give yourself a smile during the day while you are working.

Many people have become huge fans of these unique flash drives!  Let your personality and taste shine as you work and download.  Start a collection!  There are so many out there that there is something for everyone.

If you can’t wait to find a flash drive that is unique to your taste, just type in ‘unique flash drives’ into your favorite search engine and you will be awe-stricken at the creativity that has been associated with these small pieces of technology.

Get rid of that plain flash drive!  Carry your info in style with an infinite number of unique flash drive shapes, sizes, themes, logos and colors.  Get the attention of others and maybe even give yourself a smile or two.  If nothing else, they would make great gifts for people of all ages!  You can purchase them as a gift of caring or a hilarious gag!  Go for it!

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The potential for unusual flash drives

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The Twister: The Most Popular Promotional Branded USB Flash Drive

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

The Twister USB flash drive is, by a long stretch, the most innovative design that has been introduced into the USB flash drive marketplace since its inception. It has fused the functionality and cost-effectiveness of the latex covered plastic circuit board and chip housing with the robustness of the metal body that has been introduced through the metal Twister USB flash drive. This has helped in maintaining the quality standards required of the USB flash drives and yet keeps the sleek design and the versatility of the USB gadget intact.

USB2U Branded Twister USB

The defining features that help to distinguish the Twister USB flash drive from the other contemporary USB flash drives are listed below.

1. This USB flash drive has a twisting metal casing that safeguards the actual USB connector from impacts and falls in any environment that the USB flash drive is used in. The absence of a cap eliminates the possibility misplacing the cap of the USB flash drive and as a result could result in damage to the USB.

2. The tough metal casing will ensure that your data is protected from external sources. This advantage, along with high data retention capacity of the Twister makes it very popular with the people who are more inclined to use USB flash drives for portable data storage.

3. The toughness of the Twister USB flash drive is not the only party trick for this leader of innovative USB flash drives. The visual appearance of the Twister” is also a huge reason why USB users are attracted to this particular USB flash drive so much. The elegant rubberized-feel body of the Twister innovative twisting metal case that could be swung aside to reveal the actual USB flash drive captivates users.

4. The Twister with its ‘expensive’ looks and sturdy structuring is an asset to behold for corporate customers. They very often use this product as printed, branded, promotional gifts to enhance their brand image and an provide an increase in brand retention among their existing consumer base. There is also an option to utilize laser engraving to embed a company logo on the external casing. This double advantage allows companies to increase chances of converting their prospective clients through a marketing campaign that has been strengthened to double over the conventional USB flash drives.

Therefore, you can ascertain for yourself the superlative advantage that the Twister USB flash drive has on offer. If, in the past, you have been wary of the dangers to your chosen, stylish USB flash drive due to rough handling, you can put them to rest by using the Twister. It has taken the functional qualities of a standard USB flash drive and the style of a well-designed fashion accessory to produce one of the most innovative technological marvels in the promotional USB flash drive industry in recent times.

USB2U Branded Twister USB

Check out the packaging options for the Twister: Click here

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The Twister: The Most Popular Promotional Branded USB Flash Drive

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