The Empire State Building stands at a total height of 1,454 feet, with an interior volume of about 37 million cubic feet.

If you take a swivel USB flash drive (the world’s #1 selling body style) measuring roughly 57 × 19 × 10 mm, it is theoretically possible to fit about 17,760,000,000,000,000 quadrillion flash drives inside the Empire State Building.

Would this be a good conversation starter at a cocktail party?

Ref: Wikipedia

A computer virus is something we all strive to avoid because we understand the consequences and the amount of time and energy required to restore a computer to its original condition. In a recent poll by GetUSB.info when asking users to name the top three ways a computer can get a virus, they responded with:

• Link from an email
• Link from an unsecure website
• USB flash drive

However, if Nexcopy has anything to do with the last answer, a computer virus which spreads by USB flash drive will be a thing of the past.

Nexcopy is a US company based in Southern California who specializes in flash memory duplication equipment, printers, FDA compliant flash drives, copy protection and now a road-blocking malware on flash drives.

A virus will spread via a USB stick because the device is writable. In fact, any device that is connected to a computer which is writeable could spread a virus; other devices such as external hard drives, SD cards, microSD cards, etc. all have the same potential for harm.

But what happens when you turn these storage devices on their head and not allow them to be writable in the first place? This simple yet obvious solution is a gigantic step in the right direction for controlling the spread of a virus via USB.

The Lock License flash drive designed and manufactured by Nexcopy is exactly that. The Lock License drive is a USB stick which is always write protected. The device doesn’t care what it’s plugged into, or when, or how, the Lock License drive will always be read-only.

A virus will spread in a very specific way. A virus is designed to scan newly connected devices and ping them to see if they can spread (if the device is writable). A new device is defined by any computer system when “power” is assigned upon connection, which, coincidentally is the same time the virus will try and spread.

In the world of physics, heat represents resistance. Think about touching your car tire before you’ve driven anywhere — it’s cool. Touch that same tire after driving to the store and it’s warm. That warmth is resistance.

Copper found in USB connectors and USB cables is the material where this resistance shows up. As copper heats up, data transfer rates slow down because heat represents inefficiencies in the material.

Research presented at February’s IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference by lead author Jack Holloway, along with co-authors Ruonan Han and Georgios Dogiamis, introduced a data transfer system capable of transmitting information up to 10 times faster than USB. The new link pairs high-frequency silicon chips with a polymer cable as thin as a strand of human hair.

Mr. Holloway explains, “Copper wires, like those found in USB or HDMI cables, are power-hungry — especially when dealing with heavy data loads. There’s a fundamental tradeoff between the amount of energy burned and the rate of information exchanged.”

The most commonly suggested alternative to copper wiring is optical fiber. Optical cables rely on photons and are extremely efficient, but the challenge lies in how photons interact with silicon chips. Because photons don’t interface cleanly with silicon, a direct connection between a fiber-optic cable and a computer chip is not ideal.

The technology developed by Holloway and his team uses a plastic polymer material that performs exceptionally well at sub-terahertz frequencies. These very high-frequency signals make the polymer a competitive alternative to fiber optics.

To complete the system, the team engineered a low-cost silicon chip that pairs directly with the polymer conduit. While traditional silicon chips struggle at sub-terahertz frequencies, this new design generates high-frequency signals with enough power to transmit data directly into the conduit. The clean interface between chip and conduit allows the entire system to be manufactured using standard, cost-effective processes.

Physically, the plastic polymer conduit is about the same diameter as a human hair.

Resource: Fiber optics.

Did you know Windows 10 has a speed test feature you can easily run from the CMD prompt?

This feature is what many USB flash drive speed test applications call upon during their operation. Some people feel uncomfortable downloading software from an unknown source, so this article will explain how to use Windows features everyone already has for checking the speed of a USB flash drive, or any storage device.

TIP: The company which owns this website (Nexcopy Inc.) took the below information and wrapped it into a GUI (Graphical User Interface). The free GUI is easier to use because you can click a button rather than type in commands in the CMD prompt window. We baked in a couple extra USB benchmark speed features {wink}. Our free GUI version is here.

Every flash drive manufacturer claims a particular read and write speed of their flash drive and this is a great tool to verify what you purchased is what you received. It’s been said manufacturers will manipulate their computer environment to optimize the performance and use those optimized results as their marketing material. This could be true when a manufacturer is trying to determine the maximum performance, so let’s take a look now at benchmarking a standard environment.

The read and write speed of a flash drive will depend on the USB port one is using during the test. You will see a performance difference between a USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 device that is connected to a USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 socket on your computer. So take note about what you are doing!

After you’ve connected the USB drive to your USB port, take note of which technology they are, and be sure no data is on your drive. Although this Windows utility did not remove our data during testing, one can never be too sure.

In Windows type CMD into the search field.

Please be sure to use the Ctrl + Shift keys when you click the Enter key. This will run the command prompt at the Administrator level. You want to run this at the Admin level because if you don’t, a separate window will pop up during the testing process and immediately disappear with the process is done… taking the speed test results with it!

Once you’ve opened the command prompt at the Admin level, type the following:

winsat disk -drive d (where d is drive letter)

Windows will perform it’s task and should take about one minute to complete. The results will be printed out in the console window once everything is complete. Take note from our example below. This is a 64GB drive which we connected to both a USB 2.0 socket and a USB 3.0 socket. You can see the performance difference.

The information you want are:

• > Disk Sequential 64.0 Read
• > Disk Sequential 64.0 Write

Nice feature, right? Free and immediately available.

For those who don’t want to go this far, you could always take a large file, say 100MBs or larger and drag-and-drop this to your USB flash drive for speed testing. Just look at the copy process window and you’ll get a fairly good idea of device speed.

It’s important to remember flash drive media does not copy at sustained transfer speeds. The speed process does move around during the copy process; however, the read process is more stable and should happen at a more sustained transfer speed. We’ve seen drives drop down to 1MB/second for a short bit, before jumping back up to 30+MB/second write speed.

There are two popular methods to get large videos off your iPhone.

The most common problem is having a large video on your iPhone that you need on your computer. Email programs usually limit file sizes to around 20 MB, so if the file is larger, what can you do?

Two popular options come to mind: using QuickTime or using a USB flash drive.

Option #1

Use QuickTime. Macs already include QuickTime in the operating system, but Windows users must install it separately. Before choosing this route to transfer large videos off your iPhone, here are a few things to consider:

• You must back up your iPhone through QuickTime before accessing the video
• You need your computer (an authorized computer) to perform the backup
• Windows users must download and install QuickTime
• QuickTime is an invasive program that many Windows users dislike
• This is not a portable way to move videos off your iPhone
• However, this is a free solution

Option #2

Use a flash drive.

Yes, you need to purchase a specific flash drive, but after this one-time investment, it becomes far easier to move videos off your iPhone. Some advantages worth considering:

• Transfer large videos without using a PC
• Share videos immediately with another user’s computer
• Use the drive as external storage for video backups

Point number one is really the value in all of this ?.

While you won’t be able to make the transfer immediately without the hardware, once you have the USB device, the process is quick and repeatable.

Certain USB drives include software that works with iOS, allowing files to be copied directly from the phone to the drive. The device tested here is the SanDisk iXpand flash drive with 128 GB capacity, which typically costs around $40.

The process is very straightforward:

• Download the iXpand app from the Apple App Store
• Connect the flash drive to your iPhone
• Select the files you want to transfer

Like the PS4 before it, the Sony PS5 allows you to play music and video directly from a USB flash drive through the console. The process is straightforward, but a few practical reminders can help everything run more smoothly the first time you set it up.

The PS5 supports MP3 audio and MP4 video playback from a USB flash drive. While the console is capable, it does not support every audio or video format available. To avoid compatibility issues, stick with widely supported formats—MP3 for audio and MP4 for video—and you should have no trouble.

It’s also worth noting that the PS5 supports the same media formats as the PS4 family and plays video at resolutions up to 3840 × 2160 (4K). Attempting to play 8K video files will not work, as the PS5 does not currently support 8K output.

Pro tip: organize your MP3 audio and MP4 video into folders before copying them to the USB flash drive. The PS5 uses folder structure to create playback order, effectively treating each folder like a simple playlist. While this requires a bit of manual organization, it makes browsing and playback far more manageable. For example, separate folders by artist, album, or video type.

When playing media from a USB flash drive, video and audio are accessed from different areas of the system interface.

Do not use the Media section. That area is reserved for streaming content and media purchased through the PlayStation Store.

To watch video, long-press the PS Button and select Media Gallery from the main menu. Then navigate to USB on the far right. Video files can only be accessed through this path.

Navigation follows this basic path:

PS5 Home ? Media Gallery ? USB

Files within each folder are indexed in order, similar to a playlist. You can use R1 and L1 to skip between files, while the left and right directions on the D-Pad allow for smaller, chapter-style skips within a video.

To play audio, press the PS Button once to open the Control Center quick bar, then select the Music icon. The interface is fairly minimal, but it gets the job done.

Music playback can continue in the background while you navigate menus or play games. Once music is playing, you can pause tracks, skip songs, or adjust playback directly from the Control Center without interrupting gameplay.

GetUSB.info researches USB products every day from every corner of the internet. While we don’t publish every finding, the research continues with a focus on delivering value to our visitors.

Over the past six weeks, we’ve seen an increasing number of products described as a USB splitter. This trend makes it worth explaining what a USB splitter actually is — or more accurately, what it is not.

A USB splitter does not split a USB signal. The most common use of the term “splitter” comes from telephone hardware, such as a phone splitter for an analog signal. In that case, a single phone line can be split so the same analog signal reaches two phones at the same time. USB does not work this way — at all.

What many sellers call a USB splitter should actually be called a USB hub. A USB hub consists of one upstream port and multiple downstream ports. The upstream port carries the incoming signal, while the downstream ports make that signal available to connected devices. The key phrase here is “available,” because not all ports can receive or use the same upstream signal simultaneously.

For example, if audio is playing from your PC to a USB speaker, a hub will not automatically split that audio signal to multiple USB speakers connected to the same hub. The same limitation applies to video and data. USB signals cannot be automatically duplicated across multiple devices.

Calling a USB hub a USB splitter is a poor choice of words. In fact, we consider this a red flag and a reason to avoid buying products from suppliers who use misleading terminology to describe basic USB hardware.

The closest thing to a true “splitter” is a USB Y-cable. A USB Y-cable has two connectors on the upstream side and a single connector on the downstream side. However, both upstream connectors do not transmit data. One connector provides both data and power, while the second connector supplies additional power only.

This configuration is commonly used with external hard drives (traditional disk drives, not solid-state drives). The purpose is to draw additional power from the host computer using two USB ports and deliver that extra power to the external device.

As shown above, the idea is to connect the two USB Type-A connectors to two USB ports on the host computer, while the single USB connector attaches to the peripheral device. This setup allows the device to receive additional power beyond what a single USB port can provide.

USB flash drive duplicators are typically in production type environments because the equipment is being used to make hundreds or thousands of flash drives. Maintenance for USB flash drive duplicators is key to keeping the equipment operating at peak performance.

As with any flash memory duplicator system, there are no moving parts. This certainly makes it easier on keeping the gear in tip-top shape. Although there are no moving parts there are still cleaning steps one can take. There are three areas to consider for maintenance for USB Flash Drive Duplicator.

The USB socket of a USB duplicator receives the most wear-and-tear. The standard USB socket has a specification of 100,000 connection cycles. During that time, it’s possible dirt and dust can get into the USB socket. However, more likely will be plastic shavings form the USB stick itself found inside the socket. If a user connects a USB stick at a slight angle and with a bit of force, it’s possible some of the plastic inside the USB stick connector is shaved off and falls into the USB socket of the flash drive duplicator.

If this happens the quick, simple and effective solution is applying compressed air into the USB duplicator socket to blow out any debris, dust or dirt. By cleaning out the sockets you will insure a better point of contact between the pins of the USB flash drive and the pins of the USB socket.

Another common issue with USB duplicators are the sockets themselves getting lose from all the connection cycles during the production process. Inside each USB socket there are metal tongs which provide tension as the USB stick is connected to the socket. Over time, these tongs lose some of their elasticity and thus result in less tension. When there is less tension between the socket and device, it is possible a good connection is not made. By taking apart the duplicator and adjusting the tongs of the USB socket you can create good, strong tension.

Here is a close up picture of a USB socket from a USB flash drive duplicator made by Nexcopy. The red arrow points the tension tong. Using some sort of sharp mechanical tool, push the tension tong down towards the inner part of the USB socket. Do not push or bend the tong too much, but enough to create good tension when a USB flash drive is inserted into the socket. Apply this technique to all sockets of the duplicator.

The last bit of maintenance for a USB flash drive duplicator would be the internal fan and components. As with any computer, the internal fan will pull or push dust into the chassis and cover the components. The dust itself will not damage the components, but the dust will cover the components on the inside and make them run hotter than what is ideal. For this reason, it is a good maintenance step to open the duplicator unit and apply compressed air to the inside of the unit.

By thoughtfully and methodically applying the above maintenance steps your USB flash drive duplicator will continue to run for many years.

There are several USB articles circulating right now about the USB Type-A connector and how it often takes three tries to make a connection. We agree with the frustration — but it doesn’t have to be that way. A universal USB Type-A connector does exist; it’s just not widely available.

Would you buy this? Shoot us an email if you’re interested (gmo [@] getusb [.] info).

Pictures first. Below are three close-up images of the universal USB connector.

Physically, a USB Type-A connector appears symmetrical. It’s rectangular in shape, with no obvious marking indicating the top or bottom. Most users eventually learn that the seam on the connector indicates the bottom, while the smooth side is the top. HDMI connectors, for example, are much easier to orient because each side is shaped differently.

However, the USB Type-A connector is not truly symmetrical. Looking inside the connector reveals a slight offset in the internal contacts — one orientation places the contacts higher, the other lower.

It’s unclear why this connector design never gained broader adoption among vendors and manufacturers. Our company received samples several years ago, accompanied by the claim that products would eventually shift to this connector style. That transition, however, has never materialized.

Microsoft updates for Windows 10 seem endless. Most users don’t bother reading the update notes about what has changed or been added — myself included.

Today, we noticed the eject feature in the Windows taskbar that allows you to quickly unmount USB flash drives.

This isn’t breaking news — just a quick post about a feature you may not have noticed.

How to quickly eject a USB flash drive in Windows:

Click the access arrow in your taskbar.

Hover over the USB icon and click it.

A list of connected devices will appear. Hover over the USB flash drive you want to eject and click it.

That’s it. Your USB flash drive is now safely ejected.

ASUS unveiled the Tinker Board 2 and Tinker Board 2S, its most powerful single-board computer (SBC), designed to challenge the Raspberry Pi. The Tinker Board 2 and Tinker Board 2S feature a Rockchip RK3399 processor and up to 4 GB of dual-channel LPDDR4 RAM, along with increased USB connectivity — including one USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C port and three USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports.

The only thing distinguishing the Tinker Board 2S from the Tinker Board 2 is its 16 GB of onboard eMMC flash storage. The standard Tinker Board 2 relies on a microSD card reader instead, which the Tinker Board 2S also includes. All other specifications are identical.

Underpinning both SBCs is a Rockchip RK3399 processor with two ARM Cortex-A72 cores, four ARM Cortex-A53 cores, and an ARM Mali-T860 MP4 GPU. Buyers can choose between 2 GB or 4 GB of dual-channel LPDDR4 memory.

Here is a list of the available I/O:

• 1× HDMI 2.0
• 1× USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C (OTG & DisplayPort 1.2)
• 3× USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A
• 1× 22-pin MIPI DSI
• 1× 15-pin MIPI CSI-2
• 1× RJ-45 Gigabit LAN
• 1× Wi-Fi 802.11ac & Bluetooth 5.0
• 1× 40-pin GPIO header
• 1× DC fan header
• 1× RTC battery header
• 1× power and recovery headers
• 1× 12 V – 19 V DC-in barrel connector

Now here’s the real question: will ASUS face the same issue of limited long-term support? One reason the Raspberry Pi continues to dominate is the size and strength of its community and ecosystem.

Measuring 85 mm × 56 mm, the boards support Debian 9, while ASUS planned Android 10 support by Q1 2021. According to ASUS, the Tinker Board 2 series should deliver up to 1.5× the performance of the original Tinker Board. Pricing and exact release dates were not confirmed at the time, though availability was expected around Q1 2021.

Although the Tinker Board 2 was not available at the time of this post (November 2020), you can use this Tinker Board 2 link to check current availability on Amazon.

Turning off Windows Updates permanently isn’t difficult. All you need to do is this:

In the Windows search box, type services.msc.

From the list shown, locate and select Windows Update.

Double-click the entry to open the Windows Update properties. From the Startup type drop-down menu, select Disabled.

Click Apply, then OK, and you’re done.

If you prefer visual guidance, the screenshots below walk through the same steps.