USB Technology Benefits a Huge Number of Gadgets

Some of the most diverse and useful gadgets in existence these days all have one thing in common- they take advantage of USB technology. USB is a type of connection technology that's been on computers for years and has gradually been migrating into other devices that aren't necessarily even intended to be connected to computers. USB ports and cables have been able to connect computers to numerous types of gadgets for years. For example, many printers, scanners, digital cameras, computer mice, external drives, and numerous other gadgets have all been USB ready for a number of years. Digital cameras are a great example of the type of gadget that benefits form USB connectivity. For example, you can either plug your digital camera directly into your computer to transfer pictures into it, or you can use a special flash memory card reader the comes with many digital cameras and plugs into a USB port of the computer and allows you to simply put the flash memory card from your digital camera into the reader in order to transfer the photos. This device looks and behaves like a miniature disc drive and makes it so that you don't have to reinstall a device every time you want to transfer photos like you would if you took them directly from the camera.

USB ports also lend themselves well to various kinds of wireless technology. For example, it's now possible to have a wireless mouse and or a wireless keyboard work with your computer through a device that plugs into a USB port and receives the wireless signals form the mouse or keyboard and inputs them to the computer. It's also possible to connect a computer to a wireless network by plugging a special wireless antenna into the computer using a USB port.

One type of gadget that's uses USB technology and is becoming increasingly popular is the portable USB drive. These devices are essentially compact flash memory chips that have USB connectors on one end. These devices can be used to back up files and transfer files from one computer to another when they aren't networked together. They typically come with storage capacities of 256 MB, 512 MG, and 1 GB. Some of these devices even offer various types of encryption in order to protect the data on them. Some are unlocked by password and others even have fingerprint recognition systems built in. These gadgets often come concealed in other things like pens and watches, and have proven themselves to be a nightmare for security experts at large companies with sensitive information secured on their computers.


One trait that makes USB connections extremely versatile is the fact that they can transmit relatively large electrical currents at the same time as data. This makes it so that portable devices can have their batteries recharged through a USB connection to a larger computer at the same time as data is being moved from one device to the other. Another ingenious application of this technology is the fact that it's now possible to have a computer mouse that plugs into a USB port and has a heater built into it that's run by the current from the USB connection. That way, your hand stays warm while you're at your computer.

The number of applications for USB technology when it comes to gadgets is virtually limitless.

A pioneer in technology reporting, Julia Hall has published articles about the latest digital devices and gadgets for over ten years. After graduating from MIT with a degree in electrical engineering, Julia turned down huge salaries from some of the most recognized fortune 500 companies in the world to pursue her dream of becoming a leading consumer advocate. Julia uses his expertise to cut through the too good to be true deals offered by high tech companies to reveal the real steals and the real duds that we're bombarded with daily. If you enjoy staying on the cutting edge of technology, whether for business or pleasure, but find yourself occasionally confused by the overwhelming and convoluted information out there let Julia show you the way.