One only has to look at the dearth of gadgets coming on the market today to see that we can now all have a bit of 007 in us, from home security systems that look like motion detectors to eavesdropping devices masked as a cell phone.

Is that Timex really a watch? Or is it a USB flash drive holding your sensitive data? The answer these days is that it can be both.

While Timex isn’t the maker, you can get a USB flash drive watch that also tells time. Hidden in the band is a USB connector. When you want to steal a little data (or back up your own), you can just unhook the connector and transfer up to 8 gigs of data. Best of all, it’s right there with you all the time. No more fumbling around in your pocket to find a handy USB flash drive, it’s right there on your wrist along with the current time and date.

Ordinary pens aren’t so ordinary either these days. Uncap the end and instead of ink you’ll find a USB flash drive. One second you could be writing an innocent note to someone and the next you can be docking the pen into a computer and backing up data. Not only are these great pens, but great USB flash drives as well. Sure, you could go with a standard USB flash drive, but why not get one that can also serve as a writing instrument, always at the ready to be analog or digital at a moment’s notice.

Even traditional USB flash drives can be pretty stealthy. There are drives on the market that contain their own ID scanner that can read fingerprints. Once you’re ready to lock down the data, you simply scan your own fingerprint once and the drive will use it to identify you and lock out intruders. Unless they have a duplicate set of your fingerprints, but that’s another story all together. You can be confident that no one else can access your data with these amazing drives. And if you want others to access it, it can handle up to 10 unique fingerprint IDs, so everyone that is supposed to access the data can.

These are just a few of the many USB sticks on the market today that aren’t what they appear to be. Because the actual drives are so small, they lend themselves well to becoming anything a savvy designer can think of. So, the next time you’re using an innocent looking lighter, perhaps you should wonder if it too leads a secret life as a USB flash drive

It is a lesson learned for all companies that give out USB drives with preloaded content – check your drives on your own systems first before handing them out. You want to make sure they are malware free while also making sure that the preloaded content is yours and not someone else’s.

Of course, choosing a reputable promotional company is the smartest way to prevent such a PR nightmare. IBM had to apologize in a letter sent to delegates, along with instructions for removing the malware, which was set up to run using setup.exe and autorun.ini files. Once the drive was inserted, the malware was automatically loaded onto the unsuspecting delegate’s computer. Unfortunately, the final instruction in the letter recommended reloading all the core operating system software, which, as everyone knows, is a nightmare.

If you’re contemplating the use of preloaded content on your USB flash drives, there’s no need to shy away from your plan. This is a great way to share sales materials, brochures, video demos, PowerPoints and other information with your prospects and clients.
With just a few precautions, you can confidently go with your original plan and preload content with confidence and success.

Double Check Your Source Files
As you prepare your marketing materials, make sure the computer you’re using isn’t already infected. Even if the factory checks the drives, you can accidentally transfer a virus through your own files. So double check them before sending them to the promotional company for integration and production into hundreds or thousands of USB flash drives.

Reconsider AutoRun
A file that automatically loads and runs may sound like a great idea from a marketing standpoint. The prospect or client automatically sees your marketing messages – very cool! But, there is a small risk that you can introduce malware. No matter how unlikely, you don’t want to have an IBM on your hands, sending out letters of apology for giving your contacts malware.

Choose a Reliable Supplier
The best way to prevent a problem is to hire a reputable supplier for your USB flash drives. They will be able to ensure that your disks aren’t infected at the manufacturer level so that you’re not stuck with a couple hundred or thousand branded USB flash drives that are infected and virtually useless.

Do Some Spot Checks
Once you receive your shipment of promotional USB flash drives, pick a couple out at random and run them on your own computer. Of course, you want to make sure you have the most up-to-date virus checker installed on your computer so that any of the latest incarnations of malware out there can’t slip through. You also want to make sure that the content that’s preloaded is yours and there wasn’t a mix up with another order.

With these simple precautions you should be able to continue to enjoy the power of preloaded content without the slightest fear of it backfiring on you. The real secret, of course, is to partner with a vendor who also has your best interests at heart. They may not be the lowest cost provider, but at least the low cost doesn’t include the cost of infecting your prospects and customers with malware.

Bespoke USB sticks are extremely popular these days. Not to be confused with standard shaped USB flash drives, Bespoke USB memory sticks can be made into any shape imaginable, from your logo to a replica of your product.

Any shape is possible, including 2-D and 3-D drives, in any colour imaginable. The only restriction is that the drive has to be big enough to hold the flash memory module and the standard USB connector that allows it to be connected to your computer. Fortunately, the custom drive company you hire can help you with the design to ensure that these constraints are taken into account.

While there are plenty of companies out there these days that will print your logo on a standard flash drive or memory stick, there are far fewer who will do custom design and production. That’s because custom drives require a larger skill set, including the ability to work with suppliers to integrate the electronics and the custom casing into a dependable yet affordable product.

If you want your company to really stand out in a market that is often flooded with generic flash drives, you might want to consider going with a custom flash drive product. While it will take some extra effort on your part to articulate your idea and review designs, the results can be well worth it, even with the higher unit cost of a custom memory stick.

So how do you find a dependable supplier for your Bespoke USB drives?

First, it’s important to find a company that actively promotes custom drive designs on their website or in their catalogue. This will be the first sign that they have the experience and expertise to create a custom drive design for you. It’s not important that they actually manufacture these drives on-site. Most companies farm this process out to factories in the Far East these days. What is important is that they understand the design process and how to integrate the electronics into the design you have in mind. Offering your target audience a drive that will fall apart or fail isn’t smart marketing and going for the cheapest product out there is an invitation to these kinds of promotional item disasters.

As you work with your design team they’re bound to make some recommendations or changes to your design. Consider each of them, as they may either be necessary or add features you may not have thought of initially. This may include a loop for a lanyard or a locking top to protect the USB connector from becoming damaged. A great promotional item company will have this kind of working knowledge of the products and how to best execute your idea.

Before you get too far into the process, you will want to request some samples of their past custom drive work. This is the best indicator of the kind of quality they demand and their capabilities. If a company is cagey about showing you samples, you may want to look elsewhere because you just may be their first custom USB drive customer. Given the importance of promotional campaigns, you never want to be someone’s guinea pig.

Finally, you want to discuss the electronics that are used in the drives. The memory chips are graded A through D and you want to know what grade of chips are in your drive. It’s not to say that a B grade is bad, just that it didn’t live up to the quality assurance process of a Grade A chip. Usually, the lower the grade, the more likely a chip can fail, have slow read/write speeds or not be able to fully access the level of memory advertised. Get the best grade you can afford and if at all possible, get products with Grade A chips. You won’t regret it.

The best advice of all is to do your homework before you order a large batch of custom USB drives that may not meet your expectations. And if you have the luxury of a few extra dollars in your budget along with time, you may want to order up a small batch first before ordering thousands. A lot of custom memory stick and USB flash drive companies offer production rates as low as 100 units.

In a very short period of time USB memory sticks and flash drives have virtually replaced CDs as the preferred backup device. The advantages are too hard to ignore – more storage space, smaller size and they’re virtually indestructible.

Memory is key

When we talk about the memory, we’re not talking about the size of the drive. That’s a personal choice and you can get drives up to 64 gigs these days. Instead, we’re talking about the quality of the flash memory chips that make this drive possible.

These chips are graded by the industry. Grade A is the best and they go down from there in grading. The key is to purchase Grade A whenever possible, or at the very least, the highest grade your budget can afford. You’ll probably have to ask the vendor for this information. It’s usually not posted on a website or in a catalogue. Just know that lower grade chips may have issues, including higher failure rates, the inability to access or use all the memory and sluggish read/write speeds.

Which USB?

USB 1.x and USB 2.0 are the workhorses of the flash drive business. If you need to choose between these, always go with USB 2.0, as it is backwards compatible. USB 3.0 will be the new standard, but you’ll pay a premium for them right now and a lot of computers can’t take advantage of their capabilities anyway, except the newest ones on the market. Avoid USB 1.x drives. They are painfully slow, even if they are a great deal.

Is it RoHS compliant?

If you’re in the EU, you need to know this one. RoHS is shorthand for Restriction of Hazardous Substances. The regulations are designed to protect EU citizens from hazardous chemicals and substances. If your vendor is using components that aren’t RoHS compliant, you can be held responsible for this as well as the vendor. So ask if the flash drive components are RoHS compliant and if you need them, ask for copies of the RoHS certificates.

WEEE, it’s recyclable!

At least it should be. WEEE is a directive that encourages products to be 65% recycled. If your organization falls under the WEEE directive, you want to make sure the drives you order comply with it, otherwise you may get into trouble.

When shopping for a reputable supplier to handle your USB flash drive or memory stick order, or any other promotional item for that matter, be sure you pick one that has experience in the product lines you’re interested in. If you’re in the EU, find a trusted supplier that understands the requirements outlined in RoHS and WEEE and don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions, especially if they aren’t immediately forthcoming with answers. That should be an immediate warning sign that it’s time to move onto someone else.

USB flash drives (sticks) are quite simply the most versatile and memorable item in the promotional gifts marketplace today. They allow you to pre-load information, giving the user quick and easy access to your latest catalogue or marketing campaign. I’d like to see a pen or mug do that…

But, what should you be looking for when buying promotional USB flash drive.

1. Quality
Make sure you choose a supplier who specialise in sticks and not a company offering everything. You’re looking to raise your profile, which will not be achieved by branding sub quality goods with your logo.

2. Marketing Message
A branded stick with your brochure or catalogue pre-loaded is a great way of getting your message across. In most cases we discourage the use of auto-run. It does not work on Mac’s and many administrators have blocked it.

3. Sales Vehicle
Using a stick as an incentive is a great way to get clients to buy a premium product. Alternatively it can be used as a bargaining tool for your sales staff. People love free gifts.

4. Speed
A good quality stick will have a minimum of 3MB/s writing speed and 15MB/s reading speed. Based on this a low quality 1GB stick would require approximately four minutes to fill up. A good quality one would take just under two minutes.

5. Packaging
A stylish gift box branded with your logo adds value to the stick. If you don’t have any specific packaging requirements we recommend using trays, which is more environmentally friendly.

6. Model
A professional supplier will be able to suggest a model to suit your requirements. Customising the shape or colour of the stick is a good way of making sure that you stand out from the crowd. A premium model may cost a little extra but will pay ultimately pay dividends.

7. Accessories
Adding a keyring or lanyard to the stick will allow the user to safely attach it to their person. Incorporating password protection is smart practice if sensitive information has been pre-loaded.

8. Branding
There are four types of branding which are commonly used, here are their pros and cons:
Silk Screen
Pros: cheap, quick lead times
Cons: can easily wear off on a keychain
Resin Dome
Pros: photographic quality, long lasting, short lead times
Cons: a bit more pricey
Engraving
Pros: long lasting, subtle and stylish 
Cons: no colours
Tampo
Pros: can print on rounded surfaces
Cons: high volume required

9. Express Service
If you are regularly buying sticks it might be useful to consider a supplier who retains stock in the UK. They should offer an express service and delivery can be as fast as 24 hours nationwide.

10. Price
When you purchase sticks you’ll want to get value for money but a very cheap price often means poor quality. If you have any lingering doubts insist on seeing a sample. Memory prices can vary on a daily basis so make sure you get an updated quote before you place your order.

A note on quality:
A good quality stick should work perfectly for approximately 10,000 write/erase cycles, which is the equivalent of filling and emptying the stick once a day for 25 years. Fake or white chips as they are often referred to can start to suffer from the very first cycle and are more prone to error messages and very slow data transfer speeds.

If your company likes to put a little something extra in their stockings, there are plenty of great new promotional items out this year that any stocking-stuffing Santa would be proud to give out.

One of the most practical but stylish gifts this year is USB sticks that double as wristbands. This allows the user to always have some extra memory with them to swap out files, share images or make quick backups before leaving the home or office. Since they snap right onto your wrist, they are always handy.
If you’re looking for an extra stocking stuffer, USB sticks in a wrap around wristband are a good choice that everyone will love. Plus, you can get them in an array of colours, which adds to their perceived value as a holiday gift.

As anyone knows, holiday memories are made to last and a digital photo frame is a great way to display them. These photo frames let you thank an employee for a job well done while keeping your message front and centre as the recipient shows others their cherished holiday photos.

Of course, the holidays don’t have to be all about practical gifts. If you want to show your fun side, USB massagers are all the rage right now. These massagers plug right into the USB port of any computer and give the recipient a little refreshing mid-day buzz to keep their hands from cramping from a long day of crunching numbers or finishing reports.

Another popular item this holiday season are branded USB powered speakers. These little marvels sound great and are the perfect gift for employees who are travelling on business regularly. You can choose from a wide range of powered speakers, including the new USB Vase Speakers that are perfect for laptops. They even light up, adding beauty and function to the recipient’s workday, whether they are in the office, at home or on the road.

Another thoughtful gift that’s sure to get lots of use is a 4-port USB Hub. Even with a desktop system there never seems to be enough USB ports these days, and it’s even truer with notebooks and laptops. One of the nice things about the newest USB hubs is that they are backwards compatible, so you can enjoy the speed of USB 2.0 while still using the hub with a USB 1.1 compliant computer.
Some of the newer hubs are really small, which makes them the perfect accessory for those that love their portable, anywhere lifestyle. These hubs also do a few new tricks. For example, some of the newest promotional item USB hubs have a time and date function. It can even tell you the temperature. Printed with your logo, this 4-port USB Hub is sure to be a hit with those lucky enough to receive one.

Whether you’re looking to add a little fun to your employee’s stockings or simply saying thank you for all their hard work in the past year, there are plenty of great USB promotional items out there to choose from. No matter what you choose, your employees will almost certainly be thrilled to be on Santa’s list this year.

One of the secrets to building a successful business is to create a strong relationship between you and your customer base. Good customer service, a solid product or service and attractive pricing are just a few of the many components of developing a sustainable brand.

But there are other pieces of the puzzle that need to be put into place. That includes smart marketing and advertising. Getting your name out in front of your customers is vital to your success in getting and keeping customers for your business. A customer must see your marketing message an average of nine times before they will remember it.
One of the least expensive ways to get your name out in front of current and prospective customers is the use of USB flash drives. Imprinted with your logo, they go everywhere your customer does.

Why are USB flash drives such a smart choice?

First, is its usefulness. Think of a USB flash drive as a portable version of your computer. Your customers can take the drive anywhere they go, sharing photos, files, videos and music from their office or home with their friends, family and associates.

Second, it sends a message that you value their business. A USB flash drive tells your customers that you care about them. It provides them with a secure, flexible and highly valued way for them to safely and securely store and share data.

Finally, a promotional USB flash drive gets your name out front of your customers and everyone they come into contact with. The drive can come with a lanyard, a keychain or even fit in their wallet, ready at a moment’s notice to be called into action. And as it is, your logo is there for all to see, imprinted right on the side of the drive.

A USB flash drive can also offer you one other thing no other promotional item can. You can preload your marketing information onto the drive, giving your customers access to your sales information, catalogs, pricing sheets and contact information.

We’d like to see a pen or a coffee mug do that!

Storage
As anyone knows in the computer industry, storage is everything. Sure, you can spring for a 1 gig drive for under $10 these days, but is that really enough space long term? The idea is to have a single flash drive that stores everything you need, not a dozen drives with a bit on each. Photos, music, video and even Word files can really suck a drive’s space dry pretty quickly. So buy as much as you can afford the first time.

Speed
Don’t bother with a USB drive that isn’t USB 2.0 compliant. The data exchange rate will frustrate you to no end. If you still have a computer that has first generation USB ports, 2.0 will still work fine. Another factor is the read/write speed of the data. Mysterious terms like “200 times faster” don’t mean anything. If speed is important to you, look for the speed in terms that are standards, such as megabytes per second (MB/sec).

Connection
There are endless options for this. You can get a Lanyard USB flash or one that fits on your key ring – the list is endless. Whatever you choose, be sure that the cap has a good fit, since you don’t want to lose your data while you’re out and about. Nothing’s worse than returning to the dorm, office or home, only to find that your drive got lost in transit, along with all your critical documents, passwords, etc. Invest in a quality piece that keeps the USB flash drive, safe and secure and the port dry and dust free and you’ll never be sorry.

With flash memory, the type we use in our USB Sticks, being used in more and more technologies, the original 10,000 re-writes look like they may not always be enough.

Sure, for the average home user that means decades of flash memory before it starts wearing out, but if you decide to use your flash memory to, say, boost your PC’s RAM (something that faster flash drives, such as ours, can do in Windows Vista) this lifetime can be considerably shorter. In the worst case scenarios, the memory may only last a handful of years.

While this doesn’t affect most users, and even those it does affect currently have to see it as the price they pay for the usage they get out of the memory, it would be nice if we could somehow increase the number of rewrites each chip can handle.

Well, it seems that pretty soon, we may be able to.

The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and the University of Tokyo have teamed up to create new flash memory technologies that allow the memory to last ten thousand times as many rewrites as currently. With around one hundred million rewrites, it’s unlikely that even with faster speeds becoming available we’ll see any chips running out any time in the future. Not only that, but it can also be manufactured 3 times slimmer than existing technology.

Of course, as soon as this technology is available on the market, we’ll revisit this story and let you know how it affects the Promotional USB market. If nothing else, it can only be a good thing if the higher use devices switch to it, allowing the price of memory for promotional gifts to come down without compromising quality.
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