Memory Sticks

[Orphia Nay]

I thought they were called memory sticks, at least, but it seems every time someone hands one over at work, they're called something different...

Flash drive?

Thumb drive?

And other things that didn't register on my radar.

What's the coolest geek term for these doovelackies?

 

[richardm]

I used to call them "Thumb Drives" when they first started appearing; it seems to me that around here at least "memory stick" definitely seems to be winning. I have no idea what the cool kids call them

 

[lionking]

"Memory sticks" at my work.

 

[brodski]

At my place they are also called pen drives, key drives, usb stick/drive or memory thingy.

I have never been accused of being cool.

 

[Darat]

Be quite ironic for Sony if "memory stick" becomes the accepted name!

 

[Alan]

I also hear them called USBs...

 

[lionking]

I also hear them called USBs...

The USB's the socket the stick goes into isn't it?

 

[Safe-Keeper]

In Norway we call them "memory pens". "Memory stick" in Norwegian is "minnepinne", which sounded too childish for most people. "Minnepenn" is a big improvement, even thugh they have nothing to do with pens either in terms of shape or usage.

 

[Zax63]

Looking at some online retailers, NewEgg, ThinkGeek & Cyberguys, "flash drive" seems to be the most common way they are sold followed by "USB flash drive" and occasionally "thumb drive". Don't know if that counts towards what is cool.

 

[Ethan Thane Athen]

I've actually heard them called 'dongles' which is completely wrong.

Yup, agree with most of the posts above: memory stick, pen drive, usb drive, flash drive and even usb stick.

In practice though I usually hear them referred to as 'thingies' or, if that draws a blank, refined to 'usb thingie' and then finally 'usb memory thingie'.

 

[richardm]

The USB's the socket the stick goes into isn't it?

Yeah, well, don't expect accuracy to be playing a part I know someone who calls it "The H Drive" because that's the drive letter it (usually) mounts on.

 

[Ian Osborne]

Flash drive here.

As Darat pointed out, Memory Stick is Sony's trademark, and does not describe the product we're talking about. Thumb drive makes little sense to me. What's it got to do with your thumb?

 

[Fredrik]

In Norway we call them "memory pens". "Memory stick" in Norwegian is "minnepinne", which sounded too childish for most people. "Minnepenn" is a big improvement, even thugh they have nothing to do with pens either in terms of shape or usage.

In Sweden, we say "USB memory" (USB-minne). I never realized "minnepinne" was an option. I think I'm going to have to start using it.

I think USB drive sounds the best in English. Either that or USB memory thingie. Thumb drive sounds stupid. Flash drive is OK, but it makes me think of internal storage units, not something you keep in your pocket. (I realize of course that it can be both). I didn't realize that memory stick is just what Sony calls it.

 

[Alan]

The USB's the socket the stick goes into isn't it?

That's a USB port but people also sometimes call a USB flash drive as a whole a 'USB'. It's an example of synecdoche, or just shortening.

 

[Alan]

Flash drive here.

As Darat pointed out, Memory Stick is Sony's trademark, and does not describe the product we're talking about. Thumb drive makes little sense to me. What's it got to do with your thumb?

I thought it's because a lot are roughly thumb-sized.

EDIT: "ThumbDrive" is trademarked.
http://thumbdrive.com/cart/index.php

 

[lionking]

That's a USB port but people also sometimes call a USB flash drive as a whole a 'USB'. It's an example of synecdoche, or just shortening.

Jeez, you don't have to expose my lack of geek knowledge so thoroughly.

 

[brodski]

Memory Stick is Sony's trademark, and does not describe the product we're talking about.

The problem for sony is that it does describe the product we're talking about. USB keychain drives are (sually) sticks which contain memory.

 

[Dancing David]

Looking at some online retailers, NewEgg, ThinkGeek & Cyberguys, "flash drive" seems to be the most common way they are sold followed by "USB flash drive" and occasionally "thumb drive". Don't know if that counts towards what is cool.

I agree flash drive here.

 

[arthwollipot]

The USB's the socket the stick goes into isn't it?

I also most hear it called a USB.

I once played a track I quite like for a friend, and his reaction was 'that sounds a bit MIDI'.

Same thing.

 

[quadraginta]

I vote for "flash drive", too.

It'll register with most people, and get you a lot closer to communication with the ones who go "Huh?" than any of the other terms.

It's also about as close to accurate as a generic description (i.e. non-brand name) will get in two words. It uses "flash" memory chips and acts like a disk "drive".