Lexar Launches 'JumpDrive Tough' USB Drives up to 128GB: Focusing on Physical Endurance

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• BrokenCrayons - Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - link

  I've accidentally washed and dryed a 2GB USB drive several times because I used to keep it in my pocket when I was running around an office doing tech work and would forget to take it out. That drive still works today and I use it for shuffling around small files between laptops. It wasn't ruggedized at all and as far as abuse is concerned, it shows its age. I can see the value in a rugged USB drive, but I've had good luck with cheap ones like the one I've mentioned surviving pretty abusive conditions already so I'm not sure if its a necessity.

• samer1970 - Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - link

  If there is no electricity connected the electronic board is safe if dried well . The only concern is when you dont dry it well and then connect it.
  
  Rugged USB are useful in case of a car runs over it , high temps (for example if your washing machine was set on high temps your USB would have stopped functioning , also they work in freezing conditions ...
  
  and finally if it is shielded or not ... you can lose data if the Flash is not shielded well.

• mindless1 - Tuesday, July 2, 2019 - link

  This used to be true but no longer today. Today most are using water soluble flux during manufacturing and if there are traces of it remaining, getting it wet can result in pools of acid that get stronger as they dry and create conductive metal salt paths that cause damage later even if the device is completely dry before powered on again.
  
  A washing machine set on hot (water) would not damage the typical non-ruggedized flash drive. Remember, water boils at 100C and would have be lower than that by the time it made it to the washing machine tub. Most water heaters have a default temperature setting of closer to 60C, a temperature low enough the flash drive could sit in it all day without temperature related damage.

• wumpus - Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - link

  I'd have to wonder if "normal" USB flash drives do wear leveling. With a USB interface (even with listed write rates) you simply can't write enough data to begin to have wear issues (although for their market I suppose there could be a pathological case that liked to do many sub-sector writes: presumably doing that "accelerating your hard drive" that XP wanted to do. And yes, this market will likely have XP machines (and earlier) to plug into).

• DanNeely - Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - link

  The biggest problem for typical USB drives is a combination of no support for Trim, made worse by bottom tier controllers for high write amplification, combined with using the lowest binned flash available to hold costs down a few more pennies.

• Bullwinkle J Moose - Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - link

  "And yes, this market will likely have XP machines (and earlier) to plug into)"
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Not where I live
  
  Computer Refurbishing stores here are scrapping all BIOS/MBR computers and only reselling locked down EFI spyware platforms
  
  Sandy Bridge and earlier computers work fine with XP as well as Spyware Platform 7/8 and 10 but because XP cannot be prevented from running on them, they are recycled and are not resold
  
  If you still have a Sandy Bridge or earlier, Keep it!
  
  You may not get another one and will be stuck with a Gov't Sponsored Weaponized Spyware Platform from now on
  
  B.T.W.
  Just tried the Creators Update for Spyware Platform 10
  Downloaded 20 apps from the App store and NOT ONE would work without an Internet connection
  
  When war breaks out in Cyberspace and the Net is shut down (for your safety of course), your new computer will be a brick as nothing will work offline
  
  Back on topic.....
  Most likely Toshiba Flash in that Lexar

• Samus - Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - link

  You are insane. Over 100 security exploits from the TCP/IP stack to kernel injection have been exposed for XP since 2014 and 0 of them will ever be patched.
  
  Running a modern OS that is still supported is always the most secure platform. Always. So you are worried about Windows 7+ spying on you, XP isn't the answer, Linux is.

• Bullwinkle J Moose - Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - link

  
  Stay on topic Spamus!
  
  It's a nice looking thumb drive but not worth the price
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  As for your XP nonsense, I'm still online running XP-SP2 without ANY MS security updates and an outdated antivirus
  
  I have been doing malware research at more than 15 sites TODAY and this system remains bulletproof
  
  ALL software including antivirus and MS components are blocked in aftermarket firewall
  
  Windows boot drive is Read Only to prevent malware persistence by using Driveshield
  
  Flash/Silverlight/Java scripts/Net Framework and Adobe Reader malware is not allowed on this system preventing 99% of common malware strains
  
  Safe-XP prevents most other common malware
  
  I'm still looking for zero-days & malware that can hose this box
  
  If you have a link you'd like to share, I will investigate it, otherwise, please stay on topic and stop spamming my posts with your insane nonsense that XP is not safe for ME!
  
  What you meant to say was, it's not safe for YOU!
  
  Knowledge is power but some people never learn

• Calin - Thursday, March 30, 2017 - link

  The most secure platform with regard to viruses is an obsolete OS. Modern viruses won't work on something as old as WfW 3.11, for example - so you should be free of any fear.
  Bonus: if you go down to Windows 3.1, you won't even have TCP/IP, so that's another line of defense :)

• Bullwinkle J Moose - Thursday, March 30, 2017 - link

  Not looking to AVOID viruses Calin
  
  Looking for state of the art zero days, not the common, outdated, run of the mill CIA hacks based on publicly known hacks
  
  B.T.W. How do they claim hacks they did not create themselves are CLASSIFIED?
  
  Find me something that will wreck my box and I will be very happy
  
  Find something that wrecks Windows 10 and many will be very sad