A USB flash drive, also known as a pen drive, is a data storage device that uses flash memory. It connects to computers via a USB port to function as portable storage for files, photos, music and more. Flash drives are smaller than discs and allow for rewritable data storage. They interface with computers through USB or Firewire and store information similarly to an internal hard drive but with increased read/write speeds and reduced random access times. This particular flash drive is white and purple, measures 5.5cm long, 1cm thick and 2cm wide with 8GB of storage capacity. Its key characteristics are its ability to store large amounts of data in a small chip and portability while connecting only to devices with USB ports