digitalFAQ.com Forum - Best USB thumb flash drive ?

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HP & Lexar

Yes, those are the two I would suggest using the most. The Lexar and HP are both "solid" -- nothing rattles, shakes, is flimsy, etc. The biggest problem with thumb drives is they're not always durable.

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looking for 16 or more GB

16GB is generally affordable -- in the $25-35 range. If you want "more space" then I'd suggest buying more than one. I'm still a bit uneasy about high-compression architecture of high-density/high-capacity solid-state media. And those 32GB sticks cost roughly 3-4x the price of a 16GB stick.

I strongly suggest the HP v125w 16 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive P-FD16GHP125-EF
Only $27 at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B001QVN9Y6
It's built like a tank. It has a keyring loop notch. The end cap is tight, too.

If you still insist on the "turtling" of the USB port nub, then look at the other available HP.
Check out the HP v115w 16 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive P-FD16GHP115-EF
It's $33 from http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B00347A42K

The Lexar JumpDrive TwistTurn 16 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive LJDTT16GASBNA (Silver) has a better swivel than the HP, but the keychain piece is plastic. You'll have to pick which of the two features matter more.
It's $29 from http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B0021AG2AE

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Retractable USB is good,

Not really. Have you ever used one? There's nothing more aggravating than a USB stick that turtles while you're trying to stick it in a computer -- and that's what tends to happen, especially when the port is tight or snug (which is also common). These are all made from cheap plastic, and it wears and breaks in relatively short time, so simply plugging it in becomes a nuisance.

There's also really no reason to "protect" the USB connector. It's a marketing gimmick, more than anything else. The worst abuse the sticks gets is from the constant in-and-out rubbing as it's used in USB ports -- not dirt, not water, not dust, etc. If your pockets have lint and dirt, then clean out your pockets. Dirt, lint, dust, grime, etc can still get into the USB connector, whether it's turtled in its shell, flipped around like a butterfly knife, or "protected" under a plastic cap. And even if it does, it's easy to clean using a tissue, a toothpick, some isopropyl alcohol and a can of compressed "duster" (canned air).

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I read about the swivels & people reported that they would come unswiveled or open up in their pockets.

Morons, all of them. Remember that George Bush almost choked to death on a pretzel his second year in office, back in 2002; great example of a moron. Stupid people will always find ways to mess up something easy.