There's the common saying 'life is too short to remove USB safely'.
If you have ever corrupted you file, or the entire volume, you'll know better. But on the other hand, they don't make it that convenient to eject your USB stick safely. Therefore, I purpose the USB eject button.
The idea is: add a button on the USB stick. Pressing the button sends the command 'eject this device' to the computer, just like what would happen if you did it using you mouse in Windows for example. Of course you'll have to check the screen now to see if you computer indeed gives you the signal that it's safe. Not too much a a gain? Well, the USB eject button just saved you from moving the mouse.-- sdk16420, Jan 19 2015 Cock_20and_20Leap_20USB_20Memory_20Stick [xenzag, Jan 19 2015] Great idea! Instead of checking the screen, a simple LED on the stick (or next to the socket) would suffice. Now that I think about it, the eject button should be next to the socket too, then existing USB devices can be ejected as well (it's a "new computer" thing, rather than a "new memory device" (which would be annoying) thing).-- neutrinos_shadow, Jan 19 2015 // If you have ever corrupted you file, or the entire volume
Has this ever happened?-- tatterdemalion, Jan 19 2015 See last link, then see last link on last link! ha-- xenzag, Jan 19 2015 A better solution would be to make all USB sticks robust against premature ejection (so to speak).
I presume that corrupted files happen because someone removes a stick whilst a file is being written? If so, then firmware in the stick could perhaps keep a pointer to the "old" version, and only update it to point to the "new" version once the writing was complete. Then, at worst, you'd be left with the "old" version intact.
Yes, I know this wouldn't always work, and wouldn't work for large files that can only be fitted in by overwriting the old file, but it would work in most cases, no?-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 19 2015 Can we have an explosive mechanism as well so after a suitable delay, the USB stick is ejected with a satisfying noise and cloud of smoke?-- DenholmRicshaw, Jan 19 2015 Yes.
Product Warning: May cause serious injury or death if used correctly.
A single-use zip gun with a USB connection is …very tempting …-- 8th of 7, Jan 19 2015 Hmm, if none of the files are open on the usb drive, it's fine to yank it out..well, with a linux os anyway, no doubt windows just flubs it somehow.-- not_morrison_rm, Jan 19 2015 It's a widley-distributed example of malware, which started as a silly prank but now affects many users of pc hardware.
However, it can be quickly and safely removed simply by subjecting the affected partition to a low-level format.-- 8th of 7, Jan 19 2015 It is indeed. Bill Gates has done more with a few sales slogans to wreck the Internet than the North Koreans have achieved in decades.-- 8th of 7, Jan 19 2015 // Can we have an explosive mechanism as well so after a suitable delay, the USB stick is ejected with a satisfying noise and cloud of smoke?
I was thinking to physically eject it, and land with a tiny parachute while shouting "mayday, mayday"-- placid_turmoil, Jan 23 2015 // parachute //
Retro-rockets ...-- 8th of 7, Jan 23 2015 //retro-rockets// Monopropellant casing. "Flash" drive.
As you were.-- FlyingToaster, Jan 23 2015 Hypergolic monopropellant ...-- 8th of 7, Jan 23 2015 random, halfbakery