U3.. so what's it all about?

Stuart Young · 07-24-2006, 06:31 PM

My latest gizmo is a SanDisk U3 Cruzer. I've been meaning to upgrade my 256 meg PenDrive for months now. Having one is like cell-phone syndrome, once you've used one life is never quite the same.

So what is U3? It looks like a regular memory stick with a standard USB connector on it. However the beauty is it's designed to have applications such as Skype and Firefox installed and executed directly on it. All you need do is insert the device into a PC and the inbuilt app launcher kicks into life. The applications then run directly from the U3 drive. No PC installation needed. - It's worth pointing out the apps are not the regular versions. Each has to be packaged to run within a U3 environment.

For me one of the great things about these drives is you can share common apps between multiple PC's - work and home for example. Useful if you don't want to lug you work computer home each night. The main downside is that it's Windows only right now (I'm XP by day Mac by night). Although, there are rumours in the wild of projects which might change this soon.

U3 resources:

Official U3 Website
Wikipedia U3 Primer
U3 community site

jæd · 07-24-2006, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Young

It's worth pointing out the apps are not the regular versions. Each has to be packaged to run within a U3 environment.

Does it convert existing apps to a portable format...? You do know that there are many apps that have been repackaged to run on usb sticks (including Firefox)...?

Stuart Young · 07-24-2006, 06:55 PM

The only app I've found so for is called 'PackageFacory for U3' Free for private use, or $39.95 for Business users. Checkout U3.com for a huge list of software. The main apps I use are Trillian, Skype and Firefox.

derekweb · 07-25-2006, 04:18 PM

There are a LOT of applications that are already out for portable use on the U3 system. I have recently switched to a 2gb Memorex TravelDrive. I've installed the portables for OpenOffice, McAffee AntiVirus (comes free with drive), Firefox, Thunderbird, and IrFanView (Image Viewer, can make ScreenSavers out of pics).

Overall, it's sweet. I now use my TravelDrive for family and friends who want me to troubleshoot their home PC for them. I bring this, and load up install apps for some nice shareware stuff (and explain to them about when they need to buy it by, if they like it, as well as how to uninstall it if they dont).

In short. The U3 concept is OUTSTANDING! I'm actually surprised that more people haven't copied it.

Oh. One final thing. The U3 menu includes an "EJECT" button, which takes care of removing the drive from your computer, SOFTWARE WISE (you know that you're supposed to disable the drive prior to pulling it out of the socket,... RIGHT?!). Makes life EASY.

Ellycp · 07-25-2006, 07:49 PM

One more U3 link to add to the list is the new U3 user blog: u3smartblog.u3.com

Elly

Laurens · 07-27-2006, 09:24 AM

How is this different from running normal portable applications? (Except for starting an application launcher automatically?) I've been using PortableThunderbird for several months now from a standard Dane-Elec USB flash drive.

Ellycp · 08-03-2006, 12:44 PM

A few advantages of U3, off the top of my head:
1. you can download apps with a click of the mouse (nice for ppl who are time constrained, not so tech savvy, or lazy, like me

)
2. everything is then pickable off a familiar windows style menu
3. you know the app has been through a certification process to check it is correctly engineered to the U3 standard
Plus, you can use your drive for applications or as a regular flash drive (just data storage) as you choose, which gives you great flexibility and adaptability.
Elly

07-24-2006, 06:31 PM	#1
Stuart Young MobileRead Editor Posts: 195 Karma: 75 Join Date: May 2006 Location: London Device: e61i / Eee PC / PRS-505	U3.. so what's it all about? My latest gizmo is a SanDisk U3 Cruzer. I've been meaning to upgrade my 256 meg PenDrive for months now. Having one is like cell-phone syndrome, once you've used one life is never quite the same. So what is U3? It looks like a regular memory stick with a standard USB connector on it. However the beauty is it's designed to have applications such as Skype and Firefox installed and executed directly on it. All you need do is insert the device into a PC and the inbuilt app launcher kicks into life. The applications then run directly from the U3 drive. No PC installation needed. - It's worth pointing out the apps are not the regular versions. Each has to be packaged to run within a U3 environment. For me one of the great things about these drives is you can share common apps between multiple PC's - work and home for example. Useful if you don't want to lug you work computer home each night. The main downside is that it's Windows only right now (I'm XP by day Mac by night). Although, there are rumours in the wild of projects which might change this soon. U3 resources: Official U3 Website Wikipedia U3 Primer U3 community site

07-24-2006, 06:55 PM	#3
Stuart Young MobileRead Editor Posts: 195 Karma: 75 Join Date: May 2006 Location: London Device: e61i / Eee PC / PRS-505	The only app I've found so for is called 'PackageFacory for U3' Free for private use, or $39.95 for Business users. Checkout U3.com for a huge list of software. The main apps I use are Trillian, Skype and Firefox.

07-25-2006, 04:18 PM	#4
derekweb Groupie Posts: 160 Karma: 3134 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: United States Device: Palm Treo 700p & iPaq hx2755	There are a LOT of applications that are already out for portable use on the U3 system. I have recently switched to a 2gb Memorex TravelDrive. I've installed the portables for OpenOffice, McAffee AntiVirus (comes free with drive), Firefox, Thunderbird, and IrFanView (Image Viewer, can make ScreenSavers out of pics). Overall, it's sweet. I now use my TravelDrive for family and friends who want me to troubleshoot their home PC for them. I bring this, and load up install apps for some nice shareware stuff (and explain to them about when they need to buy it by, if they like it, as well as how to uninstall it if they dont). In short. The U3 concept is OUTSTANDING! I'm actually surprised that more people haven't copied it. Oh. One final thing. The U3 menu includes an "EJECT" button, which takes care of removing the drive from your computer, SOFTWARE WISE (you know that you're supposed to disable the drive prior to pulling it out of the socket,... RIGHT?!). Makes life EASY.

07-25-2006, 07:49 PM	#5
Ellycp Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2006	One more U3 link to add to the list is the new U3 user blog: u3smartblog.u3.com Elly

07-27-2006, 09:24 AM	#6
Laurens Jah Blessed Posts: 1,295 Karma: 1373 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands Device: iPod Touch	How is this different from running normal portable applications? (Except for starting an application launcher automatically?) I've been using PortableThunderbird for several months now from a standard Dane-Elec USB flash drive.

08-03-2006, 12:44 PM	#7
Ellycp Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2006	A few advantages of U3, off the top of my head: 1. you can download apps with a click of the mouse (nice for ppl who are time constrained, not so tech savvy, or lazy, like me ) 2. everything is then pickable off a familiar windows style menu 3. you know the app has been through a certification process to check it is correctly engineered to the U3 standard Plus, you can use your drive for applications or as a regular flash drive (just data storage) as you choose, which gives you great flexibility and adaptability. Elly

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