U3

U3 is a standard developed by SanDisk and M-Systems hardware and software standard to perform appropriate Windows programs without installing from a USB stick. On the so-called U3 sticks there is a software called U3 Launchpad, to administer the U3 -certified or U3 - compatible applications. With the U3 Launchpad, a password protection for the USB flash drive can be activated.

System requirements

Windows 2000 (Service Pack 4 ), XP, Vista ( U3 Launchpad from v1.4 ) and Windows 7 (from the U3 Launchpad v1.6.3.9, only 32 -bit version! )

History

U3 was first unveiled at CES on January 7, 2005 in Las Vegas. The name is for the three basic ideas of the standard, "Simplified for You", "Smarter about You" and "As mobile as You Go " are.

U3 -compliant storage devices and programs have been available since the autumn of 2005. The typical capacity of U3 sticks are from 1 to 64 GB.

SanDisk and Microsoft are working since 2008 on a successor to U3 called StartKey, which probably holds with Windows8 collection under the new name "Portable Workspaces ".

The U3 consortium www.u3.com site was shut down in June 2010 after the end of life period. The latest version 1.6.3.9 of Windows 7 enabled launcher is currently only via the update function of the launcher with the respective manufacturers available in the manufacturer SanDisk drives the update can be obtained only through the website.

Purpose

U3 makes it a U3 USB stick into an appropriate public computer ( office, internet café, workrooms at universities, etc. ) to insert and execute a U3 - compatible program without installation directly. After the stick was pulled off again, remain no private data on the host computer.

For example, one is installed on a computer in an Internet cafe, where only a web browser, edit documents with OpenOffice.org and write and receive, without leaving any data on the hard disk emails with Thunderbird.

However, a system administrator has a variety of possibilities, such as a system policy to prevent the execution of programs from a USB stick. In addition, the U3 software works with Windows only. This can be used for encryption inserted the U3 stick only with 3rd party tools running on other operating systems.

Removing the U3 software from the USB stick is possible with downloadable from the manufacturer's website programs. These remove the ROM partition of the USB stick, as a result, is also U3 completely deleted. However, the U3 software can be restored by updating the software of each manufacturer.

By replacing the U3 software, the USB stick can be used as a USB CD drive, on which is arbitrary programs can be located. Thus it is with autorun feature is enabled, possible just by plugging the USB stick without using keyboard or mouse, copy it to the computer saved passwords, favorites, or documents, for example, to the memory stick (see Podslurping ).

Alternatives

  • Portable apps - Open source alternative that does not require any special hardware.
  • Installed on a regular USB flash drive portable software, which are programs that are run without local installation.
  • Emulators for an installation that allows for any programs run from a USB stick.
  • The commercial program package Carry It Easy offers ia folder synchronization and partition encryption.
  • The commercial software Ceedo allows to launch programs in the native Windows environment without administrator rights (eg in an internet cafe ).
  • The free software MojoPac makes it possible to install any software on removable USB disks and start in a standalone simulated Windows environment.
  • QEMU - Puppy, a mini - Linux operating system, which can be started by Windows as a program which provides all the settings and programs in a separate Puppy Linux environment.
  • USB starter of odium is a small tool with which to similar U3 a drive- independent USB boot menu can replicate on any USB stick in conjunction with portable programs themselves.
  • Secure Access comes to USB memory sticks from SanDisk can quickly encrypt files and the vault ( vault ) move and vice versa, but can sort the files in the vault only by name show (not by date or size), and there seems to be no program with which to synchronize files in the vault with unencrypted files on hard disks (" sync " ) may, so this portable software solely for backup ( backup) is useful, but not as working on the go with a later adjustment at home.

Compatible programs

(Selection - Only available and free programs )

  • Foxit Reader for U3 - PDF viewer
  • FreeOTFE - Encryption
  • KeePass for U3 - free program for password management
  • LingoPad - Dictionary
  • Miranda IM - Instant Messenger
  • Mozilla Firefox - web browser
  • Mozilla Thunderbird - E -mail program, feed reader and news reader
  • Notepad - free text editor
  • MyPodder - Podcasting Client
  • OpenOffice.org - office suite
  • Opera - web browser including e -mail program and feed reader, since version 11, there is in the regular setup a USB version.
  • Trillian - Instant Messenger
  • SIW - System Information for Windows
  • Skype - VoIP software
  • Winamp - Audio Player
  • WinSCP - graphical SFTP and SCP client based on SSH
  • Wireshark - free sniffer for LAN analysis
  • XnView - Allows fast viewing, browsing and converting images
  • Avast! U3 Edition - antivirus for U3 USB flash drive
  • PolyEdit 5 - Word Processing
  • Atlantis 0.7 - Word Processing
  • Atlantis Word Processor - Word Processing
  • Spread 32 - Spreadsheet
  • PhotoFiltre - image editing
  • WinRAR - Packer program
  • Portable AbiWord - word processor, a version of AbiWord optimized for USB removable media
  • Ahnenblatt - Computer Genealogy
Technical standard Consumer Electronics Show End-of-life (product) Newsreader (Usenet) Client (computing) Trillian (software) Secure Copy Secure Shell Genealogy software
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