With so many resellers now choosing USB2U as their partner of choice we have decided to put in place a formal reseller programme. This programme is designed to formalise what we have been doing successfully since 2002 and now includes some additional features, which we believe will allow our resellers to win more business and generate more profits.

Marriott Twister Packaging

Resellers choose USB2U because we work with our partners to ensure they are successful. We give them the tools and prices they need to win business and we are incredibly respectful of the relationship they have with their client(s). We hold stock of blank memory sticks in the UK and we can turnaround orders for printed flash drives for our resellers and their customers in 48hrs. Coupled with this we have our own in-house design team which allows us to provide mock-ups, proofs and concepts within a matter of hours.

Above all we have an absolute passion about branded and promotional memory sticks that people find infectious. This passion translates into a focus on delivering great customer service to all of our resellers. Whilst we know price and margins are key we also know that we and our partners are judged on our collective ability to deliver on our promises and that just one failure can lead to the loss of the business and the relationship to a competitor.

The key features of the USB2U reseller program are:

• Named account manager who will look after you and get to understand your business and your requirements.
• Competitive and discounted pricing
• Turnover rebates based on each years business (minimum thresholds need to be achieved to qualify)
• 30-day trade terms (subject to credit application and approval)
• Free design support, mock-ups and creative consultancy on bespoke USB jobs
• Artwork optionally delivered embedded in your own branded PDF client approval documents.
• Free origination
• Free pantone matching on a wide range of memory sticks
• Free samples
• Free delivery to any UK address (mainland only – deliveries over water will be charged at cost)
• Discounted data loading service

If you’re interested in becoming a USB2U approved reseller then simply send an email to partners@usb2u.co.uk and we’ll get right back to you with details of how to get started.

Branded Memory Stick Resellers is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk

Its the same with 35 negatives – once neatly stored with the photographs they relate to but typically over time “stuffed” in a box never to see the light of day again.

Well as technology moves on there now a pretty simple and easy way to breathe new life back into your slides and negatives. USB Slide and Negative scanners allow you to capture your images and store them digitally on your PC and of course from there you can email them to friends and family, post them on FaceBook, burn them to DVD’s or simply print them out in a size and format that suits.

USB slide scanners are getting better all the time and the latest versions don’t even need to be connected to a computer to be used, Instead they have a built in screen (viewer) and the images can be captured digitally and stored on a memory card (this card can then simply be plugged into your PC or plugged into a card reader connected to your PC and the images transferred onto the computer. Easy!. It really is.

The beauty of the USB Slide and Negative Scanners is that once you have captured your images and stored them on your PC then manipulating the images is easy, saving them for future use is easy and showing them off is a doddle!. With the growth in the use of Digital Photo Frames any old photo can now be displayed/shown off easily.

The Veho FilmScan35 USB Negative & Slide scanner is we believe the best of the bunch in the market at the moment. Its also known as the ION Film2SD – but it is exactly the same product in a different colour and with a different name.

USB Negative & 35mm Slide Scanner is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk

1. Choose the right stick – There is nothing better than a product that looks like it has been designed for purpose and nothing worse than one than one that is not fit for purpose. Material, shape and colour options are the fundamentals to consider.
2. Choose the right capacity – There is a delicate balance between choosing the correct capacity and the budget available for your Branded USB Memory Sticks. The cheapest sticks are normally the lowest capacities and these are often used as promotional give-aways. If you want to add company data to your branded USB, it is important to make sure that there is sufficient space, not only for this data, but also enough space remaining to make the stick functional for the user. Its all about balance – there’s no point paying for memory that you don’t necessarily need to promote your product or company effectively.
3. Choose the right logo – This may seem strange considering that you would normally use your corporate branding but how you apply this logo to the memory stick is vitally important. The size, positioning and colour combination within the logo can improve the effectiveness of its visual impact.
4. Choose the right imprint option – Spot printing is not the only option.  Logos with colour blending can now be printed using digital print technology. Laser engraving on metal-cased sticks is a professional looking, long lasting option and embossing on leather USBs are a couple of other ideas that more and more people are starting to use.
5. Choose the right artwork – Providing the artwork in the correct format is essential to ensure that the quality of the branding on the finished article is of the highest quality. Vector shape logos are by far the best quality and never lose any sharpness irrespective of how big or small you make the logo. These logos are normally found in EPS or AI format.
6. Choose the right packaging – If you USB Memory Stick is a “corporate gift” then it will look more impressive in a great looking box or tin. If its simply a promotional give-away then as a general rule you don’t need to go to the additional expense of packaging.
7. Choose the right accessory – Key rings, karabiners and lanyards are always great ways of enhancing your branded product by making it more functional and easier to carry. In the case of the lanyard, this too can be branded to increase your marketing potential.
8. Choose the right time-frame – Please, please, please leave your self enough time when considering a purchase of Branded USB memory sticks. They are not produced overnight and in the majority of cases they are manufactured in the Far East. This means you need to allow at least 14 days from the approval of a graphic proof to the production and delivery of your final product. However in some cases, suppliers will hold blank stock, which can be printed but be prepared to pay more to have them branded locally.
9. Choose the right price – Surely the cheapest price is always the right one. This is not the case and there are certain factors to be consider when investigating prices for your branded USB memory sticks. Firstly, is the chipset in the USB brand new, don’t be afraid to ask. Secondly, does the price include a warranty, if so how comprehensive is it? Finally, does the price include all of the costs, i.e. Artwork setup, production and delivery?
10. Choose the right company – Last but certainly not the least important is choosing the right company to supply you with your Branded USB memory sticks. It is of utmost importance that you choose a reputable company that has an established reputation in the marketplace. There are far too many people trying to make a ‘quick buck’ from unsuspecting customers so don’t be afraid to ask for testimonials from companies they have supplied to. Pre and post sales support from designated account managers will help to ensure that whole process runs smoothly and you are provided with the correct information from the outset.

Top 10 Tips For Buying Branded USB Memory Sticks is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk

Of course, if you do not have a slim line television that is capable of being hung from a wall, that particular type of bracket or mount may not be of as much use to you. Many people, due to the layout of their rooms, may choose to buy a corner television. This requires being placed in the corner of a room to be viewed in the best manner. If you are a sociable person who has a number of people coming round to visit, maximising space and taking into account different viewing angles can be very important. Making the most of your television set is now even more important than it was at any time before and a lot of this is due to the fact that the current economic crisis that is facing the world. The economic downturn has led to more people staying at home and having an enjoyable evening in with friends and family members, therefore television sets can play a massive role in the amount of enjoyment and pleasures gained by people whilst staying at home. Whether it is through playing the latest range of console games, watching Blue-Ray or DVD films or just normal television, the use of a Vesa TV bracket should ensure that your TV is secure no matter where in the room it is placed.

This is a fun way to spend an evening and great fun can be had by all staying at home, It may seem important to ensure that there are enough snacks and drink for everyone to enjoy but it is just as important to ensure that the TV is secure and positioned for maximum enjoyment with regards to being watched. One of the best ways to guarantee this enjoyment and comfort comes from using a Vesa TV bracket as no matter the choice of TV you have, the holes should be of a recommended standard to ensure that they secure the TV fully.

Vesa TV Brackets Meet the Standard is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk

Printed or engraved memory sticks that reflect your brand/logo, ideally in a complimentary colour and style can look fantastic and they do make a real impact. But, creating a custom shaped USB memory stick takes you into another league.

Custom USB memory sticks that take their design influence and styling from your logo, products or the market you operate in never fail to have an impact way beyond standard USB products. Done well they become real talking points and can be a fundamental part of any advertising or promotional campaign. This novelty factor and appeal can be important in ensuring your hard spent marketing cash is not simply thrown away or tossed into a drawer.

Up until recently custom USB memory sticks were only financially viable if you were looking to order them in huge quantities and even then the initial set up and tooling costs were high and prohibitive for most. But with increased competition, few customers and improvements in the manufacturing process all this has changed.

Today, its possible to provide an economic alternative to the standard USB memory sticks for orders of 100 pieces or more. Custom USB shapes can be manufactured from a variety of recycled and recyclable materials such as PVC, ABS, Silicon and PET. By using these materials the factories have been able to drive down the set-up and production costs without any compromise on quality.

In particular, PVC offers a great feel as well as fantastic detail and makes production of 2D and 3D custom shaped USB sticks cost effective. The challenge is really down to the customer to come up with the idea and concept.

The lead-time for a custom USB stick is a little longer than for standard USB sticks that are just going to be printed or engraved so be sure to allow for this. The extra few days (and it should add no more than 1 week to the whole process) will be worth it in terms of impact and “wow” factor.

Recent examples of custom USB memory sticks done well include:

• USB Brides – to promote a bridal wear catalogue
• USB Tyres – used at a press launch to promote a new tyre design
• USB Fork Lift Trucks – to distribute information at a trade show
• USB Football Crest – for an English Premiership Clubs sponsors
• USB Guitar – promoted the launch of a Disney game

So, if you are considering a USB memory stick as part of any communication or marketing activity why not go that one little step extra and get some quotes for custom USB sticks.

Why Choose a Custom USB Memory Stick? is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk

Whether you own a small CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) TV perched on your kitchen worktop, or have a huge plasma or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) on flat screen TV wall brackets (or both!) it can be worthwhile thinking about how much TV you actually watch.  It is better to think of this as how long you spend at the television screen – for games, films and programs.  This can be especially important for those who spend all their working day in front of a computer monitor, as bright screens can lead to headaches and sore eyes.  Always follow recommended safety guidelines for safe use of screens at work.  At home remember to wear glasses or contact lenses when watching the TV, to avoid eye strain, and keep at a sensible distance.  Make sure your television is placed in a suitable spot.  Places where glare from the sun hitting the screen can be avoided are ideal, as are those where viewers do not have to crane their necks to view!  Placing a new TV on flat screen TV wall brackets can help provide a wider variety of options than a floor stand.

Generally speaking, those who watch too much TV, or have children who watch too much per day know who they are.  Instead of burying their heads in the sand, it is important for people to realise that it is never too late to change your lifestyle.  If you have just spent a great deal on a television and flat screen TV wall brackets, it is natural to want to get as much use as possible out of these items, but this does not mean spending all evening or weekend in front of the screen, unless the TV owner is very unlucky it will be there when they get back from another hobby or occupation!  One major criticism of televisions is that they encourage people to be sedentary, instead of going out for a bike ride, playing sports or walking, people are sitting (or laying!) in their houses.  There are ways to combat this for those who are not very confident about exercising outside, such as having an exercise bike or treadmill in the home.  It is preferable to get out and about, socialise with friends and family and arrive home of an evening, worn out but feeling healthy and more positive.  There is no doubt that TV can teach us a lot, and keeps us entertained, but it should never be our sole interest for spare time.

Striking a Balance – To Wall Mount Your TV or Not is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk

There are many way that a consumer can ensure they are getting the best use from their television and the correct positioning is essential to make sure it is the focal point of the room. Whether it is one person living by themselves or a big family needing something they can all share, ensuring a TV is well placed in a room is an extremely important task for any consumer to carry out. This may be seen in those who own a corner television and decide to secure it to the wall via a TV wall bracket to ensure that it is kept safely and securely anchored in place. It would be silly to spend a lot of money on a new television set but then not take the proper precautions to ensure it remains safe. A good quality TV wall bracket or hinge can make all the difference with respect to the positioning of a television set, and it can easily enhance the viewing pleasure for many consumers.

It should also be remembered that television sets are now used as much for playing high quality console and video games as TV watching and this should also have an impact on where the best place for a television set is. New games consoles like the Nintendo Wii are made for people to interact around, and this will make an impact on where the TV should be placed. This is because many of the new wave of games can be energetic and require space as well as fixtures and fittings to be properly secured to the wall or table, in case any accidents happen. This means that having a securely fastened TV wall bracket or hinge is essential to ensure that everything is safe. A casual search of the Internet will provide a great number of stories about TV mishaps and many of these could have been prevented if proper precautions and measures were put in place. It may seem like a trivial matter but ensuring that good quality hinges or bracket are applied will make sure that everything and everyone are kept as safe from harm as possible.

TV Wall Brackets Can Secure Your Position is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk

In the past in the UK, interior design was often only really an option for the wealthy.  Royalty and nobility had huge houses, with well crafted furniture, art work and other fashionable items of the time.  Those with less money often shared cramped living environments, and meagre wages were only sufficient to purchase food and clothing.  Almost all unnecessary decoration in these habitations would have to be free, items from nature being a good example.  Over more recent history, mass production has meant that lower priced items are available, so more and more people could afford attractive or more luxury items.  People still desire to purchase items which are considered status symbols – they often want a particular type of car, aim to have a swimming pool or even just a very large house.  There are smaller items which are also currently desirable, and example of this being a large flat screen TV.  There is no doubt that flat screen televisions are preferable to the extremely bulky CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) models which have, until recently, been the only real option for most households.

The trend of placing these televisions on the wall is a practical means of space saving, which is important in many smaller rooms.  There are a number of mounting solutions available for flat panels; even several kinds of LCD TV wall bracket with shelves are an option.  The benefit of an LCD TV wall bracket with shelves is that it will enable some items such as DVD players or satellite boxes to be placed with the television for convenience.  These brackets are often quite stylish, and a variety of designs on the marker means that there should be something to match most tastes.  A common alternative to an LCD TV wall bracket with shelves is to have a separate AV cabinet on the floor with hidden cables connecting the television to other technologies.

One thing is for sure, and that is that the general standard of interior comfort in the UK has improved over the years, and today people have high expectations, and a television tends to be one of them!

Times Have Changed is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk

In the past some buildings, such as homes owned by very affluent people, large public buildings and churches occasionally had highly decorated ceilings. Even small churches and chapels tend to have high ceilings with beams or pillars, which act as support, but also encourage worshippers to gaze upwards – the direction associated with God and heaven. It is very unusual for everyday households to have decorated ceilings, though some rooms for children may have murals which extend that far. In truth, ceilings are sometimes one of the ugliest aspects of a room. Some are used purely to attach lighting systems which are not very aesthetically pleasing, and are otherwise ignored, despite the fact that there are numerous uses for ceiling space. Some people have ingenious ways of making use of this often overlooked space, using specialist shelves to store books, DVDs or videos. This both saves space on the floors or walls, and if assembled with care, looks great.  It is important to make sure any item placed on a ceiling shelf is secure so it doesn’t fall, and this is why many use them purely for light weight items. Some pin up art work on ceilings, or hang chimes, mobiles and other ornamental objects from them.

Using ceiling brackets to support a television can be a very practical way of space saving. This can be particularly important in smaller spaces, for example, children’s bedrooms or kitchens. Having televisions placed quite high can also help parents to prevent youngsters from sneaky nocturnal viewing in some cases. Ceiling brackets can also help to keep televisions out of harm’s way. In kitchens there can be a lot of dirt and potential splashes, but if a TV is placed high up, away from any steam, the main cleaning job for its owner will be occasional dusting. Speakers can also be attached to ceilings if the appropriate fittings are used.

As well as a potential space for storage and for placing lighting and televisions, ceilings can also be used for more practical, though possibly less aesthetically pleasing, applications. It is possible to have rails or lines that can be used for clothes drying in the winter, bicycle racks and similar storage solutions. These are very useful when space is limited. How individuals use the space in their home is down to personal taste, budget and practicality. At the moment many of us are feeling the strain financially and some families cannot easily progress up the housing ladder to bigger homes as they would do usually, so ways of making the very best of the space available is vital.

Mount your TV from the Ceiling is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk

There are typically three parts to a flash drive:

• Male type-A USB connector – provides an interface to the host computer.
• USB mass storage controller – implements the USB host controller. The controller contains a small micro-controller with a small amount of on-chip ROM and RAM.
• NAND flash memory chip – stores data. NAND flash is typically also used in digital cameras.

A typical flash memory device has a housing including a small printed circuit board (PCB), and an integral connector for connecting to a USB port on a computer. The USB flash drive is connected to a computer either by direct connection or via a USB hub. When plugged into a USB port, the computer’s operating system recognizes the flash memory device as a removable drive and allows data to be retrieved from and added to the flash memory drive. Most flash drives require no other external power source or battery power source as they become active when connected with a computer.

Computers access modern flash memory systems very much like hard disk drives, where the controller system has full control over where information is actually stored.

Nothing actually moves in a flash drive: the term drive persists because computers read and write flash-drive data using the same system commands as for a mechanical disk drive, with the storage appearing to the computer operating system and user interface as just another drive.

In a nutshell, this means because USB memory sticks need no batteries and have no moving parts, they are significantly more reliable and robust compared to older storage technologies such as floppy disks and CDR/DVD-ROM media.

Size of a USB Flash Drive

The USB connector is usually protected by a removable cap or by retracting into the body of the drive, although it is not likely to be damaged if exposed. Most flash drives use a standard type USB connection allowing you to plug into a port on a personal computer, but drives for other interfaces also exist.

The flash memory chips themselves are usually made in China and Taiwan by manufacturers such as Samsung, Micron, Hynix and Intel or other OEM brands. The chips are then assembled into the memory sticks and often branded with a customer’s logo.

Recycled or B Grade flash is common in such a price driven market so it is always worth checking with your supplier exactly who the flash was manufactured by. At USB2U we only use the highest grade quality chips for all of our Flash drives. Be very cautious with some companies who offer Flash drives for discounted prices incorporating B Grade chips. These types of Flash drives will only last a dozen or so times before they break or become unstable.

USB Flash drives are now an incredibly popular way of storing and carrying data and their utility has driven their use in the Promotion and Incentives market where branded USB Memory Sticks have become one of the mainstays of the industry.

USB Flash Drives Explained is originally from: MattyBatty.co.uk