Originally posted by Gordonator:
that's right. Local company Trek 2000 first introduced the ThumbDrive in early 2000. The tiny product proves to be success and as the saying goes, the rest is history. their website can be found below.
http://www.trek2000.com.sg/index.htm
The facts are only half true.
The first flash drive was invented by IBM in 1998, design for ThinkPad products. Later, IBM decided not to continue and pass on this technology to a few smaller cooperations, leaded by M System Inc.
What follows is mainly some improvement and also putting the drive in a small casing, thus called thumb drive. It meet the market in 2000. Other companies quickly followed the idea but reform the technology, like Sandisk and Memoriex.
While M System held the patent for years, Trek recently sued and successfully won over the rigths. The patent has no much use, as all other compact memory companies in the world now has developed their own technology. Edison invented lightbulb, but today tens of thousands of companies sell their own lightbulb. Same concerp
Also, it is not Singaporean who invented it, not even developed it. Yes, Trek is a Singapore-based company, but its developers and scientist are all citizens from other countries.
I know this can be disappointing. But its good to know the fact. Besides, we still have Sim.
Source : Microsoft Encarta 2006 Premium Edition