Computer Tricks and Secrets

Short answer: A wireless USB stick is a battery-powered flash drive that creates its own Wi-Fi hotspot so your phone can read and write files over the air, no cables or SD card slot needed. It is the easiest way to add storage to a phone that has no expandable memory, and multiple devices can connect at once. Running out of space on a phone with no SD card slot is maddening, and cloud storage only helps when you have a signal. I have been testing wireless drives for exactly this problem, and they solve it neatly. Let me explain how they work and how to choose one. How does a wireless USB stick actually work? The concept is simple once you see it in action. The stick has internal flash storage and a small battery. You charge it by plugging it into a computer, and while it is plugged in you can drag files onto it through Windows Explorer or Finder just like a normal USB drive. Then you unplug it, press its power button, and it broadcasts its own Wi-Fi hotspot. On your phone you ins...