If you’ve got a USB Pen Drive, you can use it for a variety of
things, that includes adding portable apps and lots more.
But, your Pen Drive can serve for some interesting purposes as
well - some you wouldn’t have imagined about. Put it to some good
use, here’s a quick list of what you can do with it:
1. Install a Linux Distro
Pen Drive Linux
guides you through procedures on loading your USB Drive with a
Linux Distro. If you’re a geek, you’ll love this setup. If you’re
just a normal user, this may come to your use in a variety of
situations - you go to a friend’s computer, which is infected with
pesky viruses. You need not worry, boot with your Linux-loaded pen
drive and do your job, safe and secure.
2. Install MojoPac
I usually don’t recommend software that you’ll have to pay for
using, but this one is something I can’t resist myself from
recommending to you dear readers. Yes, this is a wonderful app
that’ll install itself into a pen drive, and run on top of Windows.
You can run your favourite Windows apps, most of them run perfect
on this MojoPac layer. The advantage is that none of the modified
settings affect the original Windows over which your MojoPac
is running on. Quite cool, isn’t it?
3. Automatic Backups
You’re probably using your USB Pen Drive as a backup device to
hold your important documents, but why not make the process easier?
Install Allway Sync or
Microsoft SyncToy. Both can let you sync files on your computer
with your USB Pen Drive with ease. You don’t have to do manual copy
& paste files - just insert, click and you’re done.
4. Additional Memory
Vista can use your USB Flash Drive just like your RAM - such a
capability is integrated into the OS. Windows XP just can’t use it
as additional memory - your flash drive is just a flash drive. Not
anymore if you have eBoostr
installed. This software program aids XP in using your Flash Drive
as a memory device. You might want to give this a try if your
computer is hungry on resources and needs some speed boost.
5. Perfect for Gifts
Indeed, these funky USB Drives are perfect for gifts. There are
lots of creative things you could do with it, and then present it
to your loved one. If your friend is a businessman/freelancer who
has to work with multiple computers, a USB Pen Drive can serve as a
perfect gift for the person will have files to carry around. In
case your close friend is just a casual user, you could load it
with some photos and gift it to that person. Get a pen drive, put
your photos in, let them autorun as a surprise when the thumb drive
is put in.
6. Exhibit your Skills
Are you a computer/web based worker? Chances are you want to
exhibit your skills - what you’ve done in the past. Why not load
them on to your USB Drive? For instance, if you’re a graphic
designer - you could use it to present your skills, stuff that
you’ve worked on in the past and show it off to your clients.
Probably, they might hire you right away 
(Thanks
Skellie)
7. Enjoy Music, hassle free
If you’re a serious audiophile, and still got to work in
multiple computers, accessing your music collection can be painful.
But there’s
Winamp to the rescue. You can use Winamp to put your music
collection in your USB thumb drive, all still organized and easily
accessible.
Winamp Portable Edition makes your media library portable, yet
organized for hassle free listening.
Anything else you can think of?