I have a couple of questions about a flash drive

[JackCatalano]

I just bought a SanDisk Cruzer Edge USB Flash Drive that has 8 GB on it. Now, I have a Polaroid 9 inch tablet. What I would like to know is this OK to have if I want to save files on my tablet? I don't seem to see a place where I could put the flash drive. Did I buy the wrong thing?

What is the right thing to buy?

[Salmon Trout]

Does the tablet have a USB socket anywhere?

[strollin]

On many tablets, the micro USB port can be used for both power/charging and data transfer.  In order to use your USB flash drive with the micro USB port you will need an adapter cable.  The adapter cable you need is referred to as an OTG (On The GO) cable.  Another option would be to return the flash drive you got and purchase a flash drive with the OTG adapter built-in that will plug directly into your tablet.

Here's an example of a flash drive with built-in OTG: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pny-duo-link-otg-16gb-usb-2-0-micro-usb-flash-drive-black-blue/6049005.p?id=1219184620331&skuId=6049005&lsft=ref:212,loc:1&ksid=75aa9556-f0d7-4fc4-9da8-933e7ea24596&ksprof_id=8&ksaffcode=pg14&ksdevice=c&ref=212&loc=1 

[JackCatalano]

So basically, I should return the flashdrive and get a micro SD card? There is a place for an SD card on my tablet. Is a SD card the same as a flash drive?

[SuperDave]

On my tablet I can use the same cord that I use to re-charge the tablet to do the transfers. It has a USB adapter on the other end.

[JackCatalano]

My recharger just has a plug where I recharge the tablet. I don't have a USB or flashdrive component on the tablet just a compartment for SD card.

[Salmon Trout]

Is a SD card the same as a flash drive?

An SD card has the same stuff inside as a flash drive, and works the same way, it's just much smaller.

SD card


Flash drive

[strollin]

So basically, I should return the flashdrive and get a micro SD card? There is a place for an SD card on my tablet. Is a SD card the same as a flash drive?

How did you come to that conclusion?  In my post, I didn't mention an SD card at all.  I gave you 2 options, neither of which had anything to do with an SD card.  Option 1 was to get an OTG adapter cable.  Option 2 was to return the flash drive you got and purchase an OTG ready flash drive.

You could use the tiny Micro SD card to transfer files back and forth but typically a micro SD card is installed semi-permanently and used for extra storage for data. 

[Salmon Trout]

Are we sure that tablet supports USB on-the-go?

[JackCatalano]

So I returned the flash drive and got an SD card. It's compatible with the tablet but I don't know how to download anything to the card. How does that work?

[patio]

It should show up as a second drive...

[JackCatalano]

OK, I'm confused. Second drive where? If I try to download something will the SD card show up and I can download it to the SD card?

[JackCatalano]

I have a 16 GB SD Card. Btw, I don't see anything on my tablet pretaining to an SD Card except when I go into Settings and then click on storage and see how much space my SD Card has.

[Aegis]

OK, Jack, that's good. You are close, now that you are looking in Storage. There should be entries for an Internal SD card, which is how most Android systems refer to the memory that's built into the tablet. There should also be, if the microSD card is installed, an entry for External Storage. It will show the capacity (or close to it) of the physical microSD card you installed.

[JackCatalano]

Yes, I see the space available for the SD card. The problem is how do I download something to the SD card? How do I know if it's downloaded to the SD card?