Flash Drive

USB drives are generally rated by how many read/write operations they can perform in their lifetime, and honestly, the expected read/writes that your average drive can handle these days will outlive most expectations you'd put on it.

I've had five USB drives that have experienced almost everyday use for 2+ years each (a Sandisk Cruzer 4Gb, a Corsair Flash Voyager 8Gb, an Imation 2Gb one, an Astone 1Gb and a 1Gb I can't remember the brand of), and only one of them ever died (the Imation), and that was due to an electrical surge that fried my computer while the drive was plugged in, so no fault of the drive itself.

These days, as long as you buy a half decent brand from a reputable source, barring the occasional random death that any mechanical device can suffer, the drive itself should outlive it's usefulness to you based on it's size. I personally can recommend the Corsair Flash Voyager, it is a nice fast drive with a decent amount of space.

according to standards of the usb devices, the connector has to be designed so that it will withstand 500 insertion cycles.

If it lasts more, fine.

I have a Lexar 8GB that I purchased in 2007, over 4 years ago. Using 4 years, a conservative 200 work days and 2 insertions a day (one at work and one in the evening) I have inserted this 1600 times, well beyond the 500 insertion standard.

I have never had one stop working. I usually upgrade to a larger one when necessary.