Free yourself from the last remaining bonds of 20th century student life and embrace the new millennium. Big hair went out of style in the last century and so did stone-age technology. You?re a 21st century student. Isn?t it about time you were outfitted like one?

Toss out all those flimsy floppy and Zip disks. There?s an easier and more reliable way to transport data from home to school and it comes in the form of portable storage devices that use flash memory. Why is flash memory so much better? It?s a solid state medium, meaning it lacks moving parts that wear out and break. This makes flash memory much more reliable than floppy and Zip disks. And its small footprint makes it more portable than the blocky technology used in floppies and Zip.

Two companies recently came to market with a pair of highly portable storage products that take advantage of flash memory?s virtues. Sony?s MicroVault and M-System?s DiskOnKey are smaller than a flat highlighter and small enough for the manufacturers to attach them to key chains. The miniature storage device plugs into USB ports of PCs and Macs, making exchange of data across different platforms virtually universal. Both are capable of transferring data at 1 Megabyte per second, over four times faster than conventional floppy drives and up to five percent faster than Zips.

MicroVault and DiskOnKey are plug and play compatible with PCs running Microsoft Windows Me, 2000 and XP. Windows 98 SE users will need to make sure USB support is installed. Unfortunately, users of Windows 95 and 98 are out of luck. Mac owners can rejoice as both storage devices are plug and play compatible with OS 9.0 and higher. DiskOnKey even supports Linux boxes running Kernel 2.4.0 and later.

There?s a price premium to be paid for such reliable and portable storage devices. MicroVault pricing starts at $49.99 (for the 16MB version) and tops out at $129.99 (for the 128 MB version). DiskOnKey ranges in price from $49.99 (also for the 16MB version) to $499.99 (for the top of the line 512MB model). Both products come with one year limited warranties and can be purchased online from www.sonystyle.com and www.diskonkey.com.

Flash memory can also be found in the 21st century equivalent of the micro-cassette recorder. Among busy executives and students, digital voice recorders are gaining popularity. DVRs offer longer recording times with the same, if not better, recording quality of microcassette recorders.

Currently, Sony and Olympus are the two big names in making digital recorders. Sony?s flagship voice recorder is the ICD-MS515VTP, a slender device that resembles a silver-finished cigarette box, fits in the palm of your hand and uses interchangeable Memory Stick modules to store voice recordings. It comes included with an 8MB Memory Stick can hold nearly three hours of audio, while an optional 128MB Memory Stick bumps the total recording storage to 45+ hours. The recorder?s battery life is also lengthy, up to 12 hours of continuous recording time on two “AAA” batteries. It?s also completely silent while in operation, thanks to the absence of moving parts.

The ICD-MS515VTP allows custom titling of 340 individual voice recordings and has a voice-activated record feature. Voice files can even be uploaded and catalogued onto a PC via a USB cable. Once uploaded, users can convert the audio files to type-written text with the recorder?s Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred Voice to Print Software. The ICD-MS515VTP can be found in most stores that carry Sony products, or online at Sonystyle . Expect to shell out a nice chunk of change ($299.99) for this sleek digital voice recorder.

Like Sony?s top offering, Olympus? DM-1 utilizes a compact design to fit many voice recorder features into the palm of your hand. The DM-1 uses interchangeable Smart Media cards to store voice recordings. About 22 hours of audio can be stored on the included 64MB memory card. An optional 128MB Smart Media card doubles the audio storage. The DM-1?s battery life is only slightly lower than Sony?s voice recorder. Using two “AAA” alkaline batteries net a maximum continuous recording time of 11 hours. Like the Sony voice recorder, Olympus? top-of-the-line DM-1 is completely silent when in operation.

When it comes to organizing and tagging voice files, the DM-1 lacks the ICD-MS515VTP?s custom titling feature. However, the DM-1 features three separate folders for organizing recordings and the filing arrangement gets duplicated exactly when files are uploaded to a PC via USB cable. Additionally, the DM-1 can be used to store and play MP3 files. The process is as simple as hooking up the device to a computer and downloading the MP3s to the DM-1 with its included software tool. Plan to spend about $250 for the DM-1 if you purchase it from Olympus .

If a hybrid voice recorder/MP3 player like the DM-1 won?t fulfill your portable music needs consider three MP3 players made by Creative Labs and Apple Computers. Creative Labs, a company known for its high quality computer audio systems and MP3 jukeboxes, recently added the Nomad MuVo, an extremely portable music player the size of a pack of gum, to it?s MP3 player lineup. The MuVo comes in two flavors, a 64MB and 128MB version. The entry level MuVo can hold 15 high quality MP3s of average length while the top end model doubles that storage capacity.

In addition to storing music files, MuVo can act like a removable storage device, like the MicroVault and DiskOnKey USB drives. Plug the MuVo into a USB port on a computer running Windows 98, or higher, and start transferring files. It?s that easy. Expect a max of 12 hours of continuous playtime from the MuVo?s single “AAA” battery. Pricing for Creative?s mini-music mite starts at $129.99. Visit www.nomadworld.com for more info.

Apple?s iPod MP3 player was an instant hit when first introduced to Apple consumers earlier this year. Now people who use a Microsoft Windows operating system can enjoy Apple?s uber MP3 player.

Unlike the majority of portable MP3 players on the market, iPod uses a built in hard drive to store music. This endows the device with enough storage capacity to hold thousands of songs at the highest sound quality possible. The iPod comes in three different versions. The entry-level 5GB iPod can store up to 1,000 songs. Five gigs not enough? No problem. Apple has 10 and 20 GB iPods available, increasing storage potential to 2,000 and 4,000 songs respectively. Don?t even try listening to that many songs on the iPod in one sitting as the built in rechargeable battery only lasts for about 10 hours.

You?ll need a fairly up to date computer with a Firewire port in order to download music to the iPod. If your system doesn?t have a Firewire port then expect to pay extra for an add-on card on top of the iPod?s already steep starting price of $299. Check out www.apple.com/ipod for additional info.

Sure, it?s expensive being outfitted with 21st Century gear. But, like the saying goes: “Progress ain?t cheap.”