Abstract: A thumb drive has an elongated housing enclosing an assembly of a coupled memory and male USB connector constrained on a translation mechanism in the direction of the long dimension of the housing, with an opening at a first end of the housing through which the male USB connector may extend and retract, a top cover engaged in tracks and translatable in the long direction of the housing, and gears rotating on a shaft across the housing and engaging a gear rack along edges of the top cover and along upper edges of the memory and connector assembly. Translating the top cover forward retracts the connector into the housing, and translating the top cover rearward extends the connector from the housing.