USB On The Go is One of My Favorite Android Features

One day, I had my friends over.  I had received my Galaxy S3 a week earlier, and I felt like showing my friends (who mostly own iPhones) a cool party trick.  So I downloaded a Sonic the Hedgehog game, got my PS3 controller along with the USB cable, and a cool male micro-usb to usb female.  I plugged it all in, and showed my friends how I was playing my Sonic game using my PS3.  They were all amazed.

What I just explained was a USB On The Go cable, or USB OTG for short.  It's a feature available on most Androids (chances are, if your phone is within 2 years old, you have it).  Essentially, it is a way to connect other peripherals to your Android.  USB mouse? Check.  PS3 or Xbox 360 controller? Check (I am not sure about the PS4 and Xbox One).  External hard drive?  Depends.  The phone powers whatever is plugged in, so not all hard drives will work.  Chances are, you'll need an externally powered hard drive with it.

In reality, it is mostly a show feature.  I have never replicated that game example other than that one time because I never need to.  However, I have found it to come in handy sometimes.  My  best use has been schooling-related.  Many times, it's easier for someone to proofread a paper in person.  So what I have done is finished a paper on my laptop, then saved it on a flash drive.  Then I'll take it out with me, plug my flash drive into my phone via USB OTG, and let my friend read it.  It's actually kind of neat.

The best part about this is that the cable is not expensive.  In fact, I picked mine up on Monoprice for $1.47 (without shipping).  You can get these things at similar prices elsewhere with free shipping.  I feel this would work best for tablet users who need a full sized USB port.  For those people, they have good options.  Instead of spending a lot extra on an Android tablet with a full USB port, they can get a cheaper device and spend just a few dollars on an important accessory.

And to think that a decade ago, plugging a flash drive into your cell phone seemed implausible.  Technology flies...