Zip drives were invented back in the 1990s and were popular for their ability to store and transfer large files. However, in today's world of cloud storage and flash drives, the term "zip drives" has largely fallen out of use. Instead, there are several synonyms that people might use to refer to similar storage devices. Some of the most commonly used terms include external hard drives, USB drives, thumb drives, and portable hard drives. These devices offer various amounts of storage space and portability, making them useful for everything from backing up important files to transferring data between devices.