Popsicle is a free, open-source (code available on GitHub), and extremely simple USB flashing utility written in Rust.
In fact, Popsicle is the official/default USB flashing utility for Pop!_OS, an Ubuntu-based operating system developed by System76.
Nothing really special up until this point, right? What makes Popsicle stand out from the crowd is its ability to create multiple bootable USB drives at the same time. Yes, you heard that right, it allows you to flash multiple USB devices in parallel.
What’s even more amazing is that it does so without draining excessive amounts of resources. And it’s also remarkably easy to use.
Other advantages
Before we cover the GUI and workflow, here’s what else you need to know: it supports USB 2 and 3, it can also be used from the command line, and it gives you the option to verify ISO images with SHA256 and MD5 checksum.
Furthermore, Popsicle can write both ISO and IMG image types.
How to install and use Popsicle
As mentioned before, Popsicle comes pre-installed with Pop!_OS. However, it can also be used on Ubuntu (and Linux Mint) with the same level of efficiency.
There are two ways you get your hands on Popsicle: either download the AppImage file from Popsicle’s official GitHub repository, or via the PPA.
For the latter, open a Terminal session and type the following commands: “sudo add-apt-repository ppa:system76/pop,” followed by “sudo apt install popsicle popsicle-gtk.” Please note that that Popsicle will appear under the “USB Flasher” moniker once installed on your system.
Using Popsicle is as easy as one can imagine. Connect your USB devices, choose the image (.ISO or .IMG) you want to write to said USB devices, and click the “Next” button.
Choose the USB devices to flash from the provided list, and click “Next” once more, and that’s about it. Popsicle will prompt you once the creation/flashing procedure has been completed successfully.
Verdict
Popsicle’s most remarkable feature is without a doubt the possibility of writing multiple USB devices at the same time. However, even without it, Popsicle would still be a very competent USB flashing utility.
It’s free, open-source, it supports USB 2 and USB 3, it’s very easy-to-use, and it provides the option of checking the integrity of images. The fact that it’s capable of writing multiple USB devices at once is a bonus for most users, while for those who really need it, it’s definitely a lifesaver.
