Please explain me, how to remove an usb stick or memory chip? With experiences only in pc:s, I do not find on my first apple e.g. MacBook Air a solution. Until now I have succeeded to destroy one chip full of photos and - there's no life more in the port.

Question

Please explain me, how to remove an usb stick or memory chip? With experiences only in pc:s, I do not find on my first apple e.g. MacBook Air a solution. Until now I have succeeded to destroy one chip full of photos and - there's no life more in the port...
Someone told me just to remove the chip in clicking it to the trash can and voilá - it would be done. But as I did so, on the screen appeared a text which let me know, that that way had been the wrong one...
I should have clicked Finder plus something.... which I do not now remember but which was then not found behind the Finder.
So please would someone be so kind and tell me, where I can find explanations for the most simple functions. The manual I got does not include a clue.
Thank you!

Answer 1

First make sure that no application is using or has open any files on the disk. Then:
Click and drag the disk icon on the desktop to the trash. Wait for the system to recognize the action, and the icon should disappear from the desktop. It is then safe to remove the device.
Alternatively, you can secondary click on the disk icon, and then primary click "Eject (name of disk)". Wait for the icon to disappear off the desktop, and then it is safe to remove the drive.
Here is a detailed help document on the subject.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.7/en/mchlp1056.html