System and method for pervasive computing with a portable non-volatile memory device

A method, computer program product, and a data processing system for providing pervasive computing with a removable non-volatile memory device is provided. A portable operating system receives a command for removal of a portable memory device from a first host. A running application that is stored on the portable memory device is identified. Application state data of the application is saved in a data structure stored on the portable memory device. The portable memory device may then be removed from the first host and connected with a second host. A determination is made of whether the second host is adapted to run the application. The saved state data is retrieved responsive to determining that the second host is adapted to run the application, and the application is restored to an application state at which the state data was saved.