Yeah I have had the same reaction. I don't know if it will read flash drives. I have a USB keyboard coming for it and it plugs into that usb drive. I do know that the small USB port works. Sorry not much help.
I just got my ZT-180 yesterday and been playing around with it. Yes, USB flash drive work.
Click on the OI FileManager, then touch the HOME icon, then touch the UDISK folder, SDA1 folder, you will see the content of you USB flash drive.