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What are data storage devices and why are they important
The use of data storage devices has become increasingly important in our culture as the volume of digital information has increased. This is because electronic data storage devices can be updated and can store large amounts of information. Data is a collection of facts or instructions used to carry out a task, solve a problem or support a conclusion.(Wikipedia)
Many people have noted that our smartphones are not getting better, but instead get worse and even more expensive. I don’t think this is an empty statement, look down at your device in the hand when you read the article. The three major smartphone companies [Apple, Samsung and Google] all have one thing in common: They want to create (and already have created) a monopoly over their specific operating system [iOS, Android or Chrome]. Each of these companies can create their own operating system, but not update it. Why? Here is the reason: To (get even richer under the skin)
The iPhone is completely dependent on the iOS operating system and the maker [Apple] of this operating system [Android and Chrome] has complete control over it. However, there are other operating systems than software you can use with your iPhone: Android and Chrome. These two devices run on Android OS or Google’s Chrome OS. For an iPhone user, this is great news because it means that they can switch to Android or Chrome and keep the same device.
How do data storage devices work
Basically, a data storage device is a device that holds or stores data. There are several types of data storage devices. For example, a digital camera stores data in a file. A piano keyboard is a physical device that has keys for making electronic sounds. Although both of these devices store data electronically, the way they store information are different. The way the piano makes the sounds is relatively complex, and it involves a lot of different parts. The way a digital camera stores data is much more simple. Each photo, for example, contains just a few pieces of information.
The process of storing electronic data on a medium that can be read and written is called recording or storing data electronically. Recording data electronically can be done in several ways. Recording can be done either with or without an information carrier that holds the data as it is stored. The information carrier may also be part of the recording device.
The idea of recording data electronically, whether by using an information carrier or a physical storage device, stems from the history of information technology. The first programmable computers were designed around 1950 to hold data electronically. Programmable computers used punched tape to contain and manipulate information.[1] A major component of early computing was magnetic storage devices such as tape and disks, which held and manipulated data that was represented as a series of magnetic flux reversals on a moving magnetostatic recording medium.
The different types of data storage devices
A data storage device is a physical device that holds or stores data. Examples of common types of data storage devices are as follows: hard disk drives, floppy disks, compact discs (CDs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), electronic cards and flash memory devices.
Magnetic tape and optical discs are not typically defined as data storage device in this context, because they are read-only. Another example of a data storage device is the component of a computer called a RAM (random access memory).
Personal computers use hard disk drives (HDDs) for local data storage, both for booting the operating system and for user files. They are excellent devices for general-purpose storage; they are fast and have large capacities.
How to create a DIY data storage device
Step 1 : Look for some SD card reader chips. Examples of SD card reader chips are the M25P40,the M24C02,the 8 bit IS61WV5123 and the 24C64. If a chip that uses an industry standard is not available, then create your own device by combining the most suitable components such as resistors and capacitors.
Step 2 : Design the device. The design of the device is simple, the SD card reader chip will be connected to the external power supply(3.3v),a 3 pin header and a SPI interface.
Step 3 : Make the Device. The chip can then be soldered onto a printed circuit board (PCB) which can have three interfaces; a 3 pin header, a SPI interface and an external power supply port.
Step 4 : Program software onto the device. The device can be programmed using Arduino, the power consumption of 10 mA should be sufficient to run the program on the device.
Step 5 : Test and Read data from the device. Test and read data from a real SD card.
The benefits of using a DIY data storage device
There are several advantages of using a DIY data storage device. For example, the information can be protected from the theft of the devices by adding a password or other security measure to the data. This way the information remains private. The information can be stored where it is relatively secure. Also, this kind of data storage device can be easily customized to store a variety of types of information such as music, photos and text files. For example, the data can be put into a homemade DVD or flash drive which can then be used to store a variety of files.
The main disadvantages of using a DIY data storage device could be that it is difficult to store large amounts of data in it compared to other types of storage devices. The data may also become corrupted if proper care is not taken to keep the storage device safe. Another disadvantage is that if the information on the device gets lost, there may not always be a way to retrieve it and transfer it to another place.
