August 24, 2007, Newsletter Issue #152: What is Removable Media?

Tip of the Week

Removable media is any cartridge-type data storage device. Technically, this includes floppy disks, although you rarely hear them referred to as such.
CDs are the most ubiquitous removable storage, having in the last couple of years become not only writeable, but re-writeable. However, it requires special software to master a CD; you can´t just write directly to them as you do a hard drive.
SyQuest pioneered the first removable hard drives in the early 90´s, but companies like Iomega Corp. quickly moved into the field, producing smaller, faster drives with more storage, at lower prices. Iomega currently produces the ZIP® drive (using 100Mb or 250Mb cartridges), the JAZ® drive, which uses a 2Gb cartridge, and the 40Mb PocketZip® for digital cameras, MP3 players and notebook computers.
Another type of removable storage is the Compact Flash® card, a 1.5x1.5-inch memory card commonly used in digital cameras and MP3 players; the card slips directly into a slot on the device, and when you run out of space, you can just pop it out and slide in another one.
The Microdrive, a recent development, holds 340Mb of data and will work with most digital cameras and MP3 players which use Compact Flash® cards, and can plug directly into a laptop using a PCMCIA adapter.
Technology moves faster every day; by the time you read this, there may well be more types of removable storage on the market.

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