Data storage device

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Many different consumer electronic devices can store data.

In computing, a data storage device—as the name implies—is a device for storing data. It usually refers to permanent (non-volatile) storage, that is, the data will remain stored when power is removed from the device; unlike semiconductor RAM. Recording can be done mechanically, magnetically, or optically.

A typical way to classify data storage media is to consider its shape and type of movement (or non-movement) relative to the read/write device(s) of the storage apparatus. The following is a list of storage media, roughly sorted descending from modern to older/archaic media.

Flash memory/memory card (solid state semiconductor memory)
* CompactFlash I and II
* SONY Memory stick (Std/Duo/Pro/MagicGate versions)
* Secure Digital
* MMC
* SmartMedia
* xD-Picture Card
* USB Keydrive (also known as a "thumb drive")
* Solid state disk
Magnetic bubble memory
Disk storage (flat, round, circularly-spinning object)
* Optical disc such as CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, Blu-ray, Minidisc
* Hard disk (magnetic)
* Holographic
* Floppy disk, ZIP disk (removable) (magnetic)
* Gramophone record (used for distributing some 1980s home computer programs) (mechanical)
Tape storage (long, thin, flexible, linearly moving bands)
* Magnetic tape (a tape passing one or more read/write/erase heads)
* Paper tape (mechanical)
Paper card storage
* Punched card (mechanical)

Bekenstein (2003) foresees that miniaturization might lead to the invention of devices that store bits on a single atom.

References

Bekenstein, Jacob D. (2003, August). Information in the holographic universe. Scientific American.
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