Computers have been a growing part of modern society for decades, and the amount of computers and people becoming connected to the Internet is only growing. With this vast demand for computers some companies and manufacturers of technology are placing emphasis on improving the various aspects of what make a computer a viable accessory for the home and office. As a result of this growing trend and combination of events, technology is growing at a seemingly exponential rate, with computers at the forefront of the various advancements and improvements. These improvements come in the form of increasingly interactive software and applications that help with everyday life, as well as provide various aspects of entertainment, to advancements in hardware that increase performance and overall user experience. In correlation with the advancements in computer technology over the past few decades are the changes that have been made in how we store and transfer information.
Two decades ago, a computer with a 20 gigabyte hard drive was considered top of the line with an adequate amount of space for the storage of various files and information sources. However, fast-forwarding to current times, 20 gigabytes is barely enough to house an operating system for modern computers. Hard drives have grown greatly over the past couple of decades, moving from a 5-15 gigabyte standard to 500 to 800 gigabyte standard. Additionally, the inception of external hard drives has drastically increased the versatility of data storage. Some external hard drives currently being released are as large as two or three terabytes in space. Additionally, their peripherals are easily implemented via a USB port that ensure quick and easy transferring to and from the computer.
One of the more popular aspects of storage is the concept of thumb drives. Thumb drives are USB enabled drives that can hold up to 20 gigabytes of information at a given time. These types of drives are typically pivotal in the quick and easy transfer of various documents from a computer to a lap top, or music from a computer to a hand held music device such as an iPod.
