Is flash media the future of storage?
By Metallideth
@Metallideth (572)
United States
May 18, 2007 12:42am CST
Although hard drives have increased exponentially in capacity in recent years and are becoming more and more affordable all the time, flash memory devices such as thumbdrives and SD cards are very popular and now (compatible, good quality devices) can be used with a Windows Vista feature called "Readyboost" to increase computer performance.
(The flash drive or card can be used as a place to store cache memory and improve computer performance since writing to flash media is faster and easier than reading/writing to a hard drive).
Since flash media is easier to read from/write to and flash memory devices are also getting cheaper and increasing in size rapidly, do you think they will replace hard drives altogether?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
18 May 07
I don't think so. At the moment, hard disk access is still faster than thumbies. The former is cheaper too. Besides, there is still the online medium - storing files online.
It is always easier to work from hard disk. This will be the primary. Since you have to go back to your work station or keep lugging the lappy around, why would you want more unnecessary things like thumbies unless really necessary?
But I do think more and more people are gonna be equipped with thumbies as they get cheaper. Long ago, people used to give pens and pencils as freebies. One day, thumbies will "drop" to that level.
1 person likes this
@Metallideth (572)
• United States
19 May 07
Well, what I meant was rather than having several thumb drives, maybe one day they'll develop an internal drive that uses the same technology as a thumbie, but use it in place of the hard drive. I think that some of the nicer thumb drives might actually be faster than a hard drive, or else that new readyboost feature would be kind of pointless. It wouldn't upgrade your performance very much if it took longer to read/write to a thumbie (since it would be used like RAM).
But hey, that's just guessing and speculation on my part, so who knows? Anyway, thanks for responding (it's been a little while) 'Wiz.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
19 May 07
Er... I always had the impression that the hardy is faster to read than a thumbie. I can just check it up right now but I am honestly to lazy lol. If you are interested, you can go research. :P
It has been a while? Well, you do know I don't like to answer one-liners *ahem), and I can't make sense of Megadeth, music is not my favorite discussion topic (not much knowledge there)... so there. That basically covered your recent discussions. :PP
@steve9737 (918)
• Colombia
17 Jun 07
I think the flash media is the present of the storage but I am sure about if it would replace the hard disk because a flash memory depends of energy so I am sure if it would be a good idea remember that inside of every flash memory there is a battery but anyway I think it would be a good idea I have not think about it but if it is more faster to read and write that a hard disk it would be great I am just imagining so fast would be load my operating system and run my programs I will definitively check it out I have heard it is possible boot from a usb memory so if you can install your operating system there you will have the best computer in the world.
@Metallideth (572)
• United States
19 Jun 07
I never thought about that, I guess they do have to have a battery if there's nothing being stored physically by it. Is that the deciding factor in the longevity of their data retention, the battery life? I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing.
Also, I have seen someone boot from a flash drive before. It's just like booting from a disk or a floppy, just another form of media.
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
19 May 07
Sounds like it could be, but I don't know a great deal about it. I hope it is far enough in the futiure that I don't need to learn something new again...lol
