Monthly updates, analysis, and implications. An airplane on autopilot finds its way using information stored on a computer disk. Information that consumers and industry find on the Internet is stored on magnetic disks somewhere in cyberspace. Solid-state flash memory, based on arrays of semiconducting chips, is in use in flashcards, credit cards, and portable equipment and plays an important role in electronic photography.
Flash memories operate faster than disk technologies.
HDD, OST, and flash memories are randomly accessible devices. Another magnetic storage technology, magnetic tapes, offers only sequential access to information, which places tapes in an inferior position, regardless of their storage capacity. Their only role is for backup storage of information on disks. Magnetic tapes for the recording of music have almost vanished. Us Copyright 2001 SRI Consulting Business Intelligence.