Over the last few decades, the way that data is stored has evolved faster than just about any form of technology. What used to take large rooms to hold can now fit in one’s fingertips. The pace is increasing, particularly in just the last few years. A decade ago, it wasn’t uncommon to pay hundreds of dollars for data storage devices that now cost less than $10. Today’s data is served more quickly. It maintains its integrity for longer. It’s portable, cheap, and easy to access. The infographic below takes a look at some of the data storage options and the costs associated with them over the past several…

Today, you can buy a flash drive with enough memory to store more than a room full of floppy discs. We all know that memory compared to the days before flash drives was much more expensive per megabyte (remember when we used to store memory by the kilobyte?), but even as recently as a decade ago, memory using the same basic technology was so much more expensive. The little froggy above stores 4gb and costs around $7. Compare that to the ad below from a decade ago. At this rate a terabyte will be free a decade from now. Perhaps more importantly, will we have something better than a googly-eyed frog?  …

Recently on Spectrum, Scientists from Harvard University have successfully converted a 53,000 word book into a single strand of DNA. The success of the conversion will allow data to be stored in the guise of a DNA strand; DNA can hold more information per cubic millimeter than certain flash memory technology. Scientists claim that the cycle of conversion, from coding to decoding, would prove to be an expensive process initially but those needing a large quantity of data might find the means to make this technology more affordable in the future. Imagine. Universities around the globe can store…

While a major disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane, is unlikely, it’s best that businesses prepare for such catastrophic events. Doing so can minimize the negative effects of what could otherwise be a door-closing disaster. A disaster plan for the business should include ways to keep not only employees safe, but also the data and equipment necessary to keep the business running. With a little planning, any business can create a solid disaster plan for any situation that arises. Global Disaster Recovery Management recommends that businesses start with a disaster risk assessment….

In the world of cloud storage and file sharing, few companies are growing faster than Dropbox. Since January 2010, the service has grown from 4 million users to more than 25 million users, and more than 200 million files are saved daily. However, YouSendIt wants to go toe-to-toe with Dropbox in a new arena: pricing. YouSendIt is best known as a convenient alternative to email when you have large files to send. However, it will now offer a cloud storage service similar to Drobox’s, but with a low-price unlimited plan. “YouSendIt is how business gets done online,” said Ivan Koon, the company’s…

The word ‘infinite’ is pretty versatile – infinite wisdom, infinite kung fu, infinite shrimp buffet. It’s a buzz word, and one that can make one stand in awe of whatever it is making a claim of infinity. Infinitec has it in their goddamn company name, so it stands to reason they’re hoping your aforementioned sense of awe will extend to all their products. Enter the Infinite USB Drive, a device whose description sounds too good to be true. The USB drive in my pocket as I write this has 8 gigs, and every time I need to transfer a season of Star Trek it seems it’s always 8.1. Infinite space certainly would be…

There’s never a shortage of interesting storage options for the full spectrum of geek chic. Earlier this week, I showed you guys concrete USB drives, for the gentleman interested in walking softly and carrying a really big stick. For the yet-more sophisticated gentlesir, today I impress upon you nothing short of USB cufflinks. You know, for those times you absolutely need to bring some porn or your DVD rip of The Dark Knight to a funeral. Designer Ravi Ratan is particularly smug about his 4GB links (2x2GB), providing an unprompted ‘you’re welcome’ on the cufflinks.com listing. Gotta appreciate…

If you’re one of those new million iPad owners then you need to know about Dropbox for iPad. This free app is the missing link if you want to use your iPad for some light business. It works with the online Dropbox service, which offers you 2.2GB of free online storage. That storage syncs with your Mac or PC’s Home directory – where all your data sits – so you get access to all your most important files from wherever you happen to be. Dropbox on the iPad/iPhone/iPod touch lets you access those files. Better, if you have the right app it lets you open and work on those files. You can open a PowerPoint presentation…

The good news: Blu-Ray has released a new format standard, bumping the capacity of a single disc up to a brainbusting 128gigs! Now maybe Avatar and its features will fit on a single disc after all. The bad news: The new format doesn’t work on your current Blu-Ray player. Looks like it’s time to upgrade again. Maybe. Right now, you can cool your jets – the new format is strictly being released to the pro sector, for those who require high-capacity storage options. But every new storage medium begins that way, and it’s likely only a matter of time before we see lonely current-gen Blu-Ray players…

(Image Credit: “Evolution of Storage” by Curtiss Spontelli | CC) We consume an amazing amount of data, but we also store an equally impressive amount of data as well, and if you think back to not too long ago, we were having to deal with floppy disks and zip drives and who knows what else. Oh how the times have changed. We should appreciate how far we have come with regards to data storage, and this article is dedicated to displaying a bit of a graphical homage to storage mediums of the past, present, and future: Punchcard Magnetic Tape Floppy Disk Hard Drive Laser Disc CD/DVD Blu-ray Solid State Drive…