New memory devices expand

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New memory devices expand

Cha Sung-chul, a graduate student, used to tote a laptop around, but after buying a flash memory drive he goes about with all his reports dangling from a string slung from his neck. His data is stored in on a card a little larger than a postage stamp, which can be used with any properly equipped computer. Mr. Cha’s life is being made easier by a technology called universal serial bus, or USB, which is a feature on all new computers purchased today. “The USB drive transfers all my data when I connect it to a computer, which means I don’t need to carry my computer anymore,” Mr. Cha said. The storage capacity of the portable storage device is about ten times as large as the storage capacity of a 3.5 inch floppy disk. It slides into a USB device, which hooks up to a USB port on the computer. “Demand for the portable storage devices will sharply increase next year because they are easy to use carry and use,” said Kang Byung-suk, head of IOCELL Corp., a maker of telecommunication products. “Monthly sales of USB drives have surged15 percent,” a manager of LG Home Shopping, a TV shopping channel, said. Portability and ease of use are important factors driving USB popularity, but versatility is also a big feature. The USB drive can be connected to desk top PCs, laptops and personal digital assistants or to other peripherals, like scanners and printers. The original USB storage media, called flash memory, or solid state memory, had 32 to 64MB of storage capacity. The latest cards come with 512MB. Prices have fallen, with a 512MB unit costing 300,000 won ($253) and 1GB 600,000 won. About 10 domestic firms offer cards for USB devices. Other portable storage devices are also on the market, including Compact Flash cards, Smart Media and Memory Sticks, which are compatible with Digital Camera and MP3 players. But USB drives face competition. Kim Youn-soo, a graphic designer, said she prefers portable hard drives. They are very useful when she needs to transfer large graphic files from her office to a publishing company. The portable hard disks transfer the bigger files faster than the flash drives, she says. The portable drives are larger and weigh more than a flash card, but their aluminum and alloy structure make them lighter than models on the market a few years ago. And there are hard drives small enough fit into your pocket. Portable hard disks have become easier to use, interfacing with USB and IEEE1394. The price of a portable 20GB hard drive is 150,000 won ($126.4); a 40GB device goes for about 250000 won. DVD/CD-RW is a popular products among laptop users. It stores up to about 700MB of files and data can be recorded and deleted. People can also watch DVD films stored on the disks, but this device is more expensive compared with other data storage products. A Korean-made DVD/CD-RW sells for about 350,000 won ($294.9) on Internet shopping malls. Devices made in Taiwan cost about 320,000 won. “Choose a device that suits your purpose,” said a computer technician. For those who need to store a large amount of data, a hard disk or CD-RW is suitable. USB drives with about 100MB capacity are appropriate for general users. The technician warned that a compatibility check should be made before purchasing a drive. USB ports and IEEE1394 are not available on older computers, she said. by Choi Ji-young
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