It is undisputed. Even if we try to distance ourselves from technology, it is a major part of our lives. It is always there, a constantly evolving organism that impacts every aspect our lives.
This wasn’t always true. We are looking back at a time when clouds were just in the sky and notebooks had to be made of paper.
A couple of techy guys from Harvard Innovation Lab have created a wonderful video that really shows the evolution we are referring to. They show how each item has been modified in functionality to work with computers. Even printers can now staple documents together! This is something I’m still baffled by! You can see the entire video here. [1]
Let’s begin with the computer itself, shall we? The first desktop computer that IBM released was the 1981 model. This machine was 64kb in size, which is less than my current memory stick. Other features included a wired keyboard, and 2 floppy drives. Do you remember these? The memory stick was given to the grandparent. It had an 11-inch screen with one colour text, green. It didn’t even come equipped with a mouse!
Now, fast forward 25 years and we are at the latest Lenovo release. (Because Lenovo bought IBM’s PC business in 2005, it seemed only fair to compare two products from the same manufacturer). The Edge 91z is what we are looking at. This technological marvel has four processor cores at 2.8GHz, 8GB memory, wireless everything, and a 1TB hard disk. It also features a 21-inch LED backlit display that displays images in full 1080p HD glory. The new PC is also lighter, more portable, and 2.5 inches thick. The Edge 91z is not the best. There are many other PCs that have faster processors, better graphics and larger screens. [2]
We have already touched a little on storage, but let’s get a closer look. There are two types of storage: internal and external. Internal storage, also known as hard drives, was originally an external component. The devices were so large that they needed to be kept apart from the PC. IBM created the first gigabyte hard drive. It was about the same size as a large fridge/freezer. It is not the most portable. This was also a terrible product by today’s standards. It had a 5mb total capacity, which is less than an average memory stick. It was also smaller than a fridge. We had to start somewhere, I suppose! [3]
As hard drives get smaller over the years, storage capacity has increased. However, most consumers can’t choose a hard drive from a list of techy bits and pieces. We are now moving to the type of storage that we can see and use every day, the memory stick.
These are also known as USB pen, flash drive or memory stick. They are the most efficient and easy way to store small files, move them, and transfer them from one device to the next. (My personal 64GB memory stick is large, but it is small compared to newer hard drives. The memory stick, as we know it, is relatively new. Before the USB stick revolution, there were floppy disks.
Floppy disks were originally 8-inch square, but later became available in 5 1/4-inch and 3 1/2-inch sizes. They were a popular method of data storage and exchange between the mid-1970s and the late 2000s. Floppy disks were the primary external storage device for more than 20 years. Floppy disks can be seen and handled easily, unlike hard drives. Even a novice user can identify one. These disks may not be used anymore, but they will still be there and are used in our daily work lives. The floppy drive became synonymous with saving data. Office 2016 is one example of this. We save our files using an image from a 3 1/2 inch floppy. [4]
New Horizons has been at forefront of IT Training for over 30 years. We have seen technology evolve and change over the years. So we love to look back sometimes and see how far we and technology have come. Visit our offers page to learn more about our courses and to view our latest offers. Chat with an advisor today!
Amanda McCombie
Marketing Assistant
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6PzTUDfxc0
[2] http://www.lenovo.com/uk/en/
[3] http://www.computerweekly.com/
[4] http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/286035
