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Data storage device

physical storage medium for recording information / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A data storage device is a device for recording (storing) information (data). Recording can be done using virtually any form of energy. People have been storing data for thousands of years, by pictures and writing. Modern storage device may hold information, process information, or both. Most often the term is used with computers. Data storage devices can permanently hold data, like files.

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Many different consumer electronic devices can store data.
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Edison cylinder phonograph ca. 1899. The Phonograph cylinder is a storage medium. The phonograph may or may not be considered a storage device.
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A reel-to-reel tape recorder (Sony TC-630). The magnetic tape is a storage medium. The recorder is data storage equipment using a portable medium (tape reel) to store the data.
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Crafting tools such as paint brushes can be used as data storage equipment. The paint and canvas can be used as data storage media.
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RNA might be the oldest data storage medium,[1] now replaced by DNA in most organisms.

Electronic data storage is storage which requires electricity to store and get back that data. Most storage devices that do not require visual optics to read data fall into this category. Electronic data may be stored in either an analog or digital signal format.