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The first computer I ever used didn’t have enough memory to remember my name. In fact, I never even saw it, and the only way I could access it was via a really slow modem connection (sub–1,200 bits/sec) and a green-screen terminal in my high school computer lab. But I wasn’t complaining, as that setup allowed me to learn the Basic programming language using a mainframe computer located more that a 100 miles away at Dartmouth College. At the time, no other high school in NY State had the equivalent, and few colleges were as well equipped. When was that? Well, let’s just say I’m going to miss That ’70s Show now that it’s off the air.
I take that particular stroll down memory lane every time I live through another milestone in computer development. For example, I was amazed when I bought my first Mac IIfx computer with an enormous 20MB hard drive and 15-inch VGA monitor (priced around $4,000), and then upgraded its RAM memory to 32MB for an extra $1,400. I couldn’t believe how powerful and fast that computer was, and it even let me manipulate high-res, 1.5MP film scans in Adobe’s Photoshop version 1 software! Now, I’m sure I would scream in agony if I had to wait around for that computer to even boot up.
My high school flashback was set off by at least three significant events. First, Sony just announced its new VAIO AR Premium notebook computer with a built in Blu-ray optical drive that can store up to 50GB of data on a BD-R or BD-RE disc. It can also play high definition movies while connected to an HDTV, has a 17-inch screen with 1900x1200-pixel resolution for true 1080i HD viewing, and costs less than my old IIfx at only $3,500.
Somewhat lost in the Blue-ray shadow is the fact that the Vaio’s hard drive can store up to 160GB of data (nearly 10,000 times more storage than the old IIfx) and ships with a GB of RAM. In this day and age, where 8MP and higher photos, tons of MP3’s, and digital videos require an enormous amount of storage space, the memory in this new VAIO notebook will hold its own for at least a year.
That brings me to the second event: the fact that the Apple laptop that I’m writing this blog on is wirelessly connected to a backup storage system in my basement that can store up to a terabyte of data. Yep, I’ve got TB, and I’m sure it’s going to be contagious when everyone else finds out how affordable it is (under $700 depending on manufacturer and model).
For those who aren’t doing the math, a Terabyte of storage holds about 50,000 times more data than that 20MB hard drive on my first Mac IIfx. And the final event? I just walked around NYC for an hour listening to my favorite MP3’s and local FM stations, taking 3MP digital pictures, shooting some video, talking on the phone, checking my email and surfing the web on a park bench, and playing video games. What made it more than my typical lunch break (oh, I wish!) was that I did all of the above with nothing more than a small Nokia N80 (on sale soon for about $500).
For some, the N80 is a camera phone. For others, it’s a multimedia computer with multi-radio capability. But inside, it has 40MB of built-in storage, a 2GB microSD card (upgraded from the included 128MB), Wi-Fi, and a computer processor that’s faster than the one I had on my original Mac IIfx. It’s also a really cool phone! Now, if it only had a built-in coffee maker, I could kick my Starbucks addiction.
How long will it be before our camera phones and portable multimedia computers include a terabyte of storage? That will really depend on whether or not we’ll ever need to carry that much memory around with us when the country is covered by Wi-Fi and high-speed wireless data networks. Stay tuned for updates.
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