We all know that when you take a picture on a digital camera the picture will stay there unless you delete it. We also know that our PDA's contains and retains a plethora amount of information. Have you ever thought about how this is possible, or what the logistics are behind this "memorable" ability? Although it may seem like a simple concept at a glance, flash memory became more complicated the more I tried to really understand how it works.
Flash memory uses a memory chip (memory card) to store information without requiring a power source. USB flash drives also use flash memory, as USB's are removable storage (I think of them like a "middle man.") Think of flash memory like a mini-hard drive with a faster read access, but with not as much capacity and a slower erase/write time. It is nonvolatile, meaning the information is stored when the power is turned off. I found it is easier to think simplistically of flash memory instead of getting caught up of how flash memory actually works. But just to cover how flash memory works, I found a Web site that allows you to visually grasp this concept of such memory:
"Inside the flash chip, information is stored in cells. A floating gate protects the data
written in each cell. Tunneling electrons pass through a low conductive material to change the electronic charge of the gate in a "flash," clearing the cell of its contents so that it can be rewritten. This is how flash memory gets its name."
Some other types of familiar devices that use flash memory are:
- MP3 players
- Video game cards
- Modems
I'm not going to lie and say that I watched this very long YouTube video "A Story of Flash Memory," but I thought this would be entertaining and very informative for those of you who are interested in the history of flash memory.
I also found more enthusiastic and much shorter video about flash memory storage...enjoy!
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