| A | B |
|---|
| Computer File | A named collection of stored data. |
| Executable File | A type of computer file that contains the instructions that tell a computer how to perform a specific task. |
| Data File | The kind of file you create when you use software. Ex: a report that you write in Word is data. |
| Magnetic storage devices | Use Various patterns of magnetization to store data on a magnetized surface. |
| HDD | Hard Disk Drive, the most common type of magnetic storage device. It's also called a hard disk or hard drive. |
| Optional storage devices | Use laser technology to store data on a disk like on a CD (compact disc). |
| CD-ROM | The first standard optical storage device for personal computers. One CD can store 700 MB of data. |
| DVD | The same physical size as a CD, but it can store between 4.7-15.9 GB (gigabytes) of data, depending on whether the data is stored on 1 or 2 sides. |
| Blu-ray | These discs store 25 GB of data per layer. They are used for storing high-definition video. |
| Flash memory | Also called solid state storage. Similar to ROM except it can be written to more than once. |
| Flash Memory Cards | Used in digital cameras, handheld computers, video game consoles, etc. |
| USB flash drive | Also called a USB drive or a flash drive. They can store between 1-512 GB. The more they can hold, the more expensive they are. They are plugged into a USB port. The device is recognized as another disk drive. |
| SSD | Solid-state drive. This is based on flash memory, but is intended as a replacement for a traditional hard disk drive. SSDs are more expensive than hard drives, but they use less power and offer much faster data access. |
