Tip #4254 - Terabyte
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Q:
Can you give us some information on what a terabyte is? I've heard
it mentioned a couple times in some of the online articles I read,
but I don't know too much about it. Please fill us in!
A:
Ah, yes, the terabyte. I'm actually a little
surprised that none of you have asked about this before. The term
has been around for awhile, but I think it's just now starting to
emerge and more and more people are hearing about it everyday. Plus,
it might just be the next big thing! So, whether you have heard of
a terabyte or you haven't, you're definitely going to want to listen
up. It's some pretty interesting information. Here we go!
Let's begin with
a brief definition: A terabyte is a term used to measure data storage
capacity for computers. It goes right along with the megabyte and
gigabyte terms you are so familiar with already. So, how does it stack
up next to those? Well, a terabyte is basically 1,000 gigabytes. In
other words, 1 TB = 1,000 GB. If you haven't figured it out yet, that's
a lot of storage space! Just when we thought a GB was a ton of space,
we now have the TB to think about. How cool is that?!
Now, I know what
you're probably thinking: "Why would I need that much space?"
Well, it really all depends on what you use your computer for, but
let's check out some examples of when the extra room just might come
in handy. For starters, I found this really cool comparison on Bob
Rankin's Web site (he's another computer guru). He said that 1 GB
of memory is equivalent to 500,000 pieces of computer paper or approximately
one pickup truck full of books. On the other hand, 1 TB is like a
thousand librarians driving their own Ford F150 filled with literature.
Isn't it crazy to think you could actually have that much memory on
your computer?!
And what about
music players and other digital devices? Well, as of right now, you
can get an iPod with about 160 GB on it, which holds approximately
40,000 songs. While that's a huge amount, you would need six of those
iPods to equal 1 TB. Just one terabyte can hold up to a quarter-million
songs. Heck, with that amount of storage space, you could save almost
300 full length movies on your media player. That just blows my mind!
Like I said before,
terabyte hard drives have been around for awhile, but so far, it looks
as if only large companies, some universities, hospitals and military
institutions have started using them. Those kinds of places tend to
store large amounts of data, so it makes sense for them, but do you
really need a TB hard drive for your computer? Well, again, it all
depends on what you do on your computer. If you're a big gamer or
if you work a lot with multimedia files, the extra space could come
in handy for you. You probably find that your gigs of space fill up
pretty fast, so a TB may be just what you need.
On the other hand,
if you just use your computer for ordinary daily tasks, you should
be fine with the amount you have right now. For example, if you only
use your computer to check your e-mail, visit a couple Web sites,
play a few games online, etc., you won't need as much space as a TB
offers. Now, for those of you who think you may need more than one
TB, that's an option too. For instance, if you're big into videography
or if you design a lot of Web sites, you may need even more space.
As with everything, there are several instances where a TB can prove
to be very useful, but it just may not be for everyone.
It probably won't
be much longer before computer manufacturers are offering terabyte
computers as a standard model. We all know that technology moves very
quickly in this day and age, so you will probably start seeing this
kind of thing on the shelves soon. Now, as far as pricing goes, there
shouldn't be too much of a change in that area. As it stands right
now, it looks like most gigs are sold at $.50 per gig and the terabyte
is going to go for about $.33 per unit. There is one terabyte drive
available right now through TigerDirect for $329 if you're interested
in checking it out. Of course, those prices are sure to come down
within a few months, so if you're not in desperate need of more memory
right away, I would definitely wait for a price decrease.
So, as you can
see, the terabyte mania has already begun! It is a pretty cool concept
to think you could actually have that much space on one computer,
don't you agree? So, tell me, what would you do with a terabyte? That
will give you something to think about. The possibilities are endless!
~ Erin
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