Media Cards
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Media Cards
Media Cards
When you hear the words #8220;media card #8221;, the first thing that pops into your head is probably images of memory cards or random storage devices. If you aren #8217;t a computer savvy tech nerd, though, you might be surprised that #8220;media cards #8221; actually refer to a whole collection of different types of media for your computer. Pretty much, media refers to memory, video/graphics, audio, and RAM (the speed of your computer). There #8217;s loads of different brands of media cards but they all have the same core functions. In this technological world we #8217;re living in, chances are you #8217;ll need to know this stuff someday. In this article, I #8217;ll go over the different types of media cards and media devices so you can get a little more in touch with your inner geek.
Memory Cards
A memory card is a type of storage device that allows you to copy important files from your computer or other digital device and move it over to another computer. This is really handy for businessmen who like to take their work home with them. All you have to do is push the card into the appropriate device and move your files into the folder that pops up. You can then view and edit the files wherever you go and simply return the card back to your computer and move the files out of the folder. Memory cards are also really good for cell phone users and camera fanatics who want to save their pictures on their computer.
In the old days, we had floppy discs; today, we have SD cards, MicroSD, and MiniSD, each model getting smaller and smaller over time while the amount of storage space gets bigger and bigger. CDs are beginning to be a thing of the past as more and more people have USB drives, external drives, and the Internet on nearly every electronic device you can think of. Think of the day, maybe just 20 years from now, when they can fit a terabyte of information on a computer chip as wide as a single hair. Times are changing fast and you need to be prepared by learning about these things.
Generally, you don #8217;t really need a large amount of storage if you #8217;re just going to be moving pictures and text files from computer to computer but its always nice to have the extra space and if you really do want to constantly move humongous files, they make all sorts of devices for you to do that. Memory cards are somewhere around 2-3 GB right now and you may even be able to find one that #8217;s 8 or even 16 GB. If you #8217;d like something bigger or more durable, thing about getting a USB drive or an external drive. A USB drive can fit in your pocket and can usually get up to about 32 GB for around $20. External drives can be up to 1-2 TB and are about the size of a paperback book.
Video Cards
A video card is used to enhance the graphics of your computer. This is crucial to large games and some programs. These days, games are getting bigger and bigger with larger maps and more detailed objects. Hence, as time passes you need to upgrade to a better video card. Video cards can range anywhere from $30 to $500, depending on how elaborate they are. Luckily, as they #8217;re so expensive, you really only need to upgrade every five years or so in order to stay consistent with the latest games and programs. The problem with video cards is that you can #8217;t just plug them in somewhere on the outside of your computer like you can a floppy disc, cd, or usb drive. You have to open the side panel of the computer and remove the old video card and replace it with the new one. You can find manuals on exactly how to do this online and I advise you to read them because you #8217;ll need to know what you #8217;re doing. Alternatively, you could take your computer and the new video/graphics card into a computer repair shop and they #8217;ll do it for you (for a fee, of course).
Audio Cards
An audio card is used to enhance the sound capabilities that your computer can do. Once again, audio cards are really big in the gaming industry as games keep coming out with all sorts of mixed sounds that make the game so much more fun. Audio cards are used mainly, however, to make your computer louder. Basically, audio cards are to your computer as amps are to your stereo. People who like extremely loud music or have hearing problems might purchase an audio card to adjust the sounds that their computer produces. Audio cards are about the same price as a video card and can be purchased in most tech stores or the computer aisle at Walmart.
RAM Cards
RAM cards are used to make your computer run faster and smoother. RAM stands for Random Access Memory which is basically the amount of total CPU that you have available. Games and programs alike use up a large amount of RAM and can dramatically slow your computer down. When you buy more RAM, however, you can run many different programs at once. Generally, new computers have around 2 GB of RAM to use but if you want more for one reason or another or you have an older computer, you can easily purchase another few gigabytes of RAM for about $30 at any technology store or aisle.
Regardless of upgrading or not, you should know the difference between the types of media cards. Hopefully you #8217;ve learned something from this article and can now go out and upgrade your computer to the best of its ability.
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