1. Unit 2 - Global Information
1.3 – Types of Information Access and Storage Devices

2. Starter
Name as many information storage devices that you can?

3. Objectives
Identify the different types of information access and storage devices.
Identify the characteristics and purpose of these devices.
Be able to understand and explain the different advantages and disadvantages of information access/storage devices.

4. Task
Below are the different information access and storage devices you need to understand. These are grouped. For each of these types of device identify and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Device
Advantages
Disadvantages
Handheld
(e.g. iphone, iPad)
Portable
(e.g. laptop, tablet)
Fixed
(e.g. Desktop, games console, smart TV)
Shared
(e.g. Servers, cloud storage)

5. Handheld Devices
These devices are any portable device that can be carried and held in a persons palm. It can be any computing or electronic device that is compact and portable enough to be used in one or both hands.
These devices may contain cellular communication, but this category can also include other computing device.
They are designed primarily to provide a suite of computing, communication and informational tools with their hands.
They aren’t as powerful as computers, however modern handhelds increasingly include powerful dual-core processors, RAM, SD storage capacity, an OS and native & add on applications.
Handheld devices are often powered by a dry cell lithium or similar battery and more often than not include a touch screen interface.

6. Handheld Devices Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) Tablet PC
Portable media players
Smartphones – include aspects of computer functionality, such as internet access.
Wearable tech (Apple Watch, FitBit etc.)
eBook readers (Kindles etc.)

7. Handheld Devices
Advantages and Disadvantages

8. Portable Devices
This is any device that can be easily carried. It is a smaller form of a computing device that is designed to be held and used in the hands (Don’t confuse with handheld).
Portable devices are becoming an increasingly important part of personal computing as the capabilities of devices continue to improve.
They still typically have less processing power than a fixed desktop PC.
Laptops
Tablets

9. Portable Devices
Advantages and Disadvantages

10. Fixed Devices
These are devices that are not designed to be portable and can vary in size and shape.
In many cases these devices can be made up of different components and hardware.
Desktop PC’s
Smart TV’s
Games Consoles

11. Fixed Devices
Advantages and Disadvantages

12. Shared Devices
These are devices that can be accessed by more than one user at a time.
Example: A database server is a computer that runs and provides database services not other computers.
Data centres are usually commercial operations that provide access to the internet and a non-stop internet presence for clients who would otherwise not be able to afford to.
Cloud Storage Devices (DropBox, OneDrive, GoogleDrive etc.) allow users to store data and information remotely on the internet and can sometimes include collaboration.
Cloud storage is a cloud computer model in which data is stored on remote servers accessed from the internet or “cloud”. They are maintained, operated and manage by the cloud storage provider on storage servers that are built on virtualisation techniques.

13. Shared Devices

14. Shared Devices
Advantages and Disadvantages

15. What you need to understand about these devices.
Purpose
Information access and storage devices can have different purposes.
Main focus of games consoles is clearly playing games.
Desktop and Laptop computers are devices that can be used as media devices, support office operations or as personal computers for work, internet access or playing games.
Handheld devices are mainly for accessing the internet and some game playing but are not suitable for complex processing tasks
Advantages and Disadvantages
Relate to the functionality and characteristics of each device.

16. Additional Characteristics
Many of the characteristics of information storage and access devices are the same as those for information storage media
Flexibility
Robustness
Access to Data
Cost
Storage Capacity
Energy Consumption
Data density
Weight
Environmental Considerations
Additional Characteristics
Processing power – amount of calculations that can be completed in a fixed period of time
Versatility – ability of a device to complete different tasks

17. Task
Can you explain the purposes, advantages/disadvantages and characteristics of:
Game Consoles
Desktop and Laptop Computers
Handheld devices and Tablets.