Memory sticks were developed by Sony as an alternative to floppy disks for data storage. They have evolved over time and can now store large files like music and videos. The original design had a capacity four to ten times that of a floppy disk and used a ten-pin connector. Adapters were later developed to allow the stick to work with any laptop containing a PC card.
Memory sticks are handy devices that can be used to copy and store data from computer hard drives. Developed as an alternative data storage method to the 3.5 diskettes that were once common ways of storing information, the memory stick was the brainchild of Sony Corporation. Over time, the concept has been licensed to several other companies that manufacture computer equipment.
In its early incarnations, the memory stick was considered a quick and easy way to store files larger than the old floppy disks could fit. The actual size of the original memory sticks has been described as similar to that of a dead AA battery, and the memory capacity was four to ten times that of the standard floppy disk. When the first sticks came out in 1998, some of the higher-end ones had data storage capacity equal to many of the memory capacity of the computer.
Earlier versions of the memory stick came with a ten-pin connector which continues to be the standard today. Sony has placed a special slot on its line of Vaio laptops that have been specially configured to match the memory stick design. However, adapters were soon developed that allowed the memory stick to work with any laptop that contained a PC card. The device was touted as a much simpler means of storing large data files than the relatively bulky flash memory devices of the time.
Over the years, memory sticks have continued to evolve. More recent versions of the stick have allowed the device to keep up with the growing demand for music and video files and other types of data storage that have become commonplace. As recently as 2006, Sony actively collaborated with others to release a smaller version of the memory stick that included a removable adapter and featured a storage capacity that far exceeds the original design.
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