There has been an influx of data storage devices for computers in recent times, and you may have had a hard time keeping track of all of them. If so, don't worry, I've put down a list of the more popular and commonly used ones. Here they are:

1. DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)

Currently the most popular (and cheaper) form of storage, DVDs were invented in the autumn of 1997 by the popular Japanese electronics manufacturer, Pioneer. It can hold up to 4.7 GB (though, generally, most recorders only allow you to record about 4.5 GB). A lot of people use it to backup their data, as well as to carry data around. The main disadvantage of DVDs is that once you write some data to the DVD, you can't erase it.

There's another type called 'DVD-RW', which overcomes the disadvantage of a DVD-R by allowing you to write and erase data on the DVD as many times as you like. However, you need a DVD burner in order to do this.

2. Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

A hard disk drive (or Hard Disk, as it is more commonly known as) basically serves as a means to store all those data that you need at the click of a button. It's on a hard disk that your operating system will be installed, and, for that matter, any program you use. Therefore, the hard disk is one of the most important components of a computer.

Nowadays, people are using hard disks as a more portable form of storage rather than DVDs, because of the large storage capacity, and because you don't need a specialized reader to burn your data onto a DVD, which means you can get data from any computer which has a USB drive.

3. Blu - Ray Disc

Blu-Ray Discs are a relatively new form of storage, and are mostly used to deliver high definition movies. The quality of the videos burned on BR discs are of exceptional quality, and do make for pleasant viewing. The typical storage capacity of a BR disc is a whooping 25 GB, which is about 5 times more than a DVD.

4. Flash Drives

The relative expensiveness of portable hard disks has meant that flash drives still remain a very popular source of portable data storage. Trek Technology laid claim to inventing the flash drive (known also as pen drives) and they started marketing it in 2000. The biggest advantage of the flash drive is the fact that it's extremely small (Kingston markets pen drives which are about 4 cm in length), which means that it can even fit into your purse. Flash drives also tend to be quite water and shock resistant, which means that you don't have to fret over any of your important data too much. Pen drives up to 32 GB are being marketed nowadays.

Summery: This article lists out the various portable storage devices available in the market today, highlighting their advantages and various features.