Editing 691: MicroSD
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| − | {{w|Secure_Digital|microSD}} is one format of the Secure Digital memory card format, used in digital cameras, cell phones, and other devices. It is very small, only 15×11×1 mm, but can hold large amounts of data | + | {{w|Secure_Digital|microSD}} is one format of the Secure Digital memory card format, used in digital cameras, cell phones, and other devices. It is very small, only 15×11×1 mm, but can hold large amounts of data. When this comic was published in January 2010 the maximum capacity for microSD cards was 16GB. The current maximum capacity is 512GB (as of Febuary 2017). |
The main character in the comic (on the right) thinks about all the ideas that could be expressed by the data in the microSD card, or in a library. He feels not just reverent and intimidated, but sexually aroused by the thought. As he begins to touch it, his friend is disgusted by what might happen if he uses the card as some kind of sex toy, and does not want to help him locate the card if it gets "lost" inside a body cavity. | The main character in the comic (on the right) thinks about all the ideas that could be expressed by the data in the microSD card, or in a library. He feels not just reverent and intimidated, but sexually aroused by the thought. As he begins to touch it, his friend is disgusted by what might happen if he uses the card as some kind of sex toy, and does not want to help him locate the card if it gets "lost" inside a body cavity. | ||
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The title text seems to be the main character thinking about how much data the card holds, in terms of {{w|floppy disks}} and the {{w|iTunes}} music library, and feeling aroused by these thoughts. | The title text seems to be the main character thinking about how much data the card holds, in terms of {{w|floppy disks}} and the {{w|iTunes}} music library, and feeling aroused by these thoughts. | ||
| − | + | Randalls claims in the title text do check out. A high-density floppy disk with a FAT format holds about 1.4 MB of data, and has dimensions of 90×94×3 mm, for a volume of about 2.5 cm³. A refrigerator carton is the large cardboard box that fridges are delivered in. A typical refrigerator carton may be 1800×700×700 mm, a volume of about 0.9 m³. So a fridge carton could hold about 35000 90mm floppies, or roughly 50GB. This is comparable to the storage on a single microSD card. A soda can (1 ml = 1 cm³) could hold 3000 microSD cards or store 50TB of data. However, the iTunes store claims to hold 26 million songs (as of Summer 2014), and allowing for about 2MB per song gives 50 TB of music. The claim that a soda can could hold the iTunes library seems to be reasonable. | |
| − | + | Related to this topic is [http://what-if.xkcd.com/31/ this xkcd What If blog entry]. | |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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:Friend: There's a microSD card on your table. | :Friend: There's a microSD card on your table. | ||
| − | :[A | + | :[A microSD card sits next to an assortment of coins for size reference.] |
:Cueball (out of panel): So? | :Cueball (out of panel): So? | ||
:Friend (out of panel): I dunno, high storage densities freak me out. A whole aisle of library shelves on something smaller than a dime. | :Friend (out of panel): I dunno, high storage densities freak me out. A whole aisle of library shelves on something smaller than a dime. | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
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