The development of digital Data-medium and its use
by Udo Juchems
A few years ago the classic CD-ROM with 650-700 MB was the standard.
It revolutionised the world of data-medium.
The small, long-lasting design, the stable run and the increasing reasonable price made it possible for everybody to store any data on this hybrid-disk.
Above all, for its commercial success as a reasonable data-medium for audio-files (as they are also used in computer learning programs and games) the CD became the No. 1 in no time.
As an inset in magazines or mailings it was spread many million times.
Later the smaller Mini-Disk with its diameter of 80 mm and a memory up to 185 MB was developed in co-ordination with the producers of disk drives. But because of its higher cost per piece it never reached the success of the classic CD.
After two ingenious German students had manufactured a shaped CD from a CD-ROM in 1996, the development of totally new products with totally new purposes started. This shaped CD, which first was used as a gimmick, gradually became a serious special tool.
For example these two tools should be mentioned:
The digital business card (MiniROM Classic)
This is a CD in rectangular format with 40 100 MB memory. Beneath the obvious function to represent enterprises in an emotional way, the digital business card has the effect to acquire and to build up a stronger relationship with the client.
Because of the extraordinary CD shape its possible to obtain a 50% higher rate of responses.
The shape-CD®
The appearance of this CD could have nearly any shape. These CDs are used as promotion-tools to introduce new products such as digital greeting cards or as ticket-CDs and so on.
The development of digital data-medium, including those in classic shapes and special shapes, enables multiple functionality, as it is also possible to supply these CDs with memory-chips, bar-codes or magnetic-strips.
These technologies enable purposes, which are adjusted on the customers need for example, like the personalised CD with ID and prepaid-function.
Nowadays, it tends to be more important than ever to accommodate the shape of a data-medium to the function of the content or the intention of the client.
There are also benefits related to costs: For example the postage for a digital visiting card (MiniROM) or for a MiniDisk (diameter: 80 mm) is considerably lower than for a classic CD, and the client gains more attentiveness with a shaped CD than with a classic CD.
Because DVD-drives have increasingly spread, this medium becomes more interesting for the idea of shape-CDs. For this data-medium shape-CDs are now already available.
However technology will develop. At Vision@Technologie AG, we guarantee to provide you with the right tool.