analog

In chemistry, a substance that is similar, but not identical, to another.

Data in an analog format is represented by continuously variable, measurable, physical quantities such as voltage, amplitude or frequency. Analog is the opposite of digital.

1. Class of measuring devices in which the output varies continuously as a function of the input (non-digital).

2. A historical instance of a given meteorological scenario or feature that is used for comparison with another scenario or feature. For example, a long-range forecaster predicting conditions for the upcoming winter may make comparisons to analog seasons in which meteorological factors were similar to those of the upcoming season.

something that is similar to, or may substitute for, a related object or situation.

The Analog cell phone technology was the first one to appear, in the 1980's. Analog service does not provide advanced services such as Short Messages or downloadable ringtones. Additionally, during a conversation on an analog network, users may hear scratches and &static& noises that are not usually heard on digital phones. Today, all phones on the market are digital, but in North-America, a certain share of the territory, in general rural areas, is still only working in analog mode. To provide users with a larger coverage, either digital or analog, some cell phone makers still include analog roaming capability in their phones. Not all digital phones have that feature, which is usefull to those traveling out of the most populated areas.