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In anticipation of Vista's new hardware requirements—a truckload of RAM—major RAM suppliers like Hynix and Samsung basically doubled their production. Vista's anemic sales and the economy hosed them, but it's good for you.
The phrase "64-bit" has been tossed around lately, the most it's been since the Nintendo 64. If you haven't heard it, pay attention. One of the most important steps forward in computer power is happening right under your nose, but most people don't know thanks to the sneaky efforts of Microsoft and Apple. Though fully 64-bit operating systems are the OSes of tomorrow, you can taste some of that power today with 64-bit versions of Windows and OS X. Here's why 64-bit computing is so awesome:
While we've officially confirmed that the Nvidia chipset in the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros can theoretically support up to 8GB of RAM, Apple says the capacities for each top out at 4GB. Turns out, the actual number is right there in the middle--chip supplier Ramjet has tested and officially confirmed that the new MacBooks can support 6GB RAM via one 2GB module and one 4GB module. But why not eight?
Nintendo's DSi will be loaded with more RAM than the DS Lite, according to Opera CEO Jon von Tezchner. In an interview with TechTree, the man responsible for web surfing on Nintendo's handheld said that Opera would be sure to use the memory boost "efficiently." That's great and all, but what does this mean for games?
The Good News: Toshiba and Hitachi are both flaunting new technologies to make MRAM (the successor to DRAM) more plausible for public consumption. Plus, the United States and Korea both have begun national-level projects to develop the tech.
A fourth circuit element called memristor (the first three being resistors, capacitors and inductors) has been proposed since 1971, but HP labs has finally made a working physical model of the thing. What's so special about this type of circuit? It remembers how much charge previously flowed through it, leading to applications like modelling and simulating brain behaviour in hardware instead of software. For the rest of us, it can totally revolutionise PCs by remembering the state of RAM when you shut off your machine, instantly booting back up where you left off when you come back—as opposed to current RAM that just dumps its load like last night's fajitas when powered down. [Wired]
Scientists at Princeton have discovered a way to grab otherwise-protected data encryption keys from memory on a computer that's just been powered down. This is pretty scary stuff, since the keys—which are well protected when the computer is on—are the one thing that keeps super-tight encryption from cracking.
RAM is getting so cheap, HyperOS Systems figured it might as well just make a 32GB hard drive out of the stuff. Even though the HyperDrive4 costs $US2940, imagine a hard drive that fits in a conventional 5.25" bay, but is 8000 times faster than a 10,000RPM spinning hard disk.
Memory maker Rambus has unveiled its Terabyte Bandwidth Initiative with the goal to develop a new memory architecture capable of achieving 1TB/sec bandwidth. The plan is to push the data rate to a whopping 32X —which can provide a 16Gbps signaling rate with a 500MHz clock. Compare that with to the 2bits /1Gbps provided by conventional DDR at the same rate. Add differential signaling an both the data and command/address channels and you have yourself one blazingly fast system.
The Internet is buzzing about Microsoft's announcement to replace NEC's 10MB of 90nm embedded DRAM with TSMC's 10MB of 90nm embedded DRAM in their Xbox 360 console. After all, there is a new company involved! And we've been expecting Microsoft to start implementing smaller chips in their Xbox which should lead to lower power consumption, cooler operation...etc. But this ain't it folks.
The update means essentially nothing, except probably that Microsoft found a better deal on this particular component from someone else. We don't mean to come off rude—there are just a number of outlets carrying this story, implying it will provide a direct benefit to the consumer but not explaining what that benefit will be. To sum it up: none. [press release]
