Numonyx (Intel and STMicroelectronics) already shipping phase-change memory samples
By Ryan Block 
posted Feb 7th 2008 2:46AM
posted Feb 7th 2008 2:46AM
We hear this new phase-change memory stuff is awful special, which is why we're hoping to get our hands on some now that Numonyx (the "pospective" company founded last year by Intel and STMicroelectronics to make the stuff), is apparently shipping "Alverstone"-codenamed prototypes. Of course, with progress comes hype: according to Ed Doller, Numonyx's "prospective" CTO, "This is the most significant non-volatile memory advancement in 40 years." Show us the memory!
wow that was quick.. but i wonder whatever happend to MRAM (magnetic RAM)
MRAM is here. Want to buy some?
MRAM:
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/homepage.jsp?nodeId=015424
I have an Engadget addiction and I don't want help.
I just hope you get an overdose. This type of comment is starting to become anoying...
Okay... so what have these guys claimed to do that makes this ram so revolutionary?
unlike conventional RAM, phase change ram is non-volitile. Which means that the contents are not destroyed once your cut the power to your machine.
If you can store the contents of your RAM on your computer after it is shut off, this means that you can have crazy stuff like instaneous boot into OS, as your computer will not have to rely on your harddrive to load the system files.
Don't forget SSD drives with the access latency of RAM, that's the thing I am looking forward too.
problem is that this stuff won't work in canada for very long. the conservative government here keeps reducing the gst, at this rate it will be non-existent in 5 years :P
seriously though, i'm excited about this ram.
I wonder how this technology will stack up vs. SSD. It will probably be all driven based off of cost... but competition is almost always good
I dont believe this technology will become cost effective in high densities for a very long time. That leaves the Nor market as the most likely target which makes sense considering Intel just got rid of their Nor division.
Well, it will first be in military and space projects, but we will eventually get it.