More details emerge on HP's Memory Spot chips
A commercial release is still a couple of years away, but some more details are coming out about HP's Memory Spot wireless chips, and we thought we'd fill you in. Originally conceived as a way to add audio to physical picture print-outs, HP is envisioning all sorts of uses for their technology, which they say "complements" RFID. The magic is in the 2.45GHz operation frequency, which allows for about 1000 times the storage and 100-1000 times the data transfer rate of RFID. The reading distance is considerably shorter, though, at roughly 1mm, which does allow for improved security, along with location-specific operation, but provides an unfortunate lack of juicy memory theft opportunity. HP is of course imagining all sorts of uses for the tech, but it looks like one the earlier markets could be health care, since medical institutions can presumably stomach an initial $2 to $3 per Spot cost, though as costs decrease it seems like doting parents will be a prime cash cow, seeing the Memory Spots as a nifty way to preserve memories of their precious child. Of course, it'll all depend on HP managing to get phone manufacturers and other purveyors of gadget ubiquity to get the readers into the hands of average consumers -- along with a few dozen other factors of market readiness -- but ourselves, we just can't wait for the day we'll be able to embed embarrassing childhood images into our foreheads.
