memory
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'Living' cyborg chip stores rudimentary memories
The journey to pack more (proverbial) internal storage into the human brain has been going on for years, but a recent development at Tel-Aviv University could actually bring us one step closer to storing rudimentary memories on a manmade device. Reportedly, a new experiment has shown that it is indeed possible to store said memories "in an artificial culture of live neurons," which is a fairly significant step towards the "cyborg-like integration of living material into memory chips." Essentially, Itay Baruchi and Eshel Ben-Jacob carefully examined the firing patterns of a sea of electrodes and found that they could "deliberately create additional firing patterns that coexist with the spontaneous patterns." These forced patterns could theoretically represent simple memories stored in the neuron network, and after giving it a go on their own, they were able to see "memory patterns" persist for over forty hours in a homegrown concoction. Of course, the duo isn't likely to stop before producing "the first chemically operated neuro-memory chip," and while we could all use a longer train of thought every now and then, the studies could also "help neurologists to understand how our brains learn and store information."[Via TGDaily]
OCZ announces PC3-8500 and PC3-10666 DDR3 RAM modules
Don't look now Kingston, but OCZ is already going mano-a-mano with your DDR3 offering by introducing PC3-8500 (1066MHz) and PC3-10666 (1333MHz) RAM modules of its own. Designed to play nice with Intel's Bearlake chipset, the noticeably flashy DIMMs will be offered initially in in 2 x 512MB and 2 x 1024MB dual channel kits. The Gold DDR3 modules will sport the outfit's proprietary gold-mirrored XTC (Xtreme Thermal Convection) heatspreaders for boosting their heat dissipation abilities, and as with other premium products from OCZ, these too come with a lifetime warranty. Interestingly, the company claims that these are currently available but in "limited quantities," which means that you'll probably want to hold up on busting out your credit card if at all possible.[Via TGDaily]
Kingston planning to reveal DDR3 HyperX RAM at Computex
Last last year, Kingston unveiled its then-blazing fast HyperX DDR2 RAM modules, and just as you're finally paying those couple of 2GB kits off, the same company is apparently planning to up the ante. Reportedly, Kingston is looking to reveal its 512MB / 1GB DDR3 1500MHz HyperX and DDR2 800MHz low latency memory modules at Computex, which should play nicely with Intel's DDR3-friendly Bearlake chipset. The DIMMs are expected to be "nearly twice as fast (over 20Gbps) as today's highest speed DDR2 counterparts," and the lower voltage (1.5v compared to 1.8v) claims to provide a "more efficient memory solution for both mobile and server platforms." Of course, pricing and availability deets weren't fleshed out just yet, but the second week in June isn't too far away.[Via Gizmag]Update: Despite statements to the contrary, Kingston pinged to say it's not debuting any SSD drives at Computex! The nerve!
Samsung develops 8GB microSD card
Wow, it seems like we were just marveling over the introduction of the world's first 8GB SD card a few moons back. Ah, that's right, we were. Alas, Samsung took it to heart that SD doesn't cut it for your average cellphone (they run a bumpin' mobile business, after all), announcing that it has managed to pack a full eight gigabytes into the microSD form factor for mid-2008 production. That's particularly timely considering that 4GB examples haven't even gotten into widespread circulation yet -- "8GB" just has a nicer ring to it -- not to mention that the new card handily surpasses SDHC guidelines with 16MB/s reads and 6MB/s writes. For the record, a microSD card rocks a little over 20 percent of the surface area of its SD counterpart, so does this mean we can expect 40GB SD cards, like, now? Not quite.
Nokia installs clever touchscreen game to market N95
These days, it really takes something special to catch to eye of the desensitized market, and Nokia's shifting the focus back to the consumer with its lighthearted touchscreen game at a London bus stop. The interactive advertisement requests that the player flip the pockets in order to find matches, but it also insinuates that the sleek Nokia N95 smartphone is just too slim and inconspicuous to readily pick out. Of course, we highly doubt it's all that difficult to spot after a flip or two, but the idea here is novel nonetheless. If nothing else, it sure breaks up the boredom (or frustration) felt whilst waiting on the next bus, so be sure to click on through for a video of the thing so you'll know it when you cross it.[Via FreshCreation]
OCZ intros "world's fastest" 1200MHz PC2-9600 Flex XLC RAM
Champs don't stay that way long in the computer hardware biz, but one way to ensure that the crown stays in the same camp is to one-up yourself before another firm can beat you to the punch. OCZ seems to be feelin' said mantra, as the company's latest Flex XLC RAM overtakes the previous rendition to claim the "world's fastest" title at 1,200MHz. Of course, we've seen quicker memory stuffed onto graphics cards, but the new motherboard-ready PC2-9600 Flex XLC modules sport a svelte hybrid cooling system that melds passive air and liquid injection systems to give you all the bragging rights you'd ever need. The DDR2-1200 modules are currently available in 2GB (2 x 1,024MB) kits, come with a lifetime warranty, and will run you right around $250.[Via Gearlog]
USC researcher crafting silicon brain cells
C'mon, linking actual brain cells to a silicon chip might sound a bit sensational at first, but considering the work that's already been done on replacement retinas and human brains, Ted Berger's recently-hyped work is pretty much right on time. Essentially, the USC researcher has spent the past decade or so "engineering a brain implant that can re-create thoughts," and moreover, certain implementations could even "remedy everything from Alzheimer's to absent-mindedness." We know, thoughts of instantaneous brilliance are running wild through your mind, and considering that Ted (and his highly-regarded team) have figured out how to link a silicon chip to actual brain cells and elicit responses, the possibilities are indeed nearly endless. Put simply, Berger hopes that brain disorders that are currently battled with intensive drug regimens with less-than-exciting side effects can be solved "by simply implanting a few computerized brain cells." Of course, the team admits that it's "years, maybe decades" away from hospital-approved apparatuses, but if you're interested in reading (a lot) more about "the future of brain science," grab your specs, prepare your paltry short term memory, and hit the read link for all the insight.[Via MedGadget]
Internal Gamecube memory card mod
The genius behind the internal Wavebird receiver mod is back to ensure that you have even less reason to open that flap, provided you don't mind opening the whole system.This time, the target is the Gamecube memory card, which gets not only soldered into the system, but taped onto the motherboard. Electrical engineering is serious business! The modder uses a third-party memory card held together with standard Philips-head screws, but if you want to install your Nintendo brand memory card, you'll need one of those triwing screwdrivers to get past Nintendo's proprietary screws.[Thanks, James Smith!]
Korean researchers build first eight-nanometer NAND chip
Reports of advances in memory storage densities aren't all that surprising anymore -- after all, storage devices have continually gotten both smaller and more capacious since IBM kicked out the first hard drive in 1956 -- but it's still nice to learn that the NAND flash used in our DAPs, cellphones, and soon laptops and desktops will break the terabyte barrier within the next decade. Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the National Nano Fab Center are claiming success in building the world's first NAND flash chip using an 8nm fabrication process, which could eventually lead to capacities as large as one terabyte in a package 1/25th the size of Samsung's 40nm 32GB unit. The breakthrough was realized by merging nanowires with silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon technology, and although it might seem like huge iPods are right around the corner, the research team still faces problems such as shrinking the area where data is saved. In other words, your gear isn't out of date quite yet, but you can rest assured that it will be soon. [Via China View]
Just What is Wired Memory Anyway?
If you've ever opened up your Activity Monitor and looked at the System Memory tab, you've no doubt seen something similar to the above. But if you're like me, you've often wondered just what the labels mean. Just what is wired memory, anyway? Well Alex at Bits about Bytes has a nice little article explaining just what those labels mean, how different applications (particularly virtualization tools) affect memory usage, and how to figure out if you need to add RAM to your system. Oh yeah, and wired memory turns out to be memory "used by the OS [which] is pretty much untouchable. Another application can't 'borrow' wired memory." Good stuff.[Via FreeMacBlog]
Samsung's GDDR4 graphics memory goes to 2000MHz
While Samsung has been dabbling in the RAM world quite a bit of late, kicking out the micro-sized OneDRAM and cellphone-bound gigabit-density DRAM, the firm is now officially loosing its 2000MHz GDDR4 RAM on the world. While the zippy memory is already found on ATI's Radeon X1950 card, it'll now be available en masse to graphics card producers in order to speed up current and future offerings "by up to 66-percent." By using 80-nanometer production technology, the memory boasts a 4Gbps throughout, which is nearly two-thirds higher than the widely used 2.4Gbps GDDR4 variety out now; additionally, it'll be offered to vendors in just a 512MB density, rock a 32-bit data bus configuration, and utilizes "JEDEC-approved standards for signal noise reduction to help attain the highest possible speed." No word on how much Sammy plans on charging speed-freaked manufacturers, nor how long it'll take for a kilowatt-burnin' card other than the X1950 to include such a luxury, but we wouldn't count on it being too much longer, regardless.[Via TGDaily]
Trim the fat off PSP flash with Outa-Space homebrew
Your PSP been weighin' down your pocket lately? You know, lookin' kinda bloated? Before you trade for something Lite-er, consider slimming down your portly portable with the new homebrew utility Outa-Space. Get this, it actually removes functionality from PSP's flash memory!Useless fonts? Gone. Photos, Music, and Video menus? Gone, gone, gone. XMB web browser? C'ya! GPS? 'Outta here! RSS? What RSS? Network Update? Puh-lease, I gots custom firmware n00b!"But why?" you might be asking. Well, Outa-Space supposedly removes up to 4mb of flash memory, freeing up room for -- what else -- an extra-long gameboot clip! FTW! Um, yeah... ftw.[Via PSP Fanboy]
Bigger 360 Mem Unit resurfaces, forced back down
GameStop has quietly removed the "Microsoft Xbox 360 Memory Card 512 MB" item from its website, after offering up the upgraded Memory Unit for pre-order yesterday. With news that Xbox Live Arcade titles will soon exceed the prior 50MB limit, come expectations for a new Memory Unit model -- an upgrade from 64MB to 256MB was seemingly confirmed last spring.Either GameStop was acting on a whim, or Microsoft now plans to bump the new MU up to 512MB which, according to the retailer's initial listing could be released as early as March 1 andlikely priced at $49.99. Could that date (early March) also be a clue as to when we can expect Symphony of the Night on XBLA? Don't count on it. But the throwback Castlevania is "approaching."
DS Daily: The new book?
The adventure genre peaked in the early to mid 90's. And then it crashed. Hard. As it trudged along through the years, essentially dead but for rare gems like The Longest Journey, it slowly faded from the minds of modern gamers.The point-and-click capabilities of the DS have certainly given the once-zombified genre a much-needed jolt. We've seen excellent offerings, including the superlative Phoenix Wright series, the soon-to-be-released Hotel Dusk: Room 215, Trace Memory, Lost in Blue, and a few others (let's not even mention the ScummVM homebrew project). But the DS gives these games something they could have never had in the nineties: absolute portability. It's almost as though these games compete directly with the classic novel, something which has never really been seen even amongst the myriad of gadgets anyone can go out and readily purchase.Our question is this: how does a DS adventure game compare to that of a classic book? What would you rather whip out on the way to work? Phoenix Wright 2 has had our hearts and minds in a legal grip for days on end. You may not look as smart as those punks reading Vonnegut, but that's okay. You look cooler.
NCTU's Vision One domesticated servant bot knows your face, follows enemies
Hopefully sooner rather than later, all these domesticated, master-serving robots will be able to handle even the most mundane of tasks for us without botching our reputations, like holding down the 9-5 for us while we tee it up. Until then, however, we'll have to be satisfied with a household bot that not only recognizes our face, understands hand gestures, and follows us around to see if we need help, but chases foes away too. A team of researchers at Hsinchu-based National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) has developed just the companion, and this motorized fellow (or dame, whichever you prefer) sports a unique "digital vision system" that gives it the ability to "not only to remember the master, but also recognize his or her gestures and offer services accordingly." Moreover, it can reportedly judge the person's current health condition by analyzing facial expressions, and can then proceed to fetch medicine, a telephone, or another person in the home to provide aid. Clearly designed to assist the elderly, which could have difficultly caring entirely for themselves, the NCTU Vision One can reportedly distinguish between intruders and family members, and it can even be set to chase away the baddies while taking pictures of him / her for future prosecution purposes. While we've no idea if this classroom invention will ever hit the production line, this thing is a kitchen sink away from being the whole enchilada, and the whole "chasing function" simply makes this a must-have if it eventually comes to market.[Via RobotGossip]
Gefen shows off HD PVRs that export to USB drives
While Gefen has helped many a folk use two computers on one monitor and extend their cabling for miles on end, the company is now giving us PVR freaks something else to spaz about. The two (plainly-named) Personal Video Recorders sport sleek, brushed aluminum enclosures that resemble a Mac mini in form, and both units are all but identical save for the high-end edition's ability to handle 1080p. These PVRs differ from most, however, as they can record content from television or any other attached source (i.e. a camcorder), and transfer the video in MPEG4 format directly to an attached USB flash drive. According to Gefen, users "simply save their programming on the USB device, remove it when needed, and plug it into any USB-equipped computer for instant access." Furthermore, the boxes tout a switching functionality that allows users to connect multiple sources and flip a toggle to determine which one gets captured. From what we can tell, there's no reason an external USB hard drive couldn't be used as well for mass capturing / transporting, and while we (unfortunately) don't know when these suckas are shipping nor how much coinage they'll demand, consider our interest piqued nonetheless.[Via EverythingUSB]
The Burning Crusade -- hardware upgrade time?
Back in October, Mike Schramm let us know what the Burning Crusade system requirements were going to be. Now that we're in the holiday season and the expansion is a matter of weeks away, do you plan on making any upgrades in order to get the most out of the Outlands? I've been playing WoW on a number of systems since beta. I started on a 12" PowerBook G4, then swapped to a 1GHz Duron desktop, then to a 15" PowerBook G4, then a 20" iMac G5, and now I play on both the iMac and a recently-purchased Core 2 Duo system with an ATI x1900. Through all of those systems, the two most important factors I've found in playing WoW are system memory and the video card. For memory it seems that 2 gigabytes seems to be the sweet spot for playing WoW on OS X, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. With only a single gigabyte, all of my systems have seemed to chug a little, relying on caching to keep everything going. If you play with Teamspeak or Ventrilo, or have iTunes running in the background, you're definitely going to want 2 gigs of ram. With the video card situation, it's all about where you can move the sliders in your Video Options. On my iMac, I play with the default settings except that I've turned the viewing distance down to minimum, and that's with the 128mb ATI 9600 pro that comes in the system. With the PC, everything is cranked to maximum on the 256mb ATI AIW x1900. I've played around on different systems, from the AMD Athlons through the Core 2 Duo chips, and it seems like WoW's not really a system resource hog in terms of processing power. So, what system did you start playing WoW on, way back in 2004? What do you see yourself playing WoW on in 2007? Is the expansion inspiring you to upgrade or change your system at all, or will you stick with what you've had all along?
NEC, Samsung stacking flash in hopes of a one-terabit chip
It's a common adage that over time, consumer electronics get faster, cheaper, smaller (size) and bigger (capacity). In continuing with this tradition, NEC, Samsung and others are poised to introduce the next generation of flash memory by placing eight memory chips (each only 50 micrometers thick) and one controller chip in a vertical stack, with "3D connections" between all of 'em -- creating a tiny-sized but powerful piece of storage. Samsung says that this could lead to a one-terabit flash chip within the coming years, but don't count on fitting an entire season of "Lost" on your cellphone just yet -- company scientists say that these new chips are "in their early stages" and can only hold 32 bits for the time being. [Via Sci Fi Tech, thanks Mike]Read - NEC press releaseRead - Technology Review
Samsung unveils Powerhouse Fusion memory, dubbed OneDRAM
Being that Kingston went and introduced its own blazing fast DDR2 RAM, Samsung's hitting back by announcing its Powerhouse Fusion Memory Solution, dubbed OneDRAM. But Samsung's not gunning for the gamer's wallet necessarily, as its new device is specifically geared towards "handsets, game consoles, and other digital applications such as 3D graphic work." By taking a "dual-port" approach, the RAM "sharply increases" the time it takes to transfer data between processors, not to mention reducing power consumption by 30-percent. Moreover, Samsung claims that "a single OneDRAM module can replace at least two mobile memory chips in a high-end smartphone," further stating that "five-fold" speed increases were realizable in cellphone response and gaming console operations. While we're not sure how much Samsung plans to charge cellphone / console manufacturers for this snazzy new module, you can expect to see handsets loaded with OneDRAM "by the second half of 2007."
Goodbye flash memory, hello "phase-change" memory?
If IBM, Macronix, and Qimond have their way, the now ubiquitous flash memory could soon be on its way out, replaced by the new-and-improved "phase-change" memory developed by the trio of companies. While complete details on this catchily-named new memory are under wraps until the big unveiling at this week's International Electronic Devices Meeting in San Francisco, according to the AFP, it's supposedly 500 to 1,000 times faster than conventional flash memory and uses about half as much power to boot. According to IBM senior manager Spike Narayan, that'll allow for the non-volatile memory to replace replace hard drives and pave the way for instant-on computers, as well as let you "carry your own fancy computer application in your hand." While these three memory makers aren't the first to jump on the phase change bandwagon, if those numbers are to be believed, their RAM would seem to seem to leave the others in the dust. Whether it's as fast to show up on the market or not, we'll have to wait and see.
