Posts Tagged ‘memory’
IBM 305 RAMAC: The Grandaddy of Modern Hard Drives [Memory Forever]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News, Technology on March 17th, 2010
Rfiddler Rifle Zaps USB Sticks and RFID Chips Into Oblivion [DIY]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News, Technology on December 23rd, 2009
Sensitive data is no match for the Rfiddler rifle. It can burn out RFID tags and USB sticks by zapping them with a strong electromagnetic field generated by a hacked 0.6kJ photo-flash unit driving a 50 turn copper spool.
So, in addition to frying data, the resulting flash from the gun will also fry your retinas. It even has a built-in MP3 player with a 2-watt amp for sound effects. Needless to say, if you do decide to build something like this, I wouldn't go aiming it at credit cards, hard drives, passports or living creatures. Hit the following link for instructions. [codeninja via Hack a Day via Technabob]
Flexible Flash Memory Gets Us One Step Closer to Bendy Computing [Flash]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News, Technology on December 16th, 2009
This organic flash memory from researchers at the University of Tokyo has got me dreaming in flex-o-vision.
Takeyo Someya, Tsuyoshi Sekitani and their team have placed memory cells on a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) sheet that can bend with a curvature radius up to 6mm before causing any mechanical or electrical degradation. We're still pretty far from seeing this research being used in practical applications—in its current form, the organic flash memory has a memory retention of only a day. But at some point, the researchers say, we'll be seeing it used for large-area sensors, electronic paper and other large-area electronic devices. [Tech-On via Engadget]
Five Possible Futures of Computer Memory [Memory]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on December 9th, 2009
New Scientist has a feature on five conceptual successors to flash memory. These are all technologies currently under development that could fit terabytes of information on a single tiny chip—and some of them aren't too far off.
The five here considered are MRAM (using two thin layers of magnetic material), FeRAM (which creates polarization through ferroelectrics), PCRAM (using lasers, sort of like with CDs and DVDs), RRAM (a variation on PCRAM that uses electrochemical reactions instead of heat-induced changes), and Racetrack (which, frankly, I understand even less than the other four, hard as that is to believe). If you're not a sciencey type, descriptions of these technologies may sound like adults in Charlie Brown's world, but they could be the next revolution in data storage—so read up. [New Scientist]
Datel sues Microsoft, wants its Xbox 360 market back
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on November 24th, 2009
Seems like we just can't go a week without some corporate power plays or mudslinging making our pages. Back in October, Datel promised it would "remedy" the situation created by Microsoft's forthcoming (now present) Dashboard update locking out its higher capacity memory modules. The accessory company was the first (and only) third-party supplier of memory cards for the Xbox 360, but it seems that MS took a dislike to the MicroSD-expandable Max Memory units and has since taken the unusual step of downgrading the console to being able to read only chips up to 512MB, essentially taking Datel's 2GB+ wares out of commission. Yeah, classy. Datel's retaliation is in the finest Anglo-Saxon legal tradition, namely to assert antitrust concerns and to claim its right to act as a competitor to Microsoft in the memory market for Redmond's own console. It all sounds rather silly to us too, and could probably have been avoided by a rational compromise, but what's the fun in that?Datel sues Microsoft, wants its Xbox 360 market back originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Howard, Rice et al | Email this | Comments Samsung’s New Ultra Slim 30-Nanometer Flash Memory Chips Will Cause Gadget Shrinkage [Flash Memory]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on November 6th, 2009
With stacks of eight being only 0.6mm thick, Samsung's new 30-nanometer NAND chips are practically anorexic, but for once that's a good thing. Thinner chips like these could bring smaller gadgets and hopefully also lead to lower SSD prices.
According to Samsung, their new chips are actually the slimmest ever and "40% thinner and lighter than a conventional memory package." Whether those details are true or not, I look forward to seeing them hit the market and start slipping into newer, smaller gadgets. [Information Week via Engadget]
Samsung slims down NAND memory packaging, wafer-thin gadgets to follow
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on November 6th, 2009
[Via Information Week]
Filed under: Storage
Samsung slims down NAND memory packaging, wafer-thin gadgets to follow originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsIntel and Numonyx pave the way for scalable, higher density phase change memory
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on October 30th, 2009
Filed under: Storage
Intel and Numonyx pave the way for scalable, higher density phase change memory originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsCorsair Flash Voyager 128GB USB Drive: As Big and Fast As a Small Fish [USB]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on October 30th, 2009
One day, 128GB flash drives will be common. We'll lose em and only say "oops". Today, you can have one if you don't mind the size and price of this $400 Corsair. But F me, this thing is fast.
Speed
I've been happy with a 16GB Patriot Xporter, which Ars mentioned in their 2009 test as one of the fastest. This Corsair is faster. On an informal test transferring 2.7 GB of MP3 files, the Corsair Flash Voyager 128GB was twice as fast in writes and a touch faster in reads.
Note I was very casual about this test. did not shut down all my other apps during this test, but I did run multiple trials. And I did not test random access or exceptionally large file sizes. Why didn't I take testing more seriously? Because I just don't think you'll really buy this thing when you can get multiple 32GB drives for $50 or so. This thing is impressive, but all freaks of nature are impressive.
It's Big
On top of its price and performance, it's bigger. No, not only in capacity. See?
Yea, well, it still fits in my pocket. Like a giant pet beetle. The kind that crawled out of skulls and pyramid labyrinth walls in The Mummy, part 5 or whatever.
I'd recommend it only if you have so much money that if you lose one, you'll merely say "oops" and not cry over it like I would.
128GB is a lot of space.
It's fast.
Kind of big for a USB drive, but still doable.
Expensive
Phase-Changing Memory Is Closer To The Market And Might Just Kill Flash [Memory]
Posted by: Gadget Boy in Gadget News on October 30th, 2009
Phase-changing memory looks great. It's supposed to combine the non-volatile nature of flash-based memory with the fantastic speed of DRAM. Now Intel and Numonyx are teasing with advancements in stacking memory layers, news that brings denser PCM closer to markets.
It's anticipated that PCM will initially be considered too pricey once it does in fact become available to consumers, but what product doesn't start off like that? Once prices level out and potential issues are sorted out though, it's predicted that phase-changing memory will kill off flash. Makes sense, since there's no reason to settle for a less dense product when you could have stacks of memory that's just as non-volatile after all. [Ars Technica]
