Researchers
l'université de Rice (Texas)have discovered that memory chips manufactured starting from graphene could have a density 5 times higher than that of the chips based on silicon.
Moreover, it would consume less energy, would function between -75 and 200°C and would resist ionizing radiations.
This last point is very interesting. Indeed, as the item size on the chips smaller they become more sensitive to radiation, and thus cosmic rays which bombard us permanently.
In short, here is new Eldorado for memory. It will be necessary, of course, that the manufacturing processes pass successfully and the chips can be mass produced at an acceptable cost.
Current tough economic environment might jeopardize the success and final adoption of high definition Blu-ray disc players and media by customers. Sales of the next-generation movies players, developed by Sony and sold under brands including Panasonic and Samsung, could fall 10% below expectations. To fight this potential risk, Stan Glasgow, the head of Sony's U.S. electronics unit, considers that reducing the price of Blu-ray movies might drive sales of both BD players and media. Of course, other movie studios might not fully agree with him, but at the end, they have also invested in this new HD movie format, and now need to get money back, but this will happen only if customers massively adopt this format and finally switch from DVD to BD.
In addition, enhancing sales of BD players will also boost sales of TVHD and Home Cinema systems, products also available in Sony’s catalog of consumer electronics. If high-tech products are available for Christmas, will customers be ready to spend money for them?
Several members from
Macrumors Forums report to have seen their order for a MacBook Air modified by Apple, changing the originally 120 GB HD by a 128 GB SSD, at no extra cost! It seems that the lack of 120 GB HD is the main reason for this 450 Euro present from Apple as current MacBook Air model are blocked on the manufacturing lines as Toshiba does not seem to be able to deliver plate-based HD on appropriate timing and/or volume.
For those users, this is definitely a nice present one month before Christmas.
On several occasions we have spoken about Apple portables (and this has been the case for a long time) limiting significantly the frequency of their processors if one takes out the battery.
GearLog tells us that it is also the case for the " unibody" machines. Thus, a 2.53 GHz MacBook Pro is 37% less powerful if it runs without a battery installed, only connected to the power adaptor.
This limitation of the frequency is to stop the machine, even during a short moment demanding more power that can be supplied by the power adapter, which otherwise could lead to a fiery end. The battery is useful in these cases by providing the power that the adapter cannot deliver.
Think about this as some of you want to save your battery on a machine which you only seldom move.
