pcm

IBM leaps two hurdles for next-gen memory

IBM has solved two related problems with phase-change memory and now says the fast next-generation data-storage technology will be ready for use in 2016 in servers.

In a paper for the IEEE International Memory Workshop, Big Blue researchers describe how they squeezed two bits of data into each phase-change memory cell rather than just one. Though that's not the first incarnation of this idea, called multilevel storage, the researchers said they've made it practical by sidestepping a problem called "drift" that otherwise causes data errors the longer data is stored.

The engineering advancements help overcome significant barriers in introducing a technology that holds the potential to significantly transform computer designs. Phase-change memory (PCM), could snuggle up alongside conventional dynamic random access memory (DRAM) to improve computer performance in ways that flash memory so far can't. It's not as fast as DRAM, but IBM says it's 100 times faster at reading and writing data than flash memory, its chief competitor today.

IBM's PCM technology isn't yet ready for real-world use, but the improvements in multilevel storage and drift tolerance means the technology should be competitive in 2016 for the server applications IBM has in mind, said Haris Pozidis, one of the IBM Research paper authors.

"Our main application, being in the server business, is enterprise storage and memory applications," Pozidis said. "In the consumer market, the most important attribute is cost per bit. In enterprise applications, the most important attributes are speed, because [PCM will be] sitting close to the main memory where there are lots of transactions per second, and the endurance of device. We must make sure the device can write and read many numbers of times." … Read more

Mustang Boss 302 gets a split personality with Ford TracKey

Owners of Ford's upcoming 2012 Mustang Boss 302 will soon be offered a deceptively simple way to boost their vehicle's performance and make the mighty 302 even more bad-ass. The TracKey doesn't just unlock the doors and fire up the engine, it also transforms the production Boss 302 into a competition-ready track car with a turn of a key.

The TracKey package consists of a second key for the Boss Mustang--the TracKey itself--that features a red Boss logo. This key isn't just for show; starting the Mustang using this key unlocks the second part of the … Read more

Best pro-audio mobile recorders

When it comes to recording concerts, lectures, or interviews, sometimes you just need to break out the big guns. Over the past few weeks, I've been testing out some of the best sub-$1,000 pro-audio portable recorders on the market, including the Edirol R-09, Korg MR-1, and Sony PCM-D50.

If you're in the market for a serious mobile audio recorder, then take a look at our product roundup.

Sony PCM-D50 review, photos

The Sony PCM-D50 is my new gold standard for portable audio recording with a price less than $500 (well, technically it retails for $600). If you're wondering what it does, and why on earth you would want it, then check out our full review and image gallery.

There's also an action-packed First Look video for the the Sony PCM-D50, featuring Elvis and farting kittens...really.

If you want to hear the PCM-D50 in action, then listen to the latest episode (#90) of the MP3 Insider podcast (recording samples are about halfway through).

MP3 Insider 90: Subscription schmubscription

Donald and Jasmine discuss the first murmurings of music rental services for the iPod. Then, a gaggle of headphones takes over the podcast. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 90

Subscription music for the iPod?http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9902735-7.html?tag=nefd.top http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9900250-7.htmlJasmine's on Crave!http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9899574-1.htmlSony PCM-D50 audio-corder: http://reviews.cnet.com/voice-recorders/sony-pcm-d50/4505-11314_7-32886466.html?tag=prod.txt.1Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 noise-canceling earphones: http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/audio-technica-ath-anc3/4505-7877_7-32815660.html?tag=links;reviewCrappy iTouchless headphones: http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/itouchless-pure-ear-active/4505-7877_7-32886415.html?tag=links;review… Read more

Sony PCM-D50 makes great pet

The Sony PCM-D50 portable audio recorder just hit my desk (look for a full review next week) and I can't get over how cool this thing looks. To my surprise, Sony included the optional microphone windscreen with the loaner I received, which makes the whole thing look like taser shoved into a Tribble.

To fully realize Sony's little audio creature, I screwed it onto my camera tripod and created what is easily the weirdest thing ever to grace my desk (no offense, Little Professor).

On a serious note, I get asked about high-end portable audio recorders a lot. … Read more

Am I bats? Part 2

I don't know about you, but there was a lot of excitement at the Tiemann household when this image popped up on the screen. It meant that nights of field work, evenings of programming, and a weekend of multimedia production all pointed at one, inescapable conclusion: my crazy bat project was a SUCCESS and the promise I made to my daughter was KEPT!!

First things first. If you have been following this blog, you know that a week ago I had the crazy idea of trying to record bats. After finally having an opportunity to use my aforementioned SONY PMC-D1, and after spending another few hours trying to convince myself I had captured something, in the end I felt a bit like one of the members of the Warren Commission looking at the Zapruder film and asking "you want me to make a finding based on this?" If I was going to convince my daughter that we had, in fact, captured and identified bat sounds beyond a shadow of a doubt, it was going to take more than a few suspicious noises of post-processed audio before I could be satisfied that the burden of proof could be met. In the days after my first blog posting, things were looking fairly bleak for the project, but I was determined to prove that with a little technology (a little more than you might suspect), I could, in fact, make good.… Read more

Am I bats? Part 1

I enjoy walking my dog (a Shiba Inu) with my daughter, especially when the weather is pleasant. Earlier this week it was a particularly pleasant evening in Chapel Hill: the sweet air was cool like nighttime in summer, but the sun had at least 10 minutes to go before setting. All of a sudden, we both saw a bat swoop around a street lamp, eagerly pursuing its evening meal.

"IT'S A BAT!" my daughter exclaimed.… Read more