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Vol. 2, Issue 05 (c)1996 GKM Journals May, 1997
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This month's GrapeVine was acquired from segments of
information and articles published in selected computer and
electronics industry trade publications in addition to
several online sources. The information contained within is
comprised mostly of factual information, editorial comments,
and a few rumors from the electronic industry in general.
Each month, we will try to focus on items of interest related
to the computer/electronics industries as they become news-
worthy, and hopefully, the GrapeVine' will be both in-
formative and entertaining to our readers.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Topical Index:
- 01. 40-Gigabits per second to become the online standard
- 02. Learning Curve Drive Wizard fights viruses
- 03. Microsoft announces DirectX 5.0
- 04. FBI makes arrests after two year investigation
- 05. Key players move toward PC-Theater model
- 06. Another obstacle in the road to HDTV
- 07. Kodak Co. and Intel Corp. have partnered on technologies
- 08. Amd and Cyrix come to terms with Intel on MMX
- 09. Dell plans to double its procurement from Taiwan
- 10. Motorola PowerPC chips will hit 300-MHz mark
- 11. Test of ASDL TV communications draws attention
- 12. Microsoft has sent some mixed messages on messaging
- 13. Improved voice-recognition software from Dragon Systems
- 14. The big three team up on new PC specification
- 15. Cyber-Cash announces new Web service
- 16. Blockbuster to acquire PC Upgrades stores
- 17. Mitsubishi & Micron accept Rambus memory standard
- 18. Intel's P7 release is one year behind
- 19. Eveready has developed two new nickel-metal/hydride cells
- 20. PC In The Living Room concept for 1998 is gaining momentum
- 21. IBM Corp. resurrects bundling strategy
- 22. The not so secret agents
- 23. A Strong Arm for the new Apple MessagePad 2000
- 24. Hewlett-Packard Co. breaks the $4,000 color price barrier
- 25. Intel cuts prices on older Pentiums
- 26. Ms Windows "Memphis" is now in pre-alpha release
- 27. Microsoft acquires Web-TV in $425 million deal
- 28. New high-end graphic products from S3
- 29. SGS Thomson Chameleon chip for the auto industry
- 30. Early bird special is a surprise to Intel
- 31. EDRAM is now the fastest memory available
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
/// 40-GIGABITS PER SECOND ONLINE STANDARD ///
A small company based in Savage, Md., may provide some relief to
the ever growing bandwidth demand being placed upon the Internet
and corporate intranets in the future.
Ciena Corp., founded in 1992, has developed a technology called
wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), and as described by one
trade source, can increase the capacity of a single optical
fiber from the present rate of 2.5-Gigabytes per second to 40-
Gbps. As designed, this increase in capacity can be realized
without extensive modifications to existing transmission equip-
ment.
MCI Communications tested the WDM format on a 275 mile run of
its network between Chicago and St. Louis, which employed a
combination of WDM and the more conventional time division
multiplexing.
One WDM project, dubbed Monet (Multiwavelength Optical Net-
working), involved a consortium made up of the National Security
Agency and the Naval Research Laboratory and civilian partners,
Lucent Technologies Inc., BellSouth Corp., Bell Atlantic Corp.,
Pacific Telesis, and AT&T.
Lucent, on its own, claims to have found a way to make one
communications laser do the work of 206 through the use of WDM
technology. The experiment generated 206 separate colors or
[wavelengths] of light on a single optical fiber, and each of
those colors can carry 36.7-Megabits per second of information,
as summarized by an industry source.
/// DRIVE WIZARD FIGHTS VIRUSES ///
A software company located in Clearwater, Fl. has recently added
a new version of its "Drive Wizard MBR" product that is designed
to repair damage done to a disk drive caused by computer viruses
that have eluded the diagnostics of scanning software.
The company, called The Learning Curve, claims its product has
rendered a 95 percent recovery rate on virus infected disks.
Two renditions of MBR are now shipping. A professional version
sells for $699, while the end user product is priced at $99.
/// MS ANNOUNCES DIRECT X 5.0 ///
Billed as an "unified multimedia strategy" to augment the
Windows operating system, Microsoft Corp. launched its DirectX
5.0 programming interfaces last month.
Support for the Intel MMX (Multimedia Extensions), Microsoft's
Talisman hardware design for graphics, and both MPEG-1 and MPEG-
2 graphics architectures are designed into DirectX 5.0, as
related in a March 31 Electronic Buyers' (EBN) News article.
The new applications will also include a feature called Direct-
Setup, which Microsoft sources say will eliminate the computer
crashes that beset some users when they installed version 3.0.
/// FBI MAKES ARRESTS AFTER TWO YEAR INVESTIGATION ///
When robbers made off with over $350,000 worth of 486DX2 chips
made by Cyrix Corp. two years ago, they may have thought
they got away with the crime... However, the arrest of two of
those suspects and charges against another three have been
declared by the Santa Anna office of the FBI.
According to one press release, FBI investigators believe that
in addition to those already arrested or charged, there may be
at least two more culprits involved in the theft.
/// KEY PLAYERS MOVE TOWARD PC-THEATER MODEL ///
During the last week of March, Microsoft, Intel, and Compaq
Computer Corp. became key players in a move by the computer
industry to establish a plug-and-play standard.
Dubbed as "PC Theater," the goal of the new standard is to bring
the two markets of home TV and computers a little closer
together. Of the television set makers supporting the idea,
Thomson Consumer Electronics was mentioned by name, but the
other manufacturers were only identified as "most major Japanese
manufacturers" by EBN magazine.
/// ANOTHER OBSTACLE IN THE ROAD TO HDTV ///
With the U.S. efforts already moving at a snail-speed pace
toward the debut of HDTV (high-definition television), it would
appear that another obstacle lies in its path.
When a key congressional leader, namely Sen. John McCain from
Arizona, proposed legislation that would prevent the Federal
Communications Commission from just giving away digital
frequency assignments to prospective broadcasters in exchange
for the promise for the eventual return of the current analog
frequencies used for television, the TV broadcasters objected.
The McCain legislation would require the HDTV frequencies to be
auctioned off to the broadcasters seeking to go into the digital
TV business instead of being given to them at no charge.
The broadcasters maintain their argument that the auctioning
of HDTV frequencies could cause them to delay or possibly walk
away from the concept altogether. As of March, the TV broad-
casters estimate they are already one year late in cranking up
HDTV service because of the high cost of installing the new
equipment required and the apparent slow acceptance of advanced
TV technology in the average home.
/// KODAK AND INTEL SHARE TECHNOLOGIES ///
Kodak Co. and Intel Corp. have partnered to cultivate a set of
specifications designed around the Universal Serial Bus and
Miniature Card flash standards engineered by Intel.
The two partners will also endorse the Kodak universal file
format called FlashPix, which permits images from a digital
still camera to be distributed across multiple software
applications.
Because digital still cameras currently in use depend on either
infra-red ports, removable flash cards, or serial cables to
transfer the picture data from the camera to a PC, an Intel
spokesman indicated that they will include support for the
infrared technology at a later date.
/// AMD AND CYRIX COME TO TERMS ON MMX ///
It depends whether you are an executive from Advanced Micro
Devices (AMD) or Cyrix Corp. as to how you interpret Intel's
demands for the use of its Multimedia Extensions (MMX) platform.
AMD has taken a more hostile stance in its claim to Intel's
terms of licensing the technology, while Cyrix has quietly
decided to accept an out-of-court settlement with the number
one microprocessor maker.
Cyrix and Intel reportedly have agreed that Cyrix can use the
MMX term in association with its new processors, but with the
stipulation that the [trademark] attribution be given to Intel.
AMD, on the other hand, claims that it sees the battle over MMX
as part of a continuing war with its adversary-- Intel, and
stated that the company believes that if it makes a processor
chip with MMX instructions that it has the right to use the
term "MMX."
Intel was denied a request for a temporary restraining order
forbidding AMD from using the MMX term in its promotional
material by a federal judge last month. However, arguments
were scheduled to be heard on April 29 regarding Intel's
petition for the preliminary judicial edict.
/// DELL WILL DOUBLE ITS SOURCING FROM TAIWAN ///
One trade report last month told of Dell Computer Corp.'s plans
to double the amount of products to be bought from Taiwan this
year.
Dell's procurement from Taiwan will amount to $1 billion this
year over the approximate $500 million in components and
products purchased from the Asian country in 1996.
It was noted in the report that almost one half of the Taiwanese
products Dell acquired involved notebook computers purchased
from an obscure company called Quanta Computer Inc. Other PC
hardware purchased there by Dell include monitors, cases, and
keyboards. Company officials said that they will depend on
Taiwanese vendors to supply a small amount of memory devices in
the form of SRAMS and DRAMS.
/// MOTOROLA CHIPS WILL HIT 300-MHz MARK ///
The microprocessor people at Motorola last month announced a
new line of PowerPC processors for Macintosh systems that will
reach clock speeds of 300-MHz. Designated as the 603e series,
the chips will also be offered in 250-MHz and 275-MHz speed
categories.
Motorola marketing spokesmen said that advanced microprocessor
manufacturing techniques such as using smaller transistors, a
new phase-locked-loop, faster system bus, and reducing the size
of the silicon down from .35 microns to only .25 microns enabled
the company to pack more power and speed into the new chips.
The 603e processors were developed solely by Motorola's own
design team and are being produced independently from its IBM
Microelectronics PowerPC partner. Later on, however, both
companies will co-develop an advanced G3 PowerPC chip, which
may go to market as early as this summer, according to industry
sources.
According to Apple Computer officials, the new 603e chips will
be used in the newest Power Macintosh 6500 series computers,
which will carry price tags ranging from $1,999 to $2,999.
/// TEST OF ASDL TV COMMUNICATIONS ///
MCI Communications Corp.'s test of asymmetric digital subscriber
line (ASDL) service in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa has drawn attention
from several equipment vendors who hope to gain from their
participation.
The Northwest Iowa Telephone Company is working with MCI to
deliver broadband television signals through conventional
twisted-pair telephone cable, a.k.a. plain old telephone (POT)
wire. The test runs will be in excess of two miles in length
and will carry MPEG-2 digital video signals.
NEC America's Public Networks Group has contributed a video
switching system that is installed in the local phone company's
central office, which is linked to the ASDL transceivers, which
are also built by NEC and used by the subscribers. The set-top
converter boxes used in the test also carry the NEC brand. A 6
Mbit/sec. modem is required to work with the set-top box, and
that item has been supplied by Amati Communications. At the central service center of the local phone company, a Megabit
Modem from PairGain Technologies has been installed to supply
real-time monitoring of the network.
Other modem providers given credit in the MCI test were Tut
Systems Inc., Pleasant Hill, CA. and Westell Technologies Inc.,
Oswego, IL.
/// MIXED MESSAGES FROM MICROSOFT ///
For a few months now, Microsoft has sent some mixed messages on
messaging to its resellers regarding its Internet Server and
Exchange Server software.
Now... Microsoft Corp. plans to clarify the definition and erase
the fuzzy line between the two applications by establishing a
set of bits based on Exchange Server that are fully usable by
the Microsoft Network (MSN), America Online, Compuserve, and
other small to medium sized Internet Service Providers (ISP) as
outlined in an April Computer Reseller News story.
Microsoft had promoted Microsoft Internet Mail Server to the
larger ISPs such as America Online while pledging that IIMS
would never be offered to smaller accounts. For the smaller
non-ISP accounts, Microsoft had destined Exchange Server as a
groupware/messaging solution until last month's decision to
acknowledge the confusion it had created within its business
and ISP/reseller accounts.
A new three year strategy plotted by Microsoft now calls for
the single code base to be implemented by 1998. The company
has started to brief its resellers of its plans, which according
to one industry source, will be most welcomed by its ISP and
reseller partners.
/// IMPROVED VOICE-RECOGNITION SOFTWARE ///
The recently unveiled "Naturally Speaking" software from Dragon
Systems is another step forward in the art of computerized
voice-recognition, related by CRN (Computer Reseller News) last
month.
The new software is aimed primarily toward the business and
vertical corporate markets, and should help value-added re-
sellers to get the slow-moving voice-recognition business off
the ground.
As stated by one Dragon official, it only takes about 20 minutes
for the new software to recognize the user's voice. The company
expects to have "Naturally Speaking" on the market by this
summer.
The 30,000 word-active vocabulary version of the software will
sell for $695, and contains a 250,000 word backup dictionary.
Naturally Speaking supports Windows 95 and several versions of
Windows NT, but requires 32-Mb of RAM when run with Win. 95 and
48-Mb in conjunction with Win. NT.
/// BIG THREE TEAM UP ON NEW PC SPECIFICATION ///
Microsoft Corp., Intel Corp., and Compaq Computer Corp. have
partnered to develop a revolutionary industry specification
that will drastically change the way computers are upgraded.
The "Device Bay" specification will permit resellers to upgrade
or add new peripheral devices to a PC without having to open
the chassis box or even reboot the system. It will perform as
a high-speed interconnect based on IEEE 1394 and Universal
Serial Bus (USB) interfaces, as detailed by an Intel source.
An industry report said that Microsoft will support the Device
Bay specification in upcoming versions of Windows and Windows
NT and will extend Plug and Play to the Device Bay peripherals.
Intel is slated to debut chipsets supporting the specification
while Compaq stated it will support the technology in future
consumer and commercial products.
/// CYBER-CASH ANNOUNCES NEW WEB SERVICE ///
An article in the April issue of Credit Union magazine reported
that CyberCash Inc. has announced a new Web service called
"CheckFree."
Secure electronic payment by check over the Internet is made
possible through CheckFree for CyberCash customers. One Cyber-
Cash official said that the new service should pave the way for
increased web site traffic and provide the stimulus for other
cross-selling opportunities. As an example, a phone company
could offer visitors to a Web site, custom tailored promotions
based on calling histories.
Based on electronic checks, CyberCash requires byers to register
with third party accounts before the electronic checks can be
written. The electronic transactions then go through the
National Automated Clearing House Association.
According to the report, billers and banks can issue a bank-
branded "electronic wallet" from CyberCash, which can be used
to access accounts through the CashFree service.
CashFree is geared to both, customer-to-service payments and
business-to-business electronic transactions.
/// BLOCKBUSTER TO ACQUIRE PC UPGRADES ///
A news report in an April issue of Computer Retail Week revealed
that Blockbuster Entertainment plans to acquire the balance of
the remaining assets in the PC Upgrades chain, which consists at
present of two stores in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Blockbuster had made a minority investment in PC Upgrades last
year, and sources have stated that the agreement to complete the
buy-out could be finalized this month.
Blockbuster plans to expand on the chain and has its sights set
on the potential market in DVD (digital virtual disk) upgrades,
which will emerge over the next few years.
/// MITSUBISHI & MICRON ACCEPT RAMBUS MODEL ///
While most of the memory manufacturers around the globe have
consigned to the Rambus Inc. standard for building dynamic RAM
chips, Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Micron Technology Inc.
seemed to be holding out... until last month, that is.
Now that Rambus has stated that the royalty payments to be
required of DRAM makers will be limited to 2 percent, Micron
and Mitsubishi saw fit to subscribe to the new standard, which
is also being pushed by Rambus partner, Intel Corp.
Micron, Misubishi, and nine other DRAM makers comprise about
75 percent of the worldwide DRAM market, according to one trade
publication. Called Direct RDRAM, the new platform will allow
data transfer rates up to 1.6-Gigabytes per second.
/// P7 RELEASE ONE YEAR BEHIND ///
The joint venture between Intel Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co.
to produce the hybrid (x86/PA-RISC) microprocessor chip is
running one year behind schedule, according to recent findings.
One industry source disclosed that the 64-bit high-end chip will
not debut until 1999 instead of the 1998 target year. Rumors
from the Intel/HP camp indicate that Intel may be waiting to
perfect its 0.18 micron wafer production technology or possibly
just holding off until Microsoft introduces its 64-bit Windows
NT 5.0 operating system.
Code named "Merced," the P7 marks a major departure for Intel
from its unadulterated x86-based technology because the P7 will
incorporate both the Intel x86 and the HP PA-RISC architecture
within the same chip. Systems running on the new processor will
be able to run both Unix-based and Windows NT applications.
Intel has apparently had to adopt this strategy to overcome the
virtual wall that would limit further development of faster
pure x86 core processors so that the company can meet head on
the RISC-based chips produced by the IBM/Motorola PowerPC team
and others.
/// NiMH CELLS INTRODUCED BY EVEREADY ///
The Eveready Energizer Power Systems division at Gainsville,
Fl., has developed two new nickel-metal/hydride (NiMH) recharge-
able cells for handheld and other communications devices.
The EMH series of AAA and AA batteries provide for longer run
times and shorter recharge cycles than present nickel-cadmium
cells, according to Eveready.
The EMH-1100 AA and the EMH-550 AAA batteries should both be in
full production this month.
/// PC IN THE LIVING ROOM CONCEPT FOR 1998 ///
Intel Corp. has quietly been advancing with its PC Audio guide-
line for 1998, a.k.a. PC in the living room.
The company's approach to Audio 98 involves redesigning the
controller chip that permits "Legacy" devices such as the stereo
system, VCR, or microphone to input analog data through either
an IEEE 1394 or Universal Serial Bus serial interface to the
audio-controller link and then on to the PCI bus of a PC.
The major set back so far however, has been the lack of a serial
interface being installed in most electronic consumer items
other than high-end video cameras.
/// IBM RESURRECTS BUNDLING STRATEGY ///
It's been a while, but IBM Corp. is resurrecting the tactic of
"bundling" of computer products and services as a means of
competing with or countering the host of other systems vendors
offering individual products and services.
IBM seems to be the leader in this strategy, while Digital
Equipment Corp. and Compaq Computer Corp. indicate plans to
follow suit, as outlined in one trade publication last month.
Although it appears that the three companies will be fighting it
out between themselves by offering packaged deals that include
such perks as high-end servers, workstations, networking,
personal computers, integration, and financing, there could be
a windfall profit for all concerned.
But the vendors with the broadest range of products and services
will have the advantage of cutting the price on one component in
a bundle so that they can make a profit on something else, as
stated by one analyst. Resellers working with the factory
programs could also benefit from bundling if they are allowed to
offer their own services as IBM has suggested.
The IBM PC Co. is set to debut its bundling program, code named
Project Spruce, this month. IBM resellers and vendors will be
provided with mix-and-match packages of server and desktop PCs,
services, software, and financing under one invoice via the
plan.
/// NOT SO SECRET AGENTS ///
As described in an IBM Corp. white paper, "intelligent agents"
will aid the computing/networking world in navigating through
the tremendous amount of information available on the Internet
and individual corporate intranets. Agents can be used to
automate and process information sought out or requested by a
user.
Intelligent agents are in part, software that aids the user and
acts on his or her behalf, and are well suited to help overcome
the complexity of the Internet itself. Automation of repetitive
jobs such as searching and checking Web pages, summarizing
complex data, learning and remembering things you would most
likely forget-- are all chores that intelligent agents are well
adapted for. The agents will perform their assigned tasks
within the constraints or guidelines set forth by the user. To
complete these tasks, they can use the following four major
attributes:
[Intelligence]... the degree of learned behavior and reasoning
as the agent acquires the ability to accept the goals of the
user and carry out the required tasks.
[Agency]... the degree of authority and liberty given the agent
as measured by its interactivity with the user, applications and
other agents.
[Mobility]... the extent to which the agents travel through the
network(s).
[User Interface]... the direct intervention by the user.
At first, the [mobility] of the agents may have to be limited to
provide some safeguard to privacy and security. Then enters the
concept of delegation, where some of the control is passed from
the user to the agent. Agents can be incorporated within E-
mail, desktop tools, and network management software.
The IBM white paper stated that "agents will be the most
important computer paradigm in the next ten years," and fore-
cast that by the year 2000, every major computer application
will contain some form of agent capability. According to one
news report, IBM is already offering agent-enabled applications
on the Internet.
As a convenience to Net shoppers and merchants alike, agents
that learn both the browsing and shopping habits of the user,
could allow virtual store presentations to be customized to
their liking.
/// A STRONG ARM FOR THE PALMTOP ///
The new Apple MessagePad 2000 is powered by a 160-MHz Strong-
Arm microprocessor.
Apple Computer Inc. announced the handheld product comes loaded
with an improved Apple Newton operating system with support for
voice recording. The palmtop PC has a word processor, Web
browser, and E-mail software on board, and is priced at $949.
/// COLOR LASER PRICES LOWERED BY H-P ///
Hewlett-Packard Co. has broken the $4,000 price barrier with
the reduction of prices on some models of its newest color laser
printers. Priced at $3,999, the Enhanced HP Color LaserJet 5/5M
printer will succeed the HP Color LaserJet 5 series of printers.
According to H-P, the new 5/5M color printers can render photo
quality printing time that is five times faster than that of its
predecessors.
/// INTEL CUTS PRICES ON PENTIUMS ///
Late spring and early summer price cuts are in store as Intel
Corp. drops the hammer on its Pentium processors by as much as
75 percent.
With rumors of an early release of its 300-MHz Pentium II chip,
it would appear that Intel is running a clearance sale on its
lower-speed chips.
A CRN report indicates that the chip maker will slash prices of
its 200-MHz Pentium processors from $257 down to $123... the
233-MHz MMX chip price will drop from $594 to $330... and the
233-MHz version of the Pentium II will show a 23% cut from $636
down to $455.
/// WINDOWS "MEMPHIS" IN PRE-ALPHA RELEASE ///
Although it is not expected to hit your dealer's shelves until
1998, the pre-alpha release of Microsoft's Windows 97, code
named "Memphis," is being put through its paces by selected
resellers and testers.
The most significant change in the production version of Windows
97 will be the incorporation of Internet Explorer into the
operating system, whereby Explorer will access ALL resources
regardless of their source... either online or desktop programs
and applications. The finished product will also support the
Win32 Driver Model and all preceding drivers as well.
A new and improved disk "defragmenter" will be featured in 97
along with the new FAT32 file system, which supports file sizes
up to 2-Gigabytes.
/// MICROSOFT ACQUIRES WEB-TV ///
Microsoft Corp. has acquired WebTV Networks Inc. for the sum of
$425 million, and the deal has involvements with JavaSoft Inc.
because of the recent agreement between JavaSoft and WebTV.
Microsoft officials said that WebTV will become a subsidiary of
Microsoft while maintaining its offices in Palo Alto, Calif.
/// NEW GRAPHIC PRODUCTS FROM S3 ///
Graphics [performance] is the key word at S3 Inc. as reflected
by the introduction of three of its new products.
The Santa Clara-based company unveiled the Virge MX 2D/3D
accelerator last month that supports TV-out technology, and is
acclaimed to be the first of S3's 3-D accelerators designed for
notebook computers.
S3 is also building the Virge GX2 2D/3D graphics controller for
the desktop computer, which offers performance on a par with
the MX unit. Both graphics devices, however, include "dual
display" capability, which permits images to be simultaneously
displayed on different screens. The new controllers are also
DVD (digital videodisc) ready.
Another new product from S3 allows real-time 3-D transmissions
on the Internet based on the Redistributed Internet Objects
(RIO) architecture. The RIO format allows graphics and audio
data to be received and stored directly on the hard disc.
/// ST CHAMELEON CHIP FOR AUTO INDUSTRY ///
SGS Thomson Microelectronics plans to announce its "Chameleon"
64-bit system-on-a-chip architecture designed for the automotive
industry this month.
The proprietary multimedia chip will be used in automotive
applications such as GPS navigation, wireless telephone, radio
data link functions, and DVD audio.
Reports indicate that ST is about ready to launch a new 300-mm
silicon wafer fabrication unit to turn out the Chameleon chips
because the existing 200-mm (8 inch) fabrication line could not
economically produce the new system-on-a-chip technology.
/// EARLY BIRD SPECIAL ///
While the prices may not be that low, one Silicon Valley re-
seller has gotten the jump on the competition by selling the
Intel Pentium II 233- and 266-MHz processors BEFORE the official
release by Intel Corp.
An insight to the situation was disclosed in the April 21 issue
of the Electronic Buyers' News, where a Fry's Electronics sales
person stated that the company is already sold out of the chips
and they are just waiting for the next shipment to arrive from
an undisclosed source.
Fry has reportedly been selling the 233-MHz processors for $929
and the 266-MHz version for $829. If you are looking for a
compatible mother board to mount the new chips on, that is
another story because they are not being manufactured yet,
according to the sales person.
Although Intel has no legal power to stop the early bird sales,
the company is reportedly doing some detective work to locate
the person or persons who are breaching its sales structure.
/// FASTEST MEMORY AVAILABLE ///
Going back a few years-- there was fast-page dynamic-RAM chips,
then along came EDO (extended data out) memory, which became the
desired technology for increased speed in computer memory until
SDRAM (synchronous-DRAM) came along last year. That technology
held the state-of-the-art title until people started talking
about the Intel-backed Rambus-DRAM, which was developed by a
company called Rambus Inc.
Now... enter EDRAM (enhanced DRAM) into the picture.
A new progeny of memory devices from Enhanced Memory Systems
Inc. are claimed to have a read-write speed of 10 nanoseconds
within a page of memory and will support burst rates up to 100-
MHz.
An EBN report said that EDRAM is now the fastest DRAM in
production, considering sustained bandwidth and random access
speed.
=============================================================