Boot-time speed up
Back in January, 2004, I wrote a column called “Memory technology promises a whole new kind of PC” about the potential for magnetoresistive random-access memory to revolutionize data storage on a computer.
Instead of hard drives, we’d use a variation on flash memory, which is much, much faster. I suggested that a PC could boot up almost instantly because the hard drive A) is slow, and B) takes time to boot up.
Many thanks to one Jason Hatter who pointed me to an article “Intel cuts PC boot time” about an Intel technology called Robson that uses a flash memory card to store the operating system, and thus enable a wicked-fast boot up.
There are other possibilities for the technology not mentioned in the News.com piece. Imagine offices and hotels with PCs that have slots for your flash-memory card. The machines could be simple processors; you’d carry your computer with your — not just your data, but the OS and applications as well.
Instead of lugging a laptop around, you’d pocket a 100+ gigabyte drive that would pop into your hotel-room PC and — presto! — you’d have your computer. No matter where you went, there you’d be.
gnomic says:
You are under-thinking the problem.
Communications is getting faster. RFID, smart chips, and IPv6 make it possible to uniquely and securely identify everyone and everything. Think massive grid computer where each component - screen, storage, input devices, etc. - create a computer with what is around you. You wont know or care where your information is stored - it could be anywhere (and multiple copies are likely). PCs will be even more of a commodity and you will simply pay a subscription for your level of service - which will follow you everywhere. Computers will by like wall clocks and simply exist to provide you access to your information. I suspect that will even come free with advertising, although the rest of us will pay to avoid it.
It will be great, but I expect the rate of insanity to increase.