More memory, more versatility in new computer chip

Your cell phone or mp3 player could soon be sporting a more powerful memory as computer chip manufacturer Freescale Semiconductor Inc. announces a new high-endurance memory chip that claims to combine the power of several chips in one.

After a decade in the works, Freescale created a chip that has the endurance of traditional computer memory but with the ability to store data while powered down like a hard drive.

The new chip works with magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM). It relies on magnetic properties rather than electrical charge to store data. And unlike portable flash memory, which possesses similar functions, Freescale claims the 4-megabit MRAM chip doesn't degrade over time.

MRAM will allow computers to boot up faster because data doesn't have to be reloaded into the memory drive. It can also replace chips in virtually any electronic device: from kitchen appliances to mp3 players and cameras.

The first markets for MRAM will likely be industrial and automotive industries where memory durability is critically needed.

Freescale Semiconductor Inc. is the engineer behind semiconductors for many leading telecommunication companies, including Motorola, Logitech and Apple.

Photography: USA Today

Source: Discovery Channel Reports, July 10 edition