Energy-Efficient RAM On The Horizon

Researchers in the United States and South Korea have both reported findings regarding a new material that will solve a huge problem currently plaguing computers across the globe. It’s estimated that Americans spend $6billion per year on the electricity it takes the keep track of work which hasn’t yet been saved to computer hard drives. Currently, RAM memory requires a constant electrical current in order to function; this computer multitasking is costing households thousands of dollars in energy bills as the machines work RAM memory running smoothly. But a new way of manipulating molecules has been discovered which may pave the way for energy-efficient RAM memory.

Hard drives are ‘stable’ memory, storing information as strips of magnetic orientation recorded on a magnetic disc; no extra electricity is required to power this type of memory, and once something is saved there, it is saved regardless of a power source. But RAM memory is known as ‘volatile’ memory, which means that if the power being fed to the computer were to be suddenly switched off, the information stored in the RAM memory would be lost forever. Whilst there are some alternatives to conventional RAM which don’t consume high levels of electricity, they are often heavy and expensive.

The breakthrough which may allow electricity bills to be drastically reduced, came about as a complete accident. A crystalline organic compound, made out of cheap children’s building blocks, was the subject of some light-hearted experiment between chemists at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and a postdoctoral fellow from Harvard University. It was discovered that after a slight tweak, they could get the molecules within the compound to stack on top of one another, creating a new material.

The new material is what’s known as ‘ferroelectric’, which means that one of the sides is negatively charged while the other is positively charged. Running electricity through such a material flips the charges, and the orientation of each side will remain the same until another surge of electricity is passed through it. The complex manipulation of the molecules has led the scientists to discover ways in which they can change the molecules and put them together in different ways. Rather than with conventional RAM, which requires resistors linked together in an electrically-charged circuit, this new type of memory would not need a constant power source in order to preserve the data it holds, thus changing the way data is stored by computers forever.

To browse the whole range of Data Memory Systems memory solutions and to buy online, visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com

Don’t Be Beaten By iMac 2011 Hard Drive Upgrade Problems

If you have a recent iMac model, performing an Apple Hard Drive Upgrade may be the last thing on your mind. However, if you anticipate wanting to ramp up performance in future, it’s time to start reading up on what to do and what not to do as increasing numbers of Apple users around the world are complaining that Apple has made it difficult for their machines to be upgraded.

While the newer iMacs are considered to have a lot going for them, with lots of great user features, functionality and reliability, the manufacturer has made hard drive upgrades much more difficult than on previous iMac models.

The first problem those wishing to add a bigger drive will come across is how to safely remove the LCD and glass panel protecting the monitor area of the machine. The process can be a lengthy one so it’s important to invest in the right tools for the job. Having purchased what you believed to be the required SATA hard drive, you’ll also need to add suction cups and Torx wrenches.

Place the suction cups on the glass and gently pull to remove. Having set aside (place on a protective surface such as a blanket so as not to scratch the glass while it is left to one side), use the wrench to unscrew the LCD panel. Be sure to place the eight screws in a safe place – they are small and so easy to lose but, difficult to replace. They are best stored in a jar with a lid or even placed in an envelope so that all the screws are stored together ready for reuse when the drive upgrade has been performed.

Carefully lift the LCD screen away from its moorings, creating just enough space to reach a hand through and detach each of the four cables that anchor the screen in place. Avoid pulling the LCD up completely and stretching the cables as this will cause additional problems and may damage other components such as the motherboard.

When the four cables have been detached, you can safely lift the LCD off the base unit and should now be able to see the motherboard and hard drive along with other internal components.

Having reached this stage, a second challenge faces those keen to add a new hard drive to their iMac. Reports suggest that 2011 iMacs have different boot drives to those used on previous incarnations with new firmware that tracks how hot or cold the drive is. Without the firmware, the machine is unable to monitor drive temperature so runs its fan at maximum as a precaution which makes for noisy computing when the machine is put back together with its new components installed.

Fan control software is available for those installing a new hard drive and wanting to control fan speed to reduce machine noise.

Those planning to step up their upgrades and install a new hard drive may also find that the machine fails the Apple Hardware Test. As this test is used by the manufacturer’s certified repair technicians, there is a possibility that some system errors will no longer be covered by the iMac warranty.

For those who wish to upgrade their iMac, there are a few options despite these hurdles – either increase storage capacity by purchasing an external hard drive or USB flash drive or you can always add more memory. This will not expand your storage capabilities but it will give you a boost in speed. A resolution to this problem can not be far. There is always a way and we will bring it to you once we have one.

To keep up to date with computer memory technology and to buy apple and PC memory upgrades securely online, visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com

Get Organized This New Year with A New Hard Drive From Data Memory Systems

By the second week of January most New Year’s Resolutions have already been discarded. Enthusiasm for eating healthier, spending more time at the gym and learning a new skill often fades quickly as the desire to keep to rashly made ‘self improvement’ promises falters. But, there is one New Year’s Resolution that is easy to keep and that is a commitment to getting organized and keeping your Apple or PC in tip top condition.

If your desktop is one of many cluttered with files and folders, pictures and videos, it could be time to increase the capacity of your machine and invest in a bigger hard drive or handy exterior USB hard drive. Upgrading your storage capabilities in this way will allow you to clear away the clutter and store files in a designated area on your PC for quick and easy access. Having files and folders dotted around your system’s hard drive can really slow down the performance of your machine, meaning your disorganization can be more than inconvenient – it can mean you’re not getting the most from the PC or Apple Mac’s capability.

Rather than delete things rashly and regret it later, order an extra internal or external hard drive from PC memory and Apple memory specialists, Data Memory Systems. You can then dedicate that new storage space for all of those archives that have been cluttering up your machine for the last 12 months.

Getting to grips with new storage is straight forward, with external drives being particularly quick to set up and use. There’s also lots of helpful information on the Data Memory Systems web site, to ensure you choose the correct solution for your needs and your machine’s requirements.

When the new drive is up and running, simply create folders for all of the material cluttering up your desk top and hard drive and move it over to its new home. Anything that isn’t accessed at least once a month can be moved, freeing up room and allowing you to find important files that much quicker.

Although it’s not necessary to install a new PC memory or Apple memory chip as part of your organizational chores, adding extra memory means that your machine will perform at an optimal level so you’ll be able to work more efficiently.

To find out more and browse internal and external hard drives as well as Apple and PC memory, visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com/