Scientists at IBM Research have demonstrated a new level of efficiency for data storage with optical memory, using a storage format called phase-change memory (PCM) to store 3 bits of data per cell for the first time.
While PCM is nothing new and has actually existed as a memory format for decades, until now it's been limited to storing 1 or 2 bits of data per PCM cell. But IBM's new achievement is significant because in increasing the storage capacity of each cell up to 3 bits, it will make PCM – which is dramatically faster than flash memory – vastly more cost-effective.
What does this mean for you? According to IBM, PCM could soon be used for memory in all sorts of devices, from personal gadgets like smartphones and notebooks, to powering the data centres that give us things like email and Facebook.
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