Scientists have been trying to come up with alternative forms of computing for a couple of decades now. The silicon-based chips may soon be reaching their limits, and scientists are still exploring other possibilities that could prove at least as fast as what Intel, IBM, Sun and AMD are offering now. One alternative was identified in the chemical compounds of the human DNA molecule.

A couple of days ago, a group of Japanese chemists managed to come up with world's first DNA molecule made almost entirely of artificial parts. This breakthrough is supposed to bring huge improvements in gene therapy and pave the way for futuristic nano-sized computers, along with other technological advancements.

The DNA code string has already been cracked by scientists, but no one has managed to entirely decipher the meaning of the genetic code. For example, the entire human DNA sequence can be stored in no less than 30 volumes, each having more than 300 pages. According to Live Science, scientists have tried for years to develop artificial versions of DNA in order to take advantage of its amazing information storage capabilities. The first steps towards nano-sized computers have been taken with the attempts to harness DNA in order to create simple electronic circuits.

DNA is known to be using a group of four bases to code proteins used in cell functioning and development. But the Japanese chemists lead by Masahiko Inouye at the University of Toyama came up with entirely artificial replicas of these bases inside the sugar-based framework of a DNA molecule, creating unusually stable, double-stranded structures resembling natural DNA.

"The unique chemistry of these structures and their high stability offer unprecedented possibilities for developing new biotech materials and applications," the researchers said in a statement. "The artificial DNA might be applied to a future extracellular genetic system with information storage and amplifiable abilities."

DDR3 RAM modules are starting to become quite affordable and I’m sure that, by the end of this year and as soon as AMD launches their DDR3 chipsets, this type of memory will become the solution of choice. Curiously enough, I haven’t heard much about any future DDR4 modules, but that is some other story. How about some speedy DDR3 modules optimized to run with Intel’s latest platforms?

It’s the OCZ guys again, this time with a couple of Intel XMP certified PC3-12800 and PC3-10666 kits, optimized to work on Intel's X38/X48 chipset. According to Fudzilla, the PC3-12800 Intel Extreme Edition, works at 1600MHz with 7-7-7-24 latencies. In order to facilitate overclocking capabilities, OCZ included a second XMP profile which makes the module work at 1800MHz with 9-9-9-31 latencies. It need 1.9 Volts and comes with Extended Voltage Protection (EVP), so you can easily pump it up to 2.0V without compromising the lifetime warranty. This one will be available as 2GB and 4GB kits and it is cooled by OCZ's Intel-branded XTC heatspreader.

The PC3-10666 Intel Extreme Edition works at 1333MHz with 7-7-7-20 latencies and 1.75V. Once again we see a second XMP profile which takes this module to 1600MHz with 9-9-9-28 latencies and 1.8 Volts. The EVP option works fine up to 1.9 Volts. It too will come in 2G and 4GB kits, with a XTC heatspreaders.

The two models are scheduled to ship this August, but there is no info on pricing for the moment.

We’ve only just began to experience the power of the 45 nm CPUs and now, Intel plans to shrink the manufacturing process under 10 nanometers. Intel expects that, when the semiconductor industry transitions to 450mm silicon wafers around 2012, the number of companies that run their own fabs will drop into the single digits. These announcements were made by Intel's Pat Gelsinger in a San Francisco preview of celebrations surrounding the chip giant's 40th anniversary this month.

Allow me to remind you that Intel was founded July 18 1968, when Fairchild Semiconductor physicists Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore struck out on their own to found Integrated Electronics, Intel for short.
How much longer is Intel going to shrink and miniaturize things? I guess nobody can answer this in exact terms, but speaking of Moore’s Law, Gelsinger noted that there was a time when he and his Intel colleagues wondered if they'd ever be able to scale chips below 100 nanometers.

According to Crn.com, Gelsinger described the elemental hoops Intel has had to jump through to achieve each "tick" milestone in the chip maker's relentless pursuit of Moore's Law, pointing out that while each new process adds materials used in novel ways, modern processors are still built on “the ancient silicon scaffolding."

"We are putting more and more of the periodic table onto that silicon scaffolding. Today we use about half of the elements on the periodic table. When Robert Noyce and Moore started, they used six elements," Gelsinger said.

"We replaced the gate with high-K, we put metal on top of it, but it's still, quote, silicon. [The process of getting smaller] keeps moving forward. It may be carbon nanotubes next or it may be spintronics. But we'll keep moving forward."

SSDs are starting to become more affordable, while more and more memory integrators present their interest in developing solid-state drives. Among the latest companies to announce a new line of SSDs is memory integrator OCZ. The press release informs us that the Core Series from OCZ offers SSD products at a 50% less price per gigabyte than other high speed offerings currently on the market. In other words, the suggested retail price for the 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models are $169, $259 and $479 USD, respectively.

Protecting the drives is a lightweight alloy housing, which does not make the SSDs susceptible to damage since they have no moving parts. The OC drives have 1.5 million hour mean time before failure (MTBF) and come backed by a two year warranty. The Core Series also feature seek times of less than 0.35ms.
Here’s a detailed specs list:

• Read 120-143 MB/sec
• Write 80-93 MB/sec
• Slim 2.5" Design
• 100.2 x 70 x 9.5mm
• Lightweight 77g
• Low Power Consumption
• Shock Resistant 1500G
• RAID Support
• MTBF 1.5 million hours
• 2 year warranty
• Part Numbers: Core 32GB - OCZSSD2-1C32G, Core 64GB - OCZSSD2-1C64G, Core 128GB - OCZSSD2-1C128G

We all know the "hardware wars" currently happening all over the world, and all over the Internet, because I am sure you have seen at least once a topic like "Intel versus AMD" or "ATI versus NVIDIA" on some forum that ended up being closed by moderators because people went all the way over the line. Why? Well, for a lot of computer users, hardware parts are more than tools. After using one, two, three, four products from the same manufacturer, and then having a wrong turn with another, most people end up worshipping the first one as the best there is. I won't get into details, because there's something you have to know today, regarding the evolution of the ATI versus NVIDIA war - NVIDIA has just been hit, and has been hit really hard!

Here's what happened in the last days - first, ATI announced the revival of the glorious All-in-Wonder series , and just like the release of the Radeon HD 4850 and HD 4870 wasn't enough to give NVIDIA nightmares, some details regarding the upcoming HD 4870X2 also became public, and now NVIDIA has just been forced to drop prices once again. For the green monster, things are not pink at all these days. In fact, something that I couldn't even imagine some time ago also happened, when producers like Gainward announced their first video cards based on ATI GPUs, after years and years spent manufacturing only NVIDIA-based ones.

To top all the above, NVIDIA has just admitted that some of its notebook chips are failing at "higher than normal rates." The direct consequences of this fact are the fact that a lot of expenses will be required to cover replacing the laptops containing bad GPUs and chipsets, but the big problem is that today, NVIDIA's shares have fallen almost 22 percent, going as low as $14.08 a share. Ouch!

Having some money you don't know what to do with? My advice is to buy AMD stock, and as soon as possible. NVIDIA won't go to the bottom, I am sure of that, there are still too many fans that won't switch to ATI, but the stock market is nobody's fan. Now, it's the right time for AMD/ATI. Tomorrow...you never know!