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Intel Devises Chip Speed Breakthrough

Posted by simoniker on from the zoom-zoom-zoom dept.

Chad Wood writes "According to the New York Times (free reg. req.), Intel has demonstrated a research breakthrough, making silicon chips that can switch light like electricity. The article explains:''This opens up whole new areas for Intel,' said Mario Paniccia, a an Intel physicist, who started the previously secret Intel research program to explore the possibility of using standard semiconductor parts to build optical networks. 'We're trying to siliconize photonics.' The invention demonstrates for the first time, Intel researchers said, that ultrahigh-speed fiberoptic equipment can be produced at personal computer industry prices. As the costs of communicating between computers and chips falls, the barrier to building fundamentally new kinds of computers not limited by physical distance should become a reality, experts say.'"

8 of 465 comments (clear)

  1. EMP by potpie · · Score: 5, Funny

    This kind of technology seems like a very healthy step toward making computers resistant to electromagnetic waves and/or pulses (aided also by the rise of optical storage devices), which is great for us humans now. But now what are we going to use against the "squiddies" when they come for our hovercrafts?

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    Esoteric reference.
    1. Re:EMP by jsse · · Score: 5, Funny

      This kind of technology seems like a very healthy step toward making computers resistant to electromagnetic waves

      Your joke reminded me of an instance when I saw a co-worker sitting on a P-IV box while working on it. I took the chance to play some prank on him.

      "It could fire your 'eggs'"
      "What?!"
      "You know what clock speed this thingy is running?"
      "2.4GHz, why?"
      "What's the wave frequency of a microwave oven?"
      (jumping up)"....OH SHIT"

      (It's just a joke. I don't think the CPU has enough strength to fry your 'eggs'. Even so, the wave can't penatrate the metallic case) :)

  2. Re:Can someone tell me.... by PalmKiller · · Score: 5, Funny

    Um, that might not be wise. If you try to overclock past the speed of light, I think that will cause a rift in the Time/Space Continuum. :P

  3. Re:Still binary.. by gilrain · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, you would have tits (Tertiary digITs).

  4. Finally.... by vwjeff · · Score: 5, Funny

    Computing at the speed of light. Oh, wait, bottlenecks. Damn you serial ATA Hard Drive!!!

  5. Stickers make it go faster! by TheDukePatio · · Score: 5, Funny
    What's more likely is that they had a couple highschool kids lower the chips 2", crazy glue a spoiler on, install neon undercarriage lights, a fake pushbutton labeled "Nitrous", and stickers, LOTS of stickers.

    New Codename: Ricer

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    To Alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.
  6. Re:Still binary.. by Michael+Woodhams · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think they are normally called "trits".

    On the otherhand, Google only got 5090 hits for "trits" and 16,600,000 for "tits", so perhaps that is the more common term. I see, however, that the top hit for "tits" is about bird-watching, so this alternative meaning may have contaminated the results.

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    Quattuor res in hoc mundo sanctae sunt: libri, liberi, libertas et liberalitas.
  7. Breakthrough? by Grave · · Score: 5, Funny

    SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 11 -- Intel scientists say that they have made silicon chips that can switch light like electricity, blurring the line between computing and communications and presenting a vision of the digital future that will allow computers themselves to span cities or even the entire globe.

    Great! I was getting so tired of my computer being only 5lbs and man-portable! I can't wait for these new planet-sized computers. Mine's going to be called the Death Star.