Gaining RAM For Free, Through Software

wakaramon writes with a piece from IEEE Spectrum about an experimental approach to squeezing more usable storage out of a device's existing RAM; the researchers were using a Linux-based PDA as their testbed, and claim that their software "effectively gives an embedded system more than twice the memory it had originally — essentially for free." "Although the price of RAM has plummeted fast, the need for memory has expanded faster still. But if you could use data-compression software to control the way embedded systems store information in RAM, and do it in a way that didn't sap performance appreciably, the payoff would be enormous."

Comments

Not free

[Pvt_Ryan]

Since they patented it and are licensing it, it's not really free is it?

Re:Embedded Systems Only

[Impy the Impiuos Imp]

Notice 99% of the posts ignore that crucial word.

In the larger context around this issue, "embedded" means "mass produced" means "tremendous pressure to reduce per-unit costs" means "cheaper parts, plzzz!" means "32k chip is much better than 64k chip".

So that's what's going on here. It's not about the $3000 car super-radio. It's about the millions of $14-at-cost standard basic installed AM/FM radios. Or processing units in a handheld computer, watch, or game, etc. Or whatever.