No Escape For DRAM Makers From Market

Here's another one from DigiTimes: In years past, manufacturers of DRAM (that's 'memory' for you country-folk) have been diversified enough in the markets served by their companies that when the DRAM market wasn't lucrative, companies could afford to scale back production. However, Kingston co-founder David Sun fingered a growing crisis in the DRAM industry, now that many DRAM makers aren't diversified (they don't make anything else but DRAM).

The problem is simply this -- when DRAM prices fall due to a flooded market, DRAM manufacturers don't make as much on the sales of the products they manufacture, but manufacturers lacking in product diversity can't afford to scale back production, or else they'll be in for serious financial trouble as a company. Essentially, when the prices are in the toilet, you can expect the market to be soon to follow, as companies are forced to consolidate, or close up shop.

Reviewing major DRAM makers such as Elpida Memory, Nanya Technology, ProMOS Technologies, Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC) and Winbond Electronics, Sun said all of these players have no other product line to shift to if they quit DRAM production.

Source: DigiTimes

The Blu-Ray Blues

So Sony's Blu-Ray managed to win the HD format war after all. Well, Laaaah-dee-frickin'-daaah! DigiTimes believes that the format still has an uphill battle ahead of it before it will have the kind of market staying power developed by the CD and DVD formats. Its shortcoming can be summed up in one word: "diversity".

The DigiTimes article looks at other market segments where CD and DVD media still enjoy broad acceptance - game consoles, in-car entertainment, camcorder storage, enterprise storage, and yes, PCs - and finds that the Blu-Ray camp may have a difficult time persuading those sectors that the technology transition to more expensive blue-laser media and readers is indeed a worthwhile one. Though if we had to put our finger on it, we suspect that the high price of Blu-Ray products in market sectors where it's already achieved penetration (HD home video distribution) is to blame for the format not achieving wider acceptance in other markets.

Based on these factors, the initial applications for BD are limited to watching movies and playing games using a PS 3 consoles. There is not much demand opportunity in the IT market and almost no room for music applications.

Source: DigiTimes

Starbucks Offers Free Wi-Fi for Reward Card Holders

We've known this was in the works for a while now (in a few different flavors), but today Starbucks announced that they would offer free Wi-Fi for their Starbucks card users. The partnership with AT&T would allow you to use the service in exchange for getting "up to four" emails from AT&T per year. Having to keep your card active and opening accounts with both AT&T and Starbucks seems like a bit of a hassle on paper, but the process should be painless in practice.

I can't say I'm the type to go out of my way to take trips to my local Starbucks, but I can certainly see where and when free Wi-Fi access would be useful. Trips across the country will be less dreadful with the promise of free internet access, and Starbucks' are quite literally everywhere.

The Wi-Fi freebie will be available starting Tuesday to customers who purchase a minimum $5 reloadable Starbucks Card, register online for the Starbucks Rewards Card program, and use the card at least once a month. The two hours must be consecutive. New members also receive a voucher for a free drink.

Source: USAToday

June 3rd Tech Roundup

• ASUS Rampage Formula X48 - TweakTown

• Palit GeForce 9600 GT Sonic - Benchmark Reviews
• Sapphire Radeon HD 3870 Ultimate Edition - TweakTown
• Sapphire Radeon HD 3870 X2 - TheTechLounge
• Zalman Trimon ZM-M220W - Rbmods

• Super Talent T800UX2GC4 2GB DR2 PC2-6400 - DragonSteelMods

• Belkin Nostromo n52te - I4U
• Samsung HT-X810 - Digital Trends

• SilverStone Sugo SG02-F - Phoronix
• NZXT Tempest - OCIA
• Apevia Warlock Power 900W - JonnyGURU

• Aliph Jawbone2 - Digital Trends
• Video Card Giveaway - Bjorn3D

I Have To Go To The Bathroom...

From the "We Wouldn't Have Believed It If We Hadn't Read It Ourselves" department comes the following story of brand loyalty taken to a new extreme. Edmunds.com has the story of an Argentinian family who drove a reconditioned 1981 Ford Falcon all the way from Argentina to Detroit, USA, in a trip spanning 47 days and over 4,700 miles. Diego Perceivaldi of Argentina packed his wife and two kids into the 27-year-old car, which had a rebuilt engine, and drove to the Motor City to pay homage to the Blue Oval.

What could inspire this kind of fanatical brand devotion? Apparently, the Falcon is an iconic car in Argentina, with an entire website - Todofalcon.com.ar - devoted to the car and its cult following in the country. Okay, you got us -- this isn't "tech" in the way that you likely think of Techgage as covering the world of "tech", but it's an awesome story nonetheless. And while we still don't know what could motivate even the most passionate car lover to make such an arduous journey, we do know this: If anyone asks "Are we there yet?" just one more time, we're gonna start breaking legs.

For a trip that took three years to plan and 47 days to complete, Percivaldi played it pretty loosely at the end on Thursday, when he and his family walked up to the security desk at Ford World Headquarters with no previous contact and asked to talk to someone in charge. The AP reports they will spend a couple of days in Michigan — and fly home, having the Falcon shipped back to them.

Source: Edmunds.com Inside Line

Incidences of Child Hackers On The Rise

Meet little Billy. For his twelfth birthday, his parents bought him a shiny new desktop computer. Billy recently learned how to steal your identity, while his parents thought he was doing homework. Are you prepared for Billy?

This DailyTech article details a bizarre but growing phenomenon among young pre-teens, some of whom are turning to cyber-crime to impress their friends, harm their enemies, and even make money. While you might not suspect that children as young as nine (!) would be involved in such schemes, cyber-crime investigators are finding an increasing number of young adolescents committing such crimes as identity theft and credit card fraud online.

"They want to be famous," Boyd says. "Not just known among their peers for their technical knowledge, but 'American Idol' famous." It is a scary thought that if kids are able to do these things at such a young age, just what may they be capable of later on in life with such a strong desire for fame.

Source: DailyTech Blog