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"In theory we can connect thousands of layers in a very straightforward fashion," Stan Williams, and scientist at HP, told the BBC. "It could provide a way of getting a ridiculous amount of memory on a chip."

Memristors improve on transistors in three key ways. First off, they allow the same device to serve as the processor and the memory. Right now, computers need separate devices for memory (such as solid state flash memory or regular magnetic hard drives) and processing (the computer chip itself). By eliminating the communication time and energy between those different parts of hardware, a memristor system would work far faster, and with far less energy, than a traditional computer.

Second, memristors can be much smaller than transistors. Quantum mechanics limits how tiny transistors can be, a limit that current technology is rapidly approaching. Memristors would allow computer chips to continue getting smaller past that point, all without resorting to exotic tricks like graphene chips or quantum computing.

Lastly, unlike transistors, which only work linearly, memristors can form three-dimensional networks. This added dimension exponentially expands the number of connections, and thus the power, of a memristor computer. In fact, the 3-D network capability of memristors is so profound that Leon Chua, the man who first theorized the existence of memristors in the 1971, believes that this technology could enable the creation of electronic brains. "We have the right stuff now to build real brains," he told the Times.

Hewlett Packard has already created a few simple devices that run on memristors as proof of concept, and they think that they can have the first working models capable of replacing some current computer parts within three years. However, with memristors enabling chip development for decades past where transistors would have hit their physical limit, the true value of this advance may not be realized for years to come.

[BBC News, and The New York Times]

The sequel to HP’s Mini-Note 2133 netbook has shown up on the HP company’s online store. Called the HP Mini 1000, the netbook measures less than 1-inch thick and weighs from 2.25lbs; it also has a new, black casing and appears to be intended as a more entry-level machine than the 2133. The new price certainly bears that out: the HP Mini 1000 netbook costs from just $399.

Other specifications for the Mini 1000 are unknown, with the primary point of interest being its CPU. HP went with VIA’s C7-M processor for the Mini-Note 2133, a choice which pretty much singled it out among other netbooks; there are contrasting rumors now as to whether the HP Mini 1000 will instead use Intel’s 1.6GHz Atom processor or stick with VIAand adopt the new Nano chipset. It’s also believed to have a 10-inch screen.

HP confirmed back in Julythat they were working on a new netbook with a lower purchase price than the 2133. Their first netbook, though relatively well received in reviews, was criticised for its cost compared to ASUS’ Eee PC and other rivals. Jerel Chong, HP Australia’s Market Development Manager for Notebook PCs, described the new model as “a similar device (to the 2133) but at a lower cost … It won’t be as durable but it will be cheaper”.

HP has offered $3.39 a share for the privately held Tower Software.

Major shareholders Quadrant Private Equity, company founder Brand Hoff and chief executive Martin Harwood, who together own 90 per cent of the business, have said they will accept the bid in the absence of a higher offer from another party.

Quadrant Private Equity took a 63 per cent stake in Tower in early 2007.

Tower has aggressively pursued the public sector markets in Britain and the US in recent years and makes more than 60 per cent of its revenue offshore.

HP South Pacific managing director Paul Brandling said the acquisition would bolster HP's credentials in the regulation and compliance software arena.

"What it does is gives HP end-to-end solutions in a market segment that's booming," Mr Brandling said.

"Analysts say this segment is growing well in excess of 20 per cent per annum and one of the exciting opportunities here is to apply HP's global muscle and global customer footprint as a growth lever."

In the absence of suitors with better offers, the deal is slated to be completed in this quarter. Mr Brandling expects the integration of Tower to be completed by the end of the year.

The deal is conditional on 85 per cent of Tower's staff accepting employment offers from HP. Mr Hoff expects these offers to be tabled later this month or early May and be open for about a month. "The HP people have been speaking to our senior managers and I would expect in the next couple of months (when) the process is open that these things will be finalised and all the employees will be taken care of," he said.

Mr Brandling would not rule out redundancies among Tower's 240 staff as part of the acquisition process, and declined to say whether current CEO Martin Harwood would survive the transition. "I can't answer that one specifically ... (but) we want the workforce and the senior team," he said.

In the 2007 financial year Tower increased its revenues by over 30 per cent to $45.2 million.

Founded 22 years ago, Tower has about 1000 customers.