I’ve posted before on the implications of computer memory–I think this one surprises even me.

Advances in memory are important and large organisations need them badly. The average Fortune 1000 company’s storage capacity grew from 198 to 680 terabytes between early 2005 and late 2006, according to this article in the Economist.

So, how long will it be before a disc the size of a CD can hold 300 gigabytes of information? And how long before data transfrer methods reach 160 megabites per second?

Oh. They’re already on the market. Welcome to holographic memory, and innovation pushed by commercial demand for better DVDs.

They’re already working on the next generation, which will pack 1.6 terabytes into the same space. At this level, something old becomes something new.