"The Machine" more computing, less power, smaller. No more RAM.

Programs run directly in storage? No more RAM. This plan promises to deliver instant startup, low power, no more saving files; but I am not expecting to use one for years, if ever. Steve

The memristor.

The Machine

The main difference between The Machine and conventional computers is that HP’s design will use a single kind of memory for both temporary and long-term data storage. Existing computers store their operating systems, programs, and files on either a hard disk drive or a flash drive. To run a program or load a document, data must be retrieved from the hard drive and loaded into a form of memory, called RAM, that is much faster but can’t store data very densely or keep hold of it when the power is turned off. HP plans to use a single kind of memory—in the form of memristors—for both long- and short-term data storage in The Machine. Not having to move data back and forth should deliver major power and time savings. Memristor memory also can retain data when powered off, should be faster than RAM, and promises to store more data than comparably sized hard drives today.

Source: HP Will Release a “Revolutionary” New Operating System in 2015 | MIT Technology Review

A Terabyte on a postage stamp?

Denser, Faster Memory Challenges Both DRAM and Flash | MIT Technology Review