Science

Your iPhone 50 could have atomic storage (The 3:59, Ep. 192)

It could take a few decades to go mainstream, but IBM researchers have managed to make sci-fi storage a real thing. Also: WikiLeaks, and "groufies."

Ben Fox Rubin Former senior reporter

Ben Fox Rubin was a senior reporter for CNET News in Manhattan, reporting on Amazon, e-commerce and mobile payments. He previously worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and got his start at newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

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Iyaz Akhtar Principal Video Producer

Iyaz Akhtar works tenaciously to make technology work for him so he can live a life of leisure. He's been in the tech sector as a writer, an editor, a producer, and a presenter since 2006.

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Xiomara Blanco Associate Editor / Reviews - Tablets and monitors

Xiomara Blanco is an associate editor for CNET Reviews. She's a Bay Area native with a knack for tech that makes life easier and more enjoyable. So, don't expect her to review printers anytime soon.

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Ben Fox Rubin

Iyaz Akhtar

Xiomara Blanco

March 9, 2017 10:16 a.m. PT

IBM researcher Chris Lutz stands by a microscope used to store a bit of data on a single holmium atom.
IBM and Stan Olszewski/SOSKIphoto

The dawn of atomic-storage computing is upon us. Well, sort of.

IBM researchers managed to squeeze a bit of data into a single holmium atom, providing a hint at a future of supertiny storage for massive reams of data. Still, these researchers warn that commercializing this kind of technology could be decades away.

Also on the show, we discuss the CIA's response to WikiLeaks' disclosure of alleged CIA hacking tools. We also talk about some of the new camera tech coming to phones that's designed to spark interest from Instagram and Snapchat lovers, such as making it easier to take group selfies, or so-called "groufies" (or "wefies").

The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by the CNET News team in New York and producer Bryan VanGelder.

Check out the extended shows on YouTube.

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