So, for those of age and/or amateur radio operators…old technology made new again?  From C|Net News.com:

Researchers at Big Blue have come up with a way to create vacuum spaces between copper wires in semiconductors, an insulating technique that will allow these chips to increase in speed and performance and reduce power consumption. Early indications show that chip performance can be increased by up to 35 percent, power consumption can be cut by 15 percent, or some combination of increased performance and power savings can be achieved. [Read more…]