Apple and its new acquisition Anobit are actively recruiting workers for the company's research operations in Israel, according to the Hebrew langue newspaper, "Calcalist" -- as translated by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com).

According to the report, Anobit has changed its name to HDC (R&D center in Herzliya). The company's former president, Airel Maislos, is believed to be the new senior executive at Apple's development center.

In December it was announced that Apple had bought Israel's Anobit, a maker of flash storage technology, for as much as US$500 million, according to a report in the "The Calcalist" (http://www.calcalist.co.il/home/0,7340,L-8,00.html). Anobit has developed a chip that enhances flash drive performance through signal processing, the article adds. The chip is already incorporated in Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad and the MacBook Air.

"The Calcalist" says Apple is interested in Anobit's technology to increase and enhance the memory volume and performance of its devices. The chip could double the memory volume in the new iPads and MacBooks. In addition to the acquisition, Apple will also open a research and development center in Israel, its first outside the U.S.