QUANTUM COMPUTING is one of those technologies that seems forever just over the horizon, much like the flying car or an iPhone that lasts all day on a single charge. Developments come and go, announcements are made, each sounding crazier than the last, but tangible benefits never seem to appear.
Physicist Richard Feynman, one of the first to conceive of a quantum computer, due to his interest in the relationship between physics and computation, often has a quote attributed to him—it’s possibly apocryphal, but most certainly apt: “If you think you understand quantum mechanics, then you don’t.” The same is almost certainly true of quantum computing, where there are so many new terms and variables to consider, it seems impossible for a single human brain to hold them all. The fact that so many of them sound like science fiction is perhaps part of the discipline’s appeal.
Having multiple approaches to solving the same problem certainly keeps the scene lively, and we envisage endless debates between scientists along the lines of whether Intel or AMD is best, and whether the cryogenic cooling plant really needs all that RGB. It also means that we’ve had a solid run of news announcements and tech demonstrations recently, as work held up by the pandemic begins to bear fruit.
BENDING THERMODYNAMICS PROBABLY...
Take time crystals. Yes, really. Despite sounding like something the Emperor Zog is searching for, protected by a plucky band of heroes including at least four kids and a puppet, a time crystal is a real thing: Google has made them using a quantum computer.
This story is from the December 2021 edition of Maximum PC.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2021 edition of Maximum PC.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
NZXT H6 Flow
Possibly the best budget chassis out there
Intel's crazy plan for 1nm silicon
FIVE NEW CHIP PRODUCTION NODES in four years. That was Intel’s plan to get back to technology leadership. It has now added a new 1nm lithography node to its roadmap, due in 2027. But here's the thing: in terms of products to buy, Intel has achieved little of its original plan. So, what’s going on?
BIG TECH IN TROUBLE IN EUROPE
The EU isn't happy with the big players
THE BUILDS
IT FINALLY LOOKS like prices are stabilizing somewhat, certainly compared to last issue.
Dragon's Dogma 2
A cult classic in the making
NZXT Function 2
Ultra-fast, fully configurable, and relatively affordable
liyama GCB3480WQSU-B1 Red Eagle
The gaming goliath youre after?
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super
The $999 card that’s really $1,200
HOW TO
Ever needed to get rid of your fixed desktop icons, or add them back in? Did you download Minibin because you just hate that Recycling Bin icon on your desktop? Click the Start menu, type
COPILOT PRO & COPILOT FOR MICROSOFT 365
Why Copilot is great, when it’s awful and which version you should buy