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Three Recent Breakthroughs That Will Change Your Computer

io9.com — Scientists are engaged in a race to make electronics components even tinier. Now, three breakthroughs in the manufacture of chips and superconductors are about to make computer components so small that they can operate on the quantum level.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jun 9, 2009

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  • ghidorahnotweak, on 06/08/2009, -0/+52Next you're gonna say something crazy about how photons are like particles and waves at the same time.
  • thespanielator, on 06/08/2009, -3/+46in a vacuum
  • 4321234, on 06/08/2009, -0/+42Fact: photons travel at the speed of light.
  • yocouchdigga, on 06/08/2009, -0/+33what is this i dont even
  • NoozeHound, on 06/08/2009, -1/+26Now if you can all just stop pissing about, work together and get me the fastest, smallest, most magnificent computer on this or any other inhabited planet, we can begin.
  • TheYellowMole, on 06/09/2009, -0/+17Fact: Llamas are members of the camel (camelid) family.
  • LoneWolf01, on 06/09/2009, -1/+17Actually, the nanoscale electronics will finally make them able to register your penis.
  • Zadet, on 06/09/2009, -1/+17Does this mean we finally get computers with thousands of random blinking lights, like in all the 60's movies? http://hbfs.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/slide27.jp ...
  • crunchyeyeball, on 06/09/2009, -0/+15It won't need to. Quantum mechanical effects mean you'll be able to just press a button and the machine will tell you how well you would have done, had you actually played.
  • evergrim, on 06/09/2009, -0/+12Fact: Camels are members of the cigarette family.
  • thenorwegian, on 06/09/2009, -3/+15buried for putting this under photos. C'mon, get attention some other way. And yes, I almost fell for it.
  • inactive, on 06/09/2009, -1/+11Fact: Facts are 100% factual.
  • inactive, on 06/09/2009, -0/+8He's talkin out of his
  • 1what1, on 06/09/2009, -4/+12i ***** hate this meme.
  • B1665r, on 06/09/2009, -1/+9Sometimes... But as it turns out, most of the time light travels somewhat slower than the speed of light....
  • inactive, on 06/09/2009, -0/+7Fact: Most politicians don't know what Camel toe means even through they pay to see them all the time.
  • stevenwalters, on 06/09/2009, -1/+7He didn't just pull that out of his ass. Quantum computing is (theoretically) very very fast at a few types of things. General computing isn't one of those.

    Doesn't mean he "knows everything". It just means that you don't know anything about the topic. And unless you think the future of computing is factoring numbers and seeing how fast your PC can solve Sudoku puzzles, hes probably right.
  • xedd, on 06/09/2009, -0/+6Except when they are fallacies.
  • bradleyland, on 06/09/2009, -0/+6Because of the way a warp drive works, the space around the starship is not passing by at FTL speeds. The range of a phaser at warp speed would be limited to the confines of the warp envelope, however.
  • Skafia, on 06/09/2009, -0/+5Will any of this allow me to ***** my computer?
    If not, i don't give a damn.
  • Culyt, on 06/09/2009, -1/+5Who says?

    If it can be made cheaply and incorporated into a standard computer theres no reason not to add a quantum processor.

    Yeh, they are only useful for specific functions, but those functions are still useful for daily use. Things like searching and such.

    Quantum encryption is also likely to be incorporated. since quantum computers will be around that will be able to break normal encryption.
  • Logicexe, on 06/09/2009, -0/+4Magic.
  • JoeSpaceTime, on 06/09/2009, -0/+3I wish I was
  • philkav, on 06/09/2009, -0/+3Fact : Camel are an English progressive rock band
  • badenglishihave, on 06/09/2009, -0/+3Anyone who has ever done a pencil mod will not be surprised at graphite replacing copper for IC interconnects.
  • evisr8r, on 06/09/2009, -0/+3OHHHHH snap.
  • roddack, on 06/09/2009, -0/+3someone should have stayed in school
  • TheZorch, on 06/09/2009, -2/+5Chips made using Graphene will I think be the new wave. Graphene is made from carbon, the most abundant substance in the universe, it is far more conductive than silicon thus generates far less heat. Its not a super-conductor but its the next best thing until we have true room-temp super-conductors or optical circuits that replace conductive material with nanoscopic lasers.
  • Sheethappens, on 06/09/2009, -0/+3Superconductor.... I still cant get the picture of a ticket collector on a London bus wearing a red cape....
  • TimOgg, on 06/09/2009, -0/+2I will start to take notice of these "breakthroughs" when they are at a commercial level and I can potential buy one. Until then however it is all just wishful thinking.

    That is not to say I don't think they will work, just not yet.
  • taxman, on 06/09/2009, -0/+2First Milo and now this, Skynet is only a few years away. Run Sarah Connors, Run!!
  • NathanielJ, on 06/09/2009, -0/+2@stevenwalters - except quantum computers have been proven to be able to perform any search quadratically faster than classical computers can, making web database servers and hence web experience in general considerably faster than any speed-up that has happened to date.

    That's one example. Quantum computers are in their infancy, and saying that they won't make a difference for most people is ludicrous.
  • viol999, on 06/09/2009, -0/+2So how can the Enterprise fire it's phasers while traveling at warp speed?
  • Sillywombat, on 06/09/2009, -0/+2"That will change YOUR computer", so yes, this article is irrelevant regarding the title.

    And to insanebrain, Whow.. thanx for your insight... It's always nice to meet a person whos a complet ass.
  • NathanielJ, on 06/09/2009, -0/+2"Do you really think that quantum enabled devices will enhance our encryption algorithm ?"

    Er, yes. Ever heard of the BB84 key distribution scheme? You know, the one that is mathematically provably secure and has already been tested in labs all over the world?
  • LeoSaraceni, on 06/10/2009, -0/+2speed is nothing without control. Give microsoft one of those super chips and they make windows so damn stupid that it's like a pentium II all over again.
  • Sheethappens, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1VEEEERY carefully!
  • inactive, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1Which makes them a 100% lies.
  • blacksoul, on 06/09/2009, -2/+3That's great, and all, but seriously, where the ***** is my flying car. O.o
  • 7aji, on 06/10/2009, -0/+1It's coming right after the normal affordable electric car arrives.
  • inactive, on 06/09/2009, -8/+9quantum computing isn't going to change the average persons computer.
  • inactive, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1I want the Robot with the Vacuum Tube for a brain...
  • Modulo, on 06/16/2009, -0/+1being smarter as opposed to brute force or speed is completely and totally dependant on software in anything less than a quantum computer
  • m4ttGT, on 06/09/2009, -0/+1Go Georgia Tech!
  • Modulo, on 06/16/2009, -0/+1it looks like you accidentally an idiot

    edit: and yeah
  • Modulo, on 06/16/2009, -0/+1cultural relativity
  • fubes2000, on 06/14/2009, -0/+1where the ***** is racetrack memory?
  • 7aji, on 06/10/2009, -0/+1I've seen so many asses commenting on Digg, my screen started to stink!
  • 7aji, on 06/10/2009, -0/+1something like this maybe?? ;)
    http://www.walyou.com/img/led-computer-case-mod-0. ...
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