First-ever blueprint for quantum computers unveiled

LONDON: Scientists have unveiled the first ever practical blueprint to construct a large scale quantum computer, the most powerful computer on Earth that could revolutionize industry, science, medicine and commerce.

The work by scientists, including those from University of Sussex in the UK and Google, features the actual industrial blueprint to construct such a large-scale machine, more powerful in solving certain problems than any computer ever constructed before.

Once built, the computer's capabilities mean it would have the potential to answer many questions in science; create new, lifesaving medicines and solve the most mind-boggling scientific problems, researchers said.

It could also unravel the yet unknown mysteries of the furthest reaches of deepest space and solve some problems that an ordinary computer would take billions of years to compute.

The work features a new invention permitting actual quantum bits to be transmitted between individual quantum computing modules in order to obtain a fully modular large-scale machine capable of reaching nearly arbitrary large computational processing powers.

Previously, scientists had proposed using fibre optic connections to connect individual computer modules.

The invention introduces connections created by electric fields that allow charged atoms (ions) to be transported from one module to another.

The approach allows 100,000 times faster connection speeds between individual quantum computing modules compared to current state-of-the-art fibre link technology.

"For many years, people said that it was completely impossible to construct an actual quantum computer. With our work we have not only shown that it can be done but now we are delivering a nuts and bolts construction plan to build an actual large-scale machine," said Professor Winfried Hensinger from University of Sussex, who is leading the research.

"It was most important to us to highlight the substantial technical challenges as well as to provide practical engineering solutions," said Bjoern Lekitsch, also from the University of Sussex.

As a next step, the team will construct a prototype quantum computer, based on this design.

"The availability of a universal quantum computer may have a fundamental impact on society as a whole," Hensinger said.

The computer's possibilities for solving, explaining or developing could be endless. However, its size will be anything but small.

The machine is expected to fill a large building, consisting of sophisticated vacuum apparatus featuring integrated quantum computing silicon microchips that hold individual charged atoms (ions) using electric fields.

The blueprint to develop such computers has been made public to ensure scientists throughout the world can collaborate and further develop this brilliant, ground-breaking technology as well as to encourage industrial exploitation.

Everything about Li-Fi

What is Li-Fi?

Light Fidelity or Li-Fi is a Visible Light Communications (VLC) system running wireless communications travelling at very high speeds.

Li-Fi uses common household LED (light emitting diodes) lightbulbs to enable data transfer, boasting speeds of up to 224 gigabits per second.

The term Li-Fi was coined by University of Edinburgh Professor Harald Haas during a TED Talk in 2011. Haas envisioned light bulbs that could act as wireless routers.

Subsequently, in 2012 after four years of research, Haas set up company pureLiFi with the aim 'to be the world leader in Visible Light Communications technology'.

How it works?

Li-Fi and Wi-Fi are quite similar as both transmit data electromagnetically. However, Wi-Fi uses radio waves while Li-Fi runs on visible light.

As we now know, Li-Fi is a Visible Light Communications (VLC) system. This means that it accommodates a photo-detector to receive light signals and a signal processing element to convert the data into 'stream-able' content.

An LED lightbulb is a semi-conductor light source meaning that the constant current of electricity supplied to an LED lightbulb can be dipped and dimmed, up and down at extremely high speeds, without being visible to the human eye.

For example, data is fed into an LED light bulb (with signal processing technology), it then sends data (embedded in its beam) at rapid speeds to the photo-detector (photodiode).

The tiny changes in the rapid dimming of LED bulbs is then converted by the 'receiver' into electrical signal.

The signal is then converted back into a binary data stream that we would recognise as web, video and audio applications that run on internet enables devices.

Li-Fi vs Wi-Fi

While some may think that Li-Fi with its 224 gigabits per second leaves Wi-Fi in the dust, Li-Fi's exclusive use of visible light could halt a mass uptake. 

Li-Fi signals cannot pass through walls, so in order to enjoy full connectivity, capable LED bulbs will need to be placed throughout the home. Not to mention, Li-Fi requires the lightbulb is on at all times to provide connectivity, meaning that the lights will need to be on during the day.

What's more, where there is a lack of lightbulbs, there is a lack of Li-Fi internet so Li-Fi does take a hit when it comes to public Wi-Fi networks.

In an announcement yesterday, an extension of standard Wi-Fi is coming and it's called Wi-Fi HaLow.

This new project claims to double the range of connectivity while using less power. Due to this, Wi-Fi HaLow is reportedly perfect for battery powered devices such as smartwatches, smartphones and lends itself to Internet of Things devices such as sensors and smart applications. 

But it's not all doom and gloom! Due to its impressive speeds, Li-Fi could make a huge impact on the internet of things too, with data transferred at much higher levels with even more devices able to connect to one another.

What's more, due to its shorter range, Li-Fi is more secure than Wi-Fi and it's reported that embedded light beams reflected off a surface could still achieve 70 megabits per second.

The future of Li-Fi

In November 2014, Li-Fi pioneers pureLiFi joined forces with French lighting company Lucibel aiming to bring out Li-Fi enables products, by the end of 2015.

pureLiFi already have two products on the market: Li-Flame Ceiling Unit to connect to an LED light fixture and Li-Flame Desktop Unit which connects to a device via USB, both aiming to provide light and connectivity in one device. 

Plus, with faster connectivity and data transmission it’s an interesting space for businesses. The integration of internet of things devices and Li-Fi will provide a wealth of opportunities for retailers and other businesses alike. For example, shop owners could transmit data to multiple customers' phones quickly, securely and remotely. 

Li-Fi is reportedly being tested in Dubai, by UAE-based telecommunications provider, du and Zero1. Du claims to have successfully provided internet, audio and video streaming over a Li-Fi connection.

What's more, reports suggest that Apple may build future iPhones with Li-Fi capabilities. A Twitter user found that within its iOS 9.1 code there were references to Li-Fi written as 'LiFiCapability' hinting that Apple may integrate Li-fi with iPhones in the future. 

Whether or not Li-Fi will live up to its hype is yet to be decided. Watch this space...

Screens that fold and roll will arrive as early as next year

Displays that can be folded and rolled up have been shown in prototype smartphones, wearables and other devices -- but when will such products be available?

Advances in technology suggest they aren't too far off in the future. Such devices could start showing up as early as next year or 2018, said Jerry Kang, senior principal analyst for emerging display technologies and OLED at analyst firm IHS.

Manufacturers are trying to launch them in devices like tablets that can fold into a smartphone-size device. It's possible to use these displays in wearable devices, but reliability, weight and battery life need to be considered, Kang said.

Small folding screens will likely come before larger ones, mainly due to the economics of making such displays, Kang said.

The displays will be based on OLED (organic light-emitting diode), considered a successor to current LED technology. OLEDs don't have lighting back-panels, making them thinner and more power efficient.

At CES this year, LG showed a stunningly thin paper-like display that could roll up. The company projects it will deliver foldable OLEDs by next year.

There are advantages to screens that can be folded or rolled up. They could lead to innovative product designs and increase the mobility of devices, Kang said.

For example, it could be easier to fit screens around the contours of a battery and other components. It will also provide a level of flexibility in how a user can change the  shape of a device.

But challenges remain in making such screens practical, Kang said.

A display has multiple functional layers such as cover lenses, touch panels and polarizers, all made of different materials. A large number of layers could limit the ability to bend and fold. But removing layers also presents problems. For example, removing the touch panel could make such a screen useless for smartphones and tablets.

The size of batteries and circuits are of lesser concern in designing bendable screens, Kang said. The screens can be folded around components.

Displays that can fold and roll are an extension of flexible displays, which are already in wearables, smartphones and TVs. For example, some TVs have flexible screens that are designed so that they can be slightly curved.

Samsung and LG started using flexible AMOLED displays in smartphones in 2013 and are adapting those screens for wearables. Those companies are also leading the charge to bring displays that can bend and fold to devices.

The sorts of flexible displays that are used in curved products are still in their infancy, but IHS projects such screens to continue siphoning market share from non-flexible displays. In 2022, 433.3 million flexible displays will ship, compared to 3.6 billion units of non-flexible displays.

Snapchat Introduces New Feature to Remind You That It Actually Saves Everything

Today, Snapchat introduced a new feature called Memories, which allows users to save their Snaps or Stories within the Snapchat app and its servers. Remember, kids: Even the most famous ephemeral app in the world is keeping track of what you do!

The feature, which is "rolling out selectively over the next month or so," is accessible by swiping up from the camera screen in the app. There, you'll be able to search through your own archives of saved photos.

You'll also be able to string together new stories from Snaps you've already taken and combine individual Stories for a "longer narrative," which is big departure from the way things work now. Memories will also allow users to send Snaps in their archive to friends, as well as post them to their Stories.

Currently, users can save Snaps, but they're saved to the camera roll, not to the app itself. Snapchat is also assuring users that they can move their saved Snaps to a user-only viewable version, meaning those naughty photos you want to save are theoretically safe. But still, Snapchat just got a hell of a lot less ephemeral.

Given Snapchat's reputation as the disappearing photo app-perfect for sexting!-this new feature is quite a big shift in strategy. It's also a good reminder that on the internet, everything is forever!

iPhone 7 Base Model To Come With 32GB Of Storage And Water Resistance

Apple's iPhone lineup is expected to get a significant boost later this year in the form of the iPhone 7. As is the tradition every year, multiple news outlets have reported that the handset will have some new groundbreaking features. A report from The Wall Street Journal is now mentioning that Apple will include water resistance on the new flagship. This is in no way a groundbreaking feature as Samsung's flagships already have this feature, while Sony has been using water resistance on their devices since time immemorial.

Another crucial feature with the new iPhone is said to be the storage variants.Apple has been criticized for selling 16GB iPhones even after knowing how much storage iOS takes. It seems like the company is finally listening to its critics. Starting this year, the iPhone lineup will apparently start with a 32GB base model, ditching the 16GB version for good.

The iPhone 7 is also rumored to be using a Lightning port based headphone jack(sans the 3.5mm port) in order to keep the thickness at bay. This will be a hit-or-a-miss kind of a feature knowing how the customers might have to rely solely onApple's Lightning headphones or third-party Bluetooth headphones to enjoy media content on their devices. Perhaps there will be an adapter of some sort made available at a future date to hook up 3.5mm headphones with the Lightning port.

The report goes on to mention that there won't be any drastic design changes as Apple will reserve it for the iPhone 8, which should arrive in two years from now.

Waiting For Android Marshmallow? Here Are All The Devices Getting The Update Soon

Android 6.0 Marshmallow is expected to be sent out to the devices fairly soon. One might say that it's too late in the day, given that Google is already preparing the release of Android Nougat. But such is the nature of the Android platform where updates take an eternity to arrive, and it's not entirely Google's fault. Its Nexus devices receive updates sooner than any other device and the source code is made available to the manufacturers shortly after the announcement of the updates.

However, OEMs take time in sending them out to their devices as they have to customize it with their apps/services and other content. This leaves the users high and dry as they're still stuck on an older version of Android while Nexus users get the latest and greatest features from Android.

Then there's the question of which devices will get the update and which won't. To help you understand this aspect better, we have compiled a list below with OEMs and some of their popular devices that are on course to receive theMarshmallow update.

Apple Wants to Let You Become an Organ Donor With a New iPhone Feature

Apple plans to add a new feature to its Health app that will allow users to easily sign up with a national organ donor registry, according to a report from theAssociated Press.

The option will come in the form of a software update for iOS 10 , which is set for release this fall. Though the company initially introduced iOS 10 during this year's WWDC conference, the organ donation option has thus far stayed under wraps. It's unclear if it was planned all along, or whether it was a late addition.

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the opt-in feature, which will be accessible by tapping a button within the built-in app, was prompted in part by Steve Jobs' own "excruciating" wait for a liver transplant.

According to the Obama administration, 22 people die every day waiting for an organ transplant, and a new person is added to the waiting list every 10 minutes. In May, the White House announced a new initiative to help those in need of organs, which included expanding efforts to reach potential donors. Companies like Google, Twitter, Tinder, and Facebook were included as partners, though Apple didn't appear on the list.

Currently, those interested in becoming organ donors can do so by registering with their state registry or checking the option on their driver's license registration. But considering the ubiquity of iPhones, the software update will likely make the process slightly easier.

11 iOS 10 tips you’ll use

Apple’s latest mobile OS, iOS 10, is packed with new additions and new ways to get things done, but what follows are eleven tips you’ll almost certainly use once the public beta ships later this summer or when the final OS reaches out in Fall.

Swipe different

The lockscreen has become much more useful in iOS 10, for example:

• Swipe right to left to open Camera app
• Swipe left to right to access things like music, weather, public transport info and any other app that supports this mode that you choose to add.
• Swipe down to access Notifications – Devices with 3D Touch can act on incoming Notifications without needing to launch the relevant app.

You add or remove widgets using the Edit button at the bottom of widget windows.

Safari

On an iPad, iOS 10 lets you open two Safari browser windows side-by-side (Split View). It works like this:

1. Tap the + to open a second tab, now tap, hold and drag that tab to the right of the X, your Safari browser window should shrink slightly and display a grey area.
2. Drop the second tab in that great area and the second window should open.

You can drag tabs between the two browsers, but you cannot use app multitasking while in Safari split view mode.

Raise to Wake

If enabled the new Raise to Wake feature (available in Settings>Display % Brightness) means you will gain instant access to Notifications view when you raise your device. Of course, you may not want to enable this feature if you’re accustomed to leaving your device in shared spaces.

Work together

When you write a new Note you’ll find a new Share icon at top right. Tap this and you can choose to add people to collaborate on the Note. You can also invite people to work with you using an email, Twitter and other services.

Quick response

The fastest way to respond to an incoming iMessage is to double tap on the incoming one to access some quick and easy responses: Thumbs up, a love heart, thumbs down, question mark, exclamation mark and ha-ha.

Flashlight

Pull up Control Center and tap the torch icon and your iPhone becomes a flashlight. In iOS 10 you will be able to use 3D Touch to change the intensity of the light (Low, Medium, High).

Fast Camera

Tap and firmly press the Camera icon in Control Centre and 3D Touch kicks into effect. Now you can launch your app in the correct mode to take a photo, video, record Slo-mo or take a selfie.

Video settings

You can now set video to download in best available or a more compressed setting in order to reduce bandwidth consumption.

Maps improvement

Maps now at last lets you see a dynamic view when you’re following a route. This means you can easily pan out to see what the journey ahead might be like. (A boost to side seat navigators everywhere). Another key improvement? Apple Maps can now surface places you’ve recently viewed in Google Maps, making it much easier if you happen to click on a Google Maps link online for a location you want to navigate to using Apple Maps.

Mail

Threaded messages make it easier to keep track of conversations, but do remember that in Settings>Mail you get to choose whether to show the oldest or newest message first, or to switch the feature off altogether. A new filter button lets you apply filters (such as ‘Show Unread Messages’) to a Mailbox, while the Move feature is smart enough to try predicting which folder you might want to move a messages to.

Cool Futuristic/Concept Gadgets That Really Inspire

About 10 years ago, we didn’t really expect the 1.4mb 3.5 inch floppy to evolve into flash drives 10x smaller with storage capacity as big as 32gb. The interesting thing about technology is; it’s just going to get more and more high-end but the size, is just going to get smaller and slimmer.

              

These concept gadgets you see before you today, have extremely high chance of getting into production anywhere in the future. For example, Microsoft’s Surface Computing Technology certainly tells us they are for real. Here’s some really cool concept gadgets, just concepts for now but we really hope it’ll be implemented, that inspires. If we happened to missed something impressive, please let us know in comment. Full list after jump.

B-membrane Laptop/Desktop

Concept computer designed by Korean designer Won-Seok Lee. No bulky monitors, just a UFO shape system that displays screen like a projector. [viayankodesign]

                 

Nokia Aeon Full Screen Concept Phone

The most prominent design feature of aeon is a touchscreen that stretches over the full surface area of the phone. [via engadget mobile]

                

Napkin PC

The Napkin PC is a multi-user, multi-interface, modular computer designed for creative professionals to collaborate and bring their greatest ideas to life. [viayankodesign]

                

Cellphone Code

This phone uses haptic technology to provide physical feedback for making a call. To turn it on…twist a section, to dial a number…twist a bunch of sections, to make an international call…break your wrist! [via yankodesign]

                 

Virtual Goggles

Designed and conceived by Franz Steiner, he wondered what the personal assistant might look like in the future. [Blutsbrueder Design via Gizmodo]

                 

New dSLR?

Concept of a digital camera which can be used in one hand. [perezprada viayankodesign]

               

Future Internet Search

All you need to do is point the tablet at any object and you should get search results as good as Google’s, just more interactivity. [petitinvention viabehance.net]

               

Sunshine Pillow

We arent sure if it’s warm enough, but it’s good to own one. [Rei Gallery viagizmodo]

              

Capsule Radio Clock

Not rocket science, but definetely cool to get one. [sequoia-studio via tuvie]

              

Info-Live Watch

INFO Live is an data organizer for connected internet world. It is able to transfer data information to any hardware and person any moment in time of need. [vianextgendesigncomp]

                

Jive for the elderly

Jive is a range of 3 products that were designed to get elderly technophobes connected to their friends and family. [jive via tuvie]

                

LifeMap

Touch screen digital photo storing and organization product. [via tuvie]

                

Microsoft Arc Mouse

When you go advanced in all your computer equipments, the next best thing is to get a futuristic mouse. [via geekandhype]

                 

Pebble Key Port

Designed with many slots so that user can easily group their keys into categories such as car keys, home keys or office keys. [via tuvie]

               

Pixel Perfect Hour Glass

Title says it all. A perfect gadget anyone wants to own, I suppose? [Pavel Balykinvia yankodesign]

                     

Calliper Style Radio

Like a precision calliper tool, 08 Radio by Mikael Silvanto lets you precisely find the station you want by sliding the entire radio unit up and down the scale. [viayankodesign]