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Google And NASA Have Teamed Up To Build/Use Quantum Supercomputers
Google and NASA see it fitting to join forces and launch the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab, based at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California, which will be home to a quantum computer from D-Wave Systems. Researchers will work to, in Google’s own words, “study how quantum computing might advance machine learning”.
In reality, what Google wants to do with quantum computing is refine and perhaps completely revamp how search and voice recognition technology interact and work, so that an artificial intelligence (AI) more advanced than Apple’s Siri or Google own Now engine could exist. The same could be said for predicting and addressing climates and diseases. Don’t get excited yet, since this is in its very early stages, but still, if there is a time to use “cutting edge”, this is it.
Via: Google
It’s actually really humble of Google to show off the six prototypes of Google Glass (considering that the current version is still a prototype, after all). From strapping a smartphone to your head, to circuit boards and wires, Google has tried almost everything until they reached the current evolution. It’s needless to say that you’d look like a real Glasshole wearing the early prototypes, if you would even want to at all.
The new Google Maps has access to everything it should have been before. In retrospect, more context, better ratings systems, a refined interface, and a feature to further understand what places you like to visit and populates your map with relevant information. Besides featuring a “flat” interface, the web app has been redesigned from the ground up, with a great new search box and layers that can add a rich user experience, plus Earth View, which features real-time clouds and a great angle of the planet, without the use of a plugin.
Google has flooded the news streams today and this time with 41 additional features. Google+ will see a complete redesign, on all platforms, and this intros 41 new features put into three categories: Stream, Hangouts, and Photos. But for now, detailing the major new features will suffice. First off, a new Stream, which is inspired by Google Now. Second is a standalone Google Hangouts app that will integrate SMS, Google+, and any other messages you plan on receiving into one service. Third, is the amped-up default storage of Google accounts to 15GB, because now photos uploaded will automatically have access to three editing features: Auto Highlight, Auto Enhance, and Auto Awesome — all of which correct, sharpen, or do whatever they have to in order to fix the pic.
This could be the biggest move by Google to close the fragmentation version gap — the Galaxy S 4, with an unlocked boatloader, plus stock Android Jelly Bean. It’s unlocked to work on T-Mobile and AT&T with 4G LTE, along with 16GB of onboard storage. The best part seems to be that prompt system updates, unlike the scenario that will play out with the other Galaxy S 4 devices that have Samsing’s Touchwiz interface loaded. There’s only one catch to this whole honeymoon: the stock Galaxy S 4 will cost $649 starting June 26th on Google Play.
Starting at $10 a month (or $8 for those who sign-up within the next few days/weeks), Google’s new music streaming service has big muscles, supported by the likes of Sony and others, with the ability to integrate with your existing Google Play Music songs, while integrating with the existing software interface. Available on tablets, laptops, or smartphone, Google Play Music All Access will also debut a 30-day free trial for new users.
HP has announced its second Android-powered device, the SlateBook x2, which is the first Tegra 4-powered, 10-inch Android convertible tablet. A superpowered NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core processor powers the system, with a 1920 x 1200 IPS display, with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean where the only customizations that HP has added are a text editor, file explorer, and others. To bolster the feel of using a laptop, HP added a touchpad and 2 USB 2.0 ports, along with the support for a second battery to prolong usage time. PR after the break.
Either out of sheer strength or desperation for their legacy to not be full of emptiness and falling quarterly profits, BlackBerry is porting the famous BBM application, their killer feature, to iOS and Android this summer — technically negating any reason to own a BlackBerry. However, from a corporate standpoint, it’s seen differently: “It’s time to bring BBM to a greater audience,” CEO Thorsten Heins said in announcing the expansion, “no matter what mobile device they carry.”
General pre-orders for NVDIA’s Tegra 4 portable gaming console with up to 1.9GHz of processing power have gone live on the internet, priced at $349. Based off of Android Jelly Bean with a console-quality controller, a 5-inch 720p HD retinal multi-touch display, micro SD card slot, 2GB RAM and 16GB of onboard storage, it’s no doubt that NVIDIA is actually pretty good at putting together hardware, despite only being a graphics card and system-on-a-chip company. Plus, you can stream games through any GTX-powered computer, lag-free, thanks to integration. And on the side, the Google Play Store and NVIDIA Tegra Zone can provide all the games you need.
“Free” is the word that current Windows 8 users will be well-acquainted with come later this year, when Windows 8.1 (the official title) debuts as a free update via the Windows Store in time for the holiday season. During Microsoft’s Build developer conference in June, the full list of l improvements to Windows 8.1 (alongside the public preview) will be announced, but in the meantime, this is all we’re left with.