18/12/15 News Stories

Google’s new quantum computer is '100 million times faster than your PC'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/12042781/Google-D-Wave-quantum-computer-is-100-million-times-faster-than-your-PC.html

The article is about how Google has created a quantum computer that is faster than any other computer on the market by a big margin. The computer is said to be 100 million times faster than any other computer in 2013. However the computer is in early stages and can be beat by some algorithms. It is more than 108 times faster than simulated annealing running on a single core. The D-Wave X2 quantum computer, which they say is 100 million times faster than a conventional computer chip, in 2013. Proof-of-concept problem we achieve a 100-million-fold speed-up and we found that for problem instances involving nearly 1,000 binary variables.

Amazon releases video of new 'octocopter' delivery drone prototype

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/amazon-releases-video-of-new-delivery-drone-prototype-a6754116.html

Amazon’s prototype is an octocopter — meaning it has eight propellers and can take off and land vertically, like a helicopter. But the design also includes wings and a “pusher motor” so that it can transition from helicopter takeoffs to the energy-efficient flight of a plane at altitude. A pure octocopter wouldn’t be capable of a range of 15 miles. The video shows the drone switching into “landing mode” and descending onto a “delivery zone” in the customer’s backyard. The drone releases the package onto what looks like a sheet of plastic with an Amazon logo. The larger the yard and the less tree cover, the easier the landing will be.