D-Wave introduces Quantum Computer

[CurtC]

A company called D-Wave has announced a Quantum Computer:
First "Commercial" Quantum Computer Solves Sudoku Puzzles
(this is a link to an article in Scientific American)

I have to say, this article really raises those skeptical hairs on the back of my neck. They're demonstrating it by sending it commands from a remote location? Is it April already?

 

[Cello Man]

A quantum computer to me is like the flying car. I'd love to have one, but I'm not holding my breath.

Still, if one exists, I'll bet it has a blazing fast framerate on Quake IV.

 

[CurtC]

Well, this one is reported to solve sudokus, which my Palm can do, even without stealing processor cycles from other universes.

 

[GreedyAlgorithm]

Scott Aaronson (computational complexity guy) on the subject: http://scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=198

 

[Skeptical Greg]

Scott Aaronson (computational complexity guy) on the subject: http://scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=198

The charitable explanation is that the D-Wave folks are being selectively quoted or misquoted by journalists seeking to out-doofus one another. If so, one hopes that D-Wave will try harder in the future to avoid misunderstandings.

Got'ta remember that one...

 

[Schneibster]

This was looked at last week. There's a thread back there somewhere... motivate me and I might link it.

 

[Mangafranga]

I am guessing Quantum computing was the thread to which Schneibster was referring.

 

[Brian the Snail]

It's rubbish. Quantum computers exist, but are very much at the experimental stage and only have up to ~10 qubits. There are huge technological challenges associated with scaling them up to the point where they can compete with classical computers (and even, only for a small number of problems, such as factorization), and certainly the "1000 qubits by the end of next year" reeks of B.S.