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Physicists connect the dots on quantum computing

Physicists have long sought to use the bizarre workings of quantum mechanics to make mind-boggling leaps in computing power. And they appear to actually be making progress.

Researchers from Harvard University and the Weizmann Institude of Science in Israel today published a paper describing a technique for two quantum bits, or qubits, to operate in a predictable and coordinated way, a small step toward a working quantum computer.

In a separate effort, researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics today claimed to have made a breakthrough by making a prototype of a quantum communications network. Both groups say … Read more

Notepad2 replaces Notepad in Windows with a much better tool

Notepad2's developer, Flo's Freeware, notes that there's nothing wrong with Notepad, the default text editor in Windows: it's lightweight, fast, and fully integrated with the operating system. But writers, programmers, and others who use text files a lot know that Notepad has its limitations. Notepad2 offers many more features than Notepad and can replace it as the default text file tool in Windows. It's available in separate downloads for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows. We tried it in 64-bit Windows Home Premium SP1.

Notepad2's installer asked us if we wanted to replace Notepad … Read more

Safari 5.1.5 update improves 32-bit stability

Following closely after the release of Safari 5.1.4, Apple today released version 5.1.5 of its Web browser to address difficulties a number of users have had opening the program in 32-bit mode.

Apple's latest hardware and software support has been for 64-bit code, but in order to support older plug-ins and for other compatibility reasons Apple includes a 32-bit binary for its Safari Web browser. To load the software in 32-bit mode, you just need to get information on the application in the Finder and check the "Open in 32-bit" box.

Apparently a … Read more

'Mad Men' game full of pixelated whiskey and cigarettes

"Mad Men" returned to television last night after an interminably long wait. Mad Men: The Game on YouTube should help tide you over until the next episode airs.

There are more than 40 different videos in the game, so you have quite a few paths to explore -- with plenty of hard liquor and 8-bit cigarette smoke along the way. The game comes from the Fine Brothers, the same guys who brought us the "Saved by the Bell" interactive YouTube game.… Read more

Hunger Games: Girl on Fire for iOS brings the action

Can't get enough "Hunger Games"? Need something to do while you're in line to buy movie tickets? (The film version opens today, in case you've been living underground.) Get ready for some Katniss-inspired app action.

The Hunger Games: Girl on Fire for iOS has arrived, and while it may be little more than a "teaser" game (the studio's words, not mine), it sure is fun.… Read more

The 404 1,016: Where we need a social network for our social network (podcast)

Leaked from 404 Podcast 1,016:

Thank you, Facebook: A way to demote annoying 'friends' on the sly. Want a vibrating tattoo that alerts you to a call? Nokia does. Three online dating sites agree to screen for predators. AT&T's vibrating steering wheel tells you when to turn, claims less distracting than visual cues. Miami judge says BitTorrent downloads are protected anonymous speech. Wait, nevermind. Bathroom break video : Wes Anderson's 'Made of Imagination' Sony TV commercial.

DIY Weekend: Shining a new light on an old video game classic

For Bryan Duxbury and Adam Ellsworth, a shared interest in DIY Arduino projects and a conversation at a Christmas party led to a pretty bright idea and an unexpected side business.

The two San Francisco residents are the creators of the Interactive 8bit Question Block lamp--a Super Mario Bros.-inspired piece of home decor. For fans of the game, the lamp should instantly look familiar, as it resembles the blocks that Mario hits to earn coins and other loot. The design alone already makes it pretty cool, but that's not where the fun ends.

To turn the light on or off, you must punch (actually, a gentle tap is enough and recommended) the bottom of the block, and every time you do so, it makes a coin sound just like in the video game. On every eighth tap, you're rewarded with the 1-Up sound. It's a piece of Super Mario Bros. come to life.

This project may never have seen the light of day, however, had it not been for a chance meeting at a company Christmas party. … Read more

The sights of CeBIT 2012

HANOVER, Germany--CeBIT is a mammoth trade show that most people in the United States have never heard of.

It's a huge show, with more than 300,000 attendees--many of them ordinary consumers who show up on "family day" on Saturday, the last day of the show. CeBIT has waxed and waned over the years, losing some clout with the rise of Mobile World Congress and the shift of so much electronics manufacturing to Asia, but it remains a fixture of the European technology world.

Along with sections for personal computing, Internet companies, and IT services, you'll … Read more

Overclocking champ draws a crowd at CeBIT

HANOVER, Germany--I'm not sure exactly when overclocking computers became an end unto itself rather than a means to an end.

But I'm glad it has, just for the sheer entertainment factor of watching people take extreme measures to get their machines to run faster than they're supposed to. Plenty of techie types also are enthusiastic, judging by the throng at the CeBIT show here who gathered to watch No. 2-ranked overclocking expert Nick Shih in action.

Shih held the overclocking crown for 18 months straight. He knows his business cold, so to speak. To seriously overclock a … Read more

SuperTalent shows lower-cost PCIe-based flash storage

HANOVER, Germany--SuperTalent showed off a forthcoming product at CeBIT, a PCI Express flash storage system that beats out conventional SSDs in performance but that doesn't cost as much as the company's existing PCIe products.

The RAIDDrive UpStream uses a SandForce controller to handle data-transfer speeds of 1GBps. That's roughly twice the speed of SSDs that, like the pokier but cheaper hard drives they typically replace, use the SATA interface.

The product should go on sale in weeks, said product marketing director Peter Carcione in an interview here. "I'm hoping the end of April," he … Read more