Month: October 2021

Enlarge / The current generation of hardware. (credit: D-Wave)

Tracking quantum computing has been a bit confusing in that there are multiple approaches to it. Most of the effort goes toward what are called gate-based computers, which allow you to perform logical operations on individual qubits. These are well understood theoretically and can perform a variety of calculations. But it's possible to make gate-based systems out of a variety of qubits, including photons, ions, and electronic devices called transmons, and companies have grown up around each of these hardware options.

But there's a separate form of computing called quantum annealing that also involves manipulating collections of interconnected qubits. Annealing hasn't been as worked out in theory, but it appears to be well matched to a class of optimization problems. And, when it comes to annealing hardware, there's only a single company called D-Wave.

Now, things are about to get more confusing still. On Tuesday, D-Wave released its roadmap for upcoming processors and software for its quantum annealers. But D-Wave is also announcing that it's going to be developing its own gate-based hardware, which it will offer in parallel with the quantum annealer. We talked with company CEO Alan Baratz to understand all the announcements.

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | d3sign)

Syniverse, a company that routes hundreds of billions of text messages every year for hundreds of carriers including Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, revealed to government regulators that a hacker gained unauthorized access to its databases for five years. Syniverse and carriers have not said whether the hacker had access to customers' text messages.

A filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week said that "in May 2021, Syniverse became aware of unauthorized access to its operational and information technology systems by an unknown individual or organization. Promptly upon Syniverse's detection of the unauthorized access, Syniverse launched an internal investigation, notified law enforcement, commenced remedial actions and engaged the services of specialized legal counsel and other incident response professionals."

Syniverse said that its "investigation revealed that the unauthorized access began in May 2016" and "that the individual or organization gained unauthorized access to databases within its network on several occasions, and that login information allowing access to or from its Electronic Data Transfer ('EDT') environment was compromised for approximately 235 of its customers."

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  The Iron Throne, before its destruction in the Game of Thrones series finale. [credit: YouTube/HBO Max ]

HBO has released the first teaser for House of the Dragon, giving us our first real look at this spinoff prequel series to Game of Thrones. Set 200 years before the events of its predecessor, the series will chronicle the beginning of the end for the reign of House Targaryen, culminating in civil war. In addition to co-creators George R.R. Martin and Ryan J. Condal, Miguel Sapochnik—who filmed some of the most eye-popping, complicated battles on Game of Thrones—will serve as co-showrunner, directing the pilot and several other episodes. The series began filming in April.

This time around, the source material is Martin's 2018 epic fantasy, Fire and Blood, a fictional history of the Targaryen kings. It begins with Aegon I's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, thanks to having advanced weaponry in the form of dragons, followed by a period of relative peace. Part three focuses on Aegon I's sons, King Aenys I and King Maegor I. When the latter dies, the son of Aenys, Jaehaerys I, ascends to the Iron Throne. Jaehaerys I had two sons, but they both died before their regal father, thereby triggering a succession crisis.

The final two sections of Fire and Blood deal with the fallout of that crisis and seem to be the primary source material for this new series. Essentially, a council of lords selects King Viserys I Targaryen to succeed Jaehaerys I, passing over Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, a dragonrider known as "the Queen Who Never Was." Viserys I has no sons by his first wife and decides his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, will succeed him. But this is Westeros, so there are others scheming for the Iron Throne, most notably Ser Otto Hightower, Hand of the King—whose daughter Alicent becomes the king's second wife—and Prince Daemon Targaryen, the king's younger brother.

Enlarge / A sensor from inside one of the refrigerators in Amazon's stores. The home fridge would use similar technology. (credit: Sam Machkovech)

According to sources cited by Insider, Amazon is working on a smart fridge that will track the food you're storing and help you quickly order replacements when supplies run low. The fridge would use some of the same technology seen in Amazon Go stores.

Codenamed Project Pulse, the refrigerator is being built by the same team as Amazon Go, with additional assistance from members of the Amazon Lab126 and Amazon Fresh teams. Amazon has reportedly been working on the product for two years and has spent $50 million per year on its development.

The appliance will include multiple cameras and use computer vision technology to track what is stored inside it. The basic tech is the same as that seen in Amazon Go's "Just Walk Out" feature, which allows customers to simply pluck items off physical store shelves and walk out the door, confident that their Amazon accounts will be charged appropriately.