quantum

The 404 228: Where Shaun White helps us verbally abuse Wilson

Big thanks to snowboarding and skateboarding phenom Shaun White for dropping into the studio to help us beat up Wilson...verbally. He sticks around to introduce his new video game and tells us what it's like to wear a skin-tight motion-capture suit. He also spills about the perks of being a pro athlete, considers the possibilities of Olympic skateboarding, and recalls fond memories of massive 26 ounce steaks.

Everything that we've accomplished before today's show is total garbage, and now that Shaun White has left the studio, it can only go downhill from here, but we're satisfied to hit our peak at 228 episodes. Just kidding, folks, but we are super psyched to welcome Shaun White to the show! He kicks off the show talking to us about his new video game Shaun White Snowboarding. Jeff actually had a chance to play the game and he definitely gives it his seal of approval, so be sure to check it out! It's not very often we have a professional snowboarder at the CNET offices, so we ask Shaun a few pressing questions: What's his favorite hill? Did he choose the music for the game? Why doesn't he hate Sublime? These are just a few of the hard hitting bangers we throw at Mr. White.

Unfortunately, Shaun's a busy guy so he jets during the break, but we had a great time with him today, as evidenced by our total broner for him after the interview. Keep listening to the show for a chance to win a copy of Shaun White Snowboarding signed by the man himself. After all the dust settles, we finally get into the weekend box office with a lot of talk about the new Bond and the Resident Evil movie. Note that Jeff Bakalar will not be present throughout next week's shows, so prepare yourself for lots of weird Asian news and maybe even a special appearance from THE V.*.G.!

Be sure to stream or download the podcast below for the entire show!

EPISODE 228 Download today's podcast … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 841: Real-time apocalypse

Microsoft is putting Office online. No time soon, but it will happen. Also Netflix will stream movies in HD. Not until mid-November. And only for Xbox Live paying members. But hey, why would we want to satisfy anyone now. Of course, quantum cryptography has also been hacked. So nothing's sacred. You still need to listen, though, to find out why Dolly Parton opposes Google. Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 841

Microsoft to offer Office online http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10077535-2.html http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081028-microsoft-office-will-float-to-the-cloud-with-office-web.html

MS offers peek through Windows 7 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7695933.stm … Read more

Network security makes a quantum leap

The world's largest quantum encrypted network has been unveiled in Vienna, Austria, providing a glimpse of how data could be securely transmitted in the future.

The network is the result of more than four years of work, with 41 organizations from 12 countries working to integrate quantum cryptography into a modern business network.

The project has been overseen by the European Union-sponsored SECOQC (Development of a Global Network for Secure Communication Based on Quantum Cryptography).

Quantum cryptography is a technique of sending information in a way that makes it impossible for people to intercept without corrupting the information in … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 827: Unbreakable ... because it's QUANTUM

Natali Del Conte joins us today for a discussion of quantum mechanics, Apple laptop pricing, super satellites, click-jacking, and crowd-sourced baby names. It sounds kind of heavy, but it's surprisingly goofy. We think you'll enjoy it. Also: stop Skyping us! Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 827

WiMAX launch http://cnettv.cnet.com/9742-1_53-50004011.html

Apple notebook launch! https://twitter.com/natalidelconte/statuses/952901666

It’s official: Apple to talk laptops on October 14 http://www.cnet.com/8301-18603_1-10062305-73.html

$800 Apple notebooks? http://www.inquisitr.com/4834/exclusive-apple-to-launch-800-laptop/

Touchpanel EEE PCs to debut at CES 2009 … Read more

Intel touts progress toward intelligent computers

SAN FRANCISCO--I hope Intel warned the Luddites and pessimists away at the door, because the chipmaker had a lot of bullish statements Thursday about its belief that computers will become smarter than humans.

At the Intel Developer Forum here, Intel Chief Technology Officer Justin Rattner showed off a number of technologies in computing, robotics, and communication that he cited as evidence that Ray Kurzweil's concept of "singularity," when machine intelligence surpasses human intelligence, is impending. Demonstrations spotlighted the wireless transmission of electrical power, dextrous robots with new sensory abilities, a direct interface to the brain, programmable materials that can be used for shape-shifting devices such as resizable cell phones, and silicon photonics that enables chips to communicate with photons rather than electrons.

"We're making steady progress toward Ray Kurtzweil's singularity," Rattner said.

Intel of course remains at its heart a chipmaker, and Rattner began with a brief tour, assisted by Mike Garner, senior technologist for Intel's emerging materials group, of various successors to the current complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process used to make processors. Future ideas that pack ever more computing capacity into a given volume include spintronics, quantum computing, carbon nanotubes.

Long live CMOS And CMOS itself still has some legs, Rattner said, with recent progress shrinking the size of circuitry elements to their current size of 45 nanometers, or billionths of a meter.

"When will silicon run out of gas? Can it fuel this exponential growth for 40 years to come?" Rattner asked. "We got very close to the limit at 45 nanometers. We were able to innovate our way out of what seemed an unsolvable problem...We've got some challenges ahead of us. It looks like 32 nanometers is on track, but you go beyond that and it looks a little bit iffy."

Dragon phone gets a clamshell sibling

Thought you had a one-of-a-kind phone with the Lillian Too Luck Dragon phone? No such luck. Quantum Telecom is displaying its clamshell twin Feng Shui phone at the company's CommunicAsia booth, alongside other fashion-inspired offerings such as its Hummer and Cadillac mobiles.

Unlike the red candybar predecessor with its stick-on front plate, this one comes in black and sports a gold dragon. At first glance it looked more like a laquer box than a clamshell phone. Inside, there appears to be a vanity mirror, though this could work either way as a feng shui talisman to repel negative elements. … Read more

Car-themed phones right off the showroom floor

Are you an ardent fan of the Hummer H-series or the sleek Cadillac CTS sedan? New handsets from Quantum Telecom are styled just like your favorite model complete with car shine finish.

Aside from the logos and paint jobs, the Hummer HQ1 3G also has an engine intake grille adorning its front and crisp lines on the rear. The CDQ, on the other hand, mirrors the real McCoy with its blend of wing-like edges, sharp angles, and wire mesh bottom.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Cosmopolitan CMQ streamlined clamshells with clutter-free exteriors that are less intimidating … Read more

Quantum computing firm gets $17 million in cash

D-Wave Systems has received $17 million to see if it's possible to compute complex equations by studying the behavior of molecules.

International Investment and Underwriting of Dublin led the round, which was the third round of funding for the Vancouver-based company. Draper Fisher Jurvetson (which always seems to be involved in wacky sorts of companies), GrowthWorks Capital, BDC Venture Capital, Harris & Harris Group, and British Columbia Investment Management also participated. Previously, the company raised more than $30 million.

Quantum computers, which researchers have experimented with for years but which haven't yet existed outside of the laboratory, are … Read more

Episode 625: Whither StarTrek.com?

Cocoons for introverts, bong not included

Sometimes you just need to hide yourself away from the world, put your headphones on, and disconnect from reality. If pulling the sheets up over your head just won't cut it, there are some first-class options out there for you.

Alberto Frias's Transport is a dedicated chill-pod outfitted with speakers, a central cushion and a colored LED lighting system capable of pulsing in response to the music (or did you just imagine that?). Prices range from $10,000 for a base model, to $12,000 for a more custom design. We already know how you could add a laser show. … Read more