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For many years, quantum computers have been within only the confines of the research lab. On Tuesday, though, IBM unveiled the IBM Q System One, billed as the first-ever quantum computer designed for businesses to put to their own use — though the company is clear that this is only the first step toward a broader revolution. Quantum computing is considered one of the most promising early-stage technologies out there today. That's because quantum computers can process exponentially more data and have the potential to completely transform entire industries. For example, they could streamline aerospace and military systems, calculate risk...

The Indian government has authorized 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor, and decrypt data on any computer, sending a shock wave through citizens and privacy watchdogs. Narendra Modi’s government late Thursday broadened the scope of Section 69 of the nation’s IT Act, 2000 to require a subscriber, service provider, or any person in charge of a computer to “extend all facilities and technical assistance to the agencies.” Failure to comply with the agencies could result in seven years of imprisonment and an unspecified fine. In a clarification posted today, the Ministry of Home Affairs said each case of interception, monitoring,...

I am looking to shed all things Google, starting with my gmail account. I opened it in 2007 with the thought that I would have it for decades as Google was a behemoth of a company which would not disappear and which could be trusted. But alas, I now have not an ounce of trust in Google. So much is tied to my gmail account that I want to make a move to a company which will 1) stand the test of time and 2) can be trusted. I am quite sure I am not the only person thinking this...

The reality of quantum computing could be just three years away Quantum computing has moved out of the realm of theoretical physics and into the real world, but its potential and promise are still years away. Onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt SF, a powerhouse in the world of quantum research and a young upstart in the field presented visions for the future of the industry that illustrated both how far the industry has come and how far the technology has to go. For both Dario Gil, the chief operating officer of IBM Research and the company’s vice president of artificial intelligence...

A schoolboy who "dreamed" of working for Apple hacked the firm's computer systems, Australian media has reported, although the tech giant said Friday no customer data was compromised. The Children's Court of Victoria was told the teenager broke into Apple's mainframe—a large, powerful data processing system—from his home in the suburbs of Melbourne and downloaded 90GB of secure files, The Age reported late Thursday. The boy, then aged 16, accessed the system multiple times over a year as he was a fan of Apple and had "dreamed of" working for the US firm, the newspaper said, citing his lawyer. Apple...

Oak Ridge’s Summit supercomputer, designed to reclaim the title “world’s fastest,” has officially done so. The designation came Tuesday at the ISC High Performance conference in Frankfurt, Germany, according to a news release from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Eight times more powerful than its predecessor, Titan, the Summit supercomputer reclaims the title from China’s Sunway TaihuLight.

Social media giant Facebook continues to ramp up the creepy factor. According to a recently filed patent, Facebook wants to spy on you by hiding inaudible messages in TV ads.Facebook has filed a patent for a system that hides audio clips in TV commercials. These sounds would be so high-pitched that they are inaudible to human beings. They would then trigger your phone to record all the background noises in your home. The patent application is called “broadcast content view analysis based on ambient audio recording.”According to The Daily Mail, these secret messages would force your phone to record the audio...

The PCI Security Standards Council, the body governing credit card transactions, has set a deadline for disabling early versions of TLS/SSL to June 30, 2018. What are these technologies? TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) are fundamental to internet transport security. Early versions are still fairly common in older infrastructure. Not updating to the newer versions by the deadline could cause your organization to incur a major fee and potentially halt taking credit card transactions. Why is the TLS update critical?  Let’s take a step back and lay some groundwork. TLS and its predecessor SSL are a set...

IBM has developed the world’s smallest computer, which could help track objects, foil counterfeiters, and boost efficiency. A computer as big as a grain of salt could transform shipping that crisscrosses the planet, said IBM researchers who recently unveiled the experimental device. Using blockchain technology that would provide a secure and efficient log of physical objects tagged with the tiny computers, shippers could track goods at every step of extended supply chains, foiling counterfeiters and upping efficiency, Dan Friedman, senior manager of communication circuits and systems at IBM Research, told Seeker. “That’s what we want to do — something that...

There's more to your computer's operating system than meets the eye. Ash Edmonds via Unsplash ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Apple prides itself on the polish and slickness of its software, and on the surface, macOS proves itself an intuitive and easy-to-navigate operating system. Dig deeper, however, and you'll find a heap of useful settings and options that let you customize your computing experience. Here are 24 of our favorites. 1. Mute Siri Siri doesn't have to speak her responses aloud—she can silently display them on screen. If you'd prefer this option, click the Apple menu, followed by System Preferences and Siri. Finally, next...

Help!! I am having problems with my home desktop, which is an Apple IMac. Last Thursday morning when I turned it on I got my username and password entered but then the progress bar to boot the system up just stopped. I tried turning it off and restarting it but the same thing happened. I called the Apple techs and we went through several diagnostic tests. This tech tells me I need to buy more RAM so he gives me the product numbers and what to order. Since my device is 6 years old Apple no longer sold the parts,...

Only Intel machines are affected by Meltdown Details have emerged on two major processor security flaws this week, and the industry is scrambling to issue fixes and secure machines for customers. Dubbed “Meltdown” and “Spectre,” the flaws affect nearly every device made in the past 20 years. The Meltdown flaw only affects Intel processors, and researchers have already released proof of concept code that could lead to attacks using Meltdown. The vulnerabilities allow an attacker to compromise the privileged memory of a processor by exploiting the way processes run in parallel. They also allow an attacker to use JavaScript code...

Walmart's NYC-based innovation center is experimenting with a cashier-less store concept called Project Kepler, which "aims to reimagine the in-store shopping experience with the help of technologies like computer vision," Recode reports. Project Kepler is in part aimed at creating a store that would feature no checkout lines or cashiers, but use computer vision to detect which products customers leave the store with and then charge their accounts accordingly. Why it matters: Amazon is also experimenting without cashiers, while roughly 3.5 million Americans operate cash registers for a living. Recode also reports that Walmart's new start-up subsidiary, called Code 8,...

ADRIAN, Mich. (AP) — Cyber shenanigans for 200? A former “Jeopardy!” winner has been charged with illegally accessing co-workers’ email accounts at a small Michigan college. Stephanie Jass is a former history professor at Adrian College. She appeared in Lenawee County court on Tuesday, charged with unauthorized access to a computer and using a computer to commit a crime.

I am in need of a new computer. I gotten the blue screen of death three times.I am not very savvy on operating or even on understanding a lot of the technical stuff. I know I don't want Windows10 because my wife has been struggling with it and I don't handle frustration well. I also don't like the idea of "renting" software with potential contract changes every year. I have heard that there are outlets that sell laptops with Windows7. That's what I've been using for years and it is where I'm comfortable. I'd like directions on where I might...

Ever notice how people texting at night have that eerie blue glow? Or wake up ready to write down the Next Great Idea, and get blinded by your computer screen? During the day, computer screens look good—they're designed to look like the sun. But, at 9PM, 10PM, or 3AM, you probably shouldn't be looking at the sun. f.lux f.lux fixes this: it makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day. It's even possible that you're staying up too late because of your computer. You could use...

Just in case it’s been weighing on your mind, you can relax now. A team of theoretical physicists from Oxford University in the UK has shown that life and reality cannot be merely simulations generated by a massive extraterrestrial computer. The finding – an unexpectedly definite one – arose from the discovery of a novel link between gravitational anomalies and computational complexity.

Exclusive: Did Imran Want Capitol Police To Find Wasserman Schultz’s Laptop? A laptop that Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has frantically fought to keep prosecutors from examining may have been planted for police to find by her since-indicted staffer, Imran Awan, along with a letter to the U.S. Attorney. U.S. Capitol Police found the laptop after midnight April 6, 2017, in a tiny room that formerly served as a phone booth in the Rayburn House Office Building, according to a Capitol Police report reviewed by The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Investigative Group. Alongside the laptop was a Pakistani ID card,...

Project Description Since 2012, we have been investigating the use of algorithms, automation and computational propaganda in public life. Political bots are manipulating public opinion over major social networking applications. This project enables a new team of social and information scientists to investigate the impact of automated scripts, commonly called bots, on social media. We study both the bot scripts and the people making such bots, and then work with computer scientists to improve the way we catch and stop such bots. Experience suggests that political bots are most likely to appear during an international crisis, and are usually designed...

I recently installed a Netgear Nighthawk X6 router. I've replaced the default passwords with 10 digit, random, unrelated characters. Two of my devices (a desktop and a laptop) are running Avast free virus protection. When I run an Avast scan, it says Service is vulnerable to attacks from within your network. When I click on their recommended solution, they say to update the firmware. I've gone to the Netgear website and it says all is updated. I recently vacationed in Colorado. I stayed at a private condo and used their wifi. I ran the Avast scan on my laptop. At...