Microsoft’s quantum computing devkit exists — whether you look or not

Microsoft has released a free preview of its Quantum Development Kit in the hopes that it will help bring about increased interest in the development of quantum computing. The kit contains its “Q#” programming language, a quantum computing simulator, and resources to help people get started making applications for a theoretical quantum computer.

For anyone who has ever attempted to wrap their mind around quantum mechanics, it’s far from an exact science — by its very nature. The potential it holds for computing though is astronomical because, in theory, a quantum computer would be able to perform computations far faster than traditional computers — potentially millions of times faster than consumer hardware and thousands of times faster than even supercomputers, opening up all sorts of exciting possibilities.

The only problem is that quantum computing is still in its infancy and even if someone were to make an effective one to replace our everyday computers tomorrow, there’s very little software to run on it.

Microsoft is looking to fix that age-old chicken and egg problem by encouraging development now. Once the software has been written, it can be run on the quantum computing simulator to see how it operates. It won’t work entirely like a real quantum computer — it is a simulator after all — but it should give would-be developers an idea of how effective their quantum application is.

For anyone looking to develop something that requires more processing power, Microsoft is also offering Azure-based cloud processing to aid in the simulation, though that’s where the “free” part of this developmental kit ends. Still, for those just looking to poke around the idea of quantum computing, Microsoft is providing a ton of documentation to help you get started, as OnMsft explains.

For those already familiar with other programming languages though, Microsoft doesn’t think working with its Q# language will be too difficult to get their head around.

“What you’re going to see as a developer is the opportunity to tie into tools that you already know well, services you already know well,” it said in a statement. “There will be a twist with quantum computing, but it’s our job to make it as easy as possible for the developers who know and love us to be able to use these new tools that could potentially do some things exponentially faster – which means going from a billion years on a classical computer to a couple hours on a quantum computer.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Microsoft’s quantum computing programming language is a big step forward
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• Faster and even more minimalist, Firefox Quantum makes Chrome look old
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• As Chrome tarnishes, Mozilla is ready to reignite Firefox with Quantum

Track down a phone with your remote using Xfinity Mobile’s Phone Finder

On Tuesday morning, December 12, Comcast announced Phone Finder for Xfinity Mobile customers. Phone Finder allows Xfinity Mobile customers to use the voice control feature on their X1 voice remote to locate their cell phones.

While iPhones and most Android devices have a phone location feature, Phone Finder allows Comcast customers to easily search for their device without having to log on to their computers. You can say “Xfinity Mobile find my phone” into the X1 voice remote to make your phone ring. Subscribers with multiple lines can qualify the search by using the name the device was given when they activated the device. For example, you could say “Xfinity, find Linda’s phone,” and the device would begin to ring. You can also look for devices by providing the 10-digit telephone number.

Xfinity Mobile provides Comcast customers with low-cost cellular service. Combining Verizon’s cellular service with its more than 18 million Wi-Fi hot spots, Xfinity Mobile offers plans starting at $12 a month. Users pay no line access fee for service and can purchase by the gigabyte or opt for unlimited service (though it will aggressively throttle subscribers who user more than 20GB of data a month).

Since Xfinity Mobile launched earlier this year, it has gained more than 200,000 subscribers, according to a report on Bloomberg. It’s most popular plan costs $12 a month for unlimited talk and text with 1GB of LTE data.  

Comcast’s Wi-Fi first philosophy, similar to Project Fi and Republic Wireless, allows users to save money by purchasing smaller blocks of data and using Wi-Fi for majority of the heavy lifting. Earlier this year, Comcast released a report stating that 80 percent of smartphone data travels over Wi-Fi networks as opposed to cell.

Comcast is going head-to-head with AT&T with its new mobile service. Both Comcast and AT&T offer special incentives for customers who subscribe to its cable or satellite dish offerings. While AT&T does not count data used for streaming U-verse or DirecTV, Comcast does count streaming toward its monthly data cap.

Phone Finder is available now for all Xfinity Mobile subscribers. You do not need to install or activate any apps or features to use the service.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best cheap phone plans save you cash without sacrificing service
• Razer Phone review
• How to track an Android phone, tablet, or smartwatch
• The best unlocked phones you can buy
• Save big on your next cell phone with T-Mobile’s Cyber Week deals

Track down a phone with your remote using Xfinity Mobile’s Phone Finder

On Tuesday morning, December 12, Comcast announced Phone Finder for Xfinity Mobile customers. Phone Finder allows Xfinity Mobile customers to use the voice control feature on their X1 voice remote to locate their cell phones.

While iPhones and most Android devices have a phone location feature, Phone Finder allows Comcast customers to easily search for their device without having to log on to their computers. You can say “Xfinity Mobile find my phone” into the X1 voice remote to make your phone ring. Subscribers with multiple lines can qualify the search by using the name the device was given when they activated the device. For example, you could say “Xfinity, find Linda’s phone,” and the device would begin to ring. You can also look for devices by providing the 10-digit telephone number.

Xfinity Mobile provides Comcast customers with low-cost cellular service. Combining Verizon’s cellular service with its more than 18 million Wi-Fi hot spots, Xfinity Mobile offers plans starting at $12 a month. Users pay no line access fee for service and can purchase by the gigabyte or opt for unlimited service (though it will aggressively throttle subscribers who user more than 20GB of data a month).

Since Xfinity Mobile launched earlier this year, it has gained more than 200,000 subscribers, according to a report on Bloomberg. It’s most popular plan costs $12 a month for unlimited talk and text with 1GB of LTE data.  

Comcast’s Wi-Fi first philosophy, similar to Project Fi and Republic Wireless, allows users to save money by purchasing smaller blocks of data and using Wi-Fi for majority of the heavy lifting. Earlier this year, Comcast released a report stating that 80 percent of smartphone data travels over Wi-Fi networks as opposed to cell.

Comcast is going head-to-head with AT&T with its new mobile service. Both Comcast and AT&T offer special incentives for customers who subscribe to its cable or satellite dish offerings. While AT&T does not count data used for streaming U-verse or DirecTV, Comcast does count streaming toward its monthly data cap.

Phone Finder is available now for all Xfinity Mobile subscribers. You do not need to install or activate any apps or features to use the service.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best cheap phone plans save you cash without sacrificing service
• Razer Phone review
• How to track an Android phone, tablet, or smartwatch
• The best unlocked phones you can buy
• Save big on your next cell phone with T-Mobile’s Cyber Week deals

Should you get the Pixel 2 or OnePlus 5T?

Spoiler alert – both are awesome choices.

The OnePlus 5T is easily OnePlus’s best smartphone to date, and for $500, it offers some seriously tremendous value when looking at its specs, features, and build quality. However, as great as the phone is, it’s also OnePlus’s most expensive product to date.

For just $150 more, you can pick up the Google Pixel 2 for $650. That’s not necessarily cheap, but for just a little extra cash, Google’s latest and greatest just might be worth it.

Some of our forum users recently got in a discussion about which phone is worth getting over the other, and these are a few of their answers:

djrakowski
12-10-2017 04:10 PM

“

I would recommend the Pixel for two reasons: security updates and platform updates.

Reply

worldsoutro
12-10-2017 07:34 PM

“

OnePlus isn’t too bad with these to be honest. The camera is better on the pixel but OnePlus camera isn’t horrible but any means. If I wasn’t out of the country and missed the return window, I probably would have stayed with the o5.

Reply

Morty2264
12-10-2017 10:01 PM

“

Both phones are great options… However, I think it comes down to what you’re looking for in a phone. Here would be my breakdown of the two devices:

OnePlus 5T:
– alert slider
– bigger battery (when compared to the 2)
– 6″ and apparently feels good in the hand despite that size
– not water resistant
– great bang for your buck

Google Pixel 2:

Reply

A Myers
12-11-2017 05:36 AM

“

I’ve come from a OnePlus 3 to a Pixel 2. Oneplus phones are excellent, the only issue I had with the 3 was the camera not being great in low light & the battery being poor

Took me a while to get used to a smaller screen on the pixel 2 but am loving the phone so far. If money is no object, definitely get this, unless you need a bigger screen, in which case I’d be tempted to get the 5t

Reply

Almeuit
12-11-2017 03:01 PM

“

I would say if you aren’t too concerned on cash then Pixel 2 for sure. If you’re trying to get a good mid-ranger without spending a dollar more then needed I would say the OP5T.

Reply

Now, we’d like to hear from you – Would you get the Pixel 2 or OnePlus 5T?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
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• Join our Pixel 2 forums

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What’s in Tom Westrick’s bag, December 2017

Here’s what I bring with me on an everyday basis.

I may not be a jet-setting tech journalist like other writers on this site, but I do plenty of local traveling. My day job involves me fixing computers at about 20 offices in central Indiana, so I like to carry some gear for the road. My exact loadout varies by the day, depending on what exactly I’m doing and what parts I need to pack, but here are the devices I constantly carry with me.

The bag: Timbuk2 Uptown Laptop Backpack

Truth be told, I typically don’t care much about what I carry my gear around in. As long as everything is decently protected and organized, it’s good with me. I bought this bag near the beginning of 2017 when I was looking for something that would be slim and light when I wasn’t carrying much gear but could expand if need be. This bag is great when I’m just carrying the basics, but also works well when I’m hauling equipment.

Laptops sit in a compartment against the wearer’s back, providing maximum protection against hits or thieves. This is where my Pixelbook lives, while my work laptops get put into the large main compartment. The main compartment also holds multiple days’ worth of clothes and a toiletry kit.

See at Amazon

The phone: Pixel 2 XL

A while ago, I wrote that when I first saw this year’s Pixel phones, I didn’t give them much thought since my OnePlus 3T was working so well. One day I was stumbling through Best Buy, played with a Pixel 2 XL, and liked it a lot. I’m apparently a complete monster because I liked the default display tuning and I haven’t had any of the quality issues that have shown up for this device. It’s just a pleasant, stable device. My favorite feature so far is definitely the camera, and I’m curious how much that will improve going forward. I use a Spigen case when I’m at the gym, but otherwise don’t bother.

More: Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL review: The new standard for Android

The watch: Pebble 2

I’ll say upfront that I bought this knowing the platform is well and truly dead. I used a Pebble Steel for about a year and a half, then moved to the Vector Watch. After four or five warranty replacements, I ended up selling my last good Vector Watch after Fitbit bought both Pebble and Vector last year. I was perfectly fine without a smartwatch until buying a refurbished Pebble Classic for cheap in September 2017, where I fell back in love with its operating system.

After trying other smartwatches, I bought the Pebble 2 last week for the smaller design and smart alarms, in addition to my favorite wearable OS. I’ll be curled up in a ball and crying when this thing finally dies.

See at Amazon

The laptop: Google Pixelbook

I don’t often use my Pixelbook during the day, but it’s great to have handy in case I get a few minutes to read a book or work on an article. I can do (almost) everything I need to for my day job on this machine as well, and I’ve had to do that on occasion when my work laptop is updating or doing other things. I’ve gushed enough about the Pixelbook in my review, so I won’t repeat myself here.

See at Amazon

The work laptop: Dell Latitude 3340

While I can do everything I need to from my Pixelbook, I prefer to have a separate laptop for my day job to keep my professional life and personal life as separate as possible. I have access to a few different Windows laptops, but this one is one of the first I imaged and set up. Also, the power, video, and Ethernet ports are all on the left side, making my desk setup much cleaner than if one of those ports lived on the right side. This laptop actually stays at my work desk overnight, only getting a spot in my back during the day. The laptop is a few years old, but performs perfectly fine except…

The mouse: Logitech MX Ergo Plus

The trackpad on the Latitude is downright awful. I reached for a mouse within a few minutes of using it and brought a mouse from home the next day. I purchased this trackball just recently, but I already love it and can’t imagine going back to another mouse or trackball. I’ve tried center trackballs before, but my preference is for the thumb-balls. Because this uses Logitech’s unifying receiver, my wireless keyboard at work can be paired to one receiver, saving me a USB port. A second computer can be paired with another unifying receiver or Bluetooth, so I take this back and forth between work and home. Whenever I go to one of our other offices, the MX Ergo comes with me because swearing at my laptop is public is generally frowned upon.

See at Best Buy

Headphones: Bowers and Wilkins PX

I love these headphones for two specific reasons: I can charge them with a USB-C cable, and they pipe in surrounding noise so I can hear my coworkers while listening to music. The battery life is great, the smart features work as advertised and above all these headphones sound fantastic. Again, I’ve already reviewed these headphones, so give that a read if you’re interested.

See at Amazon

Portable power: Pixelbook charger with Pixel 2 XL charging cable

I don’t bother carrying a portable battery right now since I can’t remember the last time I used one. All my devices have great battery life so I don’t give too much thought to charging them during the day. If I do, I use the Pixelbook charger since it can quickly charge my laptop, phone and headphones. My work laptop gets good enough battery life as well, so the charger for that typically stays at my desk at my main office. I use the charging cable that came bundled with my Pixel 2 XL since that’s shorter than the one that shipped with the Pixelbook, meaning less clutter.

Other odds and ends

Winter is coming, so I’ve started carrying around a small bottle of hand lotion to keep my hands from getting too dry. I also have a USB-C hub that has a USB-A port, HDMI out and passthrough USB-C charging port. I rarely carry any cash or coins, so I use the Big Skinny Money Clip since it’s slim and minimal. Finally, I still have a smartphone tripod with me for the few times I make it to the bar to sing at open mic so I can record my performance.

Big Skinny Men’s Leather Magnetic Money Clip at Amazon

What say you?

As CES draws nearer and nearer, we’ll all be listing our everyday carry items and what we’ll use for the show itself. What do you bring with you on a day-to-day basis? Let us know down below!

Grab yourself an Acer Chromebook for as little as $170 today

These prices are good for one day only!

Amazon is running a huge deal on a variety of different tech gear, including sweet discounts on three different Acer Chromebooks. You can pick between a touchscreen and non-touchscreen version of the 11-inch model, or opt for the larger 14-inch aluminum Chromebook instead.

• Acer Chromebook 11 (Non-touch) – $169.99 (Was $229.99)
• Acer Chromebook 11 (Touch) – $199.99 (Was $279.99)
• Acer Chromebook 14 Aluminum – $249.99 (Was $299.99)

Chromebooks aren’t meant for those looking to do heavy photo and video editing, nor are they great to game on, but if you are looking for something to create documents, edit files, and casually browse the web, these are an excellent choice. Whether you are looking for a gift for someone else, or want to treat yourself, be sure to check out everything available in Amazon’s giant tech sale before the prices jump back up tomorrow!

See at Amazon

All carriers will support NFL streaming in 2018

Verizon’s exclusive rights are coming to an end.

If you’ve ever wanted to stream an NFL game on your phone, you’ll know that this is a feature that’s been limited exclusively to Verizon Wireless customers. This is a service that Verizon’s held for quite some time now, but starting next year with the 2018 playoffs in January, you’ll be able to stream NFL games on your smartphone no matter which carrier you rely on.

Verizon made this announcement via its official blog on December 11, and starting with the playoffs next month, anyone can tune into their favorite game by using the NFL Mobile, Yahoo Sports, or go90 apps. In addition to streaming the games themselves, Verizon also says that fans will be able to access NFL highlights, related coverage during the entire year, and “a robust set of jointly-developed original content.”

Verizon says it’ll remain a sponsor of the NFL despite this change, and its customers that are part of its Verizon Up program will continue to receive “unique experiences” during games like the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, and NFL Draft.

The partnership between Verizon and the NFL has been ongoing since 2010, so it’s both exciting and surprising to get an announcement like this.

Per NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell:

Our expanded partnership with Verizon is great for our fans. Starting with the upcoming playoffs and for seasons to come, live NFL action directly on your mobile device – regardless of carrier – will give millions of fans additional ways to follow their favorite sport.

Best MVNOs that use Verizon’s network

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is an RPG coming to Android in 2018

The full Hogwarts experience you’ve been waiting for.

If you’re a fan of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, 2018 is already shaping up to be a pretty incredible year. Not only is there another Fantastic Beasts movie coming out, but Jam City has just announced that its latest mobile game is Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is an RPG title that will allow players to create their own witch or wizard and explore Hogwarts the way they want to. You’ll be able to take classes, compete in spell duels, explore the school, and even interact with iconic characters like Dumbledore and Hagrid.

Jam City says Hogwarts Mystery will be a story-focused game, and although exact gameplay details have yet to be announced, the little information we do know already has us quite excited for its release.

A screenshot of Hogwarts’ library from the game.

Previous games Jam City has developed include Cookie Jam, Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff, Futurama Worlds of Tomorrow, and Marvel Avengers Academy. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is shaping up to be Jam City’s biggest title yet, and it’ll be the first one released under Portkey Games – an entirely new label that’s focused on releasing games that are part of the Wizarding World.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is currently scheduled for a release in the spring of 2018 for Android and iOS.

Pokémon Go developer announces Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

Best streaming video apps for Huawei MediaPad

With these apps, you will never run out of things to watch.

There are a ton of apps out there for watching videos on your tablet, but not all of them are great. Some don’t look nice on larger screens, while others take advantage of the larger space to give you lots of options. It’s not always obvious which is which though, so we’ve assembled this handy guide.

With your Huawei MediaPad in hand, check out these apps for maximum fun!

Movies Anywhere

While you certainly can buy all your digital movies from one place, not everyone does. Sometimes that DVD you picked up comes with a Vudu code, which can be weird if you’ve never felt the urge to use that service before. Movies Anywhere gives you a way to bring together a ton of movies from all of the different purchase and code apps into a single place. It’s also a really nice app, which is cool.

Movies Anywhere will pull movies from Google Play, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, and others into a single place. It will show you when new movies are available to purchase, so if you’re moving from an iPad or a Kindle Fire you are still able to buy movies from those sources if you prefer.

Download: Movies Anywhere (free, in-app purchases)

Netflix

If you’ve never had a Netflix account before, or you let it lapse because you couldn’t find anything you wanted to watch, now is the time to check it out. Netflix has spent a ton of money on new shows that can only be seen on Netflix, and almost all of them are examples of some of the best television you can watch today. On top of that, the app is built for tablets so you can quickly find things you want to watch and add them to your queue.

You still need to pay a monthly subscription to use Netflix, but if you’re looking for a lot of amazing things to watch and would prefer to not pay for each individual episode of movie this is still the best option out there.

Download: Netflix (free, subscription)

YouTube TV

Everyone knows about YouTube, and you’ve already got that app on your tablet, but are you familiar with YouTube TV? This app gives you access to live streaming television just like you would have if you were at home in front of the TV. You can set a Cloud DVR to record shows for you and watch them anywhere, or wait until you have a WiFi connection and enjoy something live.

YouTube TV isn’t available everywhere just yet, but for those with access to it you are opening a door to all the TV you can watch for a very low monthly fee.

Download: YouTube TV (free, subscription)

HBO Now

It took HBO long enough to make it possible for people to pay for its service without having a big cable package, but now that its here you really should take advantage of it. HBO Now gives you access to the full HBO library, which includes shows as soon as they finish airing on television and a massive selection of great movies.

There’s nothing live here, but it’s the closest thing you’ll get without paying for HBO through a cable provider.

Download: HBO Now (free)

Hulu

The original streaming Video On Demand app is still one of the best ways to watch TV from your tablet. Hulu is built to take in what you watch and recommend tons of new things you might never have discovered before, and the app itself is easily one of the nicest looking tablet experiences you can get today.

Outside of watching TV live, Hulu remains one of the best ways to catch your favorite shows when you’re not in the living room.

Download: Hulu (free)

What are some of your favorite video streaming apps? Sound off in the comments!

Android Oreo now on 0.5% of devices, Marshmallow still largest at 29.7%

Here’s the state of Android in December 2017.

Google recently released the latest Android Distribution numbers, and this is the last one we’ll get for 2017. A lot of what we’re seeing this time around is more of the same, but one area that might look disheartening is Android Oreo’s current adoption.

At this time, Oreo 8.0 (not even counting 8.1 that was recently released to Nexus and Pixel devices) only makes up 0.5% of all Android gadgets. That number was 0.2% back in October, so there’s only been a 0.3% increase over the past two months. We should hopefully see that number increase in January as more and more OEMs are continually releasing either public or beta versions of Oreo for their hardware, but that’s something for which we’ll just have to wait and see.

As for the rest of Android, Marshmallow is still found on most devices with a distribution of 29.7%, with Lollipop behind it at 26.3%.

Nougat falls into third place at 23.3%, and this is up quite a bit from October’s results of 17.8%.

Google’s Project Treble should theoretically allow us to see larger adoption rates of new Android versions much faster than before throughout next year, so it’ll be interesting to see what sort of impact (if any) that has on distribution numbers going into 2018.

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
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• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion