IBM pushes quantum computing envelope: Big Blue has fired the latest salvo in the competitive war between itself and the likes of Google and Microsoft over quantum computing, announcing it has created a working prototype of a 50 quibit processor.
Cassically-designed computers are binary in structure, storing bits as either a one or a zero. But quantum systems take advantage of the behavior of subatomic particles, which can hold multiple states. This phenomena, which is known as superposition, stands to give quantum systems vast amounts of processing power as they are developed and reach viability at scale. Qubits are the quantum counterpart of traditional bits.
The near term goal among IBM and its rivals is achieving "quantum supremacy," wherein a quantum computer can finish a task faster than any conventional computer. Google has characterized 50 qubits as the bar for quantum supremacy.
POV: While the 50 qubit system remains a lab creation, IBM will provide cloud-based access to Q quantum computers with 20 qubits of power by the end of this year. Early quantum computers such as these remain highly unstable. IBM says its initial Q systems will have a "coherence" rating—the time available to run quantum computations—of 90 microseconds, although IBM characterizes this result as leading the field.
While IBM and others have signaled that commercial quantum computing systems are on the horizon, for now IBM's goal is to create a critical mass of research and academic interest around its activities. Some 60,000 users have conducted nearly 2 million experiments on IBM"s cloud-based quantum computing service, representing nearly two thousand universities, high schools and other institutions, according to a statement.
Desktop Metal hatches heavy 3-D printing plans: A Boston-area startup that has raised more than $200 million for its metal 3-D printing systems is now taking international pre-orders for its Studio System prototyping machine. BMW Group will be the first international company to get one of the systems, according to Desktop Metal's announcement. Interest among U.S. companies for Studio Systems has been strong as well.
But the real—albeit yet unproven—breakthrough for Desktop Metal is set to come in mid-2018, with the release of the Production version of its system. The systems, which use an inkjet printer's approach to creating complex metal parts, will be 100 times faster and 20 times cheaper than laser-based 3-D metal printing systems, according to the company. Desktop Metal Production is geared toward manufacturing at scale, with advantages that other methods can't match.
The systems' sweet spots are smaller batches of complicated parts, that can be designed and printed through software, with no special casts or tooling required. Moreover, the parts can be made in non-factory settings, reducing overhead. Another advantage, as noted in the Register: Since the parts would be software-driven, the files could be sent electronically to local machines, which on paper would avoid import tariffs associated with bringing goods across borders.
POV: Desktop Metal's inkjet-style approach is not unique, nor its its use of metal in the printing process. Still, the startup has attracted investments from the likes of Google and BMW, and is said to have a rich patent portfolio backing up its commercial ambitions. The challenge now is to deliver Production systems that live up to the speed and cost Desktop Metal is touting.
Macy's places new bets on tech for turnaround: Department store chain Macy's reported third-quarter results this week that saw profits beat estimates but revenue fall 6.1 percent to $5.28 billion. Those numbers reflect continued difficulty in the brick-and-mortar side of the business, but also more success in shifting sales online. Macy's recently brought on a new president, Hal Lawton, who has experience at eBay and Home Depot.
Lawton's unique background and experience working with technology is something Macy's is banking on big-time as it plots a defensive and offense strategy against not only rivals such as Kohl's but especially Amazon, which has made a series of strategic moves, such as the acquisition of Whole Foods Market, to build out its brick-and-mortar presence.
Macy's has experienced 33 quarters of double-digit growth in online sales, but still has work to do on some fundamentals, CEO Jeff Gennette said during a conference call:
So some of the things that we're focused on with respect to technology, is really making sure that our ongoing site optimization is just really strong, and we learn every day. We do a good job here, but we have lots of opportunities to improve on this. We're looking at mobile and tablet app responsiveness and making sure that we get the conversion rates there where we want them.
One challenge retailers like Macy's face from Amazon is the latter's sheer scope of inventory and product availability. Macy's is looking to expand its direct-ship-from-vendor operations as a way to combat that, Gennette said. In addition, Macy's plans to leverage machine learning for personalized shopping experiences, he said. The latter is hardly a pace-setting move, so it remains to be seen how well Macy's executes.
Macy's is also hoping to lure new customers, particuarly so-called Generation Z members, to the fold. Gennette gave a broad outline of the chain's plans here:
And then lastly, to the previous question about on-boarding of new customers and the idea about the Gen Z customer and using user-generated content, being in the social space, using our teams in a more relevant way to market in a more authentic way is all part of what's on our kind of technology playbook.
POV: Macy's recently overhauled its customer loyalty program, and while officials reported that initial feedback has been positive, statistical results weren't made available. Overall, the U.S. brick-and-mortar retail sector remains a boxer in late rounds, leaning on the ropes, with forecasts for 2018 not looking especially positive. Macy's is one chain talking a good game about innovation and transformation; as the busy holiday shopping season gets underway, the contest is already in crunch time.