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Microsoft, Alphabet help you learn quantum computer programming
The very concept of a quantum computer can be daunting, let alone programming it, but Microsoft thinks it can offer a helping hand. It and Alphabet's X are partnering with Brilliant on an online curriculum for quantum computing. The course starts with basic concepts and gradually introduces you to Microsoft's Q# language, teaching you how to write 'simple' quantum algorithms before moving on to truly complicated scenarios. You can handle everything on the web (including quantum circuit puzzles), and there's a simulator to verify that you're on the right track.
Brilliant smart home hub now supports Apple HomeKit
Brilliant, a smart home hub that plugs into existing light-switch ports, already works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Nest, Philips Hue, August smart locks and a whole bunch of other home accessories. Now, it's adding Apple HomeKit-enabled devices to the things you can control using its touchscreen panel. The integration also allows you to control lights connected to the hub by voice using Siri on iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, HomePods and Macs. You can also control those lights using the Apple Home app.
You can now buy Brilliant's light switch smart home hubs
Brilliant debuted its smart home control system at CES back in January, and now it's finally available to buy. Unlike other smart home products, Brilliant's works by plugging directly into your home's existing light switch ports, and from there controls a range of devices, including lights, music, Alexa, thermostats and video entry systems. Just connect your gear over WiFi, and use the device's touch screen or voice commands to do your thing. It also comes with Android and iOS apps for remote control, so you can manage your home when you're not in it.
Brilliant turns your light switches into connected-home hubs
Brilliant plugs directly into your home's existing light-switch ports, and it controls a slew of smart home devices, including lights, the Ring doorbell, Nest thermostat, Sonos speakers, Amazon Alexa and more. This is a control panel built for everyday folks, rather than businesses, and it has a price to match. A single Brilliant panel starts at $200 and maxes out at $350 for a four-switch set (that's $50 for each additional switch). The whole shebang will be available at the end of February.
HTC drops 'Quietly Brilliant' slogan, promises more aggressive marketing
With things getting just a little bit too quiet in HTC's finance department, the marketing folks across the corridor have come up with a solution: drop the old "Quietly Brilliant" tagline in favor of something bolder. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, HTC's new chief marketing officer, Ben Ho, said the company "hasn't been loud enough" in presenting its innovations. He didn't go as far as detailing a new motto, but after his recent remarks about the Galaxy S 4 we're expecting something punchy.
Cradle developed which turns the iPhone into a CPR device
Medical uses for the iPhone are nothing new – an app has even saved a man's life – but now Ivor Kovic, an emergency physician from Croatia, has developed a device which turns the iPhone into a physical tool. The device, which is only in the prototype stage now, allows for an iPhone or iPod touch to be inserted into a plastic cradle that assists an individual in performing Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR (also known as 'basic life support' in most of the world). The user would open the PocketCPR app (free) [iTunes link] and place the iPhone into the cradle. The cradle allows for greater leverage during CPR, thus reducing administrator fatigue, while also allowing unobstructed views of the the CPR app which is giving audio and visual commands to the user. Dr. Kovic says that his device isn't necessarily intended for non-medical professionals who might only have to perform CPR once in their lives. He sees its primary advantage in hospital settings where doctors perform CPR on a daily basis. Also, the device could be useful in schools and businesses as an inexpensive way to help people perform CPR correctly. You can find out more about the cradle at Dr. Kovic's blog. Death from sudden cardiac arrest is not inevitable. If more people knew CPR, more lives could be saved. To find a class in your area, in the US contact the American Heart Association. In the UK contact Bart's City Life Savers.
Shane Kim on Shadowrun's $10 PC to 360 price difference
Some men should be given a reward for giving eloquent and elongated responses to questions without ever really answering them. Take Shane Kim, for example. When asked by Newsweek's N'Gai Croal why Shadowrun on the Xbox 360 cost $10 more than the identical PC version, Microsoft Games Studios' corporate vice president could have simply said "because we can." (Remember, folks, before Gears of War, Microsoft was selling their first-party titles for the old standard of $49.99.)Nay, this wordsmith saw a canvas on which he could be poetic! "[These] price points are our standard pricing for each platform ... This pricing structure is not uncommon in the multiplayer-only first-person shooter genre, as numerous titles have seen success at this price point and gaming model." Do we have an answer as to how Microsoft can justify screwing console owners out of ten dollars? No. Have we witnessed a moment of linguistic triumph? Yes. Brilliant!
