According to the recent research conducted by University of Surrey complex computer encryption codes could be solved and new drug design could be
developed significantly faster.

If the inferences of this survey are to be believed, the concept of workable quantum computer might just come true. Renouncing the findings of earlier research, this research proved the possibility of making these computers in silicon rather than a vacuum.

Being much faster than the ordinary computers, Quantum computers are said to have the potential of fixing problems that might take millions of years to solve normally. Quantum computers work when atoms are allowed to move in an undisturbed oscillating wave motion, within a fixed space. The waves thus generated can carry much more information than an average computer bit and hence making the computer programmes needed to crack a code more powerful and
faster.
Previous research in this area was successful to the extent of providing some basis for quantum computer by using atoms suspended in vacuum. However it has not been possible to make enough for a whole computer as scientists can only hold a limited number of atoms in place for a short period of time. Using atoms trapped in a silicon crystal, the research team, which also involved scientists from University College London and Heriot-Watt University, showed that the quantum waves oscillate long enough for a computer operation, and now hope to produce a higher number of computer bits.

The researchers used the ‘free electron laser’ FELIX in the Netherlands to carry out the work which has been published in Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences of the USA.

Navtej Kohli has a good news for Windows XP users…

Microsoft has recently announced that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) has been released to manufacturing and is available to OEMs and enterprise
customers.

In the meantime, downloads of XP SP3 will begin next Tuesday on April 29. Chris Keroack, release manager for XP SP3 in the Windows Serviceability group, confirmed the news on the SP3 forum on Microsoft’s TechNet site.

The predictions last week were made by Windows community site Neowin, which claimed to have gotten hold of a genuine copy of SP3’s schedule.

That document proved to be dead-on for both April 21, the RTM date, and April 29, the date that Keroack has confirmed Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center would begin offering SP3 for download.

One date remains in question, however. Keroack’s statement points to XP SP3’s release to home users via Automatic Updates in “early summer” — technically June 21 or later — while Neowin has said its document has the date pegged at June 10.

Many users — particularly those with older systems that they don’t feel compelled to upgrade or replace — have been waiting impatiently for SP3 as it wound its way through the development and testing process.

In fact, continued demand for XP was behind Microsoft’s decision in September to extend its commercial availability by five months until June 2008.

Like most service packs, SP3 provides a convenient vehicle to roll up all of the bug patches delivered since the last service pack, XP SP2, which shipped in August 2004.

It also adds one important new feature. SP3 provides support for Network Access Protection — a technology for quarantining untrusted PCs from the network. The technology also comes in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista.

Navtej Kohli blog brings another scoop from the IT world.

According to certain reports RIM is planning to launch a phone named Thunder. This device would be an answer to iPhone.

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. plans to launch a touch-screen version of the wireless e-mail device in the third quarter as an answer to Apple Inc’s iPhone.

The device, known as the Thunder, is to be sold exclusively through Verizon Wireless in the US and Vodafone PLC abroad, the Journal reported on its Web site, citing people familiar with the matter.

RIM declined to comment on the report, stating that it does not comment on rumors and speculation. Earlier this week, rumored
details of a touch-screen BlackBerry surfaced on the Internet.

In February, RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie said the company may bring out a touch-screen device if customers want it.

This week, Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM announced its BlackBerry Bold, a sleek smartphone with a keyboard aimed at its core base of business
users.

Introducing a touch-screen BlackBerry would put RIM in more direct competition with Apple’s popular iPhone.

In the past, Balsillie has dismissed concerns that the iPhone could pose a serious competitive threat.

A touch-screen BlackBerry would also build on RIM’s continuing push into the broader retail market as it seeks to diversify its client base
beyond the executives, lawyers and other professionals who have been its mainstay.