IBM: Now at 50 Qubits and Beyond

[jamesd at echeque.com (James A. Donald)]

On 3/7/2017 8:08 AM, grarpamp wrote:
> https://arstechnica.co.uk/gadgets/2017/03/ibm-q-50-qubit-quantum-computer/
>
> IBM will build and sell commercial 50-qubit universal quantum
> computers, dubbed IBM Q, "in the next few years." No word on pricing
> just yet, but I wouldn't expect much change from $15 million

vaporware.

The technology is not there yet.  Building such a computer will require 
technological breakthroughs that cannot be foreseen or performed to order.

> but fortunately IBM also has news there: the company's quantum
> simulator can now simulate up to 20 qubits.


Similating 20 qubits requires O(2^20) storage and O(2^20) computation 
time on a classical computer.  I could simulate a 20 qubit computer on 
my desktop

Hell, I could simulate a 32 qubit computer on my desktop.  50 qubits, 
however ....  I would be impressed.