If we can say something with confidence about the technological progress of recent years, covering even more than a decade, is that the miniaturization of components and devices is reaching its highest (or microscopic, as you will see).
Obviously, it is the minimum, that the components to be a functional computer are located in the smallest possible area and no ports and connections for peripherals (and power now speak). But it's surprising that we're reaching these extremes, having to use a magnifying lens to see it well and making a Raspberry Pi look like a giant.
Small, but bully and apt for bitcoins and artificial intelligence
From their existence we know from Mashable, that they have anticipated the presentation event of this microcomputer, which will be released taking advantage of the IBM Think 2018 (a monograph of the company that opens today March 19). The company compares what is still a prototype directly with a grain of salt, which is also seen in the photographs.
Here we can not talk about computers with the latest processor or enough RAM to support any use. In fact, it is the opposite: as they explain, the computer includes "several centers of transistors" and has the power of a chip to x86 of 1990.
With that power and that size, what can you do then? For the time being from the company say they will " monitor, analyze, communicate and even act on the data ", so we will have to wait for a little more explanations in this regard or directly show us with some demo at the event or later.
Of course, even if we talk about something so little powerful does not mean you can not do tasks as current as those related to bitcoins or artificial intelligence. The microcomputer is valid for blockchain or for the detection of frauds, and it gives to perform tasks with AI in relation to data processing (without having given more details about this).
The technological race so microscopic
In 2015 they were already breastfed with this, specifically with the smallest components of the moment (7 nanometers) going back to surpass that of last year (5 nanometers).
In fact, as we said at the beginning, miniaturization is reaching quite interesting and surprising levels, and even talking about a computer as a grain of salt is something "big" considering this new engineering of the construction of nanomachines. Here we have already seen numerous examples, such as all those that serve to transport molecules including nano-trucks, micromotors or even nano-car races.
In addition to the versatility that can be given or the advantages of the small space they occupy, another positive aspect of the miniaturized components can be the cost. And in this case, there is talk that manufacturing the microcomputer does not reach even two cents of a dollar. What we do not know yet is the launch date, given that as we said before it is a prototype that is still in the testing phase.