It’s not quite quantum computing, but computing that intuits your needs without your intentional prompts and adjusts accordingly is serious business or will likely become serious business. From “The Coming Age of Magical Computing,” by Om Malik at Fast Company:

“This idea of anticipatory computing is going to be the next big change in our relationship with computers. And it’s coming more quickly than you realize.

Look around the App Store and there are powerful illustrations emerging. The iPad app MindMeld, made by the startup Expect Labs, listens in on your conference call and starts to display relevant information based on what you’re talking about. When I’m speaking, you might see basic facts about me from my Wikipedia page. When the conversation turns to the latest Audi S4, MindMeld displays car photos and even a map showing the location of the closest dealer. By following along and adding context where it can, MindMeld can make a call more fruitful.

Cover–a brand-new app cofounded by Todd Jackson, who worked on such early experiments in anticipatory computing as Gmail’s Priority Inbox and Facebook’s News Feed–is a simple-looking replacement for your Android smartphone lock screen. Its secret is that it adapts based on your location. If you are in the office (which it learns from your Wi-Fi network’s address and location), it shows work-related apps such as Salesforce. If you are at home, ESPN and Netflix populate the launcher. ‘I am a firm believer that we will no longer have to worry about things we currently spend time trying to make work for us,’ Jackson says.

‘We will no longer have to worry about things we currently spend time trying to make work for us,’ says Jackson, CEO of Cover.

With a trend this big, Google and Apple are also spending millions racing to this future.”