Anybody here familiar with quantum computing?

The current issue of Scientific American has a short article advising that quantum mechanics and quantum computing be taught in K-12. They say that Ohio has added quantum computing to their K-12 curriculum.

The only explanation they give of quantum computers is that they have qubits in place of bits, and the qubits can be one and zero at the same time and interact with one another via probabilistic rules. At first glance, this does not seem very useful.

What I would like to know is, what can a quantum computer do more quickly than a regular computer, and what is an example of a quantum computer statement that can be used to get the job done?