360 View
While looking for a new way to get our equipment in front of prospective customers, we’ve run a cross a great way to show off your wares. RotayView has come up with some very impressive ways of doing just that. Making the images interactive seems to make them far more engaging. I’d imagine you’ll be seeing more and more of this type of website in the future. Feel free to play with the A6436A image I’ve captured. It’s interactive.
Affordable 3D metal printing?
Back in 2013 we looked at the Solid Concepts gun that was 3D printed using the SLS process. That is very cool, but also a very expensive bit of kit. While it is not SLS, there is a new option that looks to bring 3D metal printing to a more affordable price point. The Mini Metal Maker extrudes a metallic clay while printing. After the print, the object is heated to temperatures between 600° and 900° C, causing the binding agent of the clay to melt away as the metal particles are sintered together. And it is going to do all this for around $2K.
The fly in the ointment, if there is one, is the resolution. In plastics, even the $349 PrintBot Simple can print at 100 microns, and the more expensive units get even finer. The Mini Metal Maker is still at 250 microns. That’s a big difference. For now. One would guess that fine detail will only improve as the process matures. You can read more about the Mini Metal Maker at their indiegogo campaign.
The future of 3D printing
We were talking about the future of 3D printing the other day and I was curious to know what the state of modeling tools for the novice is. I downloaded Sketchup and had a quick look around my desk. I found a processor cap and set about trying to recreate it in 3D. That’s the result of a rather quick run at it up above (click it to see the whole thing). It was surprisingly simple. A few peeks at the manual and a couple Google searches and I had a reasonable accurate representation.
Granted, not a lot of home users have a pressing need for processor caps, but it does illustrate that the software exists for the average user to make their own parts. Add in the continually expanding collections of downloadable models that are ready to be printed and you can see that this could be a very big deal. It will be exciting to watch what happens in the 3D space in the next few years as prices come down and the quality of the software continues to improve.
The scary bit of the internet of things
The internet of things does promise some great conveniences and technology in the future, but that doesn’t come without some worries. As mentioned in our earlier post, security is the thing. And here comes 60 Minutes and DARPA to illustrate that to great effect.
It seems that researchers at DARPA have demonstrated that by taking advantage of a weakness in the OnStar system, they can insert malicious code and gain control of a vehicle. The most frightening part of that is that they were able to take control of the accelerator and brakes. Think about that the next time you are driving.
You can read more about it at Jalopnik, and watch the 60 Minutes piece online.
We’re going to take Android away from Google
That is the big highlight quote from this article in the Wall Street Journal about Cyanogen. CEO Kirt McMaster said just that. Knowing only that, the logical response is, ‘Good luck with that!’ But is there actually reason to think this is a real possibility? Could Cyanogen actually compete with Google as more than a niche/hobbyist offering?
In a word, yes. It is still a bit of a longshot. Google is, after all, still Google. They have all the resources, and plenty of incentive, to keep the status quo. But that Wallstreet Journal article also contains another interesting bit of news. In a recent round of funding, one of the investors in Cyanogen is Microsoft. That certainly alters the perspective, doesn’t it?
What Cyanogen really needs in order to compete is to be the shipping OS on more phones. The average user is just not going to go through the hassle of replacing their Google version of Android with Cyanogen. Being able to point you your pal Microsoft can only help when those deals are being negotiated. They already have a few such deals. If this latest round of funding means the skids are greased a bit as they work out more and bigger deals, then what we are saying is, they’ve got a shot.
LEGO Shield Helicarrier
There have been tons of incredible LEGO sets in the past, but this latest, the Shield Helicarrier, still inspires awe and wonder. Of course, giant amazing sets don’t come cheap. According to Brickset, the Helicarrier will set you back a cool $349.99. What do you get for your $350? Here’s a breakdown from the LEGO press release.
Includes 5 minifigures: Nick Fury, Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye and Maria Hill, plus an iconic SHIELD eagle stand to display them on
Features 3 microscale Quinjets, 3 fighter jets, a gasoline truck, 2 forklift trucks, 2 runways, 4 road blockades, armored exterior with translucent elements, detailed interior, plus 12 microfigures (Nick Fury, Hawkeye, Captain America, Iron Man and 8 SHIELD agents)
Also includes a detailed runway
Weapons include Hawkeye’s bow, Black Widow’s gun and Captain America’s shield
SHIELD Agent Maria Hill minifigure is new for spring 2015!
Includes a plaque with facts about The SHIELD Helicarrier
Add lights and spinning rotors to the Helicarrier with the 88000, 8883 and 8870 LEGO® Power Functions sets (sold separately)
Rotors can also be turned manually
Includes a display stand
For even more detail, check out the video.
The Realities of The Internet Of Things
While the realization of the possibilities of the Internet Of Things is still years away, we are well on our way down the path. With every industry showcase or tech conference comes another batch of internet connected devices. As of this year, there are 25 billion connected devices. By 2020, it’s estimated that there will be 50 billion. Our technological future is, as ever, in a state of flux. From 30,000 feet, it’s exciting. Imagine all the wonderful things all of these devices are going to be able to do. The reality of it all is not all candy and nuts.
As with all things internet, the rubber meets the road with security. With the number of devices connected to the global network set to explode, those problems only get that much more complicated. The FTC has released a report, Privacy And Security In A Connected World, that is well worth a read for anyone interested in where our digital lives are headed.
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