Wednesday, May 28, 2014

drag2share: Hands-on with the PadFone X: ASUS' phone-tablet hybrid arrives in the US

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/28/asus-padfone-x-hands-on/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

If you're a special sort of person -- I don't know, like a tech writer-- the ASUS PadFone is old news. Since June 2012, Engadget has reviewed three versions of the phone, which comes with a tablet-like dock allowing you to transform it into a big-screen slate. For our American readers, though, it's always been a curiosity -- the sort of thing you could read about, but were unlikely to import all the way from Taiwan. Now you can finally see it for yourselves: AT&T announced earlier today that an American version, the PadFone X, will go on sale June 6th, priced at $199 on-contract. As it happens, I received a loaner unit today at a press event, which means Engadget will have a review up soon, probably closer to the on-sale date. For now, though, I'll regale you with some early impressions of both the 5-inch phone and the 9-inch dock. Come with me if you want to live.

I've only had a short time to play with the PadFone X, but so far, at least, it seems much more comfortable to use in its native handset form. The phone, which rocks a 5-inch screen (small by today's standards), is easy to hold. It's not the thinnest handset I've ever held, but it's light and in fact, I think that slight thickness might actually make it easier to grip. The 1080p display is sharp too, and the viewing angles are good enough that I was able to peek at some guy's email from off to the side, even with me sitting a couple feet away (apologies, dude).

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drag2share: Google's camera app now lets you shoot in different aspect ratios

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/28/google-camera-aspect-ratio-update/

Google Camera for Android

Google isn't done getting its Android camera app up to the standards set by third-party software -- not by a long shot. The company is now rolling out an update to Google Camera that lets you choose the aspect ratio for your photos, not just the resolution. If you prefer a movie-like widescreen look to all your pictures, you can crop the image to match. Fans of family portraits, meanwhile, will be glad to hear that the timer has returned; also, creative types can shoot panoramas with fisheye and wide-angle lens effects. The refresh isn't available on every supporting Android device just yet, but we'd give it a few days -- it should hopefully arrive in time for your next big photo safari.

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Via: Android (Google+), 9to5 Google

Source: Google Play

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drag2share: 3D Printing an Entire Chair Is Easy When It's One Big Puzzle

Source: http://gizmodo.com/3d-printing-an-entire-chair-is-easy-when-its-one-big-pu-1582783796

3D Printing an Entire Chair Is Easy When It's One Big Puzzle

We've been promised that 3D printers will eventually be able to replicate almost anything we want. But how do you go about creating larger objects when your printer's capacity is no larger than a toaster oven? The same way you can fit a Thomas Kinkade painting into a small cardboard box: You turn it into a puzzle.

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drag2share: The $250 MOD-t delivers simplicity and beauty in a 3D printer

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/28/new-matter-mod-t/

Affordable desktop 3D printing is imminent, and today another option began its crowdfunding campaign. The folks at New Matter are looking to simplify the process so that anyone can output the items they desire, and to do so they've built the MOD-t. Aside from the clear enclosure for easy viewing and dapper industrial design, the software component is where the ease of use really shines. The outfit worked alongside Frog to develop a user interface that allows for quick design downloads, applying tweaks like you would a photo filter, easily sharing with friends and beaming projects to the minimally-designed printer. "At the end of the day, we wanted to be a 3D printing experience that is meaningful to the way that you currently approach communicating with the people in your life. Create relationships, not just objects," says Frog designer Christine Todorovich.

If you're in need of a quick introduction, Frog has worked with GE, Microsoft, Nike and other Fortune 500 companies on the strategy and design for both products and software -- including Sharp's Feel UX for Android. The firm not only collaborated on the ecosystem and software for the MOD-t, it also helped tweak the overall design of the unit right down to the mechanics. Those came from New Matter's Steve Schell, who engineered the 2-axis motion tech to use a third less parts than other 3D printers with moving platforms. And fewer parts keeps the cost down. If you recall, the Mirco is a $300 option that also takes up less space at a workstation, but offers a bit smaller print size. New Matter and Frog are banking on the experience here, which allows for artists and designers to sell their 3D-printable wares through the same online repository -- similar to Makerbot's Thingverse, but with the added e-commerce. The MOD-t also features WiFi connectivity, which is a feature that has yet to become standard on these output gadgets. What's more, Frog is getting into the venture capital game, and this is the first effort from its Venture Design arm.

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Source: Indiegogo

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drag2share: How to Fight Fires With Decommissioned Jet Engines Strapped to a Tank

Source: http://gizmodo.com/how-to-fight-fires-with-decomissioned-jet-engines-strap-1577704679

How to Fight Fires With Decommissioned Jet Engines Strapped to a Tank

As the post-conflict cleanup from the first Iraq War demonstrated, oil well fires are nearly impossible to put out without taking extraordinary measures . Luckily, this extreme measure is both super effective and totally badass.

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