Epson won’t make a consumer 3D printer, but promises big, industrial ones within five years
Epson’s presence at CES 2014 this year focused on its surprising push into wearables. But the company name remains almost a synonym for printers — the two-dimensional ones at least. There are plenty that reckon the likes of Epson, HP .etc will soon weigh in with their multinational clout on the 3D printer market, slashing the average price with everyman models, but Epson won’t be doing that. President Minoru Usui told us that probably wasn’t going to be the case, at least for them. “We are developing our own printers, but our aim is to change everything. When it comes to 3D printing… we want our machines to make anything.”
Breaking it down into three issues he saw with 3D printing as it stands, he said that printing materials were not at a high enough standard, that the precision was simply not there for what the company would like to be creating and productivity was simply not efficient enough. We’ve had some experiences that mirror these criticisms. But wouldn’t a printing giant like Epson entering the 3D printing arena make it more of a realistic proposition? Mr. Usui responded by describing how the company claimed a lion’s share of the photo printing years earlier, citing better print quality and hardware. “Not many people need to print a plastic figure.”
“Not many people need to print a plastic figure.”
That said, Epson is working hard developing its 3D printing tech, but fixing that list of problems is going to take time — especially when it comes to materials. Usui wants the company to be able to print “anything” and reckons that could take around five years from now. And anything really means anything: the president mused on printing cars, which would make that eventual manufacturing hardware a fair bit bigger than a Cube 3. The results need to be as precise as current (c’mon, more boring) moulding production, where templates are measured in microns: that’s where Epson needs 3D printing to reach.
Filed under: Misc, Peripherals
These Cookoo analog smartwatches take a minimalistic approach to viewing notifications
Looking for a nice-looking smartwatch but not interested in having the kitchen sink? Cookoo’s new set of analog timepieces are about as minimalistic as you can get without removing the “smart” element entirely. The Cognito lineup consists of two models, and although there really isn’t much difference between the two, the more expensive one is the more elegant option. The watches promise to be extensions of the phone, rather than replacements, and each features a series of LED icons that light up when you have a notification waiting for you on your handset. The company believes this is the ideal use for a smartwatch, since many people don’t care to interact with the notifications that start buzzing on their wrists.
The higher-end Cognito differs from its counterpart by offering Caller ID and giving you the option to mute incoming calls, as well as the ability to tap the watch to light it up so you can see your alerts. Cookoo reps boasted that both watches will easily last up to a year before you need to replace the battery, a remarkable length of time that’s likely the result of Bluetooth 4.0+LE support. The watches are compatible with iOS 7 and Android 4.3+, and watch (pun not intended but welcome) for the Cognito Pop to come out near the end of next month for $129, and the Cognito original mid-March for $179.
Joseph Volpe contributed to this post.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Wireless, Mobile
Macintosh 30th Anniversary Celebration Event Planned for January 25 [Mac Blog]
The original Macintosh Development Team, along with the Computer History Museum, is leading a special event at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California on January 25 to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the introduction of the Macintosh. The Flint Center is the since renovated auditorium where Steve Jobs first introduced the Mac.
In a series of panel discussions, members of the original team will share memories about the conception, birth and coming of age of the Apple Macintosh. Previously unreleased video will recreate those early days. And Ridley Scott will participate regarding the iconic “1984″ commercial conceived by Steve Hayden, Brent Thomas and Lee Clow. Stage events, testimonials and surprise guests will offer a treasure trove of recollections about the era.
In some of the evening’s highlights, Mike Markkula will be part of a presentation acknowledging the unsung heroes of the computer revolution—the original Mac team. Currently there are 7 of the 10 single digit original Apple Employees confirmed and over 17 double digit badge numbers.
The team behind the event, led by Daniel Kottke, is asking for images and anecdotes from early Macintosh developers to feature at the show. More details can be found on the 30th Anniversary Celebration website.
Tickets are available via Ticketmaster starting at $109.75 each. All proceeds after expenses will be donated to charity.
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‘7 Minute Workout Challenge’ Available for free From Apple Store App [iOS Blog]
Apple today updated its Apple Store app in the U.S., replacing the previously available Holiday Playlist with a new free app, the 7 Minute Workout Challenge. Seven minute workouts gained popularity in 2013 as a quick way to complete a rigorous workout, and 7 Minute Workout Challenge is one of the more popular fitness apps in the category, with a 4.5 star rating and a $1.99 price tag.
The app includes a random selection of 12 different exercises that are each performed for 30 seconds with 10 second rest intervals in between. According to research, this seven minute workout is the equivalent of working out for more than an hour and it requires no specialized equipment.
There are both male and female trainers that guide app users through exercises using video, audio, images, and text. There’s also an included weight tracker and activity calendar to keep track of fitness levels, and the app includes achievements to motivate its users.
To get a free copy of 7 Minute Workout Challenge, iPhone owners will need to download the Apple Store app and click on the “Jump into the new year” section. This will take users to the iTunes Store, automatically inputting a code for the app download.
7 Minute Workout Challenge will be available until February 20, 2014, before being replaced with a new offering. The free app is limited to the iPhone version of the Apple Store app and is not available in the iPad version.
The Apple Store app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
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‘Super Stickman Golf 2’ Available for Free for a Limited Time [iOS Blog]
Noodlecake’s popular game Super Stickman Golf 2 is currently available for free for the first time since its March 2013 release.
Super Stickman Golf 2, which is normally priced at $2.99, is a golf-based physics puzzler where players navigate through wacky mini golf courses aiming to land their ball in the hole in as few swings as possible.
The game includes 30 different golf courses, a range of customizable characters, and multiple achievements to earn. It also offers two different multiplayer modes, including turn-based and race mode. Our sister site Touch Arcade reviewed Super Stickman Golf 2 when it was first released and called it both “awesome” and a “fun and compelling puzzler.”
Super Stickman Golf 2 is at its best once you’ve unlocked a few different ball types and set foot in the more challenging courses. You might need to smack an ice ball against the wall to send it arcing over your avatar and sailing into the pond below, which freezes over, setting up your next shot. On another occasion, you could use the sticky ball to pull a Spider-Man and take your next shot hanging from a wall or ceiling, or use the magnets adorning the walls to repel your ball straight to the hole. Pursuing and finally capturing elusive hole-in-ones is addictive, and you’ll often find yourself playing courses over and over to knock a single point off your total score.
Super Stickman Golf 2 can be downloaded from the App Store at no cost for a limited time. [Direct Link]
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Half of iPhone 6 Orders Expected to Go to Pegatron
Apple supplier Pegatron is expected to win a contract that will see it manufacturing half of Apple’s iPhone 6 supplies, according to a report from Taiwan’s Liberty Times [Google Translate] as shared by AFP. Currently, Pegatron is responsible for assembling Apple’s iPad mini and iPhone 5c while main Apple supplier Foxconn manages iPhone 5s assembly.
The report does not specify which supplier will take care of the other half of iPhone 6 orders, but it is likely that responsibility will fall to Foxconn. It is also unclear how manufacturing of the iPhone 6 will be split, as it is not yet known if Apple will continue on with its bifurcated product lineup that currently includes both the flagship iPhone 5s and the mid-range iPhone 5c.
Rumors have suggested that Apple could produce two versions of the iPhone 6 in two different sizes ranging from 4.7 to 5.7 inches and likely at two different price points, keeping with its new two-phone lineup.
Left to right: iPhone 5, Galaxy S III, “5-inch iPhone Plus”, Galaxy Note II (Source: Marco Arment)
While Pegatron has long been a manufacturing partner for Apple, the Cupertino-based company shifted iPhone 5c production to Pegatron in 2013 in order to improve supply chain risk management, allowing Apple to expand its product lines and prevent potential supply chain disasters. Pegatron will reportedly build a new plant in Kunshan, China to keep up with demand.
In order to meet the demand, Pegatron has started building a new plant at Kunshan, a satellite city near Shanghai where all its iPhones are assembled, the Liberty Times said without identifying its source.
The paper said the Kunshan plant is scheduled to become operational in the middle of the year and start mass production late this year, when Apple is expected to roll out its iPhone 6.
Along with a larger screen up to 5.7 inches, Apple’s iPhone 6 is also rumored to include a curved display and a faster and more efficient A8 chip. A report from this morning also suggested that the phone will continue to use an 8-megapixel camera sensor. Though it is not known when Apple will release the next-generation iPhone, fall of 2014 is a likely candidate given Apple’s past device release history.
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The Who What and Where to Smartphone Tethering
Tethering turns your smartphone into a mobile Internet connection for other devices, such as your laptop or tablet. Some wireless service providers include the cost of tethering within a cell phone plan, while others, such as T-Mobile, offer it as an add-on service with different tiers depending on your needs.
With it’s ever-growing popularity, tethering is becoming as integral to our smartphones as texting. Tethering trends however, may be shifting after a recent FCC settlement against Verizon. Verizon is paying $1.25 million in the settlement, and as a result, will no longer be charging customers for smartphone tethering. In addition, Verizon is no longer able to block tethering apps that got around Verizon’s tethering restrictions. This ruling may encourage other carriers to take a look at the way they handle their tethering services, whether they roll the cost of tethering within the monthly plan or offer it as add-ons.
Tethering in the Business World
An increasingly connected world with significant 3G and 4G data coverage allows workers to go to job sites, research centers, and field locations without losing touch with the main office. However, smartphones aren’t always the best or most secure devices to use for work purposes. Tethering access allows a worker to fire up their Lenovo laptop or Android tablet and access vital work resources, participate in video conferencing, and upload work to the server back at home base. When wireless service providers actively block tethering apps, such as Verizon did, or charge additional prices for tethering, it adds additional pressure on businesses with a high number of mobile workers.
Third party apps such as FoxFi, which provides Wi-Fi tethering and also works with another tethering app called PDANet, has seen over 1 million installations according to the Google Play store. There’s an apparent demand for tethering whether the wireless service provider offers it, or the customer needs to get it through a third-party app. It’s unlikely that another wireless carrier will prevent tethering app installation after the Verizon case, but it’s likely that multiple tethering data tiers will become commonplace. This gives the customer a la carte data options so it’s adjusted as needed.
Tethering in Personal Life
Tethering offers a number of benefits for your personal life as well, especially if you do a lot of travel or live in a location with bad Internet options, a great deal of wireless interference, or other problems with a standard Internet connection. When you use Wi-Fi tethering on your smartphone, your laptops see it as a typical network to connect to. You don’t have to worry about whether the hotel Wi-Fi is good or secure, and you can always bring your phone right by your laptop if the connection seems weak at first. 4G LTE speeds are comparable to basic home broadband speeds, so unless you’re on a turbo charged connection or have the pleasure of Google Fiber connections, it’s servicable for streaming, Internet browsing, social network checking, and other standard Internet uses.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis
We were calling CES 2013 the year of 3D printing. It’s pretty clear this year, however, that the 3D printing explosion hadn’t even began. The number of companies representing the technology has increased by enough to justify a standalone 3D printing area, and as usual MakerBot is helping to lead the charge.
Filed under: Peripherals
Nokia’s Lumia Black update starts rolling out worldwide (video)
Nokia knows how to start a new year properly — it gave Americans a first shot at the Lumia Black update as 2013 came to a close, and it’s starting 2014 by rolling out the software to Lumia owners around the world. The Windows Phone 8 upgrade is reaching the Lumia 925 and 1020 first; other devices should get it in the weeks ahead. The fresh software brings common features like app folders, Bluetooth 4.0 LE support, an updated Glance screen and the unified Nokia Camera app. Some improvements depend on beefier hardware, however. You’ll need at least 1GB of RAM to use Beamer transfers or Refocus image processing, and only 1020 owners can shoot RAW photos. Whatever device you’re using, you’ll want to hit that Phone Update option in the near future — you may be in for a pleasant surprise.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia
Source: Nokia Conversations
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: Orbotix
Like cool vehicles you can control from your smartphone? Boy have we got the company for you. Orbotix celebrated CES 2014 with the release of a new kind of Sphero. The 2B has two treads, moves fast and is available at a lower price point than its older sibling. We’ll be speaking with the company’s co-founders.
Filed under: Peripherals
AIVAnet 