Adidas Futurecraft 3D shows the potential of 3D-printed shoes

3D printing is far from being a novel manufacturing technique, but it wasn’t until recently that we started seeing the benefits of it on a grander scale. Organs and prosthetics? Check. Clothing? Sure. 3D-printed footwear? Now we have those, too. Enter the Adidas Futurecraft 3D, a running shoe made partially with 3D-printed materials. Although the midsole is the only 3D-printed piece so far, the company’s prototype still gives us a glimpse at what shoes might look like in the near future.Slideshow-347054

The rest of the design consists of soft, white-colored Primeknit, a patented fabric Adidas also features in its flagship running sneaker, the Ultra Boost. However, the most interesting part about Futurecraft, which Adidas created in partnership with 3DSystems, isn’t how it was made. Instead, I would point to the possibilities it opens for a more personalized shoe.

With Futurecraft 3D, Adidas says it aims to make pairs based on each individual’s needs. That custom-made approach means the shoes would match your own footprint elements, including contour details and precise pressure points — which, in turn, could give you the ideal comfortable shoe. While companies such as Nike have also designed footwear with 3D-printed elements, it’s only implemented it in niche products like football cleats, whereas Futurecraft 3D is intended for every-day use.

Of course, it’s too early to tell if Adidas will turn its concept into a success, but at least it’s putting the idea out there for consumers. With that in mind, we managed to get our hands on an early prototype of Futurecraft 3D, and we wanted to give you a detailed look at it.

[TA Deals] Limefuel Blast 20000mAh Battery Pack just $36.99 for a limited time

You know what’s near and dear to our hearts? Long-lasting smartphones. There was a lot of lashing out with the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ when they launched only featuring 3,000mAh batteries. Why’s that? They don’t last long enough to get most of us through the day! And you can bet it certainly won’t make it through any extra activities after work. That’s why you need the Limefuel Blast 20,000mAh Battery Pack. It’ll always be with you, ready to charge your smartphone or tablet back to 100%.

Here’s what you get with the Limefuel Blast Battery Pack:

• Charges up to four devices simultaneously w/ quad output & 20000mAh battery
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• Preserves battery charge w/ auto shutoff
• Includes anti-overcharge protection+
• Designed w/ premium aluminum casing

Normally the Limefuel Blast Battery Pack retails for $50, but for a limited time only, Talk Android Deals is offering our readers a 26% off discount. That limited deal brings the price down to just $36.99 for the next seven days. When you purchase this battery pack, you will get free shipping with a guarantee that it’ll arrive right before Christmas as well.

One thing’s for sure: we can all use a battery pack in our lives. No more need to worry about your smartphone dying during a night out on the town right after work.

[Talk Android Deals]

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ISPs warn UK snooping law will cost time and lots of money

The Investigatory Powers Bill, aka the new Snoopers’ Charter, aims to clarify and extend the UK government’s surveillance capabilities. Of the proposed changes to existing legislation, one of the biggest is the requirement that all British ISPs store the last 12 months of browsing data so that it may be accessible to government agencies. The draft bill still needs the approval of the House of Commons and House of Lords to become law, so the finer details aren’t yet set in stone, but the UK’s major internet providers are already advising it’ll be a big ask. Speaking to the bill’s joint committee yesterday, execs from BT, Sky and Virgin Media warned the capture and storage of Internet Connection Records (ICRs) would be both costly, and could take several years to implement.

The bill in its current form would compel providers to store information on visited domains, but not individual webpages. While the ISPs are still seeking clarity on what exactly is being asked of them, the preliminary consensus is gathering this volume of data will be no mean feat. Because there’s been no historical need for monitoring traffic to this extent, the companies simply aren’t equipped to do so. Virgin Media’s Director of Operations Hugh Woolford told the joint committee he estimates the earliest such a system could be introduced across Virgin’s network would be sometime in 2018.

The level of investment in hardware and software needed to gather, process and store this kind of traffic data has been a common concern since the draft bill was first published. The UK Home Office has budgeted £174 million to help ISPs and communications services establish their collection systems, but President of BT Security Mark Hughes said his company alone would require tens of millions of that to get the ball rolling, not to mention recurring upkeep costs. It’s highly unlikely, then, that the Home Office’s piggy bank would be fat enough to fund every company expected to retain ICRs, though Hughes argues the government should be expected to pay for any new systems required by the bill in their entirety.

Privacy worries aside, the ISPs generally agree adhering to the Investigatory Powers Bill will be a “huge, huge undertaking,” as Woolford put it. How it’ll be funded is an important point to consider at this stage, too. Should it be necessary for providers to split the bill, there are fears it could lead to less investment by the companies in their core services, or worse, the financial shortfall could trickle down to consumers in the form of higher charges.

Via: Wired

Source: UK Parliament