Tech lovers have already been 3D printing everything from ornaments to their own faces with small desktop 3D printers. But now the technology is even more accessible, as low-cost 3D scanners make their way to the market. MakerBot says it has a 3D scanner in the works, but Canadian company Matterform is beating them to the punch, already offering consumers the lightweight Photon 3D scanner at a price that’s cheaper than a tablet.
If you love Sharpies (as I do), but actually manage to hold onto them until they run out, rather than losing them at the rate of several a week (as I do), then you might benefit from the refillable, stainless steel Sharpie ($5.78), which would spare you the sad sensation you get when you drop your dead Sharpie into the trash.
There's only one time in my life that I actually used up a Sharpie: when I was signing the title-pages for something like 5,000 hardcovers of this graphic novel, and I had the curious sensation of uncapping a fresh Sharpie and signing until it ran dry -- it was something like using up an entire chapstick, a weird kind of accomplishment.
Over the past few days, we've seen the majority of the winners for the International Bicycle Design Competition (IBDC) 2013: the first 12, who won an invitation to a design workshop in Taiwan, and five more who won a bit of cash in addition to the invite. Without further ado, here are the judges' selections for the top five prizes: Each of the designs seen here were deemed worthy of a very respectable 100,000 TWD prize (about $3,350).
ubqo sixty60 | Mountainbike Frame Marco Giarrana - University of Design and Art, Basle, Switzerland
The ubqo sixty60 is a frame with strong, clean, independent lines that covers a wide range of uses. It eliminates the only real weak points of virtual pivot designs: it replaces two small linkages, which are exposed to extremely high loads, with large excenters, which can resist the loads much better and exhibit durability and stability. With its round-edged carbon profiles, the ubqo sixty60 is ready to tackle any terrain.
What the judges had to say: "It is a different frame design that is just like a universal adjustment for bikes of the newest generation."
- I'm not sure exactly what's going on with the points of articulation for the rear suspension, but it looks vaguely hubless to me.
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The Glow Rider | Light System Kuang-Chung Hao, Yi-Ching Lin & Yen-Liang Chen - National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
Bicycling in the dark can be extremely dangerous. The Glow Rider is a flashing light, a taillight and a projection light all in one. The Glow Rider is mounted on the rear fender; it acts as a high-powered taillight. At a flick of the switch, the Glow Rider projects a bright beam of light onto the rider's back. This creates a larger lit surface area, which makes the rider significantly more visible in the rain or dark.
What the judges had to say: "The idea is applicable to potentially any bike. Though we think about the future, bikes are also about encouraging sustainability. The idea is self-sustainability and it's a good marketing point."
For nearly two weeks now I've been running around with the new BlackBerry Z10 by my side. As most of you probably know, I've been an iPhone girl for the past two years now. However, over the past few months I've noticed a lot of my colleagues out and about with phones that are NOT iPhones. I remember a time when it was all about being a member of the iPhone club and now I find it's the ones looking outside the white Apple box that are being handsomely rewarded.
So where does the BlackBerry Z10 fall into line here? Well, I'm the first of my friends to have one... yes, I'm feeling mighty "tech forward." This means I'm constantly handing the phone over for others to have a play on. I'm not at all bothered by that as when they hand it back they all seem to be suitable impressed by what they've been presented with.
After using the phone constantly for two weeks and sharing with every Tom, Dick and Harry that has crossed my path, here are the features we all seem to agree are the highlights of the new phone -
1. Email
I spent 10 years in the corporate world literally sleeping with my BlackBerry. Yes, I was a business crazed psycho PR who basically never slept. But my BlackBerry was my best friend because it delivered emails instantly. BlackBerries are continually syncing. There's no break, no pause, no need to refresh. None of this business of having to wait for your phone to kick into the network, which leads me to the next massive plus point...
2. Battery
Even though your BlackBerry Z10 is constantly syncing, the battery life seems to last forever. The specs say you've got a good 10 hours of work time here and I can vouch for that. On any given day I'm running ten different applications simultaneously - Twitter, Facebook, Email, Foursquare, Vine, BBM, Shazam, Hailo, Youtube and more - and yet the battery life does not plummet.
3. Camera
One of my biggest complaints about the old BlackBerries (I have been through 9 in my lifetime) was the horrible camera attached. The pictures were miserable. Most of this was because of course BlackBerry was the first business phone. The camera was an added bonus but wasn't really needed as a professional tool before the days of mobile apps and social networking. Well, BlackBerry have stepped up to modern times and included an 8MP camera on the back and a decent camera on the front for "selfie pictures" and mobile conferencing.
4. The Time Shift feature on the Camera
This is one of the coolest features on the new BlackBerry Z10 where you can actually turn back time on faces to get the best image. I won't even try to explain this technology - here's the video that will show you. I've used this and it is absolutely insane! (the video also gives you a glance at Storymaker - a new app that allows you to make your own mini movies with photos or videos and your choice of music).
5. BlackBerry Hub
I only have to look in one place, now, to check on updates from Twitter, Facebook, Email and more - BlackBerry Z10 Hub. It's all there in one lovely compartment and I can either respond in the Hub or go directly to the application from the Hub and do my dirty work there. It's quick, it's simple and it's organised - basically everything my everyday life isn't.
6. Keyboard
BlackBerry Z10's new keyboard, where to start? First of all, I know there will be a lot of users upset that there isn't a physical keyboard available. I feel your pain. I hate touch screens, hate them. But this touch screen is truly the next best thing. Not only do I find it easier to type on, the keyboard actually seems to type for me. Again, a video is needed to accurately showcase this feature (if you are in a hurry skip to :40 sec)-
7. Size
The BlackBerry Z10 is 4.2 inches tall. It's bigger than your typical phone, yet actually feels lighter and is certainly slim enough to make up for the extra inches in height. It fits easily into all my evening clutches, which is usually the concern with these bigger models these days. So not to worry, it's a doable size for those working with challenging accessories.
8. Speed
I realise this is a new phone and phones always move faster before they are clogged with all of the extras you pile on. That being said, it's still one of the faster I have worked with. The ease in which you move between screens, applications, etc. is pretty amazing. They've also set it up so that you can easily switch between applications with swipes. If you are a mobile multi-tasker, this is your dream come true.
9. Microsoft Office
Again, this is me being a work geek. I love that fact that you can open Word and Excel documents in the actual programmes on the BlackBerry Z10 and edit them there and then.
10. BBM Video
You can now mobile conference on your BlackBerry Z10. Now while this may seem like nothing new as you can do this on nearly every mobile phone these days, there is a new feature attached. You can actually "screen share," which means you can show the other person what you are looking at on your mobile phone as you chat, whether it's pictures or documents. Just be careful as you wouldn't want to accidentally share a rather personal email. This was of course the first danger that ran through my mind as I was introduced to this application.
Full Disclosure: I was gifted a BlackBerry Z10 to use for Fashion Foie Gras, without obligation for review. The review is written because I fully support this as a fantastic new technology worthy of praise.
