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It's now safe to skin your Nintendo Switch
When it became clear that vinyl wraps and other stickers were damaging the Switch, you could practically hear the wailing from console customizers everywhere. How were you supposed to add a personal touch to Nintendo's machine without giving it a permanent paint scheme? At last, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Dbrand is now offering Switch skins that it promises are "100% safe" for the system's plastic housing. The company said it spent a year working with 3M to create a "unique" adhesive that won't wreck the design.
3M's HVAC air filter tells you when it needs replacing
As people get more concerned about the air they're breathing, so the case for buying a smart air purifier becomes more pressing. That's what has prompted 3M to build the Filtrete Bluetooth-enabled residential air filter, which lets you know when it's time for a change. The idea being that the filter itself can alert you — via an app for your smartphone — when it's time to run to the store and buy a $30-ish replacement.
ICYMI: Drawing bot, 3M's future plan and an orb with a soul
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-232743{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-232743, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-232743{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-232743").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Artist Sougwen Chung creates art with help from a robotic arm, take a tour of 3M's exhibit, which visualizes the challenges the earth will face by 2050 and finally, bask in the glow of a large orb with AI that changes its display depending on what the humans around it are doing. There will be one more SXSW-dedicated ICYMI episodes this week, but we'll be back on Thursday from the studio. As always, please share any interesting science or tech videos, anytime! Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag to @mskerryd.
HP is putting privacy screens in its laptops because people are nosy
If you find yourself working in crowded spaces like coffee shops, it can be tough to keep prying eyes from glancing at your screen. To combat that sort of snooping, HP is outfitting its stable of notebook PCs with privacy screens from 3M. The duo is working on new displays that integrate the security feature for "an on-demand electronic privacy solution." While details are scarce for now, it sounds like the screens in HP's future laptops will allow the feature to be turned off when you're working from the comforts of your home or office. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait a bit to get your hands on a machine that houses the tech, as the first products are expected to arrive in mid-2016.
Daily Roundup: The next Microsoft, Uber offices raided and more!
Tim Cook shared his thoughts on why Apple isn't becoming the next Microsoft. Meanwhile, Uber's offices in France and South Korea were raided and an Illinois lawmaker resigned after his Instagram feed betrayed his suspicious spending habits. Read about these stories and more in today's Daily Roundup.
3M showed me how dirty my phone was at SXSW
I'm a certified germaphobe. In clinical terms, that makes me one of the 3.3 million Americans who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Being at an event like SXSW where about 33,000 of my fellow digital comrades are coexisting in very public spaces, I'm always worried about keeping myself and my gadgets clean, especially my phone and laptop. And with good reason: scientists found that cell phones carry ten times more disease-causing bacteria than most toilet seats. So, when I heard 3M was on the ground at SXSW testing out how dirty people's phones were at its "LifeLab," I had to check it out.
Post-it Notes now have a productivity app to capture your scribbles
Even with all of the digital options, Post-it Notes are still a handy way to jot things down for future reference. To help you keep those small pieces of paper organized and with you at all times, 3M released the Post-it Plus app for iOS. Capable of capturing up to 50 of the squares at once with the camera on an Apple device, the software allows to you sort by category and share with your fellow collaborators for further brainstorming. There's also the option to export to PowerPoint, Excel, Dropbox and other places should the need arise. More size compatibility is on the way, but for now, the app recognizes all square Post-it Notes. Of course, Evernote has been doing something similar for the Moleskin faithful, and now folks who prefer the individual stick-on option can quickly digitize their work.
Evernote expands with new product line: scanners, Post-Its, wallets and socks
Evernote has already ventured beyond apps with a Smart Notebook made by Moleskine, but the company's now kicked off a new initiative that'll see its logo appear on some decidedly more surprising products. As the company indicated previously, that includes hardware developed by a partner -- an Evernote-branded Fujitsu scanner and a stylus from Adonit, for starters -- but also a number of products that have little direct link to Evernote's core services. Those include a wallet, backpacks, a laptop case and, yes, socks -- all of which can be purchased through the Evernote's online store, which is said to also be coming to its various apps. Another new partnership also announced today will see 3M produce a new line of Post-It notes that are designed to be captured with a smartphone's camera, not unlike the aforementioned Moleskine notebook; in this case, Evernote apps will organize Post-Its based on their color. You can browse all the current offerings available in the Evernote Market at the source link below, and count on seeing plenty more in the future. Speaking at the company's conference in San Francisco today, Evernote CEO Phil Libin spelled it out: "we're a fashion brand now."
3M, Nanosys ready to bring quantum dot film to LCD makers
3M and Nanosys have just announced that they'll start shipping qualification samples of their Quantum Dot Enhancement Film (QDEF) to manufacturers to bring a 50 percent wider color gamut and lower power consumption to LCD displays. Consisting of trillions of quantum dots tuned to create precise color hues, such films can be swapped in to replace existing backlighting tech, meaning manufacturers will need no special equipment to adopt it. The companies say they'll have samples for manufacturer design cycles starting "late second quarter this year" -- but if you can't wait that long, you'll be able to actually buy similar tech from Sony, likely very soon.
Texas Instruments brings sci-fi tech to life with DLP (hands-on video)
We've come across a number of DLP-based pico projectors over the years and while these products are getting smaller, brighter and higher resolution, it's the integration with other devices that's really captured our imagination. Samsung's Galaxy Beam, which we reviewed last year, merges a 15-lumen nHD (640x360) DLP-based pico projector with a Galaxy S Advance. More recently at CES 2013, Texas Instruments announced its new Tilt & Roll Pixel chip architecture and demoed a handful of other DLP-equipped products live on our stage, including 3M's Streaming Projector and Smart Devices' U7 tablet. The company recently invited us to play with some of these devices and to show us other applications in areas such as 3D printing, 3D scanning, optical research, medical imaging and even automotive. Some of this DLP-equipped tech, like the Interactive Center Console, shows where we're headed in the near future -- other products, like Christie's VeinViewer Flex, exist today but remind us of something right out of science-fiction. Take a look at our galleries below, then join us after the break for our hands-on video and more info on these devices.
3M Touch Systems 84-inch Projected Capacitive Display hands-on
We knew we'd be seeing 3M Touch Systems' monster capacitive display once again, but we had no idea just how massive this year's iteration would be. Taking up residence in a corner of CES Unveiled 2013, the company's latest multi-touch prototype now measures in at 84 inches, far surpassing its 46-inch predecessor, with 100-inch versions waiting in the wings. This particular touch table now supports Ultra HD resolution (4K) and was shown running a software demo currently in use at Chicago's Museum of Science. As you may be able to tell from the accompanying gallery, those floating images aren't of the crispest quality, but that's because the files aren't fully high-res. Of course, tech of this kind isn't necessarily intended for households -- not yet, anyway -- it makes for a more natural fit in commercial environments (think: airports, car dealerships or wireless retailers). At present, the table here on the showfloor is calibrated to support 40 individual touch points, but a company rep assured us it could be configured for up to 60, allowing for large groups of people to interact simultaneously. While touch tabletops of this kind are still quite rare in the wild, expect to see them crop up more commonly in the near future. Check out a video demo past the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Sarah Silbert contributed to this report.
Apple named "most innovative" company three years running
Global management consulting firm Booz & Co. named Apple the world's most innovative company for the third year in a row. The report notes that Apple spent less than its rivals on R&D and still trumped companies like Amazon, Google and IBM because of how it invested its money. ...it is not how much companies spend on research and development that determines success - what really matters is how those R&D funds are invested in talent, process and tools. Apple kept its top spot over #2 Google and #3 3M, both of which also defended their spots successfully for the third year in a row. One of the biggest movers was Apple rival Samsung, which climbed from #9 in 2010 to #7 in 2011 and finally to #4 this year. You can read more about Booz & Co.'s 2012 Global Innovation 1000 study on the firm's website. You can also download the full PDF report, watch a video discussion of the results from the study's authors and browse through other relevant materials. [Via Fortune's Apple 2.0]
3M, Roku team up for Streaming Projector to ship this November for $299
3M's partnered up with Roku to provide a "big-screen" cinema experience from the comfort of your home. Announced today at a joint event, the DLP-based Streaming Projector is a 4.3 x 4.2 x 2.0 inch palm-sized device that can project images in WVGA resolution up to 120-inches across walls or any other smooth surface of your choosing with a brightness of 60 lumens. The 1lb pod-like gadget has a battery life rated at just under three hours -- a little more than the running time of most blockbuster movies -- and also features a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio out, in addition to an inbuilt speaker. Of course, you need media to pair with it and that's where Roku's included streaming stick comes in handy, delivering an array of commercial content over dual-band WiFi. It's set to ship sometime this November for $299 as an Amazon exclusive.
Audi dealership lets you gesticulate your way to a new car using Kinect and multitouch
If you're shopping for your dream wheels, but hate poring over brochures, Audi's got good news: you can now wave and touch to customize your prize ride. The experience starts at the Audi City showroom in London, where you kick off the process by choosing one of the German automaker's 36 models. Then, you can browse the vehicle on a 210-inch HD display with a Kinect to read your gestures as you swipe around to take the tour. From there, a 32-inch 3M multitouch display helps you customize your machine, even letting you use physical RFID-equipped cloth and paint samples to dial in the specs. Once your Teutonic buggy is just so, you can save everything on a USB key, print out a custom brochure and even share the enthralling details on Facebook or Twitter. The company hopes to add 20 similar stores around the world, and if you're near Picadilly Square you can try it out yourself -- just keep one hand on that non-virtual wallet. [Image credit: Wallpaper]
3M and Nanosys team-up to roll out quantum dot-enhanced LCDs
Nanosys' eye-popping QDEF (Quantum Dot Enhancement Film) might be inching closer to a display near you. A new partnership with 3M aims to get the color-loving tech commercialized and into mainstream products. The film uses quantum dots to create an LCD with a wider color gamut -- apparently translating to up to 50 percent more color. The quantum dots are packed onto this film in their trillions (yes, trillions) which is then fitted within the backlight. As the new layer would replace the existing one within LCDs, Nanosys' solution aims to avoid the need for new equipment or processes. However, we're still waiting for high-color QDEF to become that "ecosystem changer" we were promised.
HP t410 AIO Smart Zero Client does single-wire Power over Ethernet, no power cord required
Now, we don't normally cover this sort of networking equipment, but we were quite impressed by HP's new t410 All-in-One Smart Zero Client after we spoke to its proud product manager Walt Jurek. First of all, this isn't an AIO desktop PC, nor is it an LCD monitor -- well, if you're unfamiliar with thin clients, just think of this as an 18.5-inch, 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit monitor (featuring a 3M technology for the 200 nit brightness -- our money's on the Uniformity Tape) that uses just one Ethernet cable to get both its 13W power from a PoE (Power over Ethernet) switch, as well as data connection over Citrix, Microsoft or VMWare protocol. The t410 can automatically detect the virtualization environment and then reprogram its digital signal processor when needed, meaning less manual work for the admin (in theory, anyway). More after the break.
3M launches its Cloud Library e-book lending service, hardware and apps in tow
Almost a year after it was first announced 3M's Cloud Library e-book lending service is getting a proper rollout. Introduced today at a beta site in St. Paul, the system is now ready for its kiosks, e-readers and apps to hit the hands and eyes of library patrons. The touch-based Discovery Terminals allow catalog browsing for visitors and selections can be checked out -- along with 3M's eReaders -- like other library materials. Already have a mobile device? E-books will play nicely with your iPad, Nook or Android device via the Cloud Library app. If you find yourself needing to read a bit on your computer, checked out items are compatible with both PCs and Macs as well. "With this technology, we are able to offer cutting-edge technology to all our patrons, whether they own their own e-reader or not," said Kit Hadley, director of the Saint Paul Public Library. A handful of other library systems across the US have also implemented the service. The list of those sites and all details on the introductory period await your click in the PR below.
3M develops augmented reality post-it note app
The popular South by Southwest music, film and interactive conference starts today, and 3M will be on hand to introduce a new augmented reality post-it note app, says Mashable. The app was created with the help of well-known AR developer Metaio, and the idea behind it is clever. It lets you create a virtual post-it note with text and images and stick it to a real wall. Anyone with the app can walk by the wall and see all the notes that people have posted. You can't test it out for yourself yet, as the app is still in the approval process, but you can watch a demo in the YouTube video below.
PixelQi has heavy night, wakes up married to French 'PadPro' tablet
What has Mary Lou Jepsen been up to since 3M's cash injection? It's hard to say, but her sunlight-readable PixelQi panels are still popping up on the odd device -- like this Windows 7 slate from little-known Evigroup. The 10-inch PadPro is aimed at graphics types who are willing to bid adieu to €599 ($800) in return for a pressure-sensitive display, a 1.6GHz Atom processor (no mention of Cedar Trail), 1GB RAM and 160GB hard-drive. They also need to really hate Android.
3M MP410 and MP220 Mobile Projectors hands-on
3M has just unveiled a pair of new mobile projectors here at CES: the Mobile Projector MP410 and MP220. Both devices are notably small and compact: the MP410 measures just four inches in width and length, and stands just one inch tall, while the MP220 weighs in at less than one pound. The MP410 also features 1GB of memory, a microSD slot and USB port, and is capable of projecting 80-inch moving and still images at WXGA resolution, with a brightness of 300 lumens. The MP220, meanwhile, can beam up to 65-inch images onto any flat surface and comes packed with 2GB of memory, along with a brightness of up to 50 lumens. Both are slated to arrive in April, with the MP410 priced at $600 and the MP220 coming in at $480. We stopped by 3M's booth at Pepcom this evening to get a closer look at the devices, so check out our gallery below, or head past the break for the full PR.
