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Researchers find a way to 3D print whole objects in seconds
When you think of 3D printing, you probably imagine a structure being created layer by layer, from the bottom up. Now, researchers from Switzerland's Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) say they have developed a completely new way of creating 3D objects that offer remarkable resolution "in record time."
That cigar-shaped asteroid might be covered in organic goo
Last month's discovery of a long, thin object floating ominously through space brought about some pretty fevered speculation about the company mankind keeps in this universe. Was it an alien spacecraft? Were little green men about to visit Earth? No to both, seems to be the answer, but while researchers still aren't sure what the object -- named "Oumuamua" -- actually is, they have revealed that it appears to be covered in a thick layer of organic gunk and is icy cold on the inside.
TUAW's Daily Mac App: Decompose
Cutting out people, objects or even text from images for creation of new ones is an old-photoshopper's favorite. But it's not as easy as it looks and, for the most part, requires a steady hand and some pricey software. Decompose is a program that does one thing -- it extracts foreground objects for overlaying on other images. Now, for those of you who are proficient with Photoshop, you're not going to find much value in a US$29.99 app that extracts elements in this way. But for those of us who don't own Photoshop, or even Pixelmator, having a program that allows you just to roughly draw around your target object letting the computer take care of the rest is great. In testing, I was a little skeptical, but on several, admittedly plain images, I was really impressed with the ease of use and end result of using Decompose. You simply outline the object within the "Contour" mask, fill in the rest of the image within the "Front" mask, and hit "Result." Decompose then does its thing, using Grand Central Dispatch as of a recent update, and shows you the result for fine tuning or saving as a color-corrected TIFF. It was fast, simple and a great alternative to much higher priced packages. The problem is that Decompose is a single use program, and therefore, however clever the programming behind it may be, $30 could be asking a little too much. Still, if you're looking for a program that will quickly and easily extract objects out of photos, Decompose certainly gets the job done. If you've got a quick and handy image extraction alternative to Decompose, help your fellow TUAW readers out and let us know in the comments.
Apple thinking about game controller, headset
We've mentioned the idea of an external game controller on the iPhone (and now, the iPad) before, but this is the first we've heard of Apple working on one themselves. Apparently a new patent would cover applying buttons, joysticks, or direction pads to an external controller, something that would either plug in to the dock port or be included in a shell-like object that the device could slide into. This is very similar to the unofficial iControlPad that we've seen, but it would be designed by Apple. Apple is also working on some sort of head-mounted display system, and it's possible that these two things could be used in conjunction -- the buttons would provide tactile feedback, while the headset would bring in immersive audio and video. This is all far in the future, and just because Apple nails down a patent on something doesn't mean it will ever be released to the public. As we all know, Steve loves the iPad and the iPhone because there is only one button, and it would likely take a lot of convincing, even for the game market, to get him to add more. Still, games are getting more and more complex on the iPhone and the iPad, and sooner or later, buttons may come in handy for selling those games. Apple may not be working on an actual console, but they may be working to make their current hardware more accessible for traditional gamers.
WoTLK to bring new emotes
I know I've complained a bit about Warcraft's lack of character customization, but I must say that it seems like they've been slowly but surely taking steps to make things better on that front. There's the dance studio and the barber shop incoming, of course, but here's another leak that's popped up from the Alpha: New emotes! I know it sounds silly, but having pre-made emotes can really add to the fun factor of playing your character. Add them in macros (but don't spam them, that's just annoying) or use them to register your enjoyment, surprise, shock, or disgust at the situation. There's some really good ones in here that I've been wanting for a while -- although, word to wise, Blizzard: Facepalming is generally done with one palm, not two. I know you've seen the facepalm ASCII on the General Forums, too. Also, I would like to thank you for allowing me to finally act as my hero, Phoenix Wright, through the magic of emotes. I know it's just a minor thing, but still, I'm looking forward to having a bit more variety in playing with my character in the social part of the game. Now if we could only get outfits and player housing too... [Via Deathknight.info]
