paper
Latest
Paper news-reading app makes Facebook prettier, a bit less functional (hands-on)
Upon installing Facebook's newest app, you're greeted by a friendly female voice. "Welcome to Paper," she says. And, for many folks, Paper will be a welcome change indeed. But, before we tell you why Paper may be preferable to the full Facebook app, let's establish just what Paper is -- it's only been a few days since it was revealed to the world, after all. Generally, Paper is a news-reading app that shows users the stuff they already get in their News Feed, in addition to stories pulled from third parties (including Engadget, of course) by Facebook's in-house team of tastemakers.
Facebook introduces Paper for iPhone, coming February 3
Today Facebook announced its latest standalone app, Paper. Launching exclusively on iOS on February 3, the app provides an optimized version of your news feed that allows you to quickly scroll through posts and curated news stories with larger-quality images and text. You can customize what will show up in your feed using a feature called Sections, which will allow you to choose from a number of genres of stories such as headlines, creators and flavors. If the app works as presented, it is possible you can expect it to become a replacement for the current Facebook mobile app. Utilizing a news feed that owes a lot to Flipboard and the ability to post images, stories and statuses directly to your page, the app looks like an idealized version of what your current feed is supposed to be currently providing. Paper is controlled via gestures, so there is a bit of a learning curve, however the app has a HUD that will pop up to teach you when you start out. Your feed is shown via a series of story cards, demonstrated in the video below. You can either scroll through your cards one by one or in a feed. When you select a card, the story takes over your whole screen. You'll see your friend's new photo albums in an optimized view alongside curated news stories targeted at your interests. According to The Verge, the app will be completely ad-free when it launches. Paper hits the iOS Store exclusively on February 3. You can watch its launch video below. Introducing Paper from Facebook on Vimeo.
Facebook announces Paper: a 'distraction-free' news-reading app for iOS
Facebook is making its own play in the news app category, going up against incumbents like Flipboard and Google's own Newsstand service. It's called Paper and it promises a "full-screen" distraction-free layout, with the app separating out your own Facebook News feed to begin with. You can then add to that, picking from Facebook's curated themes that'll include photography, sports, food, science and design. If you feared this would be populated exclusively by giant media corps, Facebook is promising that articles will come from well-known sites as well as "emerging voices," although it says it'll also ensure that trusted publications will be easy to spot within the mix. Navigation from article to article is done through swipes. And you'll be able to tilt the phone and arc across bigger panoramic pictures. From the early screens that Facebook's been sharing, the social network is going heavy on the visual appeal: Pictures dominate the navigation, with soft white icons laid on top of pictures for navigation -- there's certainly flashes of iOS 7 in places. Videos, full-screen, will also auto-play (we're hoping there will be a toggle for that). The app launches February 3rd and marks the premier release for the social network's Creative Labs department: More apps are promised from the team going forward.
Daily Roundup: FuelBand SE Silver Edition, privacy-focused Blackphone and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Facebook might launch a Flipboard-like reader app called Paper
Flipboard might soon find itself competing against a reader app owned by a social media juggernaut (read: Facebook), if Re/code's report turns out to be true. According to the website's unnamed source, the social network's been developing a news aggregator called Paper -- and no, it has nothing to do with FiftyThree's similarly named drawing app. Unlike Flipboard which dons a look reminiscent of magazines, the service will reportedly present stories across the internet in a "paper-like (we're assuming that means newspaper) format." Apparently, the project was originally a feature developed for the News Feed during a previous redesign, but it didn't make the cut. Facebook has yet to confirm Paper's existence, but we'll find out soon enough -- the anonymous source believes it could be released this month either as a standalone app or a mobile website. [Image credit: Marco Paköeningrat/Flickr]
PowerUp's smartphone-controlled paper plane makes us jealous of modern kids
So, it turns out that people really like paper airplanes, and by that we don't mean the M.I.A. song, although that's pretty neat too. No, we're talking about PowerUp's Bluetooth propellor kit for paper planes that enables you to steer your origami aircraft. Creator Shai Goitein had already developed a propellor kit for kids, but took to Kickstarter to raise funds for a smartphone-controlled model with a rudder, and was staggered when it managed to raise its $50,000 goal in just seven hours. In fact, the current figure is hovering just beneath the million-dollar mark, and there's still 14 days worth of funding left to go.
Mozilla kicks off Firefox OS tablet developer program, teases new ZTE phones
As it turns out, Mozilla's Panasonic smart TV deal is just the start of its Firefox OS plans for this year. The web pioneer has just unveiled a tablet developer program that will give dedicated contributors both reference hardware (initially from Foxconn) and other resources; they'll help create the tablet-native Firefox OS in the same communal fashion that Mozilla builds its desktop browser. The firm tells us that it wants to start the program shortly after CES, with a goal of finishing its slate interface sometime this year. The company is also providing the first details of ZTE's second-generation FFOS smartphones. The Open family is expanding to include two upgraded models, the Open C and the dual-core Open II; there isn't much more to say at this point, although we should learn more in the near future. If you're looking for something more tangible, you'll be happy to hear that VIA Technologies has released a version of its tiny APC Rock desktop PC with Mozilla's OS pre-installed. The bare system is available by itself for $59, while those who want it in a recycled case (Paper) will pay $99.
FiftyThree's Paper app updated to play nice with its Pencil stylus
FiftyThree's shipping out its first Pencil styli early this December, but before you can work its sketching magic, the firm's Paper app will need the appropriate updates. Good thing the company's released those changes today, because waiting on a software upgrade to use new hardware breeds a special kind of frustration. As you'd expect, the refreshed app comes with the features FiftyThree promised when it announced the $50 tool, including palm rejection to avoid accidental hand marks on sketches. There's also the erase function that activates the device's built-in eraser, and the blend feature that lets you use fingers to blend colors and edges. Based on the firm's Twitter posts, it's sending out emails to people slated to get their Pencils soon, but those who've only just ordered one have an excruciating three-to-four week wait ahead of them.
FiftyThree launches $50 Pencil Bluetooth stylus for its sketching app (video)
Remember when we spotted that FiftyThree, makers of the iPad sketching app Paper, was working on a stylus? Now it's time for Paper to meet Pencil. Looking like an enormous marker pencil, the unit comes in a choice of sustainable hardwood or brushed aluminum, jam-packed with technology inside. Innovations include palm rejection, an eraser-end to remove your digital mistakes and a rechargeable battery that promises a month of life with normal use. Pairing to your iPad over Bluetooth, you'll also get access to various paid-for tools like Outline, Mixer and Sketch for free. Of course, the unit will set you back $50, but that's a small price to pay to be top of the life drawing class.
FiftyThree building a stylus for Paper sketch app
The developers at FiftyThree, makers of the amazing Paper app for iPad (free, with in-app purchases), are branching out in a new direction -- hardware. The company will soon be marketing a new capacitive stylus called "Pencil" that has shown up in FCC filings, using low-power Bluetooth for connectivity to presumably transmit pressure information. The information supplied to the FCC shows two models, one made of wood and the other from an aluminum alloy. One image, seen below, appears to show a USB connector on one end to make charging of the device a breeze -- simply plug the "eraser" end into an open USB port. We can't help but wonder if the Pencil will have a protective case around the body, or it they're really going to ship it in this "carpenter's pencil" configuration. As our cohorts at Engadget point out, FiftyThree is made up of people who were behind Microsoft's innovative (and prematurely canceled) Courier project, so it's not surprising that the company is looking beyond just software. The Paper app already supports a number of third-party styluses, including the Wacom Bamboo and the Pogo Connect. FiftyThree has also partnered with Moleskine to let artists create hard-copy books of their Paper drawings and paintings.
Pencil on Paper: meet the stylus for FiftyThree's popular iPad sketching app
When you're the creator of an award-winning iPad sketchbook app, making your own stylus would be a logical move. Unsurprisingly, that's exactly what FiftyThree, the brains behind Microsoft's Courier project and developers of Paper, intend to do. The company's new "Pencil" capacitive stylus has just popped up at the FCC, outlining its plans to equip Paper users with a rubber-tipped low power Bluetooth accessory that can draw on a touchscreen "like a canvas." The documents detail two models: one crafted from wood and the other from aluminum alloy. The FCC approval highlights FiftyThree's desire to further expand beyond Apple's App Store and venture into new markets. The company recently partnered with Moleskine to allow Paper users to create a $40 custom-printed 15-page "Book" of sketches and designs created within the app. The new products will directly compete with Wacom's bluetooth-enabled stylii, and of course with plain old fingers -- which will likely still be welcome in the Paper app, even after the Pencil comes to market.
Disney Research makes paper cool again by turning it into a generator (video)
Disney has a knack for making the mundane magical, whether it's transforming a pumpkin into a carriage or a few sheets of paper into a generator. The team from Disney Research accomplished the latter by constructing a simple mechanism with a few low-cost items, like Teflon, conductive adhesives, wires and silver-coated polyester (though paper printed with conductive ink will also work). The negatively charged Teflon sheet functions as an electret, a material capable of holding a quasi-permanent electrical charge; by sandwiching it between either the polyester or conductive paper, you can produce enough voltage to light up a small LED array, create animations on e-paper displays, or trigger animations on connected computers. Using the generator is simple: all you have to do is rub or tap the paper, say, "Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo," and you're all set (the magic word is optional). To see it with your own two eyes, check out the video after the break.
Paper now making Books in most obvious business move ever
Paper making a Book? That would follow logic. But the Paper we're referring to here is actually an iPad sketchbook app and the book? Why, that'd be a product of Moleskine. An update released today to Paper's popular app adds a new 'Make a Book' service which allows users to self-publish their collection of doodles and designs into physical books. The end result is 15 matte pages of custom quirk in a 4:3 aspect ratio (to match the iPad) -- users can even design their own covers. But this kitschy road to self-publishing comes at a steep cost: $40 per Book. Sure, there are other, cheaper means of getting your work out into the world, but not all of them'll do it with a fold-out flair.
DODONotes: The perfect marriage of paper and iPhone
DODOcase just announced the perfect accompaniment to Victor's post earlier this week about when and how to use paper versus software. DODONotes (US$13.95) weds a high-quality paper notebook to your iPhone. %Gallery-188533% It's a simple idea, really -- the DODONotes notebook has a cutout on the front of it that is just perfectly sized for an iPhone 5, 4S or 4. There's an elastic band that holds the notebook securely to the iPhone. With a quick pull, you take the notebook off of your iPhone, jot a few quick notes or sketch an idea and then reattach DODONotes to your phone. There's enough play in the elastic that you can probably attach a small pen or pencil without too much of a strain. The notebook is made of a beautiful 24 lb. text Mohawk Superfine paper in a Soft White Eggshell finish. I am absolutely sure that TUAW editor and notebook connoisseur Dave Caolo is going to order a ton of these to feed his paper habit...
Productivity Tip: When and how to use paper vs software
One of the problems with giving people advice is that certain topics are so... personal. Our previous experiences, current technology and outside pressures inevitably corral us into a particular line of thinking or acting. So it is with the debate over paper vs. software solutions. Personally, I've found a mix of both to be handy. A quick poll of the TUAW crew indicates a similar divide: Some of us use paper almost to the exclusion of software, whereas some of us went digital once we found enough apps to deliver us from dead trees. Most of us use a blend of both, however. In this week's productivity tip, I want to discuss when you might want to use paper or an app, and some specific apps and resources for both. Paper (and whiteboards, etc.) The thing about paper is that you have to write on it. That seems simplistic, but for some that's actually a big deal. I happen to learn by doing something, and I find I remember notes better if I write them out versus typing them. The other (obvious) thing about paper is that it isn't connected to distractions like social networks and calendars, push notifications, etc.. If those are your problem, maybe switching on Do Not Disturb and sitting outside with pen and paper are a way to really focus on whatever you're trying to capture. I'm also a big fan of mind mapping, and while there are apps for this (discussed below), I have yet to replace my large format rolls of paper with an iOS device. There's something primitive and powerful about scrawling ideas and notes on a giant canvas, then seeing what patterns you can divine. Another advantage to paper is that you can hang the stuff wherever you want so things are always top-of-mind. Steve uses Post-It notes for reminders. Megan uses a Moleskine for capturing checklists -- and she correctly notes that there's something satisfying about actually drawing a line through stuff you've done. Dave has written a great post on Unclutterer about using a notebook for the ARC system. As for me, I can just do more with paper in certain ways. As this post from a time before the iPad notes, "paper is just more usable than a computer monitor." Sure, I can make annotations on a PDF, but it's not as easy in a PDF app to tear off 3 pages and line them up side-by-side to examine them. Similarly, as you can see in the image at the top of this post, I've created a simple "task board" when apps like 30/30 and OmniFocus weren't really nailing a certain workflow for me. In this case, I have a certain number of things I have to do regularly, but they can't be called a project per se, they're more like categories. I also don't have to do every one of them every day, so I pull these (I call them pommes, which is why they have little apples on them) out of an envelope each day and set them up on the board. When I complete one, I put it below the middle of the board (hence the "Done" with a down arrow). Each one of these "pommes" typically maps to a context in OmniFocus (and GTD, for that matter), and they represent the many hats I wear at TUAW. Each one is meant to be completed (more or less) in under 30 minutes. Some days I don't feel like digging into a lot of research, or maybe I just want to focus on writing. By putting them up on the board and being able to easily see them right there in front of me, I'm quickly able to see how much I've done or not done. Yes, I have tasks and projects in OmniFocus, but this allows me to structure my day around types of tasks, and greatly reduces the stress and feeling of being overwhelmed with "too much to do." I'm still working on this system, but on my most productive days it's a good way to batch my time. Some other low-tech things I do, sometimes with a high-tech twist: Use a whiteboard for mocking up web pages and quick mind mapping. Then I take a pic to save in Evernote. In my kitchen I use a whiteboard calendar so my kids can easily see the stuff that is relevant to them. Often this means writing stuff from my Google calendar on the board, but there are worse things in life -- like the stress of kids not knowing what they are walking into when they come stay with me. Use Moleskine notebooks when I travel. Often power is at a premium, and I like to travel light. Plus, during takeoff and landing I can't use my iDevices. Again, I try to capture this digitally later, either in OmniFocus, Evernote or a mind-mapping app. Big ideas beg for a big canvas. I keep very large rolls of paper and oversized sketch pads in my house so I can periodically clear the kitchen table and go to town with ideas and connecting them. Sometimes this requires stitching pics together before dumping into (you guessed it) Evernote. Cornell has a notes template here if you're in a meeting and worry about capturing things. Lastly there are times when you just can't avoid using paper. Coupons I get at the self-checkout are printed, though I wish I could add them to Passbook (if Kroger ever hops on that wagon). But when I see a poster for a show on a telephone pole, I snap a pic of it. Nothing jogs the memory like seeing that pop up in your Photo Stream. You can also use something like the iNotebook, Inkling or LiveScribe's offerings to write and capture to digital. I've only used the LiveScribe Pulse, but I find that adding complications subtracts from the organic nature of simply using paper. These also add considerable cost. Digital Obviously there are lots of limits when it comes to paper. Sharing among a distributed group is somewhat difficult. Contacts are better handled digitally when you get an email and can quickly add phone and address to your address book, or if you use a business card scanner app and text recognition. Speaking of recognition, natural language parsing has come a long way, so adding reminders and calendar events via Siri or Fantastical or Google Calendar is just so easy I will never use a paper calendar again. When I was in middle school I used FastTrack Schedule to plan projects. Now I use a combination of DevonTHINK Pro (for research materials) and OmniFocus, but there are a good number of capable project managers out there, including Merlin and OmniPlan. If I were handling larger projects, I am sure I would rely upon those heavily. Notes can absolutely have an advantage in digital form if you're busy linking things, as you can do in a wiki or software such as VoodooPad, which is excellent. There's also nvALT and a host of other note applications out there which can cross-link and insert multimedia in ways you can't replicate on paper. When it comes to capturing ideas, Doc uses Drafts and voice recognition to quickly capture items. Similarly, Siri does a great job for adding Reminders. Fancy tricks like geolocation are all but impossible on paper. The only problem with all of these: You have to know how to use them. Everyone knows how to use paper, however. Some digital tools I use that attempt to simulate or replace paper-based equivalents: SimpleMind for mind mapping (this has sync so I can access my maps on my Mac), although MindNode is good and Grafio allows a sort of scrapbooking. Passbook as much as I can for plane tickets and customer loyalty cards. Some folks in team chat mentioned Lemon Wallet as well. I just hate fumbling for a paper ticket while I wait for first class to board. Fantastical for scheduling (Mac and iOS) and BusyCal on my Mac instead of iCal. Sketch Club for sketches, although Autodesk's SketchBook is good (just overkill for my needs usually), and Paper on iPad is simply wonderful. I also use Procreate (and a Pogo Connect) when I want to make a really great drawing. Now that Penultimate is integrated with Evernote, it's hard to beat. That said, I kinda like Sketch Rolls when I don't have access to my paper at home. But when to use what? Well, this is really a personal choice. What I tell people is to try both and see what fits you best. It's hard to argue that digital contact management is a bad thing, and calendars are another one which paper doesn't do better than digital tools. When it comes to notes and creating tasks, it all depends on how much you have to share with others and your own personal style. If you are building a spaceship, you're probably going to need some pretty complex project management tools, and paper will likely reduce your efficiency. If you juggle a couple of things a day, it's really satisfying to whip out a sheet of paper or note card and start crossing off tasks through the day. I used to use the heck out of these DIY "hipster" planners, and Dave Caolo points out these awesome productivity tools you can print courtesy of David Seah. Try this: Pick one or the other for a solid week and see how it feels. If you get into the groove of reviewing your tasks in OmniFocus and you find satisfaction in clicking check boxes, there you go. If, on the other hand, you feel more accomplished writing down tasks and scratching through them, paper is your friend. Because we all work in such different ways, this sort of A/B testing is critical for determining your preferences. Hint: Use a simple to do app to prevent having to read a huge manual. Conclusion While I love gadgets and technology, we simply aren't in the Diamond Age just yet. I'd love to have an iPad which really felt like a book, but that doesn't exist yet. Yes, I'd love to save some trees, but there are times when my old monkey brain just wants to poke at a sheet of paper with a stick filled with graphite. There's still a case for paper. That said, I turn 40 this year and maybe I'm just wed to a particular workflow. In the end try out the tools and make an honest assessment of what works best for you. Let me know if you have any suggestions in the comments below!
Tengami is a beautiful journey through heavenly paper
Jennifer Schneidereit is one of three developers who worked with legendary game developers Rare on Kinect Sports. That same group of three later created their own company, Nyamyam games. They started work on their first title, Tengami, about two years ago. Since then, it has been honored with awards at Indiecade and the Tokyo Game Show. Now, it's finally coming to the Mac and iOS. Schneidereit kindly stopped by for a quick talk with me at GDC, to show off the game and say we can expect it this summer. Tengami is beautiful. It's moody and subtle, and felt like the kind of peaceful, quiet game that invites introspection (unfortunately the crowded room was too noisy for me to hear the game). Schneidereit told me that "Tengami" means something akin to "heavenly paper" in Japanese, and that's a fitting title for this one. The game takes place inside a pop-up book and tells a Japanese fairy tale through exploration and mood rather than written words. The game begins on just a book, and you drag across the screen to flip it open. Then turn the first page and, just like in a real pop-up book, the folded "paper" image slowly opens to reveal itself. In this case, it's a samurai sitting quietly beneath a small tree. Turn the page again (subtle glowing prompts to let you know when a transition is ready), and the scene changes slightly, as the samurai's tree slowly starts to fade away. Turn the page yet again and you're suddenly brought into a larger, rocky outcropping, where you can tap around to send the samurai exploring. There is some gameplay to Tengami. One section features a maze puzzle, where you needed to flip sections of the page up and down in exactly the right way to try and open a path for the samurai to continue through. But much of the game's charm is in its beauty. The team scanned real paper to use as textures in the 3D world they created, and the look turned out just great. The first chapter takes place in a forest (where you enter a Japanese temple by flipping a page), and the game's gorgeous art is dazzlingly implemented. The second chapter features a wide ocean environment, and the third is a mystery that players must solve for themselves. Schneidereit says that when development on Tengami started two years ago, she felt that "mobile games were treated like garbage." Nowadays, she admits that's changed a bit, but Nyamyam is out to prove that statement wrong completely. I'll be looking forward to seeing the fruits of their work when Tengami is finally ready later on this year.
Staples to offer 'Easy 3D' printing service, put an end to hackneyed hockey masks
Just one more robbery and then we can happily retire. But there's this nagging feeling that our criminal swan song should be more than just another Class B felony -- it should be art. That's why we're heading over to Staples to collect a 3D printed mask that, for once, reflects how we actually feel inside. It's easily done: you upload your design files and Staples prints them out using a full-color 506dpi Mcor IRIS printer, ready for you to collect in-store or have delivered. The "Easy 3D" service will handle architectural designs, maps, medical models, replica weapons and anything else that can be made with fragments of paper arranged in 0.1mm layers up to a maximum height of six inches. The only downside is that the service -- which is due to start early next year -- will initially only be available in Belgium and the Netherlands. But they have banks too, right? Update: Mcor just got in touch with a few more images showing what the latest version of the Iris printer is capable of -- check 'em out!
Japan Display shows low-power reflective LCD that does color, video
Seen any color video in your e-reader lately? Us neither, and Japan Display wants to change all that with a new reflective, paper type LCD capable of the feat that burns very little juice, to boot. To pull it off, the prototype uses a so-called light control layer, allowing it to collect rays and bounce them toward your eyes, exactly like plain old analog paper. The consortium developed a low color fidelity version with five percent NTSC coverage and a bright 40 percent reflection, along with a dimmer version carrying a third less reflectivity but a more faithful 36 percent hue gamut. The latter still needs some tweaking, according to Japan Display, but the more reflective version is now good to go for production, meaning it might start popping up in new readers imminently. For more info, check the video after the break. [Image credit: Diginfo]
Microsoft resurrects Courier through Project Austin app for Windows 8, sparks nostalgia (video)
Many who've been following Microsoft's tablet efforts for years will have a soft spot for the Courier, a creative-focused device axed because it didn't fit the Windows puzzle. However, it looks like you just can't keep a clever idea down. Developers at Microsoft have revived the dream through Project Austin, a Windows 8 app based around the visual concept of a notebook. Pen aficionados can choose different paper types and paste in photos, but they're deliberately kept away from typing, searching and other elements that would complicate the idea. It should sound familiar: it's a rough (if possibly unintentional) Windows doppelganger to FiftyThree's Paper for iPad, which itself was designed by some of the former Courier team. A company spokesperson won't say if or when Project Austin will be available in a complete form for the public, although there's not much point until Windows 8 arrives on October 26th. Thankfully, programmers keen to see what Courier might have been -- if just in bits and pieces -- can already download the source code for themselves.
Robot made from paper spells doom for the trees in the Robopocalypse (video)
A paper tiger might have a bark that's worse than its bite, but that proverb might not be valid once you've seen the Mechanical Paper Robot. The brainchild of artist / genius Kikousya, it's entirely constructed from dead trees, a few rubber bands and some dowel. We suggest you watch the amazing video after the break and, if you're looking to build your own, head down to the source link for the instructions. After all, given the cost of those robotic bulls, scary babies and giant mecha, Skynet's gonna need some wallet-friendly foot-soldiers for the Robopocalypse.
