MadeInTheUsa
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Heckler Design's iPad Cash Drawer brings minimalism to sales terminals
Carrying cash can be a drag, but it's often an even bigger nuisance for shopkeepers with iPad point-of-sale terminals. Because of a focus on swiping plastic, storage solutions for your dollar bills take a back seat. The WindFall Cash Drawer is Heckler Designs' stylish US-made option that, according to the company, offers the smallest footprint of any drawer currently available -- it's probably the brightest, too. Cash Drawer follows the aesthetics of the Arizona designer's other pieces; namely, heavy-duty steel construction, rounded corners and minimalist design. Is your storefront already rocking a WindFall stand for Apple's slate? Well, you're in luck, as the nouveau till sports a secure mounting and cable management system for it. Sure there's a slight bit of irony surrounding its current lack of pricing, but don't let that get you down. When it launches this fall, it'll be available exclusively from ShopKeep POS.
The After Math: Made in the USA special
Welcome to The After Math, where we attempt to summarize this week's tech news through numbers, decimal places and percentages. During this Independence Day-tinged week, the Engadget team has been peering into the past, present and future of manufacturing in the US. We touched on the implausible costs of a real-life Death Star, how to educate kids in code and the finer points on bringing more tech manufacturing to America. Europe also gets a brief nod, as the EU announced the first wave of substantial roaming cost-cutting across the continent, making several of our often in-transit UK editors very happy indeed. We've got a list of notable numbers right after the break.
Programming is FUNdamental: A closer look at Code.org's star-studded computer science campaign
"All these people who've made it big have their own variation of the same story, where they felt lucky to be exposed to computer programming at the right age, and it bloomed into something that changed their life," explains the organization's co-founder, Ali Partovi, seated in the conference room of one of the many successful startups he's helped along the way. The Iranian-born serial entrepreneur has played a role in an impressive list of companies, including the likes of Indiegogo, Zappos and Dropbox. Along with his twin brother, Hadi, he also co-founded music-sharing service iLike. Unlike past offerings from the brothers, Code.org is a decidedly non-commercial entity, one aimed at making computer science and programming every bit as essential to early education as science or math. For the moment, the organization is assessing just how to go about changing the world. The site currently offers a number of resources for bootstrappers looking to get started in the world of coding. There are simple modules from Scratch, Codecademy, Khan Academy and others, which can help users tap into the buzz of coding their first rectangle, along with links to apps and online tutorials. The organization is also working to build a comprehensive database of schools offering computer science courses and soliciting coders interested in teaching.
American redux: Apple, Motorola, Lenovo and the pulse of stateside manufacturing
Google introduced the Nexus Q close to a year ago. It was an intriguing device with a standout design, but its high asking price and limited functionality meant it wasn't long before the Q was pulled from virtual shelves. A peculiar product and, perhaps, a cautionary tale, but the sphere was also interesting for another reason: it was manufactured in the USA. That credential is a rarity, and in the consumer technology business, almost an anomaly. It's fast becoming a lot more common, however, with some big players setting up a stateside manufacturing presence. Awareness of the potential advantages of doing so can only increase, and serve to debunk the myth that future technology can't be built on American soil. After flirting with the idea, then committing to build a computer in the US, Apple chose its redesigned Mac Pro for assembly in the states. Lenovo has a PC production facility up and running in North Carolina, and Google-owned Motorola will be putting together its next flagship, the Moto X, in Texas. Time will tell whether other companies will follow suit, and to what extent, but if the arguments in favor of US manufacturing hold up, we could see the trend sustained in the long term, leading to many more gadgets bearing a US birthmark.
America's most sustainable city: A green dream deferred
It sounds like the future. Whirring electric skateboards, the joyous chatter of children in a distant playground and an unusual absence of petrol-powered machinery. It looks like the future, too. Glistening lakes dotting the background, lawns so lush they're mistaken for artwork and an unmistakable reflection from a vast solar farm that doubles as a beacon of unending hope. The reality, however, is starkly different. The depictions here are mere conceptualizations, and the chore of concocting the most Jetsonized habitat this side of Orbit City is daunting in every sense of the word. %Gallery-192890%
Future soldier: Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku on building a Death Star and Silicon Valley brain drain
Morning light shines softly through a large glass window as a travel-weary Michio Kaku gamely musters a smile. Just a few hours removed from a cross-country flight from the East Coast, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that this physicist is plain tired. Then the camera starts rolling. In an instant, Kaku looks rejuvenated as he plays to his audience and waxes poetic about his favorite subject -- science. In the world occupied by nerds and techno geeks, theoretical physicist and futurist Kaku is akin to a rock star. Chalk it up to a flowing mane of pepper-gray locks and the fact he co-created string field theory (which tries to unravel the inner workings of the universe). These days, Kaku can mostly be found teaching at City College of New York where he holds the Henry Semat Chair and Professorship in theoretical physics. When he isn't teaching, Kaku still spends most of his extra time talking science, whether it be through his radio programs, best-selling books such as Physics of the Future or appearances on shows like The Colbert Report, where he recently enlightened Stephen Colbert about the dangers of sending Bruce Willis into space to blow up a deadly asteroid. As fun as it is for Kaku to talk physics, however, he also considers it a matter of survival
Made in the USA: Four stories in four days
Over the past two years, the United States has seen a return to American manufacturing by some of the biggest names in tech. In 2012, Google introduced the ultimately failed Nexus Q, while Apple's Tim Cook teased an American-made Mac. One year later, Lenovo cut the ribbon on a new plant in North Carolina; Motorola announced plans for a Made in the USA flagship; and Apple made good on Cook's promise with its latest Mac Pro. However, even with President Barack Obama backing a return to American production and moves from big players like Apple and Google, the fear of skilled labor shortages persists. In the lead-up to July 4th, we'll bring you four stories in four days that explore what innovation in the United States looks like today and what that means for you. In our first installment, Jason Hidalgo sits down with theoretical physicist Michio Kaku to talk about the dangers of a Silicon Valley brain drain and building the Death Star. On day two, Darren Murph takes a tour of Babcock Ranch, the once-hopeful site of "America's most sustainable city." On day three, we'll bring you Jamie Rigg's look at tech's reshoring efforts. And on the Fourth, Brian Heater will explore how one non-profit harnessed the power of big names like Bill Gates and Jack Dorsey to help bring coding to classrooms nationwide. For more from the field and the factory floor, keep it locked here as we explore what it means to be Made in the USA. Future Soldier: Michio Kaku A Green Dream Deferred American Redux Coding is Fundamental . . . .
Distro Issue 97: Made in the USA edition
The first week of July for those of us here in the States brings a barrage of cookouts, cold beverages and patriotism. In fact, we've dedicated the entirety of this week's double issue to the good ol' US of A. Crammed into the pages of this e-magazine is a first-hand account of the struggle to construct America's most sustainable city, a survey of developments in stateside manufacturing and much more. Eyes-On packs into some US-made bags, Weekly State tallies STEM job growth and IRL returns with more of our everyday gadgets. We'll be taking next week off to recover from the feast of hot dogs and impending firework burns, so be sure to swipe this edition to tide you over until our return. Distro Issue 97 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro in the Windows Store Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Fortune: Apple's American-made computer will be 2013 Mac Pro
Do you have money riding on a bet that the line of computers Apple's planning to manufacture in the US next year is the Mac Pro? Well, Fortune believes there's a good chance you're right. According to an article by the business publication, there are a few factors that add up to suggest the new Mac Pro will be the domestically produced product. First off, the publication cites an economist who states that a US$100 million factory should be capable of turning out about 1 million computers per year, a number that lines up with how many Mac Pros were sold by Apple in 2011. Then there's the issue of shipping costs. Fortune contends that it makes much more sense to build the heaviest Mac in the US to save on shipping costs, while its premium sticker price can offset higher manufacturing expenses. Finally, there's the fact that Tim Cook himself has already indicated that a Mac Pro refresh is due in 2013. So, what's your bet? We'd love to hear it in the comments.
Tim Cook confirms one line of Macs will be exclusively US-manufactured in 2013 (video)
It's not just going to be "some" iMacs that bear a USA legend, but a whole line of Cupertino's computers from next year. In a TV interview with Brian Williams, Apple CEO Tim Cook has said "we will do one of our existing Mac lines in the United States," vaguely confirming that production of either iMacs, Mac Minis or Mac Laptops will make a wholesale move to the US in 2013. As the company doesn't own any manufacturing facilities itself, Cook has committed to invest more than $100 million with a partner -- following through on his previously stated desire to see production move to the US. After the break, we've got the relevant clip of tonight's show, where you'll also see Cook sharing his thoughts on the US' "skills gap."
Some new iMacs "Assembled in USA"?
Lost in yesterday's iFixit writeup of the 21.5-inch iMac was this small line in the description: "Interestingly, this iMac claims to have been assembled in the USA." Sure enough, a look at the iFixit image of the back of the iMac shows the fascinating line "Designed in California. Assembled in USA". Why is that fascinating? Apple has closed all of its US production facilities, which were in places like Elk Grove and Fremont, California and Fountain, Colorado. 9to5Mac reports that some earlier generation iMacs have come in boxes printed with "Assembled in USA" on the side. In order for a product to be marked as "Made in the USA," the US Federal Trade Commission states that "A product that includes foreign components may be called 'Assembled in USA' without qualification when its principal assembly takes place in the U.S. and the assembly is substantial. For the 'assembly' claim to be valid, the product's last 'substantial transformation' also should have occurred in the U.S. That's why a 'screwdriver' assembly in the U.S. of foreign components into a final product at the end of the manufacturing process doesn't usually qualify for the 'Assembled in USA' claim." 9to5Mac's Seth Weintraub speculates that perhaps Apple is making an early manufacturing run of the new iMacs in the USA to "get the manufacturing kinks" worked out before handing the proverbial factory keys over to Foxconn. So, if this placard on the back of a brand new iMac isn't just a typo from the silk-silkscreening process at some Foxconn plant in China, where are some of these iMacs being assembled? If you happen to have some insight into this mystery, please let TUAW know by clicking the "Tip Us" button in the top right part of this page.
Lenovo building PC production facility in North Carolina
North Carolina is fast becoming a haven for tech behemoths, with Chinese giant Lenovo becoming the latest to plant its flag in the Southeastern soil. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company is readying a PC production facility near its US headquarters which will kick off operations next year. Aside from securing bragging rights over competitors which no longer manufacture in the US, the factory is intended to satisfy stateside customers who "demand for flexible supplies and product customization." While it's initially a small operation -- employing slightly over 100 people -- the aim is to expand in the future, meaning that elusive "Made in America" sticker may become a little more commonplace.
Google Nexus Q is 'Designed and Manufactured in the U.S.A.'
Google didn't touch on it during its keynote, but The New York Times' John Markoff has the story on one fairly unique feature of its new Nexus Q home media device: the base of the unit proudly boasts that it's "Designed and Manufactured in the U.S.A." That includes an unnamed company in the Midwest that manufactures the metal base and another in Southern California that makes the case, while the device itself was reportedly being assembled just last week at a large factory 15 minutes away from Google's HQ. According to Google, it hopes that people will be willing to pay more for the device as a result ($299, if you missed it), but it has no plans to play up the "Made in the U.S.A." angle in its marketing. Wired also has an in-depth piece of its own on the making of the device -- you can find it linked below as well. Check out our full coverage of Google I/O 2012's opening keynote at our event hub!
Tim Cook: 'I want there to be' Apple products made in America
Apple CEO Tim Cook is currently being interviewed by AllThingsD's Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, and took time to answer the question of whether or not Apple is interested in manufacturing any of its products domestically. While pointing out that it does source components locally, including glass for the iPhone made in Kentucky as well as CPUs for the iPhone and iPad made in Austin, Texas by Samsung, Cook indicated he "hopes" final assembly could be done in the US. Initially repeating "I want there to be [manufacturing in America]," he closed with "we will do as many of these things as we can do [in America], and you can bet that we'll use our influence to do it." Check out our liveblog for all the quotes on this and more, unless of course you're already planning a trip through the rolling hills of Kentucky to stock up on back glass for your iPhone.
NuVision ships Deep Black 1080p LCDs
Arizona manufacturer NuVision has begun shipping a pair of 1080p LCDs -- the 42-inch 42LCM1 and 47-inch 47LCM1 -- intended for custom installers and specialty retailers. The sets include those extra features and electronics that cater to high-end audiences, including NiDO image optimization and color processing, Crestron-certified RS-232 control with IR pass through for home automation, and 6ms response times. The 42LCM1 is available for $3,199, and the 47LCM1 can be had for $4,199 -- small prices to pay to "buy American."
