printing
Latest
Kickstarter project lets you print eerie 3D x-rays for $99
If your average 3D-printed paperweight isn't morbidly realistic enough, then here's an interesting alternative. It's an object that consists of thin layers of plexiglass, each of which has been printed with regular ink before being stacked in a vacuum chamber and drenched in machine oil. It's a relatively simple process, with no actual 3D manufacture or etching involved, but it offers an unusual degree of control over color and transparency. This makes the technique perfect for biological specimens, and especially ones that benefit from some x-ray detail. A Kickstarter project is currently offering its own choice of "Looking Glass" curiosity for sale (an elephant inside a boa constrictor's belly, inspired by The Little Prince) starting at $39, or you can get your own 3D object file turned into a personalized trinket for $99, with delivery expected in November if the funding target is met. And yes, you can opt for a 3D x-ray of one of your body parts -- in fact, somebody already has -- but it probably helps if you choose a part with bones in it.
Office for iPad now lets you print documents
Microsoft vowed that Office for iPad users wouldn't always have to track down a PC just to print their files, and it's making good on that promise with a slew of app updates. The tablet-sized versions of Excel, PowerPoint and Word now let you make hard copies of documents so long as you have an AirPrint-friendly printer on hand. The move tackles one of the biggest gripes we had with Office when it launched last month; it's at last possible to skip the computer entirely when producing that class report or family budget.
Japan looks to next-gen 3D printers for a return to manufacturing success
American 3D printer manufacturers have stolen a lead on the competition, but a Japan-based alliance is looking to fight back... it'll take a year or two, is all. The group includes universities, 27 companies including the likes of Panasonic, Nissan and Kawasaki, as well as the Japanese government. Rather than cheerfully-colored figurines and trinkets, the group plans to use titanium-based materials to craft complicated components like airplane parts and artificial joints for medical use. For the government's part, it's promising 3.8 billion yen ($36.5 million) this year, with each member organization adding another 500,000 yen per year to the research group. According to the Nikkei, work will focus on advanced tech that will allow 3D-printed components through (awesome-sounding) "molten metal powders." The aim is to have prototype machines by 2015, with some 3D printers ready for sale as commercial products. Final finished machines for making medical equipment and aircraft manufacturers will apparently take another four years to perfect.
Future Office for iPad update will let you print your documents
Although the Office for iPad suite is relatively full-featured, it won't print hard copies. That's a glaring omission even in this increasingly paperless era, we'd say. Not to worry, though: Microsoft tells PCWorld that printing support is coming as part of future app updates. The company hasn't said just when those upgrades are due, but Office general manager Julia White promises to "iterate very fast" on the fledgling productivity software. In the meantime, don't toss out your conventional PC -- you may need it to print out that next contract or term paper.
Samsung announces security-minded Cloud Print apps for Android and iOS
Does anyone actually cable up to a printer anymore? Not if they're kitted out with Google Cloud Print, Apple AirPrint, or Sammy's new alternative: Samsung Cloud Print. The service will launch with an Android app in June, followed by an iOS version in the second half of the year and possibly a Smart TV app at some point too, and all the apps will come with a number of promises about security. Users will have their data encrypted between their device and their inkjet, and those who also use Samsung's freshly updated Knox service are promised "enhanced security" through a level integration between Knox and Cloud Print. Finally, the Android app will also support NFC pairing, allowing a compatible mobile device to be connected to "as many as 20 printers with just a few simple taps" -- although that currently only applies to Samsung's small range of NFC-enabled Xpress-branded printers.
Lantronix xPrintServer Cloud Print Edition offers Chrome wireless printing, arrives next month for $150
Back in 2011, Lantronix served up its first gadget for making wireless printing from an iOS device quite easy. With a Home Edition and Office Edition under its belt as well, the outfit has taken aim at the Chrome faithful with the xPrintServer Cloud Print Edition. Taking on a similar stature as its predecessors, this smartphone-sized black box also allows for printing via any networked or USB printer and carries the same simplified setup as its elder siblings, too. Once tethered to a network, the accessory automatically discovers printers and links all the hardware together without the need for a driver install. The add-on is certified by the folks in Mountain View to support Cloud Print tech and can be used by any device running Android, Chrome OS (2.2 or later) or the Chrome browser. As you might expect, compatibility includes Google's suite of apps -- such as Drive. If your stable of tech meets those requirements, the Cloud Print Edition will ship in February for $150.
3D Systems buys a piece of Xerox to expand 3D-printing empire
We're mere weeks from 2014, and here's a sign of the times: A 3D-printing company has just picked up a piece of Xerox, a name that's still a bit hard for many to divorce from images of office printers and industrial copiers. Of course, 3D Systems isn't exactly a new kid on the block. The company may not possess the relative name recognition of a MakerBot, but it's been in the game for almost 30 years, founded by the inventor of the rapid prototyping technology that would give birth to the world of 3D printing. The $32.5 million acquisition announced this morning involves a chunk of Xerox's solid ink product design, engineering and chemistry team in Oregon with more than 100 or so employees joining 3D Systems. The team, labs and IP involved will likely have its biggest impact on 3D Systems' booming industrial wing, with the two companies having already collaborated on the Star Trekifying Projet line, which has become something of an industry standard for rapid prototyping.
Gmail for Android gets a vacation responder, printing and universal attachment support
Many workers are about to leave on holiday trips, and Google is more than willing to help them avoid the office with an updated Gmail app for Android. The new release includes a vacation responder that will let fellow employees know that you're off the clock. If you're running Android 4.4 KitKat, you can also print email to avoid checking your phone during family gatherings. And if you simply must deal with that company report right away, you'll be glad to know that Gmail now supports file attachments of all types. The new app is gradually rolling out as of this writing, so don't be disappointed if you have to wait a little while for an upgrade.
Kodak exits bankruptcy with new focus on business imaging
After a year and a half of trials and tribulations, Kodak is finally in the clear -- it just exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Now that the company has finished offloading its document and personal imaging groups, it's free to pursue a recently court-approved reorganization plan that focuses solely on business products like movie film and packaging. The resulting firm is a far cry from the camera giant that we once knew, but we may hear about its work in the future. Kodak promises more details of "what's next," and it tells the AP that it's working on technology like printable touchscreen layers and smart packaging.
Square app now records and tracks all payments, prints over Bluetooth
Many shops that use Square readers still have to accept checks and gift cards, but they haven't had an easy time reconciling those physical payments with the digital variety. Thankfully, updated versions of Square for Android and iOS should bring harmony by recording and tracking payments in virtually any format. The new release is particularly friendly to iPads serving as registers, giving them both cash management tools and support for printing receipts over Bluetooth. Storeowners whose sales still involve lots of paper or plastic will want to grab the latest Square apps through the source links.
Mataerial 3D printer escapes the tyranny of layers, changes colors on the fly (video)
Anyone who has used conventional 3D printers knows that they work by stacking layer on layer, limiting just what they can create and where. Mataerial's upcoming printer, started by Joris Laarman Lab and IAAC, doesn't abide by those petty rules. Its robotic arm draws instantly solid 3D curves rather than 2D slices, shedding the need for direct support or even a horizontal surface. It's also not bound by traditional approaches to color. As Mataerial injects dye at the last moment, it can switch hues mid-stream and introduce subtle gradients. We've reached out for launch and pricing details, but it's reasonable to presume that such advanced control won't come cheap -- we'd look to the 3Doodler for more affordable in-air artistry.
HP and Samsung offer setup-free printing on the Galaxy S 4, with others to follow
As ubiquitous as wireless printing has become, there remains the occasional hoop to jump through for printing from mobile devices if you don't happen to have either a special app or iOS gear that supports AirPrint. HP and Samsung are teaming up to remove many of the headaches for the Galaxy S 4: when the phone launches in April, it should have setup-free WiFi printing to almost 200 HP inkjets and LaserJets, as long as any given printer is either on the same network or is otherwise accessible through direct printing. Don't expect ubiquitous support, though. Beyond being limited to the one phone, you'll have to stick to some of its preloaded apps, including the browser, contacts, email client, photo gallery, Polaris Office and S Note. It's far from a truly universal solution, then, but the two partners are at least promising zero-setup printing on both the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II through firmware updates coming later in 2013. We'll take the approach if it saves time snagging an old-fashioned boarding pass or some concert tickets.
Polaroid plans experimental Fotobar stores that will let you print your photos
Polaroid hasn't been shy to try various tactics as it attempts to compete in the age of digital photography, but it always seems to come back to the idea it's best known for. It's latest effort is a bit more of a roundabout way to get some tangible photos in your hands, though: a series of "experimental" Photobar stores where you can go and have your digital photos professionally printed. The first of those will open in Delray Beach, Florida in February, with a total of at least ten stores promised for 2013, including locations in New York, Las Vegas and Boston -- each staffed with so-called Photenders to help you get the best results, and equipped with a "patent-pending proprietary technology" that'll let you wirelessly transfer photos from your phone to a workstation. What's more, the stores won't just be producing glossy photos, but what Polaroid describes as handcrafted pieces using canvas, metal, acrylic, wood or bamboo -- those will be shipped to the customer within 72 hours, and are apparently of the same variety that can currently be ordered on Polaroid's Photobar website. You'll still need to get your Polaroid film elsewhere, though.
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!
Solidoodle 3 goes up for pre-orders with 512 cubic inches of 3D printing prowess
The potential for home 3D printing has regularly been limited by size; even MakerBot's Replicator 2 can only go so far in matching our ambitions. Solidoodle sees that deficit as a chance to make its name in a still very young industry. Its new Solidoodle 3 printer covers an extra two inches in every dimension than the Solidoodle 2, doubling the printable area to an extra-large 512 cubic inches. The 8-inch by 8-inch by 8-inch space isn't as long as what's inside the MakerBot challenger, but it's larger overall and improves on Solidoodle-built ancestors with a newer spool that cuts back on tangles in the plastic filament. Should any projects be too big for existing 3D printers' britches, the Solidoodle 3 is up for pre-order today at a size-appropriate $799. Do brace for a long wait, however: at 8-10 weeks before shipping, the company doesn't expect any deliveries until January.
Athens university prints polymer circuits with lasers, speeds us towards low-cost electronics
The dream of ubiquitous technology revolves around cheaper materials, and polymer circuits could help make the dream a reality... if the solvents used to produce the circuits didn't cause more problems than they cured, that is. The National Technical University of Athens has developed a more exacting technique that, like most good things in science, solves the crisis with lasers. The approach fires a laser at a polymer layer (covered by quartz) to throw some of that polymer on to a receiving layer; by moving the two layers, the scientists can print virtually any 2D circuit without resorting to potentially damaging chemicals. Any leftover worries center mostly around risks of changing the chemical composition as well as the usual need to develop a reliable form of mass production. Any long-term success with laser-printed polymers, however, could lead to more affordable technology as well as more instances of flexible and wearable gear -- there might not be much of a downside to ditching the circuit status quo.
Turn your iPhone photos into wall art with Art.com's Photos To Art app
The fine folks at Art.com have been "helping people find the art they love, so they can love their space more" since 1998 -- that's almost a century in Internet time. The service has long offered quality art reproductions of classic and modern works, but it was only about 18 months ago that it began printing user-contributed images on demand via the Photos to Art service. Since some 30 percent of all home decoration is personal photography, it's caught on quickly. The natural next step for Photos to Art is, no surprise, an iPhone app. Given the rapid advances in phone camera quality, it's now eminently practical to skip the whole download your photo/upload to website stage and simply use the app to spec and order your framed artwork. The app is cleanly designed and has some nifty features to make the ordering process go smoothly. Once you pick your photo (from Instagram, your camera roll or live from the iPhone's camera) the app calculates how large a print you can safely get with the available image data. A canvas print is more forgiving of low-res images, while other substrates may need finer-grained files. You can pick from several mounting and framing choices, then you get a "wall mount" view which shows your selected design in one of several typical room looks, with a scale view of a sample person holding the frame for size reference. You can even snap a picture of the real wall you're adorning, then see the product in position where it will actually end up. Check the price, and click through to have your new work of art shipped to you. The Photos To Art app joins Art.com's two existing iOS apps, the artMatch iPhone catalog browser and the artCircles iPad discovery engine, on the App Store. All three are free.
Lantronix xPrintServer Office Edition brings more control to iOS printing for $200
Lantronix's xPrintServer boxes have already enabled direct printing from iOS devices, but now there's a new Office Edition that promises a better work ethic. Replacing the older Network Edition, this model raises the asking price to $200 but offers more detailed user management and better support for remote authentication, proxy servers and USB printers -- all hopefully with the same ease-of-use we saw back at CES. There may be simpler and brighter options on the market, but if that business feature-set sounds compelling, then look out for a November 21st shipping date.
Formlabs FORM 1 high-resolution 3D printer spotted in the wild, we go eyes on (video)
Last time we checked in with the 3D printing upstarts over at Formlabs, their Kickstarter was doing splendidly, having over doubled its initial funding target. Well, less than a month later, and with the money still rolling in, the current total stands (at time of writing) at a somewhat impressive $2,182,031 -- over 20 times its initial goal. When we heard that the team behind it, along with some all important working printers, rolled into town, how could we resist taking the opportunity to catch up? The venue? London's 3D print show. Where, amongst all the printed bracelets and figurines, the FORM 1 stood out like a sore thumb. A wonderfully orange, and geometrically formed one at that. We elbowed our way through the permanent four-deep crowd at their booth to take a closer look, and as the show is running for another two days, you can too if you're in town. Or you could just click past the break for more.
Seeing is believing, Disney crafts 3D printed optics (video)
A group of engineers from Disney Research have crafted a new method to create interactive objects using 3D printers. Referred to as "printed optics," the lure of this technology is the ability to transform inert 3D models into interactive subjects by embedding 3D printed light piping into an object with minimal electronic components. Illuminated by LEDs and mobile projectors, this new breakthrough in optics has the potential to replace LCD and LED screens to display information on smaller interactive devices. If you find yourself scratching your head trying to visualize such a mojo in action, then check out the video after the break. It will enlighten you.
