Voxel8 to 3D Print Complete Electronic Devices

Posted on 05/01/2015 by Paul Strauss

Up until now, the vast majority of 3D printers on the market have been designed to produce plastic models, and if there’s functionality, it’s pretty primitive – like rotating gears. But Voxel8 aims to change that, with their upcoming 3D printer that can not only print plastic, but also circuitry.

Using highly conductive ink, the printer with work with Autodesk developed software called Project Wire to allow for design of both the object and its circuitry in a single application.

Specifications for the Voxel8 printer are as follows:

Build Envelope: 10 x15 x 10cm
Printing Technology: FFF, Pneumatic Direct Write
Layer Resolution: 200 microns
Filament Compatibility: 1.75mm
Conductive Trace Width: 250 microns
Supported Files: AMF, STL, PLY, OBJ, OFF
Resistivity: 5.0 × 10^-7 Ω-m
Silver Ink Cure Time: 5 minutes

You’ll still need to add some elements, such as integrated circuits or motors, but a single object can contain both thermoplastic and conductive elements, which should enable some truly interesting builds. In addition, the machine will allow you to insert components in the middle of a print without losing its place.

Voxel8 is accepting pre-orders for their printer now, and expects to start shipping at the end of 2015. The printer will sell for $8499(USD), so it’s definitely not for weekend hackers, unless you happen to have deep pockets.

[via Pocket-Lint]

Philips outs BDM3490UC 34″ Curved UltraWide LCD Monitor

Posted on 05/01/2015 by Paul Strauss

If you’re one of those folks who can never get enough desktop space on your computer screen, you’re going to want to check out this new display from Philips. The Brilliance Curved UltraWide LCD screen (model BDM3490UC) measures in at a substantial 34″ diagonally, and offers a 3440×1440 resolution at 60Hz.

This makes the display approximately 2.4 times larger than your typical 1080p HD display, so you can open up a ton of windows side by side on the display. In addition, the screen includes a technology called “MultiView,” which lets you connect two different devices and view them side by side on the same screen. The display is an AH-IPS panel with LED backlighting, a native response time of 14ms, and dynamic response time of 5ms.

Running at a 21:9 aspect ratio, it’s also great for watching Cinemascope and anamorphic movies that were created in that format. And while I’ve yet to see much more than a stylistic benefit to curved big screen TVs, the curvature is definitely a positive when you’re sitting as close to the screen as you do at your desk.

The display also has a pair of speakers powered by a 7-watt per channel amp and DTS sound. It’s also got a built-in 4-port USB 3.0 hub, and one of the ports supports BC 1.2 Fast Charging.

Philips has yet to announce pricing or a release date for the Brilliance Curved UltraWide LCD screen.

Healbe GoBe: A Deceiving Body Manager with a Sleek Design

Posted on 05/01/2015 by Alexandru Chiuariu

Activity trackers and calorie counters are taken for granted by most people, and few are the ones who actually care about the accuracy of such devices, the gimmicky factor being the one that matters to most.

Health and fitness gadgets have the role of helping us keep track of many parameters characterizing our bodies. The whole concept of the Quantified Self is based on how accurately the devices are able to monitor various bodily functions, so any manufacturer of wearables should back their gadgets with some relevant research in order to inspire trust. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Healbe Gobe, a “fully automated body manager” that relies on three sensors to monitor our body and daily (or nightly) activities.

The pulse sensor and the accelerometer are two sensors that have made their way into a lot of modern wearables, and while these do add some functionality, the innovation comes from the use of an impedance level that tracks fluid levels in the tissues. Besides calorie intake and calories burned, the Healbe GoBe can measure heart rate, stress level, hydration levels and sleep status. To be taken into consideration, a gadget with so many functions would need some proper certifications or reviews to back it.

Currently featured at CES in Las Vegas, Healbe GoBe hasn’t really been certified in terms of sensor accuracy by a high authority. When asked whether the results have been published in any peer-reviewed journals, George Mikaberidze, Healbe’s managing director, pointed out that the Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York and the Saint Petersburg State Institute of Health’s Medical and Sports Clinic have tested the gadget, and that further details are available on the company’s website. As a matter of fact, there’s no mention of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering on healbe.com, fact that makes you wonder how far this company would go to sell its product.

Healbe Gobe was featured on Indiegogo between March 5 and April 15, 2014, where it raised more than ten times the $100,000 funding goal, suggesting that some people truly believed in its potential. Even though backers were supposed to get the gadgets they had pledged their hard-earned money for in June of last year, the manufacturer now claims that the body manager will be delivered at the end of this month. The ones who missed the crowdfunding campaign can get it on Healbe’s website for $299.

I guess this stands to show that anyone can get to CES nowadays, regardless if their product is accurate or simply based on bad science.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about the Anonabox privacy router’s awry crowdfunding campaign, or the Jawbone UP3 fitness tracker and its many sensors.

Invoxia Triby Smart Fridge Magnet Makes Its Debut at CES

Posted on 05/01/2015 by Alexandru Chiuariu

If until now fridge magnets doubled at most as bottle openers or kitchen timers, Invoxia Triby adds a whole lot of functionality that leads us to think that such decorative accessories could play a greater role in our lives.

Over the past few years I have developed an obsession for fridge magnets and I strive to get at least ~~one~~ three from any new city that I visit. While I do prefer the metallic ones, I also consider that the ones made from vinyl, ceramic, resin or even plastic have a beauty of their own. Still, the fridge magnet in question does not really impress with its design, but rather with the numerous functions it has. Invoxia Triby connects via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to other devices, packs a speaker and an e-ink display for messages, and can even stream music, should you feel the need to listen to something while cooking.

Supposing that you live in a developed country and you don’t bury your food to keep it cool (not so sure about the fresh factor in this context), chances are you take a trip to the fridge at least once a day. When doing so, it’s probably better to adorn it with smart (or at least good looking) gadgets, so that the kitchen becomes an even more attractive room, in case it wasn’t already.

First of all, Invoxia Triby facilitates communication, regardless if you want to tell the kids to come down for dinner or if you want to talk to them while you’re away.

In case you don’t want to disturb the others by making noises, you can doodle a message for them to see when they get nearby the fridge.

Triby also packs hands-free functionality, so you can answer calls and continue cooking. Supposing that the microphone and the speaker are good enough, you should be able to do so at a distance.

Not at last, Invoxia’s smart fridge magnet doubles as a Bluetooth speaker, so you can stream music to it effortlessly.

I particularly prefer this trend of separating functions into different products, rather than making an all-in-one device that’s either mediocre at all that it does, or needs to be taken to the repair shop when one of the features is faulty (Mac computers, anyone?). In other words, I don’t like a thing that’s a Jack of all trades, as companies tend to create better products when they focus on fewer features. That being said, instead of looking to buy a fridge with smart functions, it’s probably better to get a fridge magnet that you can easily replace if it gets broken.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about the QR fridge magnets that remind you of your food’s freshness, or the fridge magnet gadget that delivers yummy pizza.

CES 2015: Withings Watches are the New Wearables of the Future

Posted on 05/01/2015 by sumayah

Withings is concerned with the fitness and vital stats revolution that is going on. Its Activité Pop is no ordinary watch. It even contains a sleep gauging mechanism. Fashion, style and function not...

Platform Agnostic Alcatel Pixi 3 Runs WP, Android or Firefox OS

Posted on 02/01/2015 by Alexandru Chiuariu

Two days after teasing the world with the resurrection of the Palm trademark as an Android smartphone, Alcatel makes the news again with the newest member of the Pixi family, a smartphone capable of running Windows Phone, Android or Firefox OS.

The days when our smartphones are locked to a single operating system seem to be over. The Pixi 3 will pack the necessary hardware for running Microsoft’s WP, Google’s Android or Mozilla’s Firefox OS, the users being able to pick any of these either when buying the phone or at a later point in time. Right now, it is not known how Alcatel plans to implement this, but the new Pixi 3 line will be showcased at CES 2015 in the next few days, so we’ll learn more about it then.

There is a Pixi 3 line, as the OS-agnostic smartphone will not be offered in a single version. Instead, there’s a 3.5″ 3G model, as well as 4-inch, 4.5-inch and 5-inch versions, with the mention that the last three are LTE-compatible. Don’t expect the Pixi 3 phones to have high-end specs, as that’s not going to happen. Alcatel has a specific target audience in mind, and I would say that it is represented by young people, judging by the design of the phones and the available color options.

Alcatel has experience with all of these three mobile operating systems, and the smartphones in its portfolio emphasize this fact. However, offering all three platforms on a single device might turn tricky, and the users might not have the same experience as when using a smartphone built specifically for a single OS.

“Our users do not want complicated systems — they want something familiar from their work environment in the office, but also on a smartphone,” explained Alcatel OneTouch CMO Dan Dery. That makes sense if people are using particular operating systems on their desktops or notebooks that ensure increased compatibility or functionality with specific mobile OS.

Along with the new Pixi 3 smartphones, the company also plans to launch an affordable smartwatch, simply known as the Alcatel OneTouch Watch (now that’s a tongue-twister!). According to the press release, Alcatel intends to make its smartwatch elegant and versatile, at a fraction of the cost of what popular wearables cost today. A demo of the watch and of the proprietary apps will be made at Alcatel’s booth at CES.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about the Huawei dual OS smartphone, or Geeksphone’s dual-boot Android and Boot2Gecko smartphone.

CES 2015: Delta will showcase New Tech Innovations for Smart, Green Lifestyle

Posted on 02/01/2015 by affam

The Delta Group is a global leader in switching power supplies and thermal management. The company has announced that it will introduce its new innovation ‘Delta smart Green House’ and display its...

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