A Kickstarter entry has managed to stir the fairness pot by touting a MakerBot Replicator clone called TangiBot -- legally copied from the original 3D printer's open source plans. The project's creator, Matt Strong, says that the device will offer "the same performance and features at a roughly 33 percent discount" to Makerbot's $1,800 price tag, thanks to Chinese manufacturing. That's inflamed some in the 3D printing fraternity, who take exception to the exact copying of a design without any improvement. The founder is unrepentant, however, saying that "MakerBot's technology is nothing new" and insists his replica product's lower price will open up 3D printing to more hobbyists. TangiBot has addressed a trademark gripe from its doppleganger by removing the MakerBot references from Kickstarter -- but hey, we know a KIRF when we see one.
Filed under: Peripherals, Robots
TangiBot manufactures ethics controversy by replicating open-source Makerbot 3D printer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 07:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Religion, bathroom routines and politics are three things you should never, ever discuss at the dinner table. However, if you're curious about your neighbors' political reading habits, then you should check out Amazon's Election Heat Map. The bookseller rated the top 250 books with a "clear political bias," with each state's graphic turning red or blue depending on which tomes are selling the most. The company is clear to say that the results are more for the curious than a reflection on the result of the election, so if you fancy checking it out, head down to the source link.
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Amazon's political reading map shows which way your neighbors are leaning originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Running DARPA has always demanded a certain amount of tech-savviness -- it created what ultimately became the internet, after all -- but it may get an extra coat of green paint with a new leader. The agency has reportedly taken on Arati Prabhakar as its new director, and Wired notes that she has a lot more than just the agency itself under her belt. Along with going so far as to found DARPA's Microelectronics Technology Office, she ran the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and eventually signed on with Interval Research the venture capital firm that backed the solar power company Solyndra as well as numerous other green tech projects. That last decision has drawn a fair share of flak: Solyndra got about $500 million of public funding and still went under. With that in mind, an anonymous senior military staffer claims that Prabhakar wasn't involved in the questionable government loan and went through "extensive vetting," so it's doubtful that the funding will cast the same shadow over her DARPA technology investments as it did for the outgoing director, Regina Dugan. Even so, there will no doubt be a close watch over Prabhakar if the appointment is made public, both for those who want to keep her honest as well as for the potentially huge amount of insight into clean energy and general technology that she can wield.
[Image credit: SRI]
Filed under: Science
Reported new DARPA chief brings true geek, dash of green tech controversy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 06:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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