Sometimes, two dimensional photos, even those taken by a 41-megapixel sensor, simply aren't enough to accurately depict a three dimensional object. Enter Arqball Spin, a free app that lets anyone with an iOS device create high-quality 3D models of whatever they like. Using the iPhone's camera, the app takes a series of images and uses some software black magic to create the finished product. The model, or "spin", can be cropped and adjusted (brightness, saturation and contrast) like a regular photograph, plus users can create custom annotations to identify or comment on specific parts of the "spin" as well. Viewers can then rotate the model 360 degrees and zoom in on any part that piques their interest. While it's currently an Apple-centric affair, support for DSLRs and other hi-res cameras (by uploading videos to the company's website for processing) and other mobile platforms is in the pipeline.
The app works best if the object is situated on Arqball's stage, which rotates at an optimal three RPM -- the stage isn't available yet, but the company's going the Kickstarter route to get the capital needed to start manufacturing. Those who pitch in now can grab a stage for $60, and it'll cost $20 more if you want to wait until it's on sale. Of course, the app still functions if you want to hold your iPhone or iPad and walk around your subject, but you won't get near the quality result that you can when using the stage. Because the "spins" are hosted on Arqball's servers, they can easily be embedded on any website via HTML.
By making photo-realistic 3D modeling so easy and accessible, Arqball sees this technology as a perfect fit for online retailers, educators, and, ahem, even gadget reviewers. While the app holds obvious commercial appeal, the company's not counting out casual users, and hopes to see a future filled with user-created 3D content. We got to see the app in action, and walked away thoroughly impressed with both the speed of the app and the detailed models it produces -- but you don't have to take our word for it, see a sample spin and our hands-on video after the break.
Continue reading Hands-on with Arqball Spin, the app that lets you create interactive 3D models
Hands-on with Arqball Spin, the app that lets you create interactive 3D models originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
There's a lot of signs pointing to the release of a brand new iPad floating around these days:
myriad rumors,
retina displays, and even
Apple event invites. Now, a freshly taken pic from an anonymous tipster has given us a little more grease for the iPad 3 rumor mill. As you can see above, starting today all iPad 2 SKUs at Radio Shack are getting $20-50 lopped off their prices, which sure
seems like a good way to clear out stock to make room for a newer, pricier version. And, the good news for Apple fans doesn't stop there, as the Shack will also be discounting the iPhone 4 and 4S by $25 from March 1st - 4th. So, is this more evidence of the iPad 3, or just a retailer trying to move more product? We'll know for sure next week.
[Thanks, Anonymous]
Radio Shack drops iPad 2 prices $20-50, swears it has nothing to do with the iPad 3 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
LG wasn't very forthcoming with details when it announced its new AirpPlay speaker dock
back in November, so here at CES 2012 we decided we'd stop by LG's booth to dig deeper and see it for ourselves. It looks like a foot square black rubik's cube, with glossy and matte exterior squares alternating around the outside, along with two mesh speaker grilles on the front corners. Up top is a dock that fits any iDevice and the power button, while a Smart Square screen resides on the front that'll have touch controls when the dock ships in Q2 or Q3 of this year. A 3.5mm input jack and a USB port are on the back, and we're pretty sure that the dongle plugged there is where the
AirPlay chip currently resides, though it'll be baked in before it gets to market. It was hard to evaluate the thing's sound on the show floor, but with an 8-inch subwoofer inside, the low end came through loud and clear and overall it sounded good. Unfortunately, we can't tell you how much it'll cost when it becomes available, but we
can give you the gallery of pics below. Enjoy.
LG Airplay enabled speaker dock eyes (and ears)-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
Last time we saw the Gametel Bluetooth controller, it was an
Android-only affair, but here at CES, the company informed us that it now works for iOS and PCs, too. It's been available in Europe for €58 for awhile now, and Gametel will be bringing it stateside sometime soon -- Q1 is what we were told. Given its price across the pond, you can anticipate it costing north of $60, though economies of scale being what they are, that price may drop precipitously should it prove popular in the US.
We got a little handsy with the thing, and found it to be a surprisingly sturdy affair. You see, it attaches itself to your handset with a plastic spring-loaded clamp, and despite feeling a bit flimsy, it held the phone quite securely as we shook it to and fro. It's definitely a nice alternative to touch gaming in our opinion, though it's not perfect. We wish the backside shoulder buttons were positioned at an angle because they were difficult to press with a phone attached. See what we mean and more in the gallery below.
Sean Cooper contributed to this report.Gametel bluetooth controller for Android and iOS hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
While Apple fans around the globe have had the
iPhone 4S for awhile now, many of our friends in the Far East haven't gotten to enjoy the fruits of their countrymen's labor due to a lack of governmental approval. You see, before a handset makes it onto Chinese networks, it's got to be approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The good news is, the 4S has finally been blessed by Beijing and will be brought to the masses by Chinese Unicom sometime soon. That means that China's home-grown superphone, the
Meizu MX, is going to have some
Siri-ous competition for Chinese hearts and yuan in 2012.
iPhone 4S cleared for use in China, sino-Siri coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
So, you got a shiny new iPhone 4S, and with its spiffy new camera, you're itching to dabble in some Dada-esque
picture composition. But, what if you're an on-the-go type with no time to fix your pics on a laptop? Worry not photog friend, Artifact is here to let you photoshop right on your phone and give
Adobe some competition. The app works on any device running iOS 4.1 or later, and lets you splice photos together with the greatest of ease. Once you've got two images to combine, simply open one to create a canvas layer, then open the second to have it it appear as a transparent layer on top. You can adjust them --individually or locked together -- by rotating or with pinch to zoom, and painting selected areas of the top layer with your fingers combines them for good. It's a really slick interface, and one you should see for yourself, so head on past the break so see Artifact in action.
Continue reading Artifact for iOS puts the power of Photoshop in the palm of your hand
Artifact for iOS puts the power of Photoshop in the palm of your hand originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
A
towel and an even keel go a long way when you're galavanting around the globe, but whether we're going to grandma's or New Guinea, many of us won't leave home without access to email. Iridium created its
AxcessPoint Mail & Web software for such connection-dependent people, but the service was unavailable to those using iOS... until today. The company has finally brought AxcessPoint to Cupertino's mobile platform, and iPhone users can download the free app now. Of course, before you start checking messages in the middle of the Sahara, you'll need to spring for one of Iridium's pricey
sat phones and its WiFi hotspot, then pay a $1 per minute charge once you've connected your iDevice. And, with speeds on the network checking in around 12kbps for web browsing and 40kbps for email, you'll pay dearly for the privilege of opening the Vogon poetry attachment your buddy sent to entertain you while you sail solo across the Atlantic.
Continue reading Iridium releases AxcessPoint Mail & Web app for globetrotting iDevices
Iridium releases AxcessPoint Mail & Web app for globetrotting iDevices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
From
'smart' pens to a
smarter Siri, Apple's always attempting to find new ways to improve the iPhone, and the company's latest patent application wants to keep its crack-prone glass blemish free. Aptly named a "shock mounting cover glass in consumer electronic devices," the invention claims a tunable shock mount sandwiched between the phone's glass and other hardware. There's also plans for a sensor that can distinguish a "drop event" from normal phone movements and an actuator to prepare the shock mount for impact. Given that it's only at the application stage, we won't be seeing bombproof iPhone displays any time soon, but here's hoping it'll become a product reality someday. Mostly so we can see just how much of a
beating it can take.
Apple patent application aims to keep iPhones shatter-proof with shock mounted glass originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
Apple's
iPhone 4 may not have the fancy dual core CPU of
its successor, but thanks to the efforts of developer Steven Troughton-Smith and the folks at
9to5 Mac, it may soon have Siri. The port of the
sultry voice assistant was accomplished by using the 4S Siri and Springboard files, and some serious elbow grease, no doubt. As you can see in the video below, it's far from perfect, but it can recognize spoken commands without issue. Currently, the hack is missing an iPhone 4 GPU driver that keeps things running buttery smooth on the elder phone, and Cupertino won't authenticate Siri's commands coming from it either. So, it isn't quite ready for primetime, but it should only be a matter of time before all you iPhone 4 owners can tell Siri what to do, too.
Continue reading Siri ported to an iPhone 4, old phone learns a new trick
Siri ported to an iPhone 4, old phone learns a new trick originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Oct 2011 01:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
Well, well, what have we here? Hot on the heels of being unveiled to the world, the
latest and greatest iPhone appears to have landed with the feds to get the FCC's stamp of approval. That's right, an Apple phone bearing model number A1387 has just made it through the commission's myriad tests unscathed. We can't say for certain it's the 4S, but given the timing of its appearance, it sure seems like Uncle Sam's officially on board with the new iPhone. If the
rest of our coverage of Apple's new handset wasn't enough for you, hit the source below for the full FCC nitty gritty.
Apple iPhone 4S makes its way through the FCC? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
Add one more to the tally of patent lawsuits involving
Apple and
RIM. This time it's Openwave Systems using the license-by-litigation technique, and it's alleging that multiple devices infringe five of its patents on mobile internet -- including offline email access, cloud computing, and secure server access. The company claims that Apple's iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4, the iPod Touch, both iPads, plus RIM's Blackberry Curve 9930 and the PlayBook all infringe its IP. Apparently, Openwave initially took the pacifist route to persuade Cupertino and Waterloo to pay up, but when its overtures were ignored, it decided upon more aggressive tactics. As others before it, Openwave wants to fight a two front war in the
ITC and federal court, but we'll have to wait and see if the ITC elects to take up the cause. Armchair attorneys can get a gander at all the juicy details at the source below.
Openwave sues Apple and RIM for patent infringement originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
We know, we know. You're fit to be tied waiting for the
complete Star Wars collection to be released on Blu-ray in September, but there's good news for impatient iPad owners here in the US. You see, some of the collection's bonus materials can be had for free a bit early -- as in tomorrow -- courtesy of the
Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access App. Even better, we've got video of the app in action plus a gallery of pics for you to drool over until you can download it yourself. And for folks abroad or those with an iPhone or iPod touch, the same sneak peek will be available in August.
The app itself is a ported version of what you'll see on the Blu-ray discs, but there's some added touchscreen functionality -- pinch-to-zoom on the concept art and users can spin props and models with the flick of a finger in the "Collection" section. The app also lets you selectively download the content, so all that artwork and video won't eat up an undue portion of your iPad's memory. After getting handsy with it in person, we found the app easy to use and the content compelling (where else can you examine the Death Star up close?), but we were left wishing that there was a bit... more. Of course, the lion's share of extras are reserved for the paying customers come September 16th -- though we were disappointed to discover that, currently, there are no plans to make it all available on the app even if you buy the Blu-rays. Regardless, you get what you pay for, and that makes this gratis addition to the Star Wars universe a darn good deal.
Continue reading Hands-on with the Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access iOS app
Hands-on with the Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access iOS app originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 21:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
Apple's lawyers in its
lawsuit against Samsung are an impatient bunch. First, they asked the court for an accelerated discovery process so they could get their hands on Sammy's forthcoming products ASAP. Then they filed a motion to trim the time until trial and asked for an order shortening the time to file the briefs for that motion. Yesterday, the court told Apple to slow its roll by denying its request to compress the briefing schedule. In doing so, the judge cited Apple's knowledge of Samsung's alleged infringement for more than a year and the fact it engaged in license negotiations with the Korean company during that time -- which the court thinks undermines Jobs and Co.'s argument that they'll suffer substantial harm without a hurried hearing schedule. It's a minor ruling in the grand scheme of things, but it indicates that Apple's cries to condense the time until trial may fall upon deaf judicial ears. Looks like the folks in Cupertino may have to look to the
ITC if they want the rocket docket treatment.
Judge denies Apple's request to speed up its suit against Samsung originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
When we go somewhere new, we wish we could spend more time taking in the sights and less time looking at our phone for directions and info about our surroundings. Apple's well aware of this conundrum, and has filed a couple of patent applications to let you ogle your environment while telling you where to go and what you're seeing. One app is a method for combining
augmented reality (AR) information and real time video while allowing users to interact with the images on screen -- so you can shoot a vid of a city skyline with your iPhone, touch a building where you want to go, and let it show you the way there. The second patent application is for a device with an LCD display capable of creating a transparent window, where the opacity of the screen's pixels is changed by varying the voltage levels driving them. Such a display could overlay interactive info about what you see through the window, so you can actually
look at the Mona Lisa while reading up on her mysterious grin. Of course, these are just patent applications, so we probably won't be seeing any AR-optimized iDevices anytime soon (if ever), but we can dream, right?
Apple seeks to spruce up the real world with interactive augmented reality, has the patent apps to prove it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
Kodak scored a small victory this week in its International Trade Commission (ITC)
case against Apple and RIM for their devices' infringement of Kodak's patent on picture previews. Back in January, an ITC administrative law judge (ALJ) made an initial determination that the patent was invalid and that iPhones and Blackberrys don't infringe Kodak's IP. After reviewing the decision per the parties' request, the Commission changed a few of the ALJ's patent claim interpretations and remanded the case for fresh analysis regarding both infringement and validity. Kodak, naturally, is painting the remand as a victory, even going so far as issuing a celebratory press release. Such swagger seems a bit premature, however, as the judge could once again find in favor of the crowds from Cupertino and Waterloo. The next Kodak moment isn't until August 30th, when the ALJ is due to render his ruling. Stay tuned.
Brian Heater contributed to this post.Kodak granted reprieve in its ITC battle with Apple and RIM originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 01:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
Email this |
Comments
