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We'd also be able to grow food using aquaculture and hydroponic ways—though if it just tastes like algae I might stick with city-living for a while longer. [Water-scraper via Inhabitat]
This week at the Game Developers Conference (GDC 2010) in San Francisco, 3DVia is showing off 6 new games developed with 3DVia products. Among those is the first game built using 3DVIA Studio, an online social game, called Billions, that I can tell you right now is the very reason I’ll be staying up all night gorging myself with Twizzlers and Coke in front of the computer screen. Recipe… 50 Tons of Addictive 3DBillions is the first game built on 3DVIA Studio, 3DVIA’s brand new game development environment for creating breathtaking online games, simulations and visualizations fast. To put 3DVIA Studio to the test, 3DVIA partnered with long-time 3DVIA Virtools users Zoink Games and JUDIVA to build an engaging, creative and unique game. The result was Billions. And the results are nothing but impressive… Here are the first screen that attendees of GDC will be able to experience this week.
Plus… it’s Open SourceBesides, having a interesting new gameplay environment for online games, the Source Code is available for download. So if you’re interested in developing games using 3DVia Studio, you can have a little look at how it’s done and maybe even create the next big social gaming phenomenon to consume everyone’s time. To view more on the story of the Mogaloos and 3DVia check out Billions and watch the 3DVia blog. And, if you’re at GDC here’s the schedule for the 3DVia at booth 1432.
Wondering what the best 3D MCAD Magazine is? Check out Develop3D – Technology for the Product Lifecycle
© 2010, Admin for SolidSmack.com | Link to Post  Would you believe that Acer is working on a frameless laptop with touchscreen keyboard? As far-fetched as the idea might be, it’s certainly plausible, expected even. The idea, as rumored by DigiTimes, involves doing away with the display’s frame by printing colors directly onto the back of the display’s reinforced glass substrate from Corning (a la Gorilla Glass presumably). Coupled with a touchscreen keyboard, the rumored device should be impossibly thin by traditional laptop comparisons. Keep in mind that we’ve already seen this Frame Zero concept pictured above from Fujitsu and Acer’s arch-rival ASUS has been showing off its dual-display laptop prototype with touchscreen keyboard for months. Even the OLPC XO-3 plans to eschew the clickity keyboard in favor of a touchscreen version. And anyone who has ever seen a scifi movie knows that tactile keyboards and display bezels have no role to play in our computing future anyway, so we might as well get things started now — or in the second half of 2010 according to DigiTimes‘ sources. Acer working on frameless laptop with touchscreen keyboard? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |
Say what you will about the heart of the Midwest, it’s certainly not hard to find a bar. Geography blog FloatingSheep took a look a the bar-to-grocery store ratio in different parts of the country and it became immediately apparent that Illinois and Wisconsin (and part of Iowa) team up to form the beer belly of America. From FloatingSheep:
The clustering was so apparent that we wanted to check how it compared to the “official” data on this activity. So we gathered 2007 Census Country Business Pattern on the number of establishments listed in NACIS code 722410 (Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)) and divided by Census estimates for state population totals for 2009 and found remarkable correspondence with our data. On average there are 1.52 bars for every 10,000 people in the U.S. but the states that make up the beer belly of America are highly skewed from this average. We wonder if this information will help improve tense Illinois/Wisconsin diplomatic relations. Alisa, the tipster who sent this in, says, “I am from Wisconsin, and I would say this is accurate!” Well, I am from Illinois, and I would have to agree. Have to say I’m disappointed in Chicagoland, however. Guess that’s why we have to vacation in ‘Sconsin. Or maybe they’re just counting Binny’s as a grocery store. The Beer Belly of America [FloatingSheep]
Paper Rater couldn't be easier to use. Just paste in the text you want analyzed, choose what type of content it is—essay, research paper, speech, etc.—and submit it for review. Within seconds, Paper Rater generates a report that analyzes several aspects of your submission. Naturally, the app takes a look at grammar and spelling, but it also gives feedback on your writing style and choice of words. To get suggestions on word or phrasing replacement, just right click on the highlighted words. Paper Rater also detects plagiarism by comparing the content you submit with published online content to see if there are any similarities. This feature can be overridden by simply flagging passages with the proper citations. Paper Rater is a solid tool for double-checking your work as you prepare your next speech or presentation. What tools do you rely on to hone your writing skills? Share in the comments. Paper Rater [via Download Squad]
Here we go again . . . Apple App Store Fail No. 5102928. A few weeks ago stealth Israeli startup Tawkon gave me a sneak-peak developer build of what I believe is the most important app on my iPhone. What does it do? It analyzes the cellular radiation your iPhone emits at any given moment, at any given location, whether in standby mode, or within a call. Sounds like science fiction, right? Well, that’s where Israeli hardware and software engineering prowess come into play (more on that in a second). Sadly, Israeli military training may have met its match . . . the infamous iPhone App Store approval process. The purpose of Tawkon’s app is to provide the user with an indication—or “prediction” as they call it—of the radiation level being emitted by the iPhone. This level changes based on environmental conditions, distance from cell towers, and even the manner in which the device is held. To illustrate: the iPhone’s antenna is located at the bottom of the device. If the user cradles the phone too tightly in the palm, the antenna has to work harder, thereby increasing radiation. The 3GS models have improved chipsets, so radiation would be lower on them compared to previous versions, and Tawkon takes this into considering when calculating its prediction. When launched, the app instantly provides users with an indication of the radiation level in the iPhone’s stand-by mode. A green/orange/red pulse makes this dummy-proof. For example, radiation levels in my office are minimal, but are much higher in the men’s room which is deeper in the building, where more concrete forces the iPhone to work harder to hold a connection to the nearest cellular base station.
So how does Tawkon do it? Algorithmic magic analyzes your phone’s dynamic SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) levels, location, environmental factors, as well as unique smart-phone capabilities such as bluetooth, accelerometer, proximity sensors, GPS and compass. The level of radiation a person is exposed to during calls is determined by analyzing several dynamic parameters, including the impact of environmental factors such as distance from cellular towers, network and weather condition, terrain, antenna’s proximity from the body, antenna orientation (if the user is holding the phone vertically or horizontally) and travel speed. It’s perfectly natural to be skeptical about Tawkon’s app, so let me lay out a couple of things to set the record straight: first, Tawkon is not looking for controversy. They contacted me weeks before they submitted the app to the App Store with the sincere hope of not being stonewalled. Ironically, were this a gag app, not only would there have been no controversy, the app’s revenue potential may actually be higher. Second, I have no way of testing whether the app’s output is actually correct. However, I took the time to meet the three founders and feel comfortable stating that they struck me as serious, highly capable hardware and software engineers who’ve spent 18 months developing a technology they believe holds real compelling value for users. They claim the app has gone through lab testing to ensure its output is correct. For what it’s worth, I take their word for it. Tawkon’s app has been in the approval process for a couple of weeks with the App Store denying approval on the grounds that a diagnostic tool of this nature would create confusion with iPhone owners from a usability perspective. This reasoning was communicated by an App Store representative on a phone call with the Tawkon team. I find this claim questionable as I’ve been using the app and there’s nothing problematic about it in this respect. Tawkon is keeping optimistic, holding hope that Apple will approve the app which they intend to sell for between $5-$10. In the mean time, it’s plugging ahead in its development of Blackberry and Android versions. Information provided by CrunchBase
The Logo Design series is up and running! We’re thinking ahead and we want to find new ways to sort these listings. Today, it’s all about animals. I gotta say that this is probably the listing with most matches ever…<!–break–> There are so many that we had to break it and we’re gonna do it in 2 parts. I don’t know why designer love so much to place animals in their designs… this is the biggest trend EVER. As usual, we’ll search for logos in these galleries: Logopond, Logo Faves, Logo Moose, Logo from Dreams, Logo Gala, WS Logos, The Logo Mix and Wolda. We hope you all enjoy our selection! Cheers. PS.: Got cool ideas for sorting? Tell us!
About the authorHello, everyone! I’m Paulo Gabriel, a 25 year old designer from Porto Alegre, Brazil. I have worked as a webdesigner since 2006, but websites and blogs have been a hobbie for me since 1999. Here in Abduzeedo, I try to bring only the hot stuff for you… and hope that all of you enjoy my posts! For more cool stuff, you may also follow me on Twitter. Sponsored Links:
Eric Curry was born in 1956 in Los Angeles, California. A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in 1980, he lived in Scandinavia for the next 12 years, running his own advertising photography studio based in Copenhagen, Denmark, returning to the states in 1992.Originally trained and specializing in studio still life/special effects photography for all those years, Eric eventually transitioned over to location industrial photography, because it affords, as he comments:
Currently, Mr. Curry creates photographs exclusively on location for select clients and himself, taking full advantage of the depth and possibilities afforded by each and every new challenge. For more information visit Eric’s website at http://www.americanprideandpassion.com/ Dive! Dive! Dive!
King of the Hill
DC-3: Workhorse
NAVY HARDSUIT
62′ T-Bird: Honey, I’m Home…
Tres Amigos
Turn Around of Engine 2449
Lockheed-12: End Of Day
CAPTAIN AMERICA And 3-D BOY
Airstream Trailer: Home on the Range
Tractor In Flower Fields
Lowrider: Eye Candy
M1-A1 Main Battle Tank
About the authorMy name is Fabio Sasso, I’m a graphic/web designer from Porto Alegre, Brazil and I’m the founder of Abduzeedo. I hope we can share lots of information, tips, and ideas through Abduzeedo. Also you can follow me on Twitter or my personal site at http://fabiosasso.com. Sponsored Links:
 Um, we’re sure there’s something sensible to be said about this Porsche concept, but we’re not altogether capable of coherent expression at present. We want to own one of these so badly, we don’t even care if it has an engine. And boy does the 918 Spyder have an engine. A 3.4-liter V8 petrol burner is combined with electric motors to put out 500bhp, while featuring the mind-altering acceleration to go from a standing start to 62mph in just 3.2 seconds. Topping out at 198mph and offering a very respectable 78mpg fuel economy, this is pretty much the stuff dreams are made, which is quite naturally why you shouldn’t expect to see it in any purchasable form any time soon. If you do care to see more of it, however, you can do so at the Geneva Motor Show this year or just past the break, the choice is yours. [Thanks, Zach] Continue reading Porsche 918 Spyder concept is the most beautiful hybrid we’ve ever seen Porsche 918 Spyder concept is the most beautiful hybrid we’ve ever seen originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The city’s mayor today signed a proclamation that for the rest of the month, Topeka will be known as “Google, Kansas.” Yes, you’re reading that correctly — Topeka is now “Google.” Now, to be clear, this isn’t a legal name change. Lawyers advised the mayor and the city council that they wouldn’t be able to change the name for just the month and then change it back (no word on if they also advised them that it would be well, stupid) — so instead their going with this proclamation asking people to simply call the city “Google.” While this is a silly way to get Google’s attention, the benefit could be huge. The 1Gb/sec fiber is roughly 100 times faster than what most Americans get today for Internet speeds. That’s especially true in rural areas. And while Topeka may not be the most rural city in the country (it is the state capital and has over 120,000 citizens), they could undoubtedly make good use of this ultra fast connection. Google’s fiber connection is still more than 20 times faster than even most fast broadband connections. Humorously, this isn’t the first time Topeka has tried something like this. Apparently, in August 1998, the city has a proclamation to change its name to “ToPikachu” — yes, after the Pokemon character. So this move seems roughly 100 times more sane than that one. Also funny — apparently this special city council meeting lead to the postponement of another one, where they were actually going to talk about real issues. Ah, local governments. Information provided by CrunchBase
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Water-scraper is a concept piece entered into the eVoIo Skyscraper Competition which shows a future where people live and work underwater. Harnessing wave, wind and solar power to generate electricity, it’s a future world I’d be thrilled to live in.
3DVia also has billions of reasons to make you excited about Mogaloos, how many you capture and how you feel about the color pink as the backdrop of the universe.
Last month, Google announced 
