BlackBerry Messenger for iOS review:

BlackBerry's popular instant messaging platform, BlackBerry Messenger or BBM has finally landed on non-BlackBerry OS platforms, Android and iOS, after a delay of more than a month.

BlackBerry had paused the rollout of the app after an unreleased version of the BBM for Android app leaked online prior to the app's official release on the Play Store, 'which resulted in volumes of data traffic orders of magnitude higher than normal for each active user and impacted the system in abnormal ways'.


Even the current rollout is based on a waitlist with access being granted first to users with a BlackBerry ID, and to people who registered their email address at BBM.com. Here's our initial take on the BBM for iOS app.

BBM is a free download from the iTunes App Store (and Google Play store) (download/waitlist links if possible) and anyone can sign up for the service through a BlackBerry ID which is required to log-in into the app. If you don't have a BlackBerry ID, you can create one by providing your email ID and choosing a password.

Samsung Launches Exclusive Apps For Windows Phones:
Samsung is not a company to be behind in the stakes when it comes to software for mobile phones.  If Nokia can have exclusive apps for its Lumia model phones, then Samsung is not one to miss out on an opportunity, so the Korean company is launching two apps that will only work with their Windows Phone devices.

 

The first app is called Share Box and it allows Samsung smartphones to connect to DLNA-compatible devices such as High Definition Televisions, to play music or video without being connected via a bunch of wires. 

The second application is called Samsung Link.  This too controls your media by allowing the user to play their content stored in the cloud and share it with other devices, websites or storage services. 

Mitsubishi Metal 3D Printers - Coming Shortly:

3D printing has opened up worlds to the average person – given he could afford a personal 3D printer. While it certainly cannot be called a household item yet, a 3D printer is not that hard to come by these days, and you can create practically anything from guns to little figurines of yourself to horse shoes. Heck, even Walmart and Asda are offering 3D printing services!

 

The only machine in the world which realizes one-machine one-process manufacturing of complex molds and parts using fusing metal laser sintering (3D SLS) technology and high-speed milling technology. The printer melts metal powders and sinters with laser while surfaces are milled in high speed to form metal parts with complex surface shapes.
Matsuura Machinery’s printer can fabricate dies and molds of very complex geometry with dimensions as large as 250 x 250 x 180 mm.

• Laser oscillator: Yb fiber laser
• Laser Power : 400W
• Spindle Speed: 45,000 min
• Travel (X/Y/Z) : 260/260/100 mm
• Feed Rate (X/Y/Z) : 60/60/30 m/min

  Used in the die and mold industry, the Avance-25 can produce both molds and parts that require additive manufacturing and high-speed milling.  It has a build volume of 250 by 250 by 180mm.

The company hopes to deliver 10 of the  machines this year. The company said the printer could also be used for aerospace applications and in the medical industry.

According to the company, dies and molds of with complex geometries can be fabricated in one piece with high accuracy, shortening lead time and reducing manufacturing costs to a half or one third of conventional methods. In addition, three-dimensional cooling channels can  be incorporated in molds, increasing cooling efficiency and enabling high-cycle injection molding.

 

 

 

Intel Debuts SD Card-Sized Computer:



Intel has just unveiled Edison. A new computer which is housed inside an SD card, which has built-in Wi-Fi connectivity and it can support multiple operating systems.

Brian Krzanich, Intel CEO, has said the goal of Edison is to give wearable tech manufacturers a go-to option when they need a computer to power their devices.  “Wearables are not everywhere today because they aren’t yet solving real problems and they aren’t yet integrated with our lifestyles,” Krzanich explained. “We’re focused on addressing this engineering innovation challenge. Our goal is, if something computes and connects, it does it best with Intel inside.”

 

 

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich demonstrated Intel-developed designs for wearable devices including smart ear buds with biometric and fitness capabilities, an always-on smart headset that integrates with existing personal assistant technologies, and a smart wireless charging bowl.

The Edison can be programmed to "manage I/Os and other baseline functions", according to Intel, with Linux (and Android) support. Beyond the Quark processor, inside it contains a small compute package bringing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE connectivity and has RAM and flash storage as well.

"Intel Edison board-powered devices can cooperate in highly customised and sophisticated ways," Intel says. "These devices don't have to be hardwired one-trick ponies; they can house multiple apps that can be downloaded and installed just like we do with phones and tablets."