Hear and Feel Your Favorite Sounds

This is interesting - Shapeways has teamed up with online Sound sharing site SoundCloud to produce  "The Vibe" a very unique 3D model creator. From your SoundCloud account you can select your favorite sound, perhaps a song or yourself speaking. This sound's waveform is automatically transformed into a visible representation of the wave as the back side of an iPhone case 3D model. 

 

Of course, you then print the generated 3D model at the Shapeways 3D print service in a material of your choice. 

 

We think this is yet another terrific way for general public to gain access to 3D printing technology. All too often enthusiastic folks take a step towards 3D printing but collide with the big barrier of 3D design. While some people can overcome that barrier and learn how to develop their own 3D models, many cannot. Services such as this from Shapeways are essential to growing access to 3D printing. 

 

Via Shapeways

Shapeways' Peek Into Imagination: Finds Apple's Siri

Popular 3D print service Shapeways often runs contests to stimulate creativity - and increase their print volume. This past week saw the conclusion of a rather interesting competition to answer the abstract question, "What Does Siri Look Like?" Siri, of course, is Apple's voice-powered omnipotent assistant. 

 

There were multiple entries to the contest, each portraying the imageless Siri. The winner, pictured above, is a fascinating design that not only shows a friendly Siri emerging from the device to enter the "real world", but also doubles as an actual iPhone case. Not one you'd put in your pocket, but certainly one that could prop up your 4S on the desk. 

 

We find this contest and its winners to be a little different than most contests in that the subject was completely abstract. The submitted designs were entirely drawn from the inner creative view of the entrants. It's much like being able to peek into someone's mind to see how they visualize a character in a novel.

 

3D printing can make your designs real, but it can also make your imagination real. 

 

Via Shapeways

The Useful iPod Nano Watchband

You've no doubt seen those squarish iPod Nano's in the Apple Store. They're so square that someone long ago thought they'd be easily transformed into a Dick Tracy-style watch by merely adding a band. And so it went, until Fernando Sosa decided to improve the design using 3D printing. 

 

Sosa has produced an Instructable that shows how to build a Nanoband that not only holds the Nano, but also the earpiece cords! The design has small knobs around which the cords can be wound and spots to snap in the earpieces themselves. 

 

The instructable is quite useful as it explains several "gotcha's" that you'd run into. Fortunately, Sosa has already done so and documented it all for you. Oh yes, he'd also appreciate your vote on his submission. 

 

Via Instructables (Hat tip to Snowbear)

3D Prints Hit The Apple Store

If it's in the Apple Store it's got to be good, right? That might be debated, but regardless Freshfiber has landed their custom-printed iPhone covers in US and Canadian Apple Stores. 

 

At this point only two models are offered (the "Weave" and the digital-like "Double Mesh"), but you can check out large quantities of alternative designs at Freshfiber's web site. There are as of this writing dozens of spectacular designs for not only iPhones but also cases for iPads, Galaxy Tabs, iPods and even Blackberrys. 

 

Some of the designs are totally abstract, while others incorporate realistic shapes, transforming your phone into say, an old-time camera or a boom-box. Prices for phone cases range from €35-40 (USD$46-52, while the much larger iPad cases range from €35-60 (USD$46-78). 

 

Beyond the beauty of the designs there is a major story here: a 3D printed item has now appeared in a major retailer. It won't be the last. 

 

Via FOC and Freshfiber