Windows 10 now includes Paint 3D, a simple 3D modeling program.
The popular operating system has long included the “Paint” application, a very simple 2D painting system that provided basic capabilities.
Now the same Paint program has been “re-imagined” with an entirely new look. But one of its notable new capabilities is the ability to create 3D models.
To be sure, its 3D abilities are very basic and akin to simple introductory systems I’ve seen elsewhere. But there are some neat features, including an ability to use the Microsoft Kinect device to perform rudimentary 3D scans.
These scans can be imported into Paint 3D and then become part of custom 3D models. You can export 3D models for 3D printing, too. However, the system does not include any real way to certify the 3D models are appropriate for 3D printing.
The system makes good use of the touch screen interface, and creation using the pen will be very familiar to many users.
As this will be a standard feature in Windows, it will be accessible to many people. As I wrote the other day, I’m hoping we will see huge growth in the number of “3D enabled” minds in the population.
However, there is a bit of a dark side to this introduction.
Some of the features included in the free Paint 3D system are in fact the functions provided by alternative third party applications. Imagine the scene in the boardrooms of apps specializing in using Kinect technology to build 3D models, or those offering basic 3D modeling tools.
They may be able to tweak their systems to be better than Microsoft’s but it will be incredibly hard to catch up to Microsoft’s massive user base. Microsoft has essentially eaten up several smaller 3D companies with this announcement.
Via TechCrunch
