Wouldn't it be funny if Google bought the company just to screw Apple? I mean they have a multi-year agreement in place so that would be a few years of thumb in the eye like fun. Oh, I can dream...

I have a Sony TV and their Netflix App is actually pretty good. It even has a dedicated Netflix button on the remote. I don't use any of their Sony Entertainment services or anything else like that since I prefer the connected desktop computer route. Their web browser on the other hand is beyond brutal and it's the main reason I connect it to a desktop.

What isn't good is their Miracast implementation. It only works with Sony phones/tablets...this seriously pissed me off since none of mine are made by them. Instead of disclosing this information, they hid it and then discontinued the model of TV early in the new year because the blow back from unhappy customers over this feature not working with non Sony products was pretty big.

Their matching Blu Ray player has the exact same functionality as the smart TV so things are redundant.

This is true. I have seen all my 3D titles in the theater and it is rather pricey (hence me wanting a copy of 3D Avatar after I saw it so I could repeat the experience on a whim) but I go to the theater to get out of the house and for the "event" nature of it all, granted it's not often I do this. I don't have kids though so I didn't consider that type of expense.

Just so you know, Corel's doing this sneaky renting bullshit too but they're just doing in peace meal with individual features. Coreldraw X6 was the QR code generator. X7 introduced a Hide Object feature. Both are "greyed out" unless you're a standard or premium member. Standard members don't pay but preemies do - aka, RENT. They'll continue to tie in more features this way also over time. Corel's not getting off easy on this one by any stretch.

I had mod points but I had already commented on this article so I couldn't mod you up but this is gospel. Halle-fuckin-lujah brotha!

Oh and inb4 Inkscape...

I'll hop on board the Linux train if Illustrator and inDesign make the switch too. I mean, Microsoft's doing its best to push me away from Windows so ya, if Adobe is going to put their flagship application on Linux, I'll seriously consider switching out. I'll even wear a Penguin t-shirt to prove my loyalty.

I do wish CorelDRAW would come over too though since I come from a sign design background and much prefer it over Illustrator but I would hunker down and take a few courses to really get good at Illustrator if I had to. It would be really sweet if Sketchup would do the same but there is Blender though so that is pretty freaking awesome.

Maybe this really is the year of Linux on the desktop after all? My curiosity is peeked.
 

I'll see your "smart TV" and raise you a "3D TV".

I have both features in my TV and I use neither of them - well, besides the built in Netflix app. Anyhow, I admit I fell for the hype, call me gullible. I have watched a grand total of 0 3D Blu Rays even though I own a 3D Blu Ray player and an unopened copy of Avatar 3D. The player is still in the box after a whole year. I hope it works because I think the warranty is about to expire in December. I don't buy Blu Rays since they're way more expensive than DVD and since Netflix came along, I don't really need to go on a wild goose chase to find a still operational rental store either. Too bad Netflix doesn't offer 3D capabilities on some of its titles. I might actually use the 4 pairs of stupid looking glasses that came with it.

For a real smart TV experience I connect my desktop computer to the big screen via HDMI cable and sit back with a wireless keyboard with built in touchpad. Now THAT'S a smart TV experience considering I can do everything and anything I desire with that kind of setup.

Moral of my story: If you can save a few bucks on a dumb TV then I'd seriously suggest you consider it. Connect your laptop or desktop to it via HDMI and go nuts if you really want a satisfactory experience.

I guess the entire OS is now spyware eh? Wow, this company really wants to commit suicide.

You can also print out little toy solders for your kids if you have them. Why stop there? Need a certain Lego part for that extra special project? Model and print your own.

My Copam CP-2500 vinyl cutter didn't have a really decent pen option for paper plots. Originally I bought a flimsy ballpoint pen adapter for $12 shipped and using it practically shred the paper since the point tip was so hard and fine. Almost useless. So I went to eBay and found someone who was selling a simple 3D printed rectangular shaped Sharpie pen adapter with a tapered conical holes in it for $5 shipped. It came with two adapters, one for fine tip Sharpies and one for the fatter kind. You simply swap out the knife holder, put in the pen adapter and adjust the cutting pressure to a lighter setting. Works amazingly well and it turned my vinyl cutter into a useful plotter for templates. In this instance, it was the best $5 I have ever spent. The quality is very good and I don't see them ever wearing out.

This is quite funny. Though refrained taping my eyes shut (and I'm not a vampire), I did just last night, go around my room and put pieces of black electrical tape over every LED light I could find sans the clock (which dims in the darkness thank goodness). It's amazing just how sensitive your eyes are to light pollution at night. Every power bar I have has a glowing light of some kind. One even has two. I have a wireless extender that has several LEDs on it. Then there's the TV, the TV cable box, a heater...everything got the electrical tape band aid treatment. I even put a black screen wipe over my cell phone in it's charger cradle that likes to let me know it's charged by beaming me in the face with green light. Tablets get charged with their cases closed and the laptop charger goes face down into the carpet. When I charge my electric shaver or toothbrush, they get turned upside down to shine their light into themselves. Made a HUGE difference to the point where I have to feel my way around if I shut off the lights too soon.

I've had to get obsessive compulsive about this just so I can get a decent sleep...but it's worth it!

I think this has a lot more application than just games. I mean, there's archival of buildings, objects, knowledge, record keeping, procedures, etc. People forget how to manufacture items when record keeping isn't done properly or is lost. Now you can accurately scan objects, deconstruct them virtually and figure out how to rebuild things once those who originally built them have long passed on. It's happened already with engine parts with NASA. Military parts and items from WW1 and WW2 even. Think about ancient things like the Pyramids and other monuments (like the Easter Island statues). Today, we're still trying to figure out how things were done back then because we don't have an accurate blueprint or information to go on. However anything we build today, could and should, be archived in 3D with instructions on how it was completed. It preserves knowledge for generations to come.

How about law enforcement? Like scanning and matching criminals in 3D in a searchable database is much more revealing than scanning 2D pictures. It would help for non-criminals too. Say someone dies in some fashion and is partially decomposed. But they got scanned when they got/renewed their drivers license, and now the police can accurately see what the person once looked like and can match their identity.

The more I think about the implications of this, the more excited I become. Couple this technology with 3D printing and you're going to be able to do some really amazing things.

How about the medical field? They're figuring out how to 3D print items

I agree 100% and was just about to chime in and say the same thing. Now especially with 3D printers being cheap, you can print out models of any kind. Scan them in, skin them and go nuts.

I remember watching this movie as a child on TV late one night because I was feeling rebellious over being directed to go to sleep by my parents. Little did I realize until afterwards that doing so would prevent me from being able to sleep properly for two weeks or so beyond that instance. I was literally terrified. One of those "innocence altering" moments in life for sure. There has been one other movie that has had such an impact on me growing up and that one was Schindler's List. I guess I have a penchant for war movies...

I have watched the Day After a few times since and though I can shake off the 70's look and feel to the movie, the underlying effect is still the same. It's very powerful. This is one movie that should be redone with modern CGI and shown to the world like clockwork. Especially in schools - but I would not recommended it until kids are teens however and can actually grasp the ramifications of what they're watching.

Back in my parent's time, they would often describe practicing nuclear fallout drills in their schools, diving under tables, going into shelters, being told to eat iodine pills, etc. I can only imagine the effect this would have on my psyche growing up in such a time. I mean now, who would know what to do in such a situation? Not like you really stand much of a chance I suppose now a days unless your family bought one of those underground retrofitted missile silos for some iota of protection. I mean nuclear war preparedness was not taught to me in school in my generation and I know it's not taught now - at least in Canada.

I really think today's coddled youth have no idea just how close the world has come to being blown apart (except maybe the children of Fukushima and Chernobyl would perhaps be better informed). They also wouldn't have a clue as what to do in case of a disaster like this actually occurred and how to survive if you were around by chance afterwards. I have to admit, I don't have much idea myself even now as an adult to be honest but I do know enough that I might not want to either.