YouTube co-founder criticises new YouTube comments
Jawed Karim, a YouTube co-founder, has joined in on the slamming of Google’s changes to the video site’s comments section, which now enforces use of its Google+ social network.
Karim, after not posting anything since the first Youtibe video 8 years ago, has made his second-ever post on the site, adding to the controversy over Google’s changes to its comments system.
He commented: "why the f**k do i need a google+ account to comment on a video?"
The overhaul has sparked controversy amongst YouTube users, with the video announcing the changes garnering almost 30,000 comments, mostly criticising the move.
As Karim noted, the site now requires a Google+ account to comment. Other commenters have said that they won’t use Google+ to comment on YouTube videos – and so will stop commenting.
The company argues that this is necessary to personalise comment sections for each viewer: "You’ll see posts at the top of the list from the video’s creator, popular personalities, engaged discussions about the video, and people in your Google+ Circles," Google explained in a blogpost.
But others suspect that its intention is to artificially boost the apparent number of users of its Google+ social network.
US company makes metal gun with 3D printer
A Texas company says it has made the first metal gun using a 3D printer.
Solid Concepts, a specialty manufacturing company, said in a blog post it has fired more than 50 rounds from the handgun.
The pistol is a version of an M1911 handgun, and is built from 33 stainless-steel parts and has a carbon-fiber handgrip carved with a laser.
"The 3D-printed metal gun proves that 3D printing isn’t just making trinkets and Yoda heads," the company said in the blog post.
However, the company has pointed out that the production of this gun isn’t meant to fuel worries of law enforcement. As 3D printers become more widespread, some critics are concerned about criminals making their own weapons.
"Let me start out by saying one, very important thing: This is not about desktop 3D printers," Alyssa Parkinson, a spokeswoman for the company, wrote in the blog post.
The metal gun wasn’t a move toward making firearms with a 3D printer cheaper or more accessible, she wrote.
A 3D-printed gun featured in our top 5 3D-printed objects, alongside a replica Aston Martin and a 3D-printed human ear!
Motorola patents throat e-tattoo
Motorola has filed for a patent for an electronic skin tattoo that could be connected to a smartphone.
The patent for "coupling an electronic skin tattoo to a mobile communication device" includes an embedded microphone, a ‘transceiver for enabling wireless communication’ and a power supply that could run from a battery or solar power.
The technology follows the trend for second screen devices such as the Galaxy Gear smartwatch that act as a mediator for our smartphones, and the developing field of electronic tattoos.
Motorola’s patent application also suggests uses beyond simple communication, mentioning the inclusion of a "galvanic skin response detector" that might turn the device into a lie-detector.
"It is contemplated that a user that may be nervous or engaging in speaking falsehoods may exhibit different galvanic skin response than a more confident, truth telling individual," reads the patent.
