Can you really just print your own working firearm with a 3D printer?

Just because 3D printing will make production more attainable by individuals, does that mean that everyone should be able to produce whatever they want? That hypothetical conundrum has a new reality to it with the announcement that Wiki Weapon, which aims to release plans to allow anyone to 3D print working firearms, has been fully funded.

The advent of 3D printing has been heralded by many as a revolution in mass production, especially with home versions of 3D printers now becoming available. With these devices and a little bit of technical know-how, the converts casually pronounce, anything is possible in the brave new world. That may be true, but it’s always worth remembering: “anything” doesn’t necessarily tend to limit itself to the good stuff.

Last week, Defense Distributed’s Wiki Weapon project reached its funding goal, meaning that – barring any unforeseen circumstances – it will be able to go ahead with its plan to create the world’s first fully-printable, working plastic gun, before going on to make the blueprints for said device available online, for free, for anyone to download and use to build their own firearm. As you might expect, that’s not an idea that thrills everyone.

The project is the creation of a University of Texas law student called Cody Wilson, who worked with a group of engineers, designers and programmers to develop the prototype device after discussing the idea with friends. Wilson is well-aware of ideological objections to make it possible for firearms to be created without license or guidelines, but he is firmly of the mindset that it’s better to live free than restrict an American’s right to bear arms. “People say you’re going to allow people to hurt people, well, that’s one of the sad realities of liberty. People abuse freedom,” he told the Guardian newspaper. “But that’s no excuse not to have these rights or to feel good about someone taking them away from you.”

Wilson is familiar with defending his idea. He initially tried to crowdsource Wiki Weapon on IndieGoGo, only for the website to freeze the project and refuse to share the $2,000 Wilson had already managed to raise beforehand (According to IndieGoGo, the project was frozen for violating company policy as it involved the sale of firearms, a charge that Wilson rejects as Wiki Weapon was never a for-profit project, nor planned to actually sell firearms, as such). Even after he went solo and managed to reach his crowdfunding goal, the problems haven’t ended; it turns out that actually fulfilling its aim may be illegal under US law (Specifically, it may run afoul of a 1988 law known as the Undetectable Firearms Act that prohibits entirely-plastic firearms).

Again, Wilson – who is, after all, a law student and therefore familiar with such legal challenges, is undeterred. “I haven’t felt any real heat yet, but I think it’s very possible the project might happen outside of America or the files might be hosted outside of America,” he’s on record as admitting. “The point of manufacture might also have to be outside of the United States.”

Even with full funding, it’s possible that Wiki Weapons will disappear without a trace like other crowdfunded projects. But it’s worth considering the project just a taste of what’s to come as 3D printing technology becomes more popular amongst the mainstream.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

10 Coolest Headphones

The music industry is all about expression with different genres catering to the taste of different individuals. The music we choose to listen to can therefore tell a lot about us – and so can the type of accessories through which we listen to music.

In the modern world, headphones are more than just a practical tool that enables us to listen to music on the go. Available in a range of colours and designs, headphones are now just as much a part of personal expression as our choice of music – so what are 10 of the coolest designs?

1. Beats
Focusing on auditory quality just as much as style, this outstanding range of earphones from Dr Dre is a clear contender for cool headphones.

2. Skull Candy
Another popular brand, these in-ear headphones are known for their colourful designs. They offer a high level of comfort as well and deliver an impressive sound quality which makes them a great overall performer.

3. Altec Lansing A1 Custom Single Driver Earphone
These custom moulded earphones are perfect for those who want an understated but impressive style. They are relatively plain in design but utilise a unique shape which provides high levels of comfort. Excellent sound definition is transmitted through these exceptional earphones, making them a great option.

4. Sennheiser CX 680 Sports
Combining brightly coloured accents with a black base colour, these earphones are the perfect embodiment of casual cool. They’re designed to fit ear canals with greater comfort and even boast a waterproof construction. Distinctive embellishments which protrude from the top of the earphones also make them a clear choice for the style conscious.

5. Lego Earphones
A popular brand which has found its way onto everything from keyrings to flash drives; it seemed only a matter of time before Lego earphones became available. These in-ear varieties are fun and colourful, making them perfect for those with quirky tastes.

6. Ultimate Ears 18 Pro
With 6 drivers per earbud, these fantastic earphones deliver a high quality sound which is virtually unrivalled. Alongside that, their bold appearance utilises bold colours and interesting shapes to give them major style points.

7. AKG K 350
These great earphones are a testament to the fact the high quality and impressive style doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Affordably priced, they offer consumers a comfortable design which delivers high sound quality through a brightly coloured earbud.

8. Soul by Ludacris SL99
Earning major cool points through their endorsement by Ludacris, these earphones also benefit from a comfortable flat earbud and understated, subtle designs.

9. Munitio Bullet Headphones
These 9mm earphones are specifically designed to resemble bullets and are completely unique. Constructed from a single piece of copper alloy and coated in Titanium, the quality of materials and of sound deliverance are high.

10. Transformer Headphones
Whilst these may not actually transform into anything, their design is one which cannot be surpassed. Featuring mini transformers set onto the outside of the earbud, these are a great and novel example of how eccentric headphone designs can be.

Guest post by Richer Sounds experts in HiFis, smart tvs and headphones. Visit the website to view the latest headphones deals.

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com

5 Services That Helps You Save Money For Business Aside Groupon

There are many business organisations and individuals looking to save cash in their efforts to survive in this difficult economic condition. There is a huge demand for cheap deals and you will find money saving comparisons made on many sites on internet. Almost everybody is familiar with such deal sites like LivingSocial and Groupon. However, you will also realize there are hundreds of small niche sites that have not been discovered by the users. Here are some of the sites, which will save your money and time ensuring that it will be better spent elsewhere.

1. PickyDomains.com
Consider a situation. You are in need of a new domain name for your product or business but all the good ones are already gone and taken up. In such case your options are, pay thousands of dollars at cybersquatters, helplessly settle for a low quality domain name or hire the services of expensive branding agencies. None of these is desirable options. PickyDomains.com is one of the risk free domains naming service having more than 55,000 contributors. Getting the desirable domain name is easy with PickyDomains.com. You just need to register with them and pay a small fee of $50 for a brand or domain name. Slogans will cost you $75. After you have provided the details of what your aspirations are for the slogan and the domain name, you will get many suggestions from the large workforce of PickyDomain.com. The great thing is that in case you decide not to use any of the slogans or names suggested you get a full refund. This means there is absolutely no risk and you will pay just for results.

2. Bitrix24.com
Are you in need of project management software, platform for your employers to collaborate on, task planner or CRM? If you are, you will be required to spend thousands of dollars on different vendors unless you want to try to Bitrix24.com. In case your company is small having less than 12 employees, you can avail the free basic package offered by Bitrix24.com. This includes task planner, a comprehensive CRM and other useful features like consistent updates informing the employee about the latest goings on inside the business. Bitrix offers an extremely affordable package $99/month for companies with a larger workforce than 12 employees.

3. iSpionage.com
For running a profitable business, you need to know, what your competition is up to. This site iSpionage.com allows you to keep track of the activities of the rivals through analyzing competitor run adverts, monitoring the affiliates, paid search competition, managing via search engine gaps, managing client campaigns and more. There is no need to monitor the software yourself, the site send you the email alerts every time it detects any competitor activity that is significant to you. For just $9, you cannot afford to miss the deal.

4. JetRadar.com
Getting cheap air travel has indeed become a lot simpler after the introduction of specialist sites like Expedia, Cheap Flights and Orbitz. In case you are business executive or a person who requires frequent airplane traveling around the world, the site JetRadar.com will help find the best deals available. Most of the other rivals scan through the sites of select airlines but JetRadar.com checks through each travel agency out there along with all major flight websites and from the 728 listed airlines to get you the cheapest deal. Most travelers are unaware that the best deals are available via the airline websites. Airline companies do this to avoid loss of trade to its rivals. However, JetRadar.com will scan these sites as well to ensure the cheapest deal out there.

5. Logaster.com
For all different kind of businesses, a logo is essential because it helps your clients to keep track of your company and find you out from the crowd if required. You will find graphic designers charging big money for designing logos and yet there is no guarantee that you will get what you were looking for. One option is the crowd-sourcing sites although they will set you back by at least 100 bucks per logo. In contrast, on Logaster.com, for a monthly fee of $4.99 you can create your own design free. In addition, logos are not the only things offered at Logaster.com. You may create a range of designs for different brands including branded envelops, letterheads and business cards.

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com