objects

To say that Facebook's iPhone app is slow could be considered generous. In truth, it makes the tortoise look like the hare.

It seems almost inconceivable (and yes, I do think that word means what I think it means) that a Web-focused, modern company could produce such a slow rendition of its product on the most popular mobile product on the planet.

But, not to fear, Facebook has heard the crowing (and has seen the one-star reviews) and plans to update its iPhone app, according to The New York Times.

The New York Times managed to get two unnamed engineers to reveal that the Facebook iOS app has been completely retooled and will feature the only thing that really matters in social-networking apps -- speed. … Read more

I wrote a very favorable review of the Velodyne vPulse in-ear headphones a few months ago, but for one reason or another I'm still listening to the vPulse. Not exclusively, I listen to my own headphones and headphones I'm reviewing, of course, but there's something about the vPulse that still draws me in.

Part of the appeal is comfort; it's exceptional in that regard, and most of my vPulse listening time is on the New York subway. At home the vPulse has too much bass, but the quality of the bass is so good I don'… Read more

Get ready for another asteroid to zoom past the Earth, closer than the moon.

Space.com reports that Asteroid 2012 EG5 will get within 143,000 miles of the planet at 8:32 a.m. PT on Sunday -- that's a little more than half the distance to the moon.

About the size of a passenger jet (a mere 150 feet or so wide), this wee space pebble is nothing compared with the aircraft-carrier-size Asteroid 2005 YU55 that screamed by us all back in November.

Besides, the NASA-affiliated Near Earth Object Office assures us via Twitter that the stone … Read more

Delgine's DeleD Community Edition is probably the most intuitive 3D modeling tool we've tried, free or not, thanks to a logical layout and simple steps. While DeleD is optimized for game design, it's good for lots of other jobs, including image creation, educational videos, presentations, and prototyping. DeleD Community Edition is Open Source freeware that accepts plug-ins and is supported by a forum, wiki, and other collaborative resources.

DeleD's user interface got our attention right away because it manages to present a lot of complex controls, features, and information in a clean, efficient, and intuitive layout. … Read more

Techies are all abuzz about 3D printing. Imagine turning your photographs into 3D models. Autodesk recently unveiled two free pieces of software that enable users to do just that.

The software, called 123D Catch and 123D Make, creates a 3D model of your images, which can then be sent to a 3D printer or can be constructed out of cardboard as a template. SmartPlanet recently talked to Autodesk to see how it all works.

This video originally appeared on SmartPlanet with the headline "Print 3D models out of your pictures."

Related SmartPlanet links

YouSpin360 lets you take multiple shots while moving around your subject to create an image you can view from all sides. The interface on YouSpin360 is not very intuitive initially, but once you get the basics, you'll be able to make cool-looking 360-degree shots you can show as videos--even on the Web.

You start by choosing the type of shot you want to create using the options tab that slides out from the right. Whether you want to see yourself from all sides, show a car from various perspectives so you can sell it on the Web, or make … Read more

If the nine Poor Clare Sisters living in an insular York, England, monastery ever feel cut off from the outside world, they need only turn to their Prayer Companion.

The photopolymer resin dot-matrix display sits on a table in a frequently trafficked monastery hallway subtly scrolling a news ticker. This way, the sisters--who have only limited access to newspapers, phones, and computers--can not only keep up with current events, but stay alert to the issues and people they wish to pray for.

In addition to displaying the news, "Goldie," as the nuns call the Prayer Companion, broadcasts the thoughts and feelings of anonymous strangers whose blog entries are aggregated by the Web site We Feel Fine.

While design these days considers utility and aesthetics, increasingly, as Goldie demonstrates, objects are also designed to communicate with people or help them communicate with one another, nature, the city, and more. … Read more

If you like the interface of the Mac OS but are stuck using a Windows machine, this little app from Stardock can help--if only very slightly. The premise behind ObjectDock is very simple: it adds an animated, Mac-inspired dock to your desktop that provides easy access to useful shortcuts and can serve to replace your taskbar.

Read the full review of ObjectDock.

If you like the interface of the Mac OS but are stuck using a Windows machine, this little app from Stardock can help--if only very slightly. The premise behind ObjectDock is very simple: it adds an animated, Mac-inspired dock to your desktop that provides easy access to useful shortcuts and serves to replace your taskbar (if you so choose).

The ObjectDock install is quick and light, and the program is extremely easy to set up. A simple settings menu lets you choose how many items you want on the dock, where it is positioned, and whether you want zoom enabled. … Read more