Amazon Echo Club

Originally Posted by ApK

It's typically closer to $20 per kilogram, but varies wildly depending on material and quality of material.

For a given volume of object, even a simple geometric form, the amount of material varies GREATLY depending on wall thickness and infill density.

But, suffice to say, 3D printing is orders of magnitude more expensive than common plastic mass production processes. It is an amazing tool for designers, engineers, and other "makers," it is NOT a consumer technology, nor is it the post-scarcity replicator a la Star Trek!

Yet.


ApK

p.s. It's starting to look like the Tiko 3D printer I backed on Kickstarter may not come to be, so I might start saving for whatever is new and cheap this coming year. Maybe one of those monoprice minis.....

Yep, I'm not stupid, I know all of that. The prices were from Amazon and associated with that specific 3D printer.

BTW, Kickstarter is the biggest bleeping ripoff. Most of the Kickstarter projects are from people who don't won't to work. They simply pull the wool over people's eyes, mostly STUPID people who are gullible. Those projects usually end up being cancelled after a year or two, no one ever sees a prototype much less receives an actual product, and no one gets a refund. The guys who started the Kickstarter project take the money and run, after having done little or nothing for a year or two. Kickstarter projects are mostly scams, and I have zero sympathy for the fools who invest in them and never get anything in return.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by jswinden

... Kickstarter projects are mostly scams, and I have zero sympathy for the fools who invest in them and never get anything in return.

Uhhh, are you aware that you just insulted ApK?

[Conan46]

Originally Posted by kansaskyle

Did y'all see that Tap now gets a hands-free update?

https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/09/am...ap-hands-free/

Seriously considering a tap because of portability, but I wonder if the new hands-free update is actually useful. Isn't it a bit crippled microphone-wise compared to the dot and echo?

[wodin]

And what is being is listen mode all the time going to do to battery life?

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by kansaskyle

Did y'all see that Tap now gets a hands-free update?

https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/09/am...ap-hands-free/

Cool! Bet it really cuts into the battery life, though. Although that shouldn't be a problem when using it on its charger.

[WT Sharpe]

I've been using my Tap to listen to audiobooks from my iPod, though I've noticed that while in my car, it works much better with the iPod connected directly rather than through Bluetooth. In the car, with Bluetooth there's too much interference and I end up with mountains of static. That may not be a concern with newer cars, I don't know. Our Corolla is a 2008.

[Conan46]

I purchased a Tap from Amazon tonight. Will see how it works hands free. I like the portability so if I can use it both as a stationary device and portable--that will be great. My one concern is how well the microphone will work using it hands free.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Conan46

I purchased a Tap from Amazon tonight. Will see how it works hands free. I like the portability so if I can use it both as a stationary device and portable--that will be great. My one concern is how well the microphone will work using it hands free.

Its one mic vs the 7-mic array on the Echo/Dot will be a disadvantage.

Check to see if there's an easy way to turn the mic off like you can on the Echo/Dot.

[Conan46]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Its one mic vs the 7-mic array on the Echo/Dot will be a disadvantage.

Check to see if there's an easy way to turn the mic off like you can on the Echo/Dot.

One article says you can turn the mic off with the play/pause button after the update. I'm guessing the big issue with a single mic will be if you are already playing music and try to give it a command. It may not hear well if there is much noise in the room. Will soon find out.

This article says:

The Tap should last for about 8 hours on a full charge even while always listening, and it can be put to sleep with a single button press when you're done with it.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/02...oice-commands/

[ApK]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Yep, I'm not stupid,

Your obnoxious spouting of ignorant opinions and misinformation regardless of readily accessible evidence to the contrary is indistinguishable from stupidity, so it's an easy mistake to make.

Kickstarter projects are mostly scams

Like that one! MOST Kickstarters project are successful. A lot fail. Many of those fail due to incompetence, not scams.

I've only backed a handful of Kickstarter and Indiegogo projects over the years, for very little total money, but they have all succeed. The Tiko one still might (they've shipped about 3000 production units) but it's not looking good. Even if they fail, they have provided an entertaining and informative story over the past year and a half, which was worth it in itself.

ETA: By successful Kickstarters I mean those that deliver the rewards they promise after being successfully funded (9 out of 10 according to one report), not about the project itself being successfully funded in the first place. That's about 40%)

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Conan46

One article says you can turn the mic off with the play/pause button after the update. I'm guessing the big issue with a single mic will be if you are already playing music and try to give it a command. It may not hear well if there is much noise in the room. Will soon find out.

This article says:

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/02...oice-commands/

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it

I'll update the specs in the OP.

[kansaskyle]

Originally Posted by wodin

And what is being is listen mode all the time going to do to battery life?

The reports I've read said it does really burn the battery down. I guess if you left it plugged in, you would be okay, but that kind of defeats the portability.

[DreamWriter]

I'm already very happy with my Tap; this hands-free update will make it even better!

Originally Posted by ApK

Your obnoxious spouting of ignorant opinions and misinformation regardless of readily accessible evidence to the contrary is indistinguishable from stupidity, so it's an easy mistake to make.


Like that one! MOST Kickstarters project are successful. A lot fail. Many of those fail due to incompetence, not scams.

I've only backed a handful of Kickstarter and Indiegogo projects over the years, for very little total money, but they have all succeed. The Tiko one still might (they've shipped about 3000 production units) but it's not looking good. Even if they fail, they have provided an entertaining and informative story over the past year and a half, which was worth it in itself.

ETA: By successful Kickstarters I mean those that deliver the rewards they promise after being successfully funded (9 out of 10 according to one report), not about the project itself being successfully funded in the first place. That's about 40%)

Only for those who believe in ALTERNATIVE FACTS!

[issybird]

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