Introduction
This research was conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of three devices, found on the gadget
show, in a college environment. The research was commission by CAE that wants a report on which
gadgets at the gadget show would make the greatest impact to Lancaster and Morecambe College.
In order to accomplish this task, the Gadget show was visited, and three devices were chosen to be
reported on. The positive and negative aspects of the devices were looked at, and the findings were
critically evaluated basing on a physical test of the device, marketing point of view and possible
usability of tools.
HP Sprout https://sprout.hp.com/uk/en/
Developer: HP
Product Title: HP Sprout
Price: £1,899
Development stage: Testing, General availability
HP Sprout is a machine that incorporates a PC, 2D and 3D
scanner, a projector and a multitouch screen and mat.
From a design perspective, the device is very slick with sliver rough finish on the metal casing.
Additionally the minimalistic layout allows the device to be easily cleaned, therefore making it more
hygienic and less of a tripping hazard. Overall the design replicates the design of Apple products.
However, while Macs are highly compact, the mat for HP Sprout is very large and is completely
unsuitable for a small table, primarily because it is undetachable.
From a technical point of view, the device has less mechanical parts, therefore reducing the risk of
breakage and possible damage dealers. By introducing a second screen, HP added another
workspace that not only can be used with styles but can take pictures in 2D and 3D. However unlike
industrial and professional devices like Wacom products and 3D and 2D Scanners, HP Sprout has a
penniless quality outcomes. For example, the quality of the 3D scans is very low, and it leaves much
blank spacing as the object is caned on a slight angle and only from the top. The scanner does not
capture finely detailed. Therefore, every scanned object must go through a refinement phase during
which it must be manually fixed. Moreover, from a demonstration at The gadget show there was no
indication that provided stylus features work well with 3D modelling software and Photoshop while
the software that was provided looked very casual.
It is an interesting concept that can be used by art students and by staff and visitors of the college as
touch method of input is easy to understand and apply to may feature of a PC. In terms of having a
second screen, the image quality and colour variation is very low and therefore having that screen
gives very little for those who with imagery. The 3D scanner is an exciting technology especially for
students on creative courses. However in the case of this device it is severely underdeveloped and
poorly integrated. Because of these two errors this scanner is only suitable for casual use and can
not be used efficiently for anything more professional than casual.
Hawk 3D Proto http://www.hawk3dproto.co.uk/
Developer: Cut well Limited
Product Title: Hawk 3D Proto
Full title of the possible purchase: AIRWOLF HDR
Price: £3499 ex VAT / £3785.00
Development progress: Released
Hawk 3D Proto was one of the most reasonable
desktop 3D printers at the gadget show that uses
refillable plastic wire to create a 3d shape using the
spiral building method. Moreover, there is a wide
variety of cable types and colors that can be mixed
and matched for the an optimal combination.
From a design standpoint, the casing is slick and transparent. Such design makes the device look
more appealing and attractive. However the entire casing is made out of thick plastic that is durable
though it tends to wear out lower time. This negative aspect can severely decrease the lifetime of
the device. However overall the components withing the device are placed in a compact and
organised manner, the two bobbins on the side are fitted into intrusions within the corpus, while all
the mechanics are located on the inside of the device with only two tube at the top that are unlikely
to be accidentally caught.
From a technical perspective, and in comparison to industrial 3D printers this device is slow and
tends to make mistakes, therefore causing small bumps to a appear. Additionally the final product
will rarely have a smooth surface, due to the coil style object building technique. Conversely, this
method leaves very little byproducts at are easily recyclable. Unlike some industrial printers that
leave many messes, as they produce products that are solid and have a higher quality. Another
functionality for Hawk 3D Proto is to give it commands using a tablet app. This feature is not
incredibly useful. However, it removes such pherifirals like mouse and keyboard; this can be useful in
more confined places.
In terms of its college usability, mostly this device will only be useful for students on creative
courses. However even with such narrow audience. In order to operate the machine, the
user must be able to model something in 3D modeling software. However, if used
appropriately, it can be useful for the creation of props, meshes and rigs for modeling, live
demonstration of 3d work. On the other hand, tutors could print out props for students to
use as reference for painting and modeling while photographers could use it to study
shadow, colour and shot positioning theories.
Packed Pixels http://www.packedpixels.com/
Developer: Dovetail Technology Ltd.
Product title: Packed Pixels
Price: £150
Development progress: Released
Packed Pixel is a detachable tablet-like screen that
can be mounted on a laptop screen via slide in a
plastic mount. The screen itself can be placed in
portrait or landscape rotation. Additionally the device
has the same resolution as the iPad, which is 2048 x
1536 or 9.7”.
From a design point of view, the casing is slick, though the hubs at the back break the slickness of
the peripheral, however, from the front the, slick black edges and the rounded edges are
reminiscent of the Apple product design.
From a technical standpoint, the majority of the casing is made out of plastic and majority of wires
stick out therefore increasing the risk of the device being accidentally getting pulled and eventually
broken much faster than if it had a metal case. Conversely, such design makes the device less heavy
and more portable.
From the college usability perspective, this tool can be incredibly useful for laptop users that do
software development, document management, CAD and design, video editing and gaming. This is
primarily because by having specifically a second screen and not a larger screen allow the user to
have multiple windows open at the same tie while keeping the organised. Moreover, this device is
not something that practically should be brought in every classroom; instead, it can be something
that one could sign out as a book from a library, for a particular project or event. This way there will
be a smaller risk of it being damaged in the classroom as the majority of its idle time it will spend in a
secure place and will be used only in times of need.
An additionally features and functionalities that the developers explicitly promote is an ability for
corporate branding that can come into use during presentations and events. “For larger orders we
offer the option of working with us to add corporate branding to the rear of Packed Pixels so while
your team are out and about no one can mistake who they are representing. For this we use high
quality PU domed labelling that is very scratch resistant to ensure you brand continues to look fresh
despite the rigours of being out on the road.” (Dovetail Technology Ltd., 2015
http://www.packedpixels.com/).