Cube Pre-orders Begin On The All New Cubify Web Site
We just turned on the switch for pre-orders of the Cube 3D Printer on Cubify.com and I just placed my order. The very first one in fact. We are going to get a few Cubes to play with here in office. But I want one for myself me at home.
We have completely redesigned the Cubify.com web site. Tom Meeks has done a pretty good job explaining the “significant changes” that we have made to Cubify on his blog.
Models and Creations
I must admit that we put together the first beta version of the Cubify platform and the web site in a bit of a hurry so that we could have it ready for our big launch at CES 2012 in Las Vegas. Thereafter we took a step back and decided to go over a few things and do them in a better way. Earlier we mixed up render models and 3D printable models into one bucket. Judging from feedback we figured that this led to some confusion and we decided to split up 3D content into two parts because it really was meant for two very different sets of people. People who wanted high end 3D content for use in rendering, animation and other ditigal purposes and the rest of us who were looking to do some 3D printing.
So now 3D content on Cubify is separated into Models and Creations. Models are 3D CAD files like 3ds Max and Maya to be used for digital purposes. Creations are 3D Print files like STL to be used for 3D printing purposes. Just as you can sell your models on Cubify you can also sell your 3D Print files. Additionally you can offer your 3D Print files for Cubify’s Cloud 3D Print service and earn money every time someone decides to get your file 3D printed using the service.
Cloud 3D Print
3D Systems recently acquired ZCorp and we have been working closely with the wonderful folks there to give members the ability to get their models printed in true color or let others do the same through the Cloud 3D Print service. All you need to do is save your textured 3D model as a 3DS file. Zip the 3DS file and all its textures into a single file, upload it to a Creation and offer it for Cloud 3D Print. You can optionally sell the 3DS file and the textures as digital content as well.
If you want to keep your 3D content to yourself but still get it printed using the Cloud 3D Print service you can do that as well. Offer it for Cloud 3D print but mark it private.
Your Creation will be visible only to you and only you will be able to get it printed using the Cloud 3D Print service.
Apps
Cubify now has Apps that let people really have fun with 3D Printing. We are really excited about this feature and are having fun while building this. Apps are really a easy point and click way of building and customizing something and getting it 3D printed and shipped to your doorstep. The DriveTime app cooked up this airplane license in which I am going to stick my son’s picture. 😉
If I had my own 3D printer (which I will soon) I could buy the STL file created by the app instead of having Cubify print and ship it to me. The STL file costs just $3.
My Robot Nation
This is something that I’m really fired up about. 3D Systems announced today that it has acquired My Robot Nation. According to the press release:
3D Systems Corporation (NYSE: DDD) announced today that it has acquired My Robot Nation, MRN, a leading consumer technology platform that provides intuitive, game-like content creation for 3D printing. The company expects to integrate the MRN platform and experience into Cubify.com, enhancing Cubify with hundreds of new fun and easy 3D creation and printing applications, together with its growing developer community. My Robot Nation’s founders, renowned games industry veterans Mark Danks and Sarah W. Stocker, join the 3D Systems team, enhancing Cubify with engaging play spaces, social features, and intuitive user interfaces resulting in a visually stunning creative process with limitless opportunities for unique expression.
This is going to be fun. Some serious 3D fun. I never thought I would say this publicly. But I’m beginning to really like this job. 😉
