Matterport has updated their Capture app so that you can now "3D scan" spaces using the built-in camera on your iPhone or iPad. Meaning you take a bunch of photos, and the software stitches it together.

Now that everyone's cooped up at home, I can see tons of people wanting to capture their houses for fun…

…and the app lets you measure, tag items and label spaces too.

The only thing I don't like: You have to upload everything to the cloud, which is where the stitching-together part happens. It darn sure better be hack-proof--it's bad enough we've spent the past few years bugging our own homes with smart speakers, now it's like we're creating maps for tech-savvy burglars.

For tradespeople, farmers and others who frequently need to cover and uncover their shoes (to protect interior surfaces from mud or worse), disposable booties are an unsustainable solution. They're also a pain to take on and off. This reusable and automatically-wrapping design seems much better:

I've been searching for something like this for a long time. On our free-range farm, I inevitably step in the shit of some animal on a daily basis, and pulling my boots off and on every time I need to go back inside to retrieve something gets old.

However, these wouldn't 100% work for my application. While getting them on looks easy, getting them off requires a fair amount of manual manipulation…

…meaning every time I removed these, I'd wind up with animal feces on my hands.

Question for you: How do you reckon these work? I figure inside the fabric is a polypropylene sheet molded into a sprung shape, with raised tunnel-like seams serving as hinges, and when you collapse the tunnels by stepping on them, the spring action is released. [Edit: I believe reader Kyle Lamson has figured it out. See his comment below.]

(Lastly, I was not able to find what company or designer invented these. There are tons of variants on the market. It's possible they were invented by a fellow named Joel Fersaci, whose Step in Sock model is featured in the video above.)

In the sci-fi series The Expanse, set in the 2300s, characters carry smartphone-like devices and are often seen "throwing" data from their device onto a nearby screen for group viewing. Here in humble ol' 2020, designer Cyril Diagne has figured out how to do it, without the histrionic swiping gesture performed on the TV show, and including a capturing step:

Diagne calls it "AR Cut Paste" (though some have commented it's really copy and paste) and has made the code freely available on Github.

I will be taking a short break over the holidays and will be closing my online shop until January 2nd.  I am excited to do a bit of relaxing, spending time with my family, making goodies and taking a teeny … Continue reading →

The post Happy Holidays! appeared first on Regina Lord of Creative Kismet.

In light of the unprecedented changes happening in higher education, we want to accommodate students in any way possible to provide opportunity for career experience. With that being said, Anders is offering a Virtual Interview Day for potential Discover Anders… Read More

The post Join Us at Discover Anders – Virtual Interview Day on April 15 appeared first on Anders CPAs.

I’ve written about my love of seascapes, but I truly love landscapes too, especially ones that have a vintage vibe when they’re enlarged on a canvas or a big frame. Landscapes have that power to transport you outdoors and to another place, something we could all use a little more of right now. :) I’m

Welcome to National Scrapbook Day on Craft Critique! I’ve got a great giveaway to celebrate with thanks to Graphic 45 – and a simple layout that I hope will get you inspired to scrapbook today! [Disclosure: Some links below are links to Nally Studios advertisers or are affiliate links that pay a commission at no […]

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) recently approved a revised accounting standard intended to provide more information about an employer’s financial obligations to multiemployer pension plans. The revised standard, which the FASB expects to finalize in September 2011, will require… Read More

The post Employer Disclosures for Multi-employer Pension Plans Approved by FASB appeared first on Anders CPAs.

7:30 to 10 a.m., Thursday, March 14, 2013
The Charles F. Knight Education and Conference Center
at Washington University
One Bookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130
REGISTER NOW!
What is the future of 401(k)s?  A nationally-recognized expert in employer-sponsored retirement,… Read More

The post Navigating the 2013 Regulatory Landscape for 401(k)s appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Jorge Silva/Reuters

• As some countries have started to lift their lockdown measures, public places have been making changes to adapt to government-issued social distancing measures. 
• More public places are using tape, floor markers and plastic dividers to help people comply with social distancing guidelines. 
• Photos show how people are trying to adapt to a new way of life during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As some countries begin to lift their coronavirus lockdown measures, public places have been getting creative to adjust to social distancing guidelines.

From waiters wearing personal protective equipment to schools using plastic dividers between children, these photos show the world is adjusting to life under the coronavirus pandemic.

As countries begin to slowly lift their lockdown measures, many changes have to be made to public life in an effort to prevent second waves of COVID-19.

One of the places that have to adapt the most is restaurants. Some have been coming up with creative ways to enforce social distancing measures, including putting up dividers on tables.

But in some places, a plastic divider is not enough. Diners in this Bangkok restaurant, for example, have been asked to sit diagonally from each other to maximize their distance.

See Also:

• Shanghai Disneyland cast members told to wear face masks and avoid guest contact ahead of next week's reopening as China emerges from pandemic
• A West Virginia worker told us what it was like living at his factory for 28 days to help make PPE, and says he would 'absolutely' do another 'lock-in' to help
• These photos show thousands flocking to New York's parks over the weekend after Mayor de Blasio said that good weather 'is very much a threat to us'

SEE ALSO: LA's skies are smog-free and peacocks are roaming the streets of Dubai. Photos show how nature has returned to cities shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.

Lisa Eadicicco/Business Insider

• The $400 iPhone SE stands out for its fast performance, compact design, and effective camera.
• Still, the iPhone SE is lacking some of the camera features found on similarly priced Android rivals.
• Overall, the phone is best suited for Apple loyalists upgrading from an older device like the iPhone 6S that want something affordable and familiar.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Apple's iPhone SE is unlike any iPhone Apple has released in the past two years. In fact, it looks a lot more like the the iPhone you probably remember from 2017 and earlier, back when iPhones still had home buttons and smaller-sized screens.

I switched from the $1,000 iPhone 11 Pro to Apple's new iPhone SE recently, and overall I've found it to be a solid option for Apple fans looking for a cheap, portable device. The smaller and lighter size is easy to manage and operate with one hand, and Touch ID brings some convenience that Face ID can lack. 

But of course, since it's significantly cheaper than the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, it's lacking in some areas. It doesn't have an ultra-wide-angle camera or low-light photography capabilities, for example, even though similarly priced Android devices offer some of those features.

After spending a couple of weeks with Apple's cheapest iPhone, here are my favorite (and least favorite) things about it.  

The iPhone SE runs on Apple's latest iPhone processor, which makes it feel snappy and fast.

The iPhone SE runs on Apple's A3 Bionic processor, the same chip that powers the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. As a result, the iPhone SE feels snappy and fast in daily use.

I found this to be especially true when switching from my old iPhone 8 to the SE. In most cases, it was able to launch apps, render 4K video clips, and find surfaces more quickly in augmented reality than Apple's more-than-two-year-old iPhone 8.

That being said, the iPhone SE is pretty similar to the iPhone 8 in just about every other way, save for a few exceptions. It's best suited for those upgrading from an iPhone 7 or older. 

The A13 Bionic is the major advantage the iPhone SE has over similarly-priced Android phones, many of which may offer more sophisticated cameras but run on less powerful processors. 

It's small and compact, which means it's easier to use with one hand and fit into pockets.

The iPhone SE is the most compact iPhone Apple has released in years. It has a 4.7-inch screen just like the iPhone 8, and weighs noticeably less than the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro.

The iPhone SE weighs 5.22 ounces, while the iPhone 11 weighs 6.84 ounces and the iPhone 11 Pro weighs 6.63 ounces. 

It's also the only iPhone Apple sells that comes with a Touch ID home button.

Although I've grown accustomed to swiping up from the home screen to return home and unlocking my phone just by looking at it, I've really appreciated having Touch ID again.

Apple's fingerprint sensor sometimes works a bit faster than Face ID in my experience when unlocking my phone. And since Face ID works best when held directly in front of your face, I often have to physically pick up my phone to unlock it when using the iPhone 11 Pro. 

With the iPhone SE, by comparison, I can unlock my phone just by resting a finger on the home button without having to move the device. It's a small convenience, but one that I've come to appreciate.

See Also:

• Dock workers in Belgium are wearing monitoring bracelets that enforce social distancing — here's how they work
• How to restart a game on your iPhone and clear the app’s data in iCloud
• Apple has started reopening some stores, and precautions like temperature checks could be a sign of what shopping will look like after the pandemic

SEE ALSO: Apple is expected to release a new Apple Watch this fall — here are the features we want to see

Business Insider Intelligence

• This is a preview of The Payments Ecosystem research report from Business Insider Intelligence.
• Purchase this report.
• Business Insider Intelligence offers even more consumer coverage with Payments & Commerce Pro. Subscribe today to receive industry-changing payments and commerce news and analysis to your inbox.

The power dynamics in the payments industry are changing as businesses and consumers shift dollars from cash and checks to digital payment methods. Cards dominate the in-store retail channel, but mobile wallets like Apple Pay are seeing a rapid uptick in usage.

At the same time, e-commerce will chip away at brick-and-mortar retail as smartphones attract a rising share of digital shopping. Digital peer-to-peer (P2P) apps are supplanting cash in the day-to-day lives of users across generations as they become more appealing and useful than ever.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• Xinja cut its Stash high-yield savings account rate, likely attempting to weather the current crisis
• PayPal's slowdown began to improve in April as stay-at-home orders tick up e-commerce usage
• Jobs for thousands of young consultants are being upended. From delaying start dates to cutting internships, here's what 8 top firms, like Deloitte and McKinsey, are doing.

Meeting planning in the face of COVID-19 can be very stressful. None of us are in control and no one can predict what is going to happen moving forward. The most important thing is to be patient. Do not make rash decisions, weigh all of your options and contact NECA National Staff if you need absolutely anything. If you can, try and look at meetings 30 days at a time because the news is changing daily and this can make a difference with your contract clauses.

The Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter, NECA has donated to 20 health care facilities, systems, or foundations throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

More manufacturers may be exempt from the Uniform Capitalization (UNICAP) rules following tax reform. The UNICAP rules from Code Section 263A generally require that certain direct and indirect costs associated with real or tangible personal property manufactured by a business… Read More

The post Tax Reform for Manufacturers: UNICAP Exemption Changes appeared first on Anders CPAs.

EA credits its live game portfolio for an overall strong year, with COO and CFO Blake Jorgensen saying this latest report "[proves] the value of the live services path we†™ve been on." ...

In this GDC 2020 virtual talk NetEase's Renjie Li discusses the application of reinforcement learning in NetEase games, including problems encountered and how the solutions impacted the final product. ...

Mobile marketing platform AppLovin has made a undisclosed strategic investment in San Diego mobile studio Redemption Games.  ...

When Singapore gained its independence they went on a mission to re-house the population from densely-packed thatched roof huts into giant concrete skyscrapers. In 1960, they formed the Housing and Development Board, or HDB, and just five years later they had already housed 400,000 people! In Singapore, where land is scarce, it’s not unlikely for apartment buildings to be built on top of land that was graveyards not too long ago. But building on top of a graveyard has its complications.

Life and Death in Singapore

There are symbols all around us that we take for granted, like the lightning strike icon, which indicates that something is high voltage. Or a little campfire to indicate that something is flammable. Those icons are pretty obvious, but there are others that aren't so straightforward. Like, why do a triangle and a stick in a circle indicate "peace"? Where does the smiley face actually come from? Or the power symbol? We sent out the 99PI team to dig into the backstory behind some of those images you see every day.

Ubiquitous Icons: Peace, Power, and Happiness

The only truly accurate map of the world would be a map the size of the world. So if you want a map to be useful, something you can hold in your hands, you have to start making choices. We have to choose what information we're interested in, and what we're throwing out. Those choices influence how the person reading the map views the world. But a map’s influence doesn’t end there, maps can actually *shape *the place they’re trying to represent and that’s where things get weird.

Map Quests

On November 8, 2019, Sen. Deb Fischer visited the NECA Nebraska Chapter to discuss NECA’s priority issues. Pictured from left to right are Todd Becker of Thompson Electric, Barry Mayfield of IBEW Local 22, Craig Langfeldt of Miller Electric, Anthony Varbaro of the NECA Nebraska Chapter, Dan Smith of Electric Company of Omaha, Sen. Deb Fischer, Rick Milota of National Electric, Neil Davidson of Commonwealth Electric, and NECA Nebraska Chapter Executive Allan Hale.

Special thanks to Orange County Chapter Executive Tom Geller, Puget Sound Chapter’s Rick Rothermel of Pacific Coast Electrical Contractors, Chicago and Cook County Chapter’s Eric Nixon of Maron Electric, and Northern California Chapter’s Greg Long of Long Electric for renewing their PLC memberships!

Congratulations to the Wisconsin Chapter for reaching its 2019 NECAPAC goal!

Personal Contributions = 773
Corporate Contributions = 961

NECAPAC Fund to 11-22-19 = $778,924
ADMIN Fund to 11-22-19 = $228,230

Total Contributions to Date = 1,734
Total Dollars to Date = $1,007,154 

Special thanks to West Virginia-Ohio Valley Chapter’s Duane Shurow of Progressive Electric for renewing his PLC membership!

Personal Contributions = 773
Corporate Contributions = 962

NECAPAC Fund to 11-29-19 = $783,984
ADMIN Fund to 11-29-19 = $228,230

Total Contributions to Date = 1,735
Total Dollars to Date = $1,012,214 

On November 25, 2019, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter met with Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.). The group discussed small business issues, composite plans, and the importance of infrastructure investment. Pictured from left to right are PDJ Chapter’s Aaron Kelley, Dan Hahn of Furness Electric, Christine Meyer of Battaglia Electric, Rep. Blunt Rochester, and PDJ Chapter Executive Jeff Scarpello. 

Special thanks to Quad Cities Chapter’s Dan Palmer of Tri City Electric for renewing his PLC membership!

Congratulations to NECA’s Northern Illinois Chapter, Twin Ports-Arrowhead Chapter, Eastern Illinois Chapter, South Texas Chapter, and Kansas City Chapter for reaching their 2019 NECAPAC goals!

Personal Contributions = 795
Corporate Contributions = 994

NECAPAC Fund to 12-6-19 = $800,639
ADMIN Fund to 12-6-19 = $231,430

Total Contributions to Date = 1,789
Total Dollars to Date = $1,032,069 

Congratulations to NECA’s Kansas Chapter, Northeastern Line Chapter, and Southern Colorado Chapter for reaching their 2019 NECAPAC goals!

Personal Contributions = 812
Corporate Contributions = 1045

NECAPAC Fund to 12-13-19 = $813,269
ADMIN Fund to 12-13-19 = $236,615

Total Contributions to Date = 1857
Total Dollars to Date = $1,049,884

Congratulations to NECA’s North Central Ohio Chapter, Greater Cleveland Chapter, Central Ohio Chapter, Oregon-Pacific-Cascade Chapter, Northern Indiana Chapter, Minneapolis Chapter, Orange County Chapter, Chicago and Cook County Chapter, San Diego Chapter, Northern California Chapter, and San Francisco Chapter for reaching their 2019 NECAPAC goals!

Personal Contributions = 863
Corporate Contributions = 1052

NECAPAC Fund to 12-20-19 = $833,269
ADMIN Fund to 12-20-19 = $240,275

Total Contributions to Date = 1915
Total Dollars to Date = $1,073,544 

On December 19, 2019, Peter Butler of NECA’s Northern California Chapter met with Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) in the district.

On December 19, 2019, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey chapter attended a holiday event in Philadelphia with Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.). Pictured with Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter’s Aaron Kelley with Rep. Dean.  

On December 23, 2019, members of NECA’s Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter met with Rep. Fred Keller (R-Pa.) in the district. The group discussed NECA’s priority issues and the electrical contracting industry. Pictured from left to right are Matt Green of Appellation Construction, Rep. Fred Keller, and Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter’s Aaron Kelley.