paper

We're inching closer to a paperless existence, but until then, a new image-processing development by Fujitsu could make it astonishingly simple to copy content from paper and turn it into digital data.

Merely relying on an ordinary camera and projector, Fujitsu's touch-based interface makes quick work out of copying printed text or images by simply requiring the user to drag across content with a fingertip. The projector shines an illuminated frame that dynamically resizes based on how far the finger travels, and the observing camera scans, crops, and turns that selection into a digital file -- in just a few seconds.… Read more

For those who conduct extensive research and writing on their Macs, organizing this information for later use can be difficult. Papers for Mac works well to sort this data, and advanced students or researchers will likely benefit from the program.

Papers for Mac is available as a free trial version with unknown restrictions, while the full version costs $79 to unlock. While the download and installation took place quickly, the program required acceptance of an extremely long user agreement, which is uncommon for this type of program. Upon startup, the program recognizes the new user and prompts entry of basic … Read more

The paperless society is upon us. It has us enthralled by its shiny lights and geometric screens. Whenever we look at paper, we see it with a vague nostalgia, marveling at our retrograde nature for ever having trusted it.

But then along comes this profound ad for French toilet paper brand, Le Trefle.

It asks us first to consider how annoying it can be to live with one of those people who believes that every gadget represents a better future.

It asks us if we could tolerate living with a man who insists that he and his tablets are somehow … Read more

Pools aren't just for swimming, you know. Brooklyn art studio Red Paper Heart made some pretty nifty art with a swimming hole and 65,000 ping-pong balls. Before you dismiss that as an exercise in lunacy, take a look at a clever interactive pool party experience for yourself in the video below.

Red Paper Heart created the mesmerizing show in conjunction with city guide Web site UrbanDaddy, all for a tequila promotional event in Hamptons, N.Y.. The art studio programmed some software (using C++) to control the projector-driven light show that reacts to music. To enhance the visuals, the group enlisted a team of synchronized swimmers and some tuxedo-clad scuba divers to class up the joint.… Read more

Some ideas are better scribbled down than typed out.

Paper basically turns your iPad into a cocktail napkin for jotting down sketches and ideas. The app is free, though there are a handful of in-app purchases that allow you to expand the tools in your palette, which turns that cocktail napkin into a blank canvas.… Read more

Printers are suffering the same fate as hardcover books -- which is not only good for the environment but maybe for your state of mind.

In a research note titled "Dead-tree format is dying," Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore illustrated the decline of paper-spewing printers with plenty of stats (see graph below).

June quarter results for printer suppliers were "particularly weak as Canon, Epson, Lexmark and Xerox all missed expectations," according to Whitmore.

Canon, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, and Lexmark over the past 10 quarters show combined supplies and hardware revenues declining about 6 percent year-over-year in the … Read more

Anyone who's ever shopped for a piece of art to hang behind the living room sofa knows that big art typically comes at a big price. Even if you pick up some mass-produced Ikea canvas, you still have to contend with fitting it in the car, or paying someone to deliver it to your doorstep.

If you have more time on your hands than money, there are some easy solutions for printing infinitely large posters from even the most modest printer.

The first step is the image. Whether you're going to print in black and white or full … Read more

Tuesday's top stories score a touchdown against trolls:

YouTube is hoping to reduce its troll population by letting users go by their real names. Google+ accounts can now be used as a YouTube identity. The switch can be done in settings. Before making the change, users can review past activity and delete any undesirable comments. But this isn't a required switch. Users can keep their existing account names.

Video game publisher Electronic Arts may not have the monopoly over pigskin for long. Back in 2008, EA was sued for making exclusive licensing deals with the NFL, NCAA and … Read more

The iPad, along with competing tablets and even the growing list of highly portable ultrabooks, is quickly becoming a staple in the classroom for teachers and students alike. It seems more and more likely that taking notes with a pen and paper will one day be an antiquated practice we'll all reminisce about to our grandkids.

The iPad can be a great tool for taking notes, but the native iOS Notes app doesn't cut it for everyone. To take truly useful notes that can replace that spiral notebook, you're going to need the help of an app … Read more