Glowforge launches consumer-grade laser cutter

Post by EvanAnderson » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 5:24 PM UTC

mlmilleratmit wrote: post #8

3dfan wrote: post #5

In the video, at about 13:40 they reveal that to print you have to use the web interface which runs "On Googles Cloud". I would not like the interface to my own printer to be "In the Google cloud". Does that mean when the company goes out of business, the printer is bricked? And right after, they admit that they plan adding paid services. Oh oh. How will thesed paid services be announced? I can imagine how. Whenever…

Good question, I _think_ the ideas is the exact opposite -- you're not depending on Glowforge UI to be backed by a startups servers, the software runs on google cloud instead. Pros and cons, obviously, but I think the main pro is (like a Tesla) the machine's performance and usability can be improved without you installing any new software. As far as dependencies go, google's probably the best possible choice.

Post by knicholes » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 5:29 PM UTC

Post by mlmilleratmit » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 5:30 PM UTC

ISL wrote: post #11

mlmilleratmit wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good question, I _think_ the ideas is the exact opposite -- you're not depending on Glowforge UI to be backed by a startups servers, the software runs on google cloud instead. Pros and cons, obviously, but I think the main pro is (like a Tesla) the machine's performance and usability can be improved without you installing any new software. As far as dependencies go, google's probably the best possible choice.

Do you know if they provide direct hardware hooks, too? I've not met a precision cutting or metrology tool where we didn't need to get low-level access to the hardware to get simple things done....

Post by chromaton » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 5:32 PM UTC

codazoda wrote: post #13

blacksmith_tb wrote: post #6

It's a very polished product, and the "pen" mode is a cool idea. To me, they're targeting an odd demographic, Makers who can afford expensive toys / tools, but also want a very friendly, hands-off interface. I would have expected the Maker camp to be ordering ~ $700 40-50W laser cutters from Shenzhen. I suppose the Glowforge would be pretty great in a school setting, though.

I'm a maker. Tell me more about this $700 Shenzhen laser cutter? I googled it and I'm coming up with a few things, but only very small $400 units and very big expensive units.

Post by Ccecil » Thu, Sep 24, 2015, 5:33 PM UTC

codazoda wrote: post #13

blacksmith_tb wrote: post #6

It's a very polished product, and the "pen" mode is a cool idea. To me, they're targeting an odd demographic, Makers who can afford expensive toys / tools, but also want a very friendly, hands-off interface. I would have expected the Maker camp to be ordering ~ $700 40-50W laser cutters from Shenzhen. I suppose the Glowforge would be pretty great in a school setting, though.

I'm a maker. Tell me more about this $700 Shenzhen laser cutter? I googled it and I'm coming up with a few things, but only very small $400 units and very big expensive units.