Fully Charged: Samsung compensating cancer victims, and first 3D-printed drug approved
Interesting, quick-hit news bits from all around the world of tech
Samsung compensating cancer victims
Samsung has agreed to establish a fund to compensate workers who have contracted cancer from working at the company’s plants in the past. The fund has 100 billion won (about £55 million) for the workers (including contractors) and their families, and follows lengthy negotiations that came after nearly a decade of pressing for an admittance of corporate culpability.
According to Reuters, some 200 workers have become sick, with illnesses including leukemia and lymphoma, and about 70 of them have already died as a result of the cancer. The fund will not only help the families of those stricken, but also attempt to find ways to keep current and future workers safer from exposure to radiation and dangerous chemicals.
[Source: Reuters]
First 3D-printed drug approved
The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved the production and use of the first 3D-printed drug – an epilepsy medication from Aprecia called Spritam. The 3D-printing allows it to be easily consumed: the pill dissolves very quickly in water, even in high doses – the video above shows the incredible speed in which it comes apart.
As a result, people who struggle with swallowing traditional pills may have more success with something like this. And while it may start with this one epilepsy pill, which should become available early next year, the implications for this tech could become much wider before long.
[Source: Reuters via Engadget]
Read More › This 3D printer can print individual cells
PlayStation Now adds Vita support
PlayStation Now – Sony’s streaming all-you-can play and individual game rental service – has officially expanded support to the Vita handheld and PlayStation TV microconsole, at least in North America. It’s unclear when European players can join in on the fun, particularly since the open beta just launched in the UK about three weeks back.
The service already works on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, offering more than 125 games in the monthly subscription plan, and this month’s additions include God of War III, Bomberman Ultra, and The Last Guy.
[Source: PlayStation.Blog]
Read More › PlayStation Now open beta arrives in UK
Guitar Hero Live adds singing
Last we saw the Guitar Hero series, it had morphed into a Rock Band-alike, adding drums and vocals beyond the usual guitar and bass tracks. For the upcoming Guitar Hero Live, it seemed that Activision was paring the series back to its axe-shredding roots – but that’s not entirely correct.
Yesterday, the publisher revealed that the upcoming reboot will indeed have vocal tracks, although drums remain left behind (as far as we know, at least). If you plug in a USB microphone, you’ll see the lyrics and pitch indicators scroll across the top of the screen, although it doesn’t sound like Activision is going to bundle a mic, and the announcement video above spends mere seconds covering the feature.
[Source: YouTube]
Read More › Guitar Hero Live preview
Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
