The View From Above: In Hard Focus Round-Up (July 15, 2011)

Photofly Brings 3-D Models to the Masses: According to the New York Times, Autodesk's Photofly is turning thousands of digital photos into 3D models in seconds. Originally for professionals, they're seeing a ton of adoption by consumers to transform pictures of battleships, Lego men and crab arms, among others. See above. 

iPhone Camera Apps to Bring out the Best Photographer in You: From the Chicago Sun-Times list of top iPhone apps to take pictures, edit them...and 'synth' them. That last one is definitely intriguing. 

Apple Exploring Augmented Reality for iPad -- New Target for Pickpockets? A patent filing published this week suggests real-time 3D mapping is coming to iPads soon. More details here. May beat using a paper map, a tourist walking around an unknown city with an pricey iPad makes for an awfully easy target for pickpockets.

Court OKs Airport Body Scanners: A Wired piece from earlier today reported that a federal appeals court has declined to block the government from using body scanners in airports nationwide. Might be a good opportunity for all of us to take a another look at Privates.