News? Or hype? More of the latter I suspect.

I think if the internet was around when CNC machining and G-code were first developed, they would have enjoyed similar levels of hype, er, news. Good stuff, but even those mature products don't show up on everyone's desktop, and neither will they EVER compete with high volume production methods for cost. Yes maybe you'll be able to print a pair of sneakers, but you'll pay MUCH more than a much better product at WalMart.