Print Crime was a chilling short story that involved 3d printers and copy-write laws. Sounds pretty dry doesn't it; well believe it or not it is a completely involving story with fast action to boot.
The premise concerns 3d printers. In Cory's future world, the components for 3d printers have vastly declined (I am not going to a spoiler so I suggest finding and reading the story for HOW that happened) this give people the ability to print just about anything, which brings them in direct conflict with copywrite trolls which have managed to make a 3d print of anything an illegal act which is treated by the police much as drug purveyors are now handled.
So you see when I hear about 3d printer with a price bread under 1000 - I was instantly reminded of Cory's story.
Imagine if in the future you might not actually buy a product, but the code to print this product. It is perfectly possible if the printers make enough of an inroad into the public's notion of what is being purchased. You might just get a disk or coded email, instead of an actual product. Doctorow explored all of these factors and a few not mention (no spoiler)
The printer in question is the Dremel 3D Idea Builder.
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