Brought to you this week by 8 overweight hens fighting over a soggy case of gluten-free brownie mix, be sure to check out the all new episode of Cool Tools of Doom n’ Stuff! By the way, we love our SolidSmack readers! Have something cool you’ve come across and want to share it on SolidSmack? Don’t hide it in your neck skin! Send it on in to smoth@www.solidsmack.com. Kick it!

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The SolidSmack Cool Tools of Doom n’ Stuff is GO. This short video features some of the coolest finds we’ve discovered on the web this week.

This week we look at:

DESIGN
Android Wear – Google has announced a new project focused on the UI with ‘at a glance’ variations. Goes by the name of Android Wear and boy does it look pretty. The internet giant released photos of the watch that mixes traditional styling with a smart, modern interface. Similar to Glass but less of an eyesore, the devices aim to be the answer for accessing your other devices in a multiscreen world. Check out the User Experience video on YouTube.

Aros by Quirky – Quirky—you know, that crowdsourced product design company—has just released a window A/C unit in partnership with GE that allows a user to control their room temperature via a smartphone app. Similar to the popular Nest thermostat, the AROS window-mounted AC unit is geared towards those who don’t have a central AC system and want to expand their smart device arsenal. Check it out at Quirky.com.

APPS
Mod Notebooks – Mod is a new sketchbook service. For $25 you get a Moleskine-like sketchbook and a prepaid envelope. Once you’re done sketching in the Mod-supplied sketchbook, you can send it back to Mod where they provide the scanning and uploading of every page at 600 dpi before digitally placing your sketchbook within their webapp to access anywhere. After your book has been digitized, pages can be exported as a PDF to applications ranging from Evernote to Dropbox. Check out more at ModNotebooks.com.

Dropbox – Speaking of Dropbox, if you yourself are a Dropbox user for both home and business, this is going to be great news for you. Yes Dropbox is going to be syncing both personal and business accounts under one username in an effort to crack down on the headache of repeated signing out and signing back in again. With more than 4 million business users, this is sure to be a relief for quite a few people out there. Find out more at Dropbox.com.

DIY
Pulled Pork Recipe – If you’ve been letting your slow cooker gather dust under the kitchen counter, consider dusting it off for this delightful pulled-pork recipe from the Spoon Fork Bacon recipe blog. With just a pork shoulder and an assortment of peppers and seasonings you’ll be on your way to pulled-pork sandwich bliss. Check it out over at SpoonForkBacon.com. MY SALIVARY GLANDS.

PI-Rate Radio – We know you’ve always wanted to host your own radio show, but what about hosting your own radio station as well? This simple PiRate Radio hack from Make Magazine turns your Rasperry Pi into a powerful FM transmitter with little more than a piece of free software and a single length of wire. Perfect for hosting your own backyard drive-in movies this summer. check it out at Makezine.com.

ROCK AWESOMENESS
Oculus Rift Crystal Cove – The team behind the latest Oculus Rift prototype—the Crystal Cove—has just opened up pre-orders for the second generation of the popular virtual reality headset being tested everywhere from movie studios to military research labs. For $350 you can have your very own headset for crazy 24/7 VR goodness. Check out more at OculurVR.com and be sure to step outside into the real world every now and again if you can.

‘Unmade’ Oreo Cookie Process – And finally…we’ve all seen the ‘How It’s Made’ show that tracks the process of creating objects ranging from lawn chairs to Twinkies. Sure have. Well, some wise jokesters have uploaded the ‘Unmaking of Oreo Cookies’ that focuses on how Oreo cookies are de-creamed and harvested for natural resources. Check out the hilarious video and commentary over at YouTube.

And there you have it! Send your cool tool finds to smoth@www.solidsmack.com, sign up for our newsletter there in the sidebar or ask us a question in the comments or via email about diy, design, tech or anything else. Smoth would love to help.

Author

Simon is a Brooklyn-based industrial designer and Managing Editor of EVD Media. When he finds the time to design, his focus is on helping startups develop branding and design solutions to realize their product design vision. In addition to his work at Nike and various other clients, he is the main reason anything gets done at EvD Media. He once wrestled an Alaskan alligator buzzard to the ground with his bare hands… to rescue Josh.