Right out of the gate for 2017, Adobe is offering a pair of applications featured at the Adobe MAX 2016 conference–a Windows version of Adobe Experience Design CC (XD) featuring real-time collaboration, and a new 3D product shot composer for graphic designers named Project Felix. They’re focused on accessibility (which we’re strong proponents of here…

Sometimes there are Kickstarter campaigns you hope will succeed, but sadly wind up failing. Noah Li is a Game Animator who launched a Kickstarter campaign that didn’t quite reach the funding goal. Maybe I’m biased because I’m a fan of both the MechWarrior universe and World War 2 technology, which is what Noah’s campaign merged…

Welding is a useful skill to have, especially if you want to repair your vehicle, which was the goal of Instructable user Mr-Mash who figured it was cheaper to repair his own rather than taking it to the shop. For him, the easiest way to learn welding was to build one big, freakin’ bicycle outfitted…

It’s hard to believe that CES is already behind us in the new year, and with it, a slew of new products and technologies that you likely won’t need for yet another year (Alexa! Drones! OLED TVs!). Okay, so maybe you actually do need an Alexa-enabled device for ordering barrels of cheeseballs and toilet paper…

Yeah, you see kids frolicking about in their Velcro buckle shoes and remember when life use to simple and carefree. No wonder the international sign for frustration is a unlaced shoe. It’s not? Well, IT SHOULD BE. There, I feel better now. Fortunately for all of us who can’t bend over to tie a shoe, don’t…

I quit riding my bicycle, but I may take it up again. Not for health purposes, mind you. The reason I quit was it seemed, no matter where I rode, my tires would go flat. It didn’t matter whether I was riding on pavement, grass, sand or gravel, I would always get a flat tire.…

I just watched the recap of Episode 1 of The Big Life Fix series on BBC Two, and it is A MUST SEE. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxOotr40UBE If you’re not choking back tears of happiness for that boy, I’m a bit worried about you. How amazing is that story? Jude Pullen and crew – hats off to…

Admittedly, I am a multi-tool user as probably most engineers are no matter what field they are in and I can say with certainty that not all multi-tools are the same. I’ve owned a Leatherman Sidekick, a Gerber Multi-Plier 600 (needlnose) and a SOG S66N and while they all are great in their own…

Michael “Hap” Hapner is a midwest artist whose niche is repurposing everyday artifacts into colorful Spot & Dot art pieces. Our paths crossed recently at a Antique Vintage Artisan Market in Berrien Springs Michigan. Hap had brought along a sampling of his garden flower art pieces. While most of the vintage wares were muted with…

Ahh… do you feel that? That turkey bone stuck in your throat as you ponder discounts and deals on all sorts of gadgets, gizmos and product dev tools? Well, wash that bone down with a swig of cranberry sauce quick, because we’ve got our eye on the best deals of the day. Keep an eye…

As anybody who sits in front of the computer for at least eight hours a day knows, a great office chair is an absolute necessity if you plan on walking upright without pain any time in the next 20 years (or good heavens, the next 20 minutes). And unsurprisingly, behind every great office chair is…

Consumers today. What a tough life. Numerous styles and colors of appliances, not to mention the configurations and features. Then there are refrigerators–a metal box insulated to keep cold air in and rodents out. Yet, they lack the flair captured in the 50’s, back when cars had massive tail fins and toys could be cool,…

We’ve all seen those flashy custom wheels bolted to vehicles most of us couldn’t afford. Like those vehicles, those custom wheels don’t come cheap and were probably designed and manufactured by one of the premier wheel companies such as Vossen Wheels. Ever wonder why those wheels are so expensive (costing about several thousand per-set)? Or, what’s involved…

Since they came screaming onto the scene in 2010 with what is arguably the most original light bulb design since…forever (?) with the Plumen 0013, the Plumen crew has kept their innovation streak going with new updates to the humble light bulb in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. For their latest collection, the…

I absolutely love design that is so simple, but so massive in the functionality it provides. In general, a shelf is just about the most simple, practical addition to any room you can get – I have no idea why we don’t just have shelves for walls instead of walls. Too far? Maybe. But a nice looking…

One of the basic tools-of-the-trade for creative types the world over is our writing sticks, a.k.a pencils, chalk, crayons, markers and the like. I don’t know about you but when I want to lay down some lines my go to permanent marker is a good ole ultra-finepoint Sharpie. I like how it forces me to commit…

Camping in the wilderness can either be a relaxing weekend away from the city or a nightmare. In many cases, the outdoor experience usually comes down to one thing: how well you prepare. Sometimes nothing can prepare you for the awesome force of Mother Nature. High winds, hurricanes, or even heavy rains can ruin your…

Draft angles are fundamental to part design. If you want to make physical things, you gotsta’ master draft. In his inaugural post, the great Vince “Skill Coach” Haley shows you how. There’s nothing like the musty aroma of carefully crafted paper mache popping free of its surrogate mold. And to my daughter’s delight, that’s exactly…

A great pleasure of mine is enjoying an overpriced hot caffeinated beverage while having esoteric conversations about design around like minded individuals. We rhapsodize about the coolest things we have designed, the crazy hours, and hurdles we overcame. We debate the merits and pitfalls (usually pitfalls) of different 3D printers and CAD packages. And, of…

When I reviewed the ALPAKA 7even messenger bag, I didn’t realize how much I was going to use it. Like previous bags I have loved, it’s hard to imagine going anywhere without it. With the wild success of their Kickstarter campaign, knowing they failed on a previous project and learning that the bag was primarily…

MegaBots wants to have a real-life mech battle. Preferably without dying. So far it’s not looking good. When I first heard about the MegaBots Kickstarter project last year, I definitely giggled like a ten year old. Anybody who wants to build big robots and make them fight is okay by me. We wrote about it…

Since raising over $1.5 million to bring their DIY computer and coding kit to the masses on Kickstarter back in December of 2013, the team at Kano has been on a relentless pursuit to unlock hardware design and programming for the masses. This time around, they’re turning their attention from a DIY computer to a…

What’s that you say? Your wallet can store five stamps and a breath mint? That’s nothing. The Dango Tactical Wallet can do all the things a regular wallet can do PLUS saw down a small tree, open a can, open a bottle, measure your bicep, tension a rope, break glass, tighten bolts, drive screws, pry…

I’m pretty sure, that if you built a geodesic dome fort with your kid, you would be classified as the best parent ever… which is part of the reason why we’re SUPER EXCITED the geodesic dome HUB KITS are now available! The other reason we’re excited is this is secretly a reason for us to…

2nd Shot is the Ontario-based company that takes a love of skateboarding and its culture, turning discarded decks from local skaters, skate shops and skate parks to create just about anything imaginable – watches, art, and yes, knives–beautiful. The company is the brainchild of John Gibson, mixing his former freelance job painting cars and customizing…

We’ve all had that moment. We see something completely jaw-dropping, fumbled to take a picture or capture video, and by the time we dig our phones out of pockets/purses, it’s all over. Life is so unfair. A crew from NYC has designed a new camera that will eliminates capturing every moment by… well capturing every…

If you were to walk into my house, you would tuck your chin and say, “This space is a perfect illustration of a complete lack of modern design aesthetic.” And that’s ok. I would still invite you in and give you two handfuls of spicy, meat-laden chili. You would then say, “You need to have…

If the Kickstarter video for the successfully funded Fidget Cube is any indication, fidgeting is a serious problem –– but it just may also be the key to increased focus, too. While some may resort to aggressively folding gum wrappers or twirling a pen between their fingers, Fidget Cube creators Matthew and Mark McLachlan have…

You would have to be a tad bit nutty to attempt to memorize all the various measurements that go into standard human factors design considerations –– otherwise known as anthropometry. While keeping a reference guide handy –– such as the indispensable The Measure of Man and Woman –– for nailing those dimensions right the first…

The thought put into speaker design is astounding. It nearly makes me forget all about the chipper/shredder sound emanating from my car speakers. We’ve admired Portland-based Grovemade design for a while. They have an awesome habit of showing what goes on behind the design. We highly recommend following their journal (and taking note if you’re…

How many times have you taken your sketchbook out the door and wished you could easily carry a regular old pencil –– be it your garden–variety #2 or a blue Prismacolor –– without the lead point stabbing you or otherwise breaking? For those who prefer to use lo-fi wood writing tools that don’t include a clip…

In the history of industrial design and engineering, perhaps no other industry is as storied and colorful as the automobile. While we may be on the cusp of a future consisting of self-driving cars that we can experience through virtual reality before purchasing, it’s the marketing and sales tactics that reflected consumer needs and buying…

You could do worse than designing a new standing desk. And there seem to be enough new ways to approach standing to keep the options coming out. Gaze Lab thinks there’s a smarter way to manage desk fit and screen placement. With the Gaze Desk they want to solve these problems and then some, making…

Music. Just what you need to get you through a tough task. It’s why we bring you SolidSmack Radio each week. What’s keeping you from enjoying that? The right pair of headphones. If it’s not tangled wires, it’s battery life. If it’s not battery life, it’s someone yappin’ in your face. The first two issues…

With over 70 people killed or injured by anti-personnel (land) mines each day, unmarked minefields not only destroy communities with death and injury but also through the loss of usable land and economic development. Having grown up in minefield-stricken Kabul, Afghanistan playing soccer just yards away from active minefields, product designer Massoud Hassani set out…

You can get a pretty good workout walking 18-holes and whacking balls all day, but grab a cart and you can forget about that 10,000 step goal on your Fitbit. Hate the cart, but want something slightly more dangerous? Meet the GolfBoard, perfect for golfers who can’t sit or surfers who hung up the board…

Ahhh, coffee. That rich, aromatic mixture of art and science. Stray a little on bean roast or brew temp and you’re in the repugnant realm of sippin’ a day-old cup of joe from 7-11. NOT GOOD. Brew your beans at home? Well, look at you, you connoisseur of fine caffeinated beverages, you. But do your…

While most people might approach freshly cut firewood as a way of fueling their bonfires or keeping their house warm on cold nights, designer Paul Foeckler has a different idea of harnessing light. Using carefully selected pieces of firewood sourced from California forests, the LA-based woodworker forgoes setting a match to the wood and instead…

Looks like someone went down to the Hammock store on Hammock Street, over in the Hammock district with this one. The ultimate dream when you were a kid was having your own treehouse, right? Some were lucky enough to have that pad in the treetops. For others, it turned into waiting and a 30-year mortgage.…

If you’ve ever stood in the shower wondering if you could be sued because you made a certain 3D model of a certain brand of car, wonder no more. Precedent has been set. BMW Group, which includes Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, BMW of North America, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, and and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA have…

We’ve covered a lot of Kenneth Smythe’s chair designs over the years. I’m always excited to see his emails with a new one, guessing it will be similar to previous chairs and completely surprised when I view it. The latest design is visual extrapolation of an emotionally and psychologically charged elitist pathology (ya got that?),…

Marcin Jakubowski and his lovely wife Katarina are leading the Open Building Institute (OBI) to take open-source to a new level with housing. The organization’s mission is to “make affordable, ecological housing accessible to everyone” and enables aspiring homeowners to build a modular starter home for $25,000. Marcin and team have continued over the years…

Think of the basic parts to a pen. A tub and some ink. We use to use feather quills and an ink bottle. Now it’s highly engineered mechanisms with an endless choice of ink cartridges. Where’s the happy medium? Looking for a minimal, yet well-design led me to take a look at the Ensso Uno,…

With many fighting furiously against the end of the world coming to us via plastic bottle waste, more have been looking for that environmentally-friendly bottle to hold their beverages. While bottles are convenient, come in a variety of style and materials, they’re limited in the types of beverages they hold. Coffee? Here you go. Protein…

There’s more than a handful of reasons why the humble bicycle is an object of obsession for many an industrial designer or engineer. Aside from the zillions of proportion variations, material combinations and CMF studies that go into the design process, it is also one of the few objects that can be designed for users…

When it comes to quality Hi-Fi speakers the phrase “shove it in the corner” doesn’t necessarily come to mind, but that’s exactly what Montreal-based Nepsu wants you to do with their Triangle Hi-Fi speaker. Actually, the speaker can be placed almost anywhere, however a corner provides that extra boost for a corner loading effect that…

We’re on a cutting kick, with the Ergo Kiwi knife and now a new take on the good ol’ pair o’ shears. Every home has at least one pair of them. They’re a necessary tool, especially if you work in an office full of kids and construction paper. But they aren’t the most hand-friendly tools…

Last September, we shared German illustrator Eilert Janssen’s new Real Markers, a Photoshop brush set with over 120 tools that emulate the look of real alcohol-based and permanent markers. Hej Brush But hej (pronounced hey), he has since then updated the Hej Brush lineup with new brushes that include Draw! – a set of dry…

While many homeowners are able to conveniently throw a slab of ribs or a freshly-caught trout onto a grill in their backyard or patio, the struggle is very very real for hungry patio-less apartment dwellers – particularly those in large cities. Although most public parks are equipped with public grills, the first come, first served basis…

While the electronic Boosted Board skateboards may be taking over today’s streets, nothing beats the simplicity of an original cruiser board when it comes to getting from A to B. As a self-confessed “hater of plastic”, German industrial designer Tom Wilhelm set out to create a wood replacement to the plastic Penny board that just…