With an increasing amount of STEM programming kits teaching children the basics of computer technology and coding, it was only a matter of time before one came along to that also teaches younglings how to also build a computer all on their own. Enter the Kano PC—a DIY laptop kit designed by educational startup Kano in partnership with Microsoft, lets kids assemble their touchscreen computer before coding with it. By using the included step-by-step instruction storybook or through the help of a teacher, kids can put together the computer’s battery pack, speaker system, keyboard, and printed circuit board (PCB). This process lets them get a feel for how grown-ups put together high-end…
It’s time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved smart device(s)! The Weekly App Smack is the best of new or updated design and productivity apps (and maybe a couple of fun ones, too) for the busy design or engineering professional. This week we have a list sure to make you more efficient. Do you have an app suggestion that has made your life easier or changed up your workflow? Let us know in the comments below or send it into tips@solidsmack.com. Hit it! Summarize: Read & Remember (iOS — Free) Summarize helps you better comprehend and remember the books you read by organizing all your…
The Olympics may be where the world’s best athletes showcase their skills, but it’s also a chance for hosting countries to show off the best of their culture and hopes of what the world could become. Next year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo is no different. In preparation for the event, many of Japan’s residents partook in the “Tokyo 2020 Medal Project” – a two-year-long nationwide effort to collect discarded electronic devices (mobile phones in particular) to craft the Olympic and Paralympic medals for the 2020 winners. By extracting the small amounts of gold, silver, and bronze found in these recycled electronics, those who participated were impressively able to help produce…
Matches, for lack of a batter term, are pretty hot right now. They can be used to start fires for cooking, illuminate dark areas, and provide warmth during cold nights. Matches are also pretty combustible and thus are used by artists and YouTube creators to produce some awesome matchstick art. Previously, we’ve covered a 52,000 matchstick volcano which erupted into cinders, a 10,000 match flaming skull which provided some prime nightmare fuel, and a 5,000 matchstick chain which left a charred patch of wood in its wake as prime examples of modern matchstick art. So far, these matchstick masterpieces have ended in an eruption of flame and smoky remains, but…
Get that stretch out of your system with this week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist. It’s fashioned up, ready to make you pull your shoulder blades back and knock out another week of meaningful work while you bob your head to the beat. Whether you’re in the shop milling aluminum, sketching the latest product prototypes or modeling up a 3D storm, consider these tracks as a tool for your process. This week on SolidSmack Radio we’re kicking things off with the classic “Anemone” from the Brian Jonestown Massacre before diving into tracks from perma-chill Toro y Moi, Blood Orange, Ariel Pink, Grimes, and others before wrapping up with “Bad Vibrations” from…
As if those pesky drones from neighborhood hobbyists couldn’t get any worse, along comes a new reason to worry about all those unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) taking over the skies. The TF-19 WASP Flamethrower Drone Attachment is just what you think it is: a friggin’ flamethrower attachment for a UAV. But unlike military combat drones, this sucker can be purchased and driven by any pyromaniac legally—so long as they’re willing to fork over the cash. To be fair, the creators of the TF-19 WASP didn’t build it with sole the intention to threaten your neighborhood. Instead, it’s designed to function as a deterrent against pests, unwanted vegetation, and as a…