Mondays might not be your favorite day of the week, but the good news is that we’re all in this together ladies and gentlemen. As purveyors of prime Grade A web content, the SolidSmack crew has done some of the heavy-lifting to make sure you get your Mondays started on the right track. Welcome to The Monday List. Every Monday, we link you up with some of the most insightful, informative, and socially-relevant stories to keep tabbed, bookmarked, reading listed, pocketed, or what have you to get your week started on the right foot. Be sure to check in each week for a new crop of freshly sprouted words curated straight…

When it comes to product design books, it’s not always easy to eliminate glamorized portfolios from those that get down to the real nitty-gritty of product design. And when it comes to those actually worth reading, Don Norman will never do you wrong. As a strong (and very early) advocate for user-centered design, Norman is a pioneer in UX and UI design principles that exist in many of the products we use today. In his book, The Design of Everyday Things, Norman dives deeper into not just why…but how smart design is changing the landscape all around us—and what you can do to give your designs a competitive edge. If…

Don your favorite bathrobe, cream that coffee and get comfortable with this week’s SolidSmack Weekend Reader. The Weekend Reader features a handful of the most interesting articles featured on the ‘Smack over the past week ranging from tips and tricks to inspirational designs, processes, and more. So lay back, relax and take a load off while reading the top stories on SolidSmack this past week. Oh and uh…don’t forget to shed some much-needed sunlight on your face, too. Re:ease is the Ideal Modular Organizer for a Cluttered CAD Workstation Desktop Though many don’t mind a cluttered work area, there are a few who can’t resume working unless their desk resembles…

There’s something very interesting going down at Velo3D. The previously mysterious California-based metal 3D printing startup made a splash last fall with their new Sapphire metal 3D printer, which has the incredible ability to 3D print extreme overhangs without the need for support structures. Today we learned quite a bit more about the company and their strategic goals. It seems they believe they have a solution approach for the fundamental problems in metal 3D printing that have not yet been attempted by others. Those issues include an assurance of part quality, extreme consistency and actual design freedom. What? Isn’t 3D printing all about design freedom? Can’t you print any geometry?…

These days, you can get just about any computer rig designed to your exact specifications. Whether you’re a RAM-hogging SOLIDWORKS user, or simply just want a powerful workstation, there’s something for everybody. But no standardized hardware mod will ever replace the satisfaction of building your own rig from scratch. If you’ve ever wanted to create your own custom-built PC but didn’t know where to start, boy do we have great news for you. The How to Build a Computer Bundle consolidates five intensive online courses (a total of 126 individual lessons) ranging from how to create a blueprint for your desired desktop or laptop setup to how to overclock CPU…

Yes, yes, you might’ve heard smartphone accessory companies brag about how their wireless chargers are the thinnest in all the land. But, if you find a wireless charger thinner than 0.11 inches, it’s either made from some undiscovered material or an entirely bogus claim. The environmentally-conscious Xpad universal charger from Australian company PlusUs, however, is actually that—and aims to be just as fancy as it is thin. Xpad users can pick from either cork, timber veneer, or Italian leather coverings to lay their phones upon, but the core material of the charger is thermal-insulating cork. This prevents the surface you put your phone upon from turning into a thermal heater…