Having a place to jot down your ideas when inspiration strikes is a must for any designer or engineer. Yet, finding the ideal (durable!) scratchpad to keep in your pocket (or close by) at all times isn’t always easy. Which is why we love the Rollbahn pocket memo from Rollbahn. Featuring a gold metal cover (yep—really!) and tearaway gridded pages, this edition of the iconic Japanese notebook is the perfect fusion of simplicity and function. Rollbahn Gold Metal Cover Pocket Memo Book (Gridded Pages) — $12.00 Features: Made in Japan 112×138mm Durable Metal Cover Elastic Enclosure Perforated Tearaway Pages PURCHASE VIA AMAZON Affiliate purchases help support SolidSmack through a small…

You wouldn’t think it at first glance: “Come on, a hairdryer of all things?” But look past the nozzles, diffusers, and concentrators and you’ll find something with far more value. It goes without saying that the gold inlays of the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer are pretty expensive, but what’s even more priceless is the art of gilding said gold. For the uninitiated, gilding is a process by which an artisan applies flattened gold leaves or powders onto solid surfaces like wood, metal, or stone; thereby giving them a distinct golden sheen without being made of the heavy (and expensive) metal. Considering not everyone can afford such an expensive material to be…

Seeing as the gaming community spends the majority of their time in front of a desk or television sitting down, it’s usually their gluteus maximus which get the most exercise. But when you’re sucked into a game of Overwatch, Battlefield, or DOTA 2, chances are you won’t have the luxury of thinking about small things like personal hygiene, body posture, or how your derriere is slowly falling asleep amidst your killstreaks. Gaming chairs are nothing new. These large, cushioned thrones cradle a person’s most sensitive parts as their master remains entirely still for hours on end, standing up only to go to the bathroom or refill their Doritos stock. But…

When it comes to mechanical pencils, not all are created equal. And with rOtring, this couldn’t be truer. Ideal for sketching, writing, and drawing, the iconic rOtring 800 Mechanical Pencil features an ergonomically enhanced full metal body, with centered weight balance and a comfortable non-slip knurled grip for long work periods without discomfort or fatigue. Featuring a “Twist and Click” retractable mechanism of the entire sleeve and lead, the rOtring 800 Mechanical Pencil can easily go from pocket to sketch without worrying about damage or lead breakage. Quite frankly, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better mechanical pencil for this price. The rOtring 800 Retractable Mechanical Pencil — $24.53 Features:…

We’ve said it time and time again, but the Raspberry Pi is just so dang cool and we believe all designers and engineers should have one in their toolkit—if not on their desktop. While there is a bit of a slight learning curve, it’s nothing that today’s designers and engineers can’t handle on a leisurely Saturday. So why not start now? The Raspberry Pi Mastery Bundle includes 8 courses to get started creating your very own Amazon Echo or even a KUKA-like robotic arm for your desktop (how’s that for office bragging rights). Throw in any of your own 3D printed housing designs, and the opportunities are limitless! For a…

Welcome to a new series called ‘Shop Talk’, where Dan Slaski interviews people in the thick of product development business, who make the magic happen and turn their ideas into reality. Have an interview suggestion? Send it in. Watching over the Washington DC area is a dynamic duo of hardware entrepreneurship known as the Red Blue Collective. They are daring designers, creators of community, heroes of hustle, senseis of startups, leviathans of launch, and captains of Kickstarters. SolidSmack has exclusive access to unveil their masks and reveal the secret identities of these caped fabricators. Shop Talk: Red Blue Collective An interview with Callye Keen Dan Slaski: Who is Red Blue Collective and…