Though its cardboard applications are definitely finite, you can’t deny the Nintendo Labo is a fine piece of DIY hardware. For those unfamiliar, the cardboard bits can be assembled with the Nintendo Switch and Joy-Con controllers to create some pretty interactive constructs including a fishing rod, a piano, or even a giant mech. While these Toy-Cons are all cool in their own right, they haven’t yet demonstrated much in how the platform can be used to solve real-world problems. Japanese inventor Kentaro Yoshifuji (the guy standing beside the Labo user in the video above) recently took the Nintendo Labo’s cheap cardboard parts for a real-world problem-solving spin. Using his own…

Nike announced a new “3-D Printed” running shoe, but it seems a bit strange to me. The new shoe, released in time for the famous London Marathon, is made using their new “Flyprint” method. This is quite a competitive move, as their major nemesis, Adidas, has been 3D printing amazing midsoles using Carbon’s technology in recent months. Their system involves producing a highly complex variable lattice structure that provides great support yet weighs far less due to the sparse nature of the lattice. So what has Nike done in “3-D Printing” to catch up? Their “Flyprint” method appears to be a way to produce a 2D fabric, which they also call…

We’ve seen just how much potential there is for AR/VR headsets in the design and engineering world—whether it be modeling in the context of the real world or assisting assembly line workers. That said, we’re still on the cusp of knowing just how significant that shift can be. But when Apple gets involved—there’s usually a sure sign that something big is about to go down. According to CNET, Apple is working on a single wireless headset for both AR and VR applications—and it could come as soon as 2020. The source, credited as being familiar with Apple’s plans, says that the headset would include an 8K display for each eye,…

It’s time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile 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 and 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! LinkedIn Learning (iOS — Free) Advance your career with LinkedIn Learning. Discover the most in-demand business, tech and creative skills with…

It happens to the best of us: one minute you’re getting outside the car or house, the next you find yourself locked out with no option other than to break back in. While there isn’t a surefire solution to your ailing memory, you can at least start the habit of keeping your keys in places where you won’t forget them. Or better yet—keep them on your person at all times. Enter MSTR LINX. Bad jokes aside, it’s the way the MSTR LINX keyrings are connected that makes them unique. A small gap in each of the rings allows a user to connect or separate a chain—which makes them virtually impossible…

I’m not sure what size monitor you’re chewing on these days, but I’m guessing a 24″-25″ is as small and plastic-tasting as you’re willing to go for desktop monitor. What’s that? You don’t use a monitor – VR only, huh? Well, we’re heading there, but until then, many are still siftin’ 3D on a 2D screen. We 3D CAD folks like large monitors and (preferably) lots of them. Two screens aren’t uncommon, but with 4k UHD resolution proliferating, can one or two 3k QHD screens compete? BenQ thinks they have the answer with a 25″ QHD option that’s “Designed for Designers”. Why would you use it? Let’s have a look,…