Even as more players eschew traditional board games in favor of smartphone app alternatives, there is still a significant population of diehard board game lovers who live for the real thing. Massdrop community designer Cassidy Williams is one such person; taking her love of Scrabble’s letter-engraved tiles into the world of computer keyboards. Waking up at 2 A.M. after a particular dream where she had a Scrabble keyboard, Williams got to making a mock-up design before sending it to Hasbro, Scrabble’s manufacturer. The result is a dye-sublimated PBT keyboard with a timeless Scrabble theme. The keyboard features the same double-letter scores and values associated with the individual letters of the…
Like a warm embrace first thing in the morning, few things are better to wake up to than a hot cup of joe. And when you’re stepping into a cold warehouse or shop before the sun rises, that hot cup of joe isn’t just a small luxury; it’s an absolute necessity. Which is all the more reasons why we love this lithium-ion cordless coffee maker from Makita. Yes—that Makita. Using the same batteries that power Makita’s expanding 18V Lithium-Ion Series of power tools, the DCM500Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless/Corded Coffee Maker is capable of delivering fresh hot coffee no matter where the job takes you—be it at your desk or…
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! Anybuffer (iOS — Free) Anybuffer is a place to store and organize everything you want. Links, images, documents, text, email -…
Fasten your eye-buckles kiddos. Now, you know Onshape kicked off the year announcing Parametric Modeling 2.0. They got a two-for-one deal on 2.0 names apparently, announcing today Data Management 2.0. They also got a two-for-one on kickin’ design problems IN THE ASS since, like configurations, multi-part and in-context design in their Parametric Modeling methodology, the features in their Data Management methodology shift the work away from work-arounds and manual workflows to a method that keeps the model in-context of the workflow instead of something you jam into and out of another system or in a binder bin next to the breakroom with the five broken coffee makers. There are two components…
From batch automation to Cloud-based folder sharing, the designer’s digital toolkit has never been as opulent as it is today. But despite sped-up workflows and AI-assisted features, the one thing that will never change is how those designs translate in the physical world. From a CMF (Colors, Materials, & Finishes) standpoint, the newly-launched Swatchbook aims to help bridge that digital-physical connection at least a little more seamlessly. Spearheaded by modo ninja and overall 3D viz heavyweight Yazan Malkosh, Swatchbook aims to be “The Future of Materials” as a cloud platform for designers, brands, and suppliers to explore, visualize, and materials without the need for physical samples. On a more technical…
From simple song requests to complicated trivia questions (not to mention painlessly ordering new bubble gum), the Amazon Echo Dot is undoubtedly a fun little gadget to have around. But for some, the minimalist Roomba-like puck design could use a little work in the TLC department. Baard Fleistad has always wanted a gramophone of his own. But seeing as mobile phones and mp3 players are outshining the ancient music players, the few gramophones left in the world are growing increasingly more expensive while usable music and audio interfaces are growing increasingly more digital. Seeing as to how he didn’t want to spend a small fortune on an antique functional gramophone,…