Despite a long list of benefits, working from home is also not without its fair share of downsides. For those that depend on billing clients for regular hours, digital time tracking can be a major pain—particularly when you’re constantly bouncing back and forth between tasks. But what if starting and stopping different tasks was as easy as tapping a simple button? What if you no longer had to wind through a maze of drop-down menus and manual time entry boxes? Such is the premise behind Tiller—a minimal and seamless desktop peripheral for tracking your time. Designed by Joan, an independent digital product agency based in Melbourne, Australia, Tiller aims to…
You’d have to be pretty deep under a rock to have not heard about the latest iPhones by now. And while early performance tests are calling the iPhone 8 (nevermind about the more advanced, soon to be released iPhone X) the most powerful smartphone ever made (it’s not even close), the continuation of the same iPhone style over three models now, paired with the introduction of a new bezel-less design for the iPhone X, have some wondering if this could be the end of smartphone design altogether. Are we really coming to a point where all smartphones will simply be a piece of glass—with little to no physical differentiation between…
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 we’ll get the groove going with “Paul” from Big Thief before diving into sweet melodies from Father John Misty, Andrew Bird, The War on Drugs, The Walkmen, and others before wrapping up with “Our Park By Night” from Craft…
Augmented reality is already making a splash with consumers, but its real impact could be in commercial applications. When Microsoft first unveiled their HoloLens mixed reality headset on stage in 2015, they presented a living room where everything from watching TV to playing Minecraft could be totally virtual and in an augmented reality environment. But in reality, it’s manufacturers like Volvo, Audi, NASA, and Lowe’s who are using the headsets to their full potential. Last week, Microsoft further highlighted the use of the HoloLens in the commercial space with a fascinating look at how Ford design and engineering teams are visualizing full-scale car models in 3D using the headsets: https://youtu.be/3QyA7HhIYkg…
Few shop tools—yes, we’ll call it a “tool”—are as indispensable as a reliable work apron. While not a “tool” in the traditional sense, a good, durable apron can serve many purposes ranging from tool organization to even psychologically making yourself ‘present’ in the workshop. But no two aprons are alike—and striking the balance between functional and economical isn’t always easy. Which is why we like the Cross Back Adjustable Apron from Hudson Durable Goods. Made from thick and durable waxed canvas, this stylish work apron features design details that are as carefully considered as the long-lasting materials they’re constructed from. Additionally, the cross-back (X-back) straps ensure that weight from tools…
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. Each Monday, we’ll 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. Be sure to check in each Monday morning for a new crop of freshly sprouted words curated straight from the source of your favorite homegrown ‘Smack.…