While Microsoft has kept their HoloLens under wraps for quite some time now, the tech giant is now opening up preorders to European countries next month with preorders beginning today. Those in the US have already been picking up the HoloLens for $3,000—although it’s primarily been developers and businesses at this point. The augmented reality device, which some may confuse as a virtual reality device, aims to blend the real with the virtual in what Microsoft is calling “Holographic Computing”. Microsoft’s goal with the device is to not merely create another piece of hardware kit; but rather, lift everything that we do on two-dimensional screens into the real world with…

Time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile device, be it iPhone, Android or Windows! 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@www.solidsmack.com. Hit it! LinkedIn Learning Advance your career with LinkedIn Learning. Discover the most in-demand business, tech and…

SketchUp is now in the Browser. Trimble sent out an email earlier announcing my.SketchUp and, as you can imagine, it looks just like SketchUp–a wide open modeling area, simple interface and east-to-use tools. All the basic functionality is there and, on top of that, it’s super smooth. The toolbars however are positioned to the left (drawing tools) and right (styles, Layers, display, etc). Trimble says, “my.SketchUp is the core SketchUp modeler, tuned to work in modern web browsers. Draw, orbit, push-pull: make anything you can imagine in SketchUp, anytime you imagine it.” It’s incredibly fast and responsive. In fact, you don’t even need a login to use it. Just open…

I bet it’s been YEARS since you dressed up in a costume. What’s up with that? You’re a creative type, right? Able to model up a doomakahizzy or a shnizzle in five minutes flat, AND look good doing it. You probably have a 3D printer (or access to one) too. Well, we’ve rounded up five (make that, six!) simple, creepy models you can print out to accentuate your already supa-fly style. 1. Halloween Spider Mask There’s nothing creepier than spiders… except a massive spider wrapping its legs around your face. Download this model here. 2. Finger Hand Hands are disturbing. Hands on the end of each finger are even more…

While most of us grew up with LEGO bricks, none of them compare to the LEGO construction kits that exist today; miniaturized infrastructures with thousands of pieces. From the 2,704—piece LEGO Porsche 911 model with build instructions based off of the true-to-life assembly process to the freakin’ 2989—piece LEGO Sydney Opera House, it’s almost as if today’s LEGO designers are constantly trying to one-up each other with ever more complex builds (much to the delight of diehard fans). With over 4,000 pieces (4,016 to be exact), however, the LEGO Star Wars Death Star construction kit certainly takes the cake as one of the most massive LEGO kits ever created—not to…

Ever since YouTube revolutionized how product designers and manufacturers share their design and manufacturing processes, the resulting content is just as varied and colorful as the end products themselves. But despite the myriad of different fabrication processes and design stories that one can get lost in, few are as unique—and downright fascinating—as YouTuber Primitive Technology. The unknown bushman, who resides in Australia, defines the practice of primitive technology as” “…a hobby where you make things in the wild completely from scratch using no modern tools or materials. This is the strict rule. If you want a fire- use fire sticks, an axe- pick up a stone and shape it, a…