The Best SolidSmack Stories of the Week — May 4th, 2018

Don your favorite bathrobe, cream that coffee and get comfortable with this week’s SolidSmack Weekend Reader.

The Weekend Reader features a handful of the most interesting articles featured on the ‘Smack over the past week ranging from tips and tricks to inspirational designs, processes, and more. So lay back, relax and take a load off while reading the top stories on SolidSmack this past week.

Oh and uh…don’t forget to shed some much-needed sunlight on your face, too.

The Gumshoe is the World’s First Shoe Made From Discarded Chewing Gum

Nobody likes walking on the pavement during a hot summer day to discover they’ve just come across—and stepped upon—somebody’s soft discarded bubble gum. Aside from the embarrassment, scrapping the discarded sugar-chew is no easy task. But what if said bubble or chewing gum could be scraped from the streets and converted into an actual shoe?

HP ZBook x2 Laptop/Tablet Workstation [Review]

When you think of mobile workstations, a laptop with a detachable keyboard probably doesn’t pop in your head. In fact, a laptop that converts to a tablet – Well, the majority of 2-in-one laptops are low-power consumer products that, at best, gives you touchscreen capability and web access in a pinch. HP, however, has reached deep and introduced a 2-in-1 laptop truly made for professionals–the HP ZBook x2. HP provided one to take a spin, so let’s have a look.

What You Missed At Hardware Massive’s 4th Annual HardwareCon

For a while, the flashy shine of new hardware tech has been overshadowed by new software tech. In Silicon Valley especially, there’s a kind of cultural notion that software is high tech and exciting and hardware is not.

BenQ 25″ QHD IPS Designer Monitor PD2500Q [Review]

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.

Behind the Design: The MSTR LINX EDC Keychain System

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.

Apple Reportedly Working on a Wireless AR/VR Headset Set for 2020

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.