Well, they’ve done it. They’ve hacked into our brains. Barely a day after my neurons were all a-buzz with interstitial activity over the thoughts of the next-generation console as “mini-fridge”, Microsoft busted out a premier release of a CGI trailer for their new Xbox Series X Fridge and it’s slick! Now I’m pretty sure they…
With an increasing amount of STEM programming kits teaching children the basics of computer technology and coding, it was only a matter of time before one came along to that also teaches younglings how to also build a computer all on their own. Enter the Kano PC—a DIY laptop kit designed by educational startup Kano in partnership…
As modern video games continue to break out of their mold and become a new medium for immersive storytelling, so too does the need for more accessible—and considered—hardware designs for a growing population of gamers. While we’ve seen a number of brilliant one-off solutions from hardware modders including Ben Heck, whose various one-handed PS4 and…
Seamlessly bridging the physical and digital worlds has proved to be a significant challenge for even the world’s most advanced electronic manufacturers. While HP has made considerable strides with their “mixed reality” Sprout platform, the creative market has grown to favor more portable tablets and laptops over full-fledged desktop platforms. With Project Zanzibar, the Microsoft…
We’re walking the floor at Solidworks World 2018. One must see is Easton LaChappelle’s Unlimited Tommorrow (UT) exhibit. He is cranking out some amazing prosthetic devices! Easton at 14-years-old took an interest in robotics where he submitted a robotic artificial limb in a science fair. His epiphany with regard to his future role in the world…
Picture, if you will, a dog: brown fur, floppy ears, mouth full of drool. Easy, right? Now picture an AI system doing the same thing you just did. Since computer language is essentially ones and zeroes, translating human words into picture data isn’t as easy as you might think. And yet, this is what Microsoft’s…
Never underestimate the power of an ergonomic mouse. And for many CAD modelers, the Surface Mouse from Microsoft has been a great balance between price and comfort for years. But like most other things, it’s been long overdue for an update beyond the typical left click, right click, and scroll wheel functionalities. Arriving November 16th,…
Screens. The bigger they get, the harder they are to fit into your pocket. Gone are the days when people were content with a phone display the size of your thumb. Shame. Now everyone seems to be carrying a PC in their pocket with a screen the size of a small badger holding a handheld gaming…
Microsoft has been looking to get a foot in the door of the MR (Mixed Reality) world since early 2015 with their development of HoloLens and the Windows Holographic platform. The company has since announced a collaboration with several leading tech companies, including Dell, ASUS, Acer, HP and Lenovo to produce their own MR headsets…
It seems software giant Microsoft is going deeper into 3D technology, and I’m wondering how this could tilt the 3D printing landscape. In their most recent OS, Windows 10, the company has just provided a series of interesting 3D software tools. You can see how some of them work in this video: https://youtu.be/Itc5ihHDAnY In the…
Microsoft just did what nobody thought they could ever do–Make people fall in love with one of their products. Yet, at Microsoft’s Surface PC event, they did just that. Microsoft revealed the Surface Studio, a 28″ all-in-one PC display. It’s a beautiful piece of hardware. Microsoft nailed both the execution and demonstration to deliver a product on…
It’s hard to believe that a year has already passed since Microsoft’s last Build conference in San Francisco; the event that revealed the first in-depth look at the company’s HoloLens. With the device already shipping out to developers this week, it’s clear that Microsoft has been making headway over the past year to bring the…
It’s been a little over a year since Microsoft first introduced the HoloLens, and while we’re still waiting for it to become a polished consumer product, the company is gearing up to release the $3,000 Developer Edition of the device – which could be shipping as early as this week. While we’re still yet to…
From Nintendo’s Virtual Boy in the distant past to the Oculus Rift now, VR has been sputtering into our future. This year however, is truly the year for VR (if there ever was one) with even more companies getting in on the advancements being made in replacing or augmenting our reality.
Although it may not have the field of view that many were originally hoping for, Microsoft’s HoloLens is still no less of an amazing tool on the horizon for many involved in hardware development. Earlier this year, SolidSmack reported on ten reasons why the HoloLens could change product design and the way that consumers interact…
There’s been a lot of excitement surrounding Microsoft’s new Windows 10 machines and for good reason – the experience of seamlessly blending Windows with multiple pieces of hardware kit within the same ecosystem is long overdue. Although the “software of the future” is increasingly moving to the Cloud – where it can be accessed from…
Although they’ve been putting a lot of focus and attention towards touting their new HoloLens and Windows 10, Microsoft has also been busy developing their gigantic touchscreen Surface Hub – which was first announced back in January. The device – which can best be described as a gigantic Microsoft Surface (literally) – was designed with…
Between the latest developments behind the HoloLens to the announcement of their Internet Explorer replacement product, it’s already been a busy couple of days for Microsoft at their annual Build Developer Conference, which runs from April 29th through May 1st in San Francisco. Of course, the conference wouldn’t be complete without some updates on Windows…
Today, MakerBot quietly announced that they’ll be opening ‘mini-stores’ (similar to the mini-Apple Stores within Best Buy locations) at Microsoft retail stores featuring a full-on ‘MakerBot Experience’. Prior to this announcement, the only way to get the ‘MakerBot Experience’ was to attend a MakerFaire, go to a 3D printing industry event, attend a school or…
When it was announced nearly a month ago that Microsoft Windows 8.1 would natively support 3D printing similar to that of printing directly to a paper printer, the news was greeted with open arms in the maker and tech communities. With the release of Windows 8.1, a user will be able to plug their 3D…
Who cares about the Cloud, when the ability to grab our models is out there? Virtually, that is, in a very awkward, ‘why is this sneeze guard in front of me’, ‘dangit I spilled the ranch dressing on the sunflower seeds’ type of way. Yet, as we fall down the rocky gorge of 3D software…
With the typical excitement that goes along with yanking USB cords from your mouth, Microsoft presented Windows 8 this week at BUILD conference Aneheim, with a precision and five-fisted blur of app-kickin’ karate chops that dropped the jaws of Windows users and Apple users alike. Microsoft is showing Windows 8 to be an OS that…
Quickly now. Stick your hands against the screen. Now, lift them off slightly and move your head to either side. Did you see that? A physical 3-dimensional object rising from the aether around your digits? No, no you didn’t, because it hasn’t happened yet… but it could. Three technologies have surfaced showing how we may…
Well, well, well, from the looks of the last poll, not too many people care about hardware/software upgrade plans. I agree… BORING. For me, a hardware upgrade consists of bottling pure rage (and my new hot sauce recipe) to throw a computer 200 feet into the air. So, while we’re on the topic of rage,…