Making Trouble — Simply Cad
Computer-aided design doesn’t have to be awful. There’s a CAD program out there for you.
Computers & Mobile
The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for digital gadgetry, open code, smart hacks, and more. Processing power to the people!
Making The World’s Thinnest Watch
Dave Vondle and Jerry O’Leary are making the world’s thinnest watch. I’ve enjoyed watching this project unfold from day 1. Actually, I’ve been watching this project unfold well before that. Dave was my summer intern in 2004. Working with smart, talented interns is always a joy, but every once in a while someone comes along who is truly gifted. I learned so much more from Dave that summer than he learned from me, and I continue to learn from. Dave moved on to IDEO after college, and was one of the people behind IDEO Labs. It was there that Dave honed his skills as a talented maker who skillfully combines engineering, design, and aesthetic to make some great new devices like this watch.
Using Scratch to Control Mindstorms Robots
Clinton Blackmore wrote in to share Enchanting, a visual programming tool that uses Scratch (as well as LeJOS firmware on the NXT brick) to create a more intuitive and powerful interface than Lego’s Mindstorms software can manage. The software is free and open source, and is being developed for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
Tool Review: Barch Designs Raspberry PiHolder
I’ll admit it: I’m an enclosure geek. From the sleek, brushed-metal case I got for my first Mini-ITX computer, to the sheet steel box I wrapped around the electronics in my Nerf Sentry Gun build, I put a lot of thought into selecting the right case for the job. For my new Raspberry Pi Model B computer, however, I didn’t have to think very long. Not after I first laid eyes on the Barch Designs Raspberry PiHolder.
How-To: Control AC Appliances with Spacebrew
When I visited the Intel booth at International CES in January, I was introduced to Spacebrew, a software toolkit for connecting interactive things to one another. It’s what linked up all the ultrabook screens that represented the leaves of a beautiful, metallic tree at the corner of the booth. The folks at Rockwell Group’s Lab […]
TrackR: Crowdfunded Bluetooth Wafer Helps You Find Misplaced Wallet, etc.
The $19 TrackR is a like a leash between your wallet and your mobile phone.
Let There Be Speech
How do you make a $200 computer for blind kids?
