DIY
Latest
Uno Drum is a $250 drum machine loaded with features
IK Multimedia surprised many last year expanding beyond its normal niche of portable MIDI controllers and iPhone recording interfaces by launching an actual synthesizer. And, not only that, it turned out to be quite a capable competitor to the Volca's of the world. Now the company is expanding its line of standalone instruments with the Uno Drum.
Nintendo Labo VR review: Cute, cardboard and kinda boring
Virtual reality devotees scoffed at the introduction of Google Cardboard five years ago: Why would anyone settle for such a limited, feeble-looking piece of paper when "real" headsets were on the horizon? But Cardboard was never about competing with Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. Instead, it was a way to give non-early adopters a low-cost taste of immersive technology. Years later Cardboard has faded into the background as the VR scene has taken off, but Nintendo never forgot about the promise of low-tech VR. Labo VR builds on both the initial ideas of Cardboard and the inaugural Labo sets to create a unique, endearing and most important, playful experience.
This guy built his own smartwatch and so can you
DIY projects can be a lot of fun, and if Raspberry Pi has taught us anything it's that people love to tinker. But for most folk, forays into the world of build-it-yourself tech start and end with a specific kit and a whole bunch of instructions to help them along. Not so for one inquisitive Redditor, who recently revealed that he built an entire smartwatch from scratch. And since he's been kind to enough to share details of the process down to the smallest minutiae, you can too.
How to turn a Raspberry Pi into a game console
By Thorin Klosowski This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide on how to turn a raspberry pi into a gaming console here. The Raspberry Pi is a $35 computer that can do a lot of things, but few projects are as popular as turning it into a retro-gaming console; imagine something the size of an NES or SNES Classic mini console with a few hundred games on it instead of a few dozen. With about half an hour of free time and some lightweight technical know-how, you can convert this card-deck–sized computer into a console capable of emulating nearly every classic video game system from the 1970s, '80s, and '90s.
RVR is a Sphero robot for budding tinkerers
Sphero's been amusing us with its collection of robotic balls, like its adorable BB-8, for eight years. But lately the company has been getting away from the toy aspect of its products and embracing its educational potential. It's had an app that can be used to program many of its current bots for a while now, but that's only for budding coders — what do kids interested in hardware have to tinker with? Indeed, Sphero is about to release its first robot specifically made to be physically modded, called the RVR.
PowerUp Toys is motorizing more paper vehicles
PowerUp Toys, the makers of a smartphone-controlled paper airplane kit, is at Toy Fair 2019 with three new gizmos to occupy your free time. The company has an updated version of its popular plane kit with dual propellers, a new motorization kit that can power other origami vehicles and an accessory that can turn a smartphone into augmented reality goggles.
Hot Wheels' new TechMods are remote-control cars you build yourself
Hot Wheels has excelled at merging the real and virtual worlds for the past few years, but a lot of that has been focused on the driving experience -- specifically, how to make it more like a video game, with toys like Hot Wheels AI, Mindracers and Augmoto. This year the brand is finally giving budding gear heads some love with its new TechMods set, an app-controlled vehicle that you build yourself and then control with your phone. It's not the same as tinkering under a hood, but it is actually fun to put together.
Patreon’s 3 million supporters are good news for independent creators
Patreon has had one clear goal since it launched in 2013: to help artists, influencers and internet creators make money by letting them offer membership services directly to their fans. And that effort seems to be paying off. Today, Patreon announced there are now over three million people supporting creators on its site, of which there are more than 100,000 to date. What's also notable is that the company was able to accomplish this milestone in a rapid manner, going from two to three million supporters (aka patrons) worldwide in just one year.
Teenage Engineering is making modular synths for the masses
Modular synths are all the rage right now. And it's not just the usual players either. Korg and Stylophone recently dipped their toes in the modular world. And now Teenage Engineering is getting on the bandwagon. The company is best known for its portable music creation tools like the OP-1 and OP-Z, not to mention the damn near disposable, but kinda awesome Pocket Operator line. This year it's making it first modular system and also its first analog synth with the Pocket Operator Modular series.
Korg introduces Volca Modular and Volca Drum synths
Korg's popular Volca line is getting larger and weirder with two additions: Modular and Drum. The affordable and portable line of battery powered synths has covered a lot of ground since first being introduced in 2013. There's a drum machine, a pair of analog synths, an FM-flavored love letter to the '80s, a mixer and even a model dedicated entirely to the kick drum. But for 2019 Korg is reaching much farther afield.
Greetings from CES 2019!
It feels like CES only just ended, but we're back in Las Vegas for the 2019 edition and we couldn't be more excited. Just like always, there will be plenty of cars, TVs and smart appliances. But, we're here to separate the wheat from the chaff and bring you only the best (or at least the most interesting) tech from CES 2019. The show floor hasn't even opened yet and already several companies have made a splash -- including Apple, which continues to skip the event in any official capacity. But that hasn't stopped it from grabbing some attention. Of course, you don't want to miss out on all our liveblogs, our three epic days of live stage shows which all culminates with the official Best of CES awards on Thursday at 8pm ET / 5pm PT.
Valve helps Raspberry Pi owners build their own Steam Link box
Steam Link boxes are no more. The simple black micro PCs designed to let you play games in the living room -- or anywhere else in the house away from your gaming rig -- is sold out everywhere and it seems Valve has no plans to produce more. The Steam Link app continues to live on in mobile devices and smart TVs, so it's not the end of days, but this doesn't offer the same latency-mitigating clout as Ethernet-wired hardware. Valve, however, is offering an alternative, and it comes in the form of Raspberry Pi.
A cheaper, smaller Raspberry Pi 3 is now available
The Raspberry Pi Foundation released its upgraded flagship computing board, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+, earlier this year. Now the boards are shipping in volume, the company has been able to turn its attention to what it calls one of its "most frequently requested 'missing' products": the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+.
Mac mini teardown uncovers all of the tiny desktop's updates
The long-overdue Mac mini update looks similar on the outside, but how much has it changed on the inside? Quite a bit -- though you'll be glad to hear some things have stayed the same. iFixit has torn down the diminutive desktop, and it's evident that Apple made only very strategic changes to the system's internals. It's still relatively easy to get inside the system by popping off the bottom and sliding out the entire motherboard. And when Apple said the memory was upgradable (unlike the 2014 model), it wasn't kidding. There's a shield to prevent interference, but it's easy to remove and install your own RAM sticks.
8BitDo’s Bluetooth mod kits put retired controllers back to work
The mini-console trend isn't just a case of repackaging classic, beloved games and cashing in on our shared retrophilia. There's also a practical reason for their existence: Most old consoles are incompatible with today's TVs. Unless you've held on to a CRT, you've got no choice but to seek out special signal converters or, more likely, let your best childhood friend gather dust in a closet. But there is a middle ground. With 8BitDo's $20 mod kits, you can, at least, give those classic controllers a new lease on life by repurposing them for the Bluetooth era.
Lego reveals six 'Overwatch' sets that are coming next year
Overwatch has been such a phenomenon that it's starting to take eek into everything. The latest example of Overwatch creep comes to the world of Lego. The company is releasing six Overwatch-themed building sets that feature vehicles, characters and weapons from the game. The Lego Overwatch collection will be available starting next year.
Motorola and iFixit sell official DIY phone repair kits
Many tech companies frown on unofficial repairs, but not Motorola -- in the right circumstances, it'll encourage you to fix devices yourself. The Lenovo brand has become the first major phone maker to provide parts to iFixit, which now sells official Motorola repair kits. If you need to replace your Moto Z Play's cracked screen or install a fresh battery in your Droid Turbo 2, you'll have all the parts and tools you need to do it at home.
Shaper's AR-equipped Origin power cutter is going on sale for $2,500
If you've been itching to add AR to your DIY with a handheld CNC, you'll be happy to know that Shaper's Origin augmented reality power cutter will once again be available for purchase. Originally launched in 2016, Origin scans visual markers and then displays a guide on the device's screen to direct where you cut. If you get too far off your design, the blade will retract.
Pixel 3 XL teardown reveals Google's switch to a Samsung display
When people noticed that the Pixel 3 XL's display was much better than its predecessor's, a common question emerged: did Google ditch LG for someone else? Yes, according to iFixit. The DIY repair house has torn down both the 3 XL and its smaller counterpart, and it's now clear that Google is using a Samsung-made AMOLED screen on at least the larger phone (we've asked iFixit about the regular Pixel 3). Google wasn't taking any chances on screen quality, in other words.
Ask Engadget: Which devices are easiest to sanitize?
The support shared among readers in the comments section is one of the things we love most about the Engadget community. Over the years, we've known you to offer sage advice on everything from Chromecasts and cameras to drones and smartphones. In fact, our community's knowledge and insights are a reason why many of you participate in the comments. We truly value the time and detail you all spend in responding to questions from your fellow tech-obsessed commenters, which is why we've decided to bring back the much-missed "Ask Engadget" column. This week's question asks about how to keep smartphones squeaky clean and sanitized. Weigh in with your advice in the comments -- and feel free to send your own questions along to ask@engadget.com! I'm a medical student, and I'm in and out of different hospital and clinic rooms. The reality is, students and doctors all have their phones will them pretty much constantly: in pockets, in use throughout the hospital, and with or without gloves on. When I think about it, it actually can be kind of gross. My question is: What smartphones and smartwatches are easiest to clean effectively, or what accessories make it easy to sanitize or otherwise protect them? Of course, it would be nice if they also looked good (because why buy the new iPhone if you're going to put a clunky case on it, right?).
