Swift Playgrounds

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  • Swift Playgrounds

    Apple's educational iOS coding tool lets users build and submit App Store apps

    Apple is updating Swift Playgrounds to allow app developers to build and submit their software directly to the App Store from an iPad.

    Saqib Shah
    06.08.2021
  • coding

    The best educational apps to stay sharp throughout the school year

    Find the best learning tools, apps and courses online to aid you in your studies.

    Kris Naudus
    07.06.2020
  • Nicole Lee

    Apple brings code-teaching app Swift Playgrounds to the Mac

    Swift Playgrounds, Apple's teach-kids*-how-to-code-app for the iPad, is now available to use on your Mac desktop. The title, which enables you to learn the basics of Swift, Apple's newest programming language, uses game-like elements to sneak code into your subconscious. You play by guiding a character, called Byte, through a series of levels, solving puzzles (with code) as you go.

    Daniel Cooper
    02.13.2020
  • Kris Naudus / Engadget

    The new Hot Wheels coding kit requires fine motor skills (updated)

    Modern parents are faced with a bit of a tech dilemma. You want the kids to learn STEM skills, but you also don't want them spending all their time in front of screens. To combat this problem many coding tools incorporate some kind of physical element that kids have to put together or manipulate; with building toys like LEGO the marriage of physical play and computer programming makes a lot of sense. Then there's something like Hot Wheels, which never really claimed to be educational. This year the brand upgraded its basic racing experience with Hot Wheels ID, which added NFC to the cars and Bluetooth to the track, allowing the playset to keep tabs on how fast your vehicles are going and how far they've traveled. Now the product has a new coding aspect, via Apple's Swift Playgrounds. And it sounds great in concept. But after some time spent with it, I'm not sure this is a very good use of a very expensive playset.

    Kris Naudus
    12.16.2019
  • Apple

    Apple taps renowned artists for AR art walks

    Apple has been pushing its way into the world of augmented reality for years. Now, it wants to get more users involved. Working with artists like Nick Cave, an American fabric sculptor and performance artist, Apple has installed AR art in public spaces in San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Users in those cities can sign up for a free Today at Apple experience called [AR]T. It involves an interactive walk to tour the AR installations, an in-store session that teaches the basics of creating AR using Swift Playgrounds and an AR installation in the store.

    Christine Fisher
    07.30.2019