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Archive: Announcements
October 15, 2008
The Steel Yard's 2008 Halloween Iron Pour
The Steel Yard in Providence is pouring iron on Halloween again. The video is from last year's pour; it looks like an awesome event.
The Steel Yard presents its 3rd annual HALLOWEEN IRON POUR!
Friday, October 31st - 6:00pm
27 Sims Avenue, Providence
This Halloween, come down to the Steel Yard for another molten metal spectacular! The gates open at 6:00 on October 31st at the Steel Yard, and admission is $5. Activities from 6pm - 7pm will include a ceramic bowl sale by our Ceramics Cooperative, bike art and costume building with Recycle-A-Bike, and a pumpkin flinging trebuchet. Proceeds from the bowl sale will benefit the Ceramics Department and resident artists. Hot cider and snacks will be available by donation.
The Iron Guild's casting performance will start promptly at 7pm. The first Guild performance at the Steel Yard brought us a glowing skull with iron wings. Last year, they unveiled the giant flaming heart and poured molten iron into pumpkins. This year...zombies, brains, and candy.
Stick around after the pour for music from local Providence band Tides.
*For pictures and video from previous Iron Guild performances, check out their website: IronGuild.net.
For more information, please call 401-273-7101.
Posted by Patti Schiendelman |
Oct 15, 2008 07:00 AM
Announcements, Events, Halloween |
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Prototype This - premiers tonight
Our pals, including Joe Grand (MAKE author and advisory board member) show premiers tonight! Prototype This - Discovery Channel via Hack a Day.
Set your DVRs!
- Mind Controlled Car, October 15
- Boxing Robots, October 22
- Traffic Busting Truck, October 29
- Get Up and Go, November 5
- Waterslide Simulator, November 12
- Six-Legged All Terrain Vehicle, November 19
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Oct 15, 2008 12:00 AM
Announcements |
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October 10, 2008
100,000 garages
Here's a note from Dale our publisher...
Perhaps the most interesting question in Wednesday's presidential debate was a question asked near the end by Tom Brokaw..."Should we fund a Manhattan-like project that develops a nuclear bomb to deal with global energy and alternative energy or should we fund 100,000 garages across America, the kind of industry and innovation that developed Silicon Valley?
Alas, this question was not really answered by McCain and never directed to Obama to answer. It is an interesting question about where we should look for alternative energy technologies and solutions. A politic answer would say that the United States should support massive scale projects along with many, many small projects. However, the government may not have the resources or the will to drive large-scale projects, especially given the economy. So, a lot is going to depend on people working in 100,000 or more garages, probably with little funding or support.
Next year, Make will be doing an issue on sustainable technologies that are being developed by individuals and small groups. We're looking specifically for technologies that can be shared and replicated around the world. We're looking for projects that make a real difference and can help us create or cope with the necessary changes. Our goal is to find some of those industrious, ingenious makers at work in garages everywhere.
If you're one of those people, or know one of them, let us know (post in the comments or use our form)....
Pictured above, Mr. Jalopy's garage from MAKE volume 04, page 54.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Oct 10, 2008 08:35 AM
Announcements |
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October 8, 2008
Maker Faire Austin in the 21st Century (The movie!)
The year is 2008 and 'Hank Warner' can no longer wait to attend Maker Faire Austin. Desperate, he decides to have himself cryogenically frozen in order to be revived upon the day of the event.
Get your tickets for Maker Faire Austin 2008 Oct 18th and 19th now, don't wait for the future!
(You can watch the MP4 here, or get it via iTunes).
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Oct 8, 2008 09:00 PM
Announcements, MAKE Podcast, MAKE Video, Maker Faire |
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GO-Tech Meeting in Ann Arbor
Dan Glover of GO-Tech writes:
The October GO-Tech meeting (Ann Arbor, MI) is Tuesday, October 14, 8 pm, at Great Oak Cohousing (see below). This will be our 15th meeting!We'll have a demo of FIRST pneumatics, along with the usual eclectic mix of projects. Bring something cool to show off, especially if it fits the theme of "actuators." Anyone is welcome to talk for 5 minutes about a new project or resource.
GO-Tech (formerly NotBAGO) is a meeting for Ann Arbor area readers of MAKE magazine, Circuit Cellar, Home Shop Machinist, Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools, slashdot, etc. That is, people who are interested in and make things using technology, whether that's a metal cutting lathe or a Python script. A kind of generalized mixture of CerealBar, DorkBot, Oxford Geek night, and Portland Machinist Guild. We have machinists, electrical engineers, software folks, industrial control types, and so on. We share projects, information about tools and ideas, and connect with like-minded people.
Past meetings have included: Solder your own Arduino, CNC basics and demo, laser engraving, designing/fabricating printed circuit boards, electric scooters, and so on. (Meeting minutes and some video and photos are on the site below.)
Meetings are generally the second Tuesday of the month at 8 pm.
For details and to join the email list, go to the GO-Tech Yahoo page (under our old name, NotBAGO).
For directions to the meeting: http://www.gocoho.org/location/directions/ Please remember to park along the road!
[The photo above is of a BBB board, from Modern Device Company, on top of a piece of wood we laser engraved at a recent meeting with the MAKE logo.]
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Oct 8, 2008 02:08 PM
Announcements, DIY Projects, Events, Makers |
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October 7, 2008
DIY Halloween contest! This is the BIG ONE!!!!
We teamed up with our pals from Instructables for what is the biggest Halloween contest on the web. In honor of the best DIY holiday ever, we're having a party -- and everyone's invited! Elaborate costumes for the whole family, gadgets that go "zzzZAP!," gross-looking foods, creepy decorations that turn your house into a forbidding castle, and spooky jack-o-lanterns guarding your front door: these are the things we look forward to all year.
We want to see what delightfully frightful items you've made and we have dozens of awesome prizes to give away! You can enter an Instructable, photos, or video, just make it amazing and it will be eligible to win in one of our six categories: Hack-o-Lantern, Costume, Gadgets and Gizmos, Decorations, Food, and Green, or our Photo and Video categories!
Before you get started be sure to pick up a copy of our MAKE DIY Halloween issue! DIY HALLOWEEN from the editors of MAKE and CRAFT brings you 40-plus DIY projects for the holiday that's made for makers. From the craftiest costumes to amazing animated props and the latest in computer-controlled haunted house effects.
Note: You do not have to choose your category. We will select the best fit when awarding prizes.
Prizes
Win $250 gift certificates to the Maker Shed, Etsy shopping sprees, EL-wire packages that light up with sound, cool books from Quirk Books, a MAKE Controller kit, $250 gift certificates from Plaid, The Best of Instructables Volume I, gift certificates for Ponoko, a Fuel Cell Car & Experiment Kit, gift certificates for Hack n Mod, a Singer sewing machine, zombie gift packs from ThinkGeek, a "Make: Open Sourcerer" Leatherman Juice CS4 Tool, Make: The Third Year Collector's Box Set, DNA Kit, ProdMod LED Camera Light Kit v1.1, Instructables robot t-shirts, stickers, and patches!
Enter as many times as you like, but since you can only win one prize be sure each entry shows off your best efforts! The only restriction is that the contest is US-only!
There are lots of ways to enter!
- Enter individual photos and videos through the diyhalloween08 DIY Halloween 08 Flickr group and YouTube group.
- Post your Instructables, photo slideshows, or videos on Instructables.
Grand Prize
Tech grand prize:
$250 Shopping spree at the Maker Shed Store
$250 gift certificate to Plaid Craft Express
$100 gift certificate to Hack N Mod
Craft grand prize:
$250 Shopping spree in the craft kits section of the Maker Shed Store
$250 gift certificate to Plaid Craft Express
8763 Curvy sewing machine from Singer
Category Prizes
Hack-o-Lantern: grab the nearest pumpkin (real or faux) and get to work. These make great photo entries, but creative work may warrant a video or a full Instructable!
Prizes:
1st (1 winner) - EL-wire package from Cool Neon and "Make: Open Sourcerer" Leatherman Juice CS4 Tool.
2nd (3 winners) - Set of books from Quirk Books, and an Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
3rd (5 winners) - Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
Costume: Show off your best homemade costumes! Whether you made it for you kids, your hamster, or even the office party, we want to see how you made it.
Prizes:
1st (1 winner) - $250 worth of jewelry supplies from Plaid, Make: The Third Year Collector's Box Set, and a $50 voucher from Ponoko.
2nd (3 winners) - Set of books from Quirk Books, and an Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
3rd (5 winners) - Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
Gagdets and Gizmos: Share the mechanics behind the spooky shapes, creepy noises, and sudden movements you've created to scare us senseless!
Prizes:
1st (1 winner) - EL-wire package from Cool Neon, MAKE controller kit, $50 voucher from Ponoko, and a $50 gift certificate to Hack N Mod
2nd (3 winners) - Set of books from Quirk Books, and an Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
3rd (5 winners) - Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
Decorations: Show us how you made your surroundings spooky enough to make all the neighborhood kids think twice about trick or treating.
Prizes:
1st (1 winner) - $250 paint package from Plaid, The Best of Instructables Volume I and a $50 voucher from Ponoko,
2nd (3 winners) - Set of books from Quirk Books, and an Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
3rd (5 winners) - Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
Food: The grosser the better! What if you served this at your Halloween party and nobody ate it? Well, we'd probably give you a prize!
Prizes:
1st (1 winner) - Knife set and DNA Kit.
2nd (3 winners) - Set of books from Quirk Books, and an Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
3rd (5 winners) - Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
Green Halloween: Did you manage to provide a spoooky haunted house with recycled goods? Is your costume a clever use of materials destined for the dump? Tell us all about it!
Prizes:
1st (1 winner) - EL-wire package from Cool Neon and Fuel Cell Car & Experiment Kit.
2nd (3 winners) - Set of books from Quirk Books, and an Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
3rd (5 winners) - Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
Photo Prizes:
1st (1 winner): EL-wire package from Cool Neon, ProdMod LED Camera Light Kit v1.1, Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
2nd (5 winners) - Sound activated EL-wire from Cool Neon.
Video Prizes:
1st (1 winner): EL-wire package from Cool Neon, ProdMod LED Camera Light Kit v1.1, Instructables t-shirt, patch, and stickers.
2nd (5 winners) - Sound activated EL-wire from Cool Neon.
CONTEST STARTS: Nov 5, 2007 (Yes, you can enter your projects from 2007!)
ENTRY DEADLINE: Nov 9, 2008
VOTING STARTS: Nov 10, 2008
VOTING ENDS: Nov 16, 2008
JUDGING STARTS: Nov 17, 2008
JUDGING ENDS: Nov 24, 2008
Partners:
Instructables, BoingBoing, Core77, CRAFT, Etsy, Hack n Mod, IndyMogul, Lion Brand Yarn, MAKE, Toolmonger, Plaid, Ponoko, PopSci, Singer, ThinkGeek, and Threadbanger all have come together to bring you a contest worthy of your creations! Be sure to check out the Instructables contest page for some offers from Ponoko and Etsy too.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Oct 7, 2008 06:34 PM
Announcements, Halloween |
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October 6, 2008
Get MAKE updates via Twitter - and MAKE Magazine print/digital/web support via Twitter! (and a special offer)....
Twitter is a neat service that a lot of folks use to get updates from their friends and to just stay in touch, all in 140 characters, via email, phone or the web. MAKE has a Twitter feed too, you get updates from MAKE by visiting (or "following" make) at Twitter.
We are trying something new - If you're a MAKE print/digital edition subscriber you can direct message MAKE at anytime with questions, comments or suggestions. Anything about MAKE really... I think we're the only "magazine" that is offering support this way, if there are others let me know - I'd like see what's working and what's not. So far I've seen Comcast, JetBlue use the direct message and the @ replies feature. For fastest results with MAKE "d make yourmessagehere".
But wait, there's more! If you happen to be following MAKE on Twitter I will post a discount code each day for the rest of the week that will get you $10 off a MAKE subscription (USA) -- so if you're thinking of subscribing, follow us on Twitter and it could be your lucky day! I'll wait until the end of the day so you have time to add/follow make. This is likely a one time only promo to test the waters, when it's over it's over.
A little note for the current followers of MAKE on Twitter... Twitter was posting duplicate Tweets from our site, we didn't change anything on our end but we switched to another way of doing this once we saw the multiple message and that seemed to have solved everything, sorry if you received multiple messages.
Oh, last up - We also have CRAFT, HACKS and Maker Faire on Twitter. You can use these for CRAFT subscription support, comments and questions as well Maker Faire support (please direct message if you want immediate help or have questions). During Maker Faire Austin we'll be Tweeting the entire time with news, events and get togethers!
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Oct 6, 2008 05:09 PM
Announcements |
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Maker Faire wins "American Magazine Vanguard Award" !!
Maker Faire won a "American Magazine Vanguard Award"! The first annual American Magazine Vanguard Awards (AMVAs) were announced last night during a ceremony for Ad Age’s annual “A-list.” The AMVAs recognize magazines “that are innovating smartly beyond print.”
Make is for nerds and dorks -- nerds and dorks who are proudly nerdy and dorky. The editorial mission is to "celebrate your right to tweak, hack and bend any technology to your own will." Published quarterly since 2005 by O'Reilly Media, it's tapped into the powerful DIY movement that has millions of consumers rewiring their own realities by making their own media (with tools ranging from iMovie to YouTube to GarageBand to Blogger to Facebook) -- only Make's not afraid of throwing a soldering iron or a little duct tape into the mix. It's about tangible creations -- and good old-fashioned American ingenuity.Make earns an AMVA because of its remarkable Maker Faire, a cult event that has been growing almost mainstream. The first fair, held in 2006 in San Mateo, drew 22,000 attendees -- people interested in everything from growing their own food to building hybrid vehicles. In 2007, 45,000 showed up; this spring, 65,000. A second edition of the event started up in Austin, Texas, drawing 20,000 attendees; the second two-day Maker Faire Austin kicks off this month on the 18th. (Watch for Make to expand its fair to other cities in 2009.) Considering that some of the greatest leaps forward in American technological history have been scrappy homebrews (Apple Computer was a literal garage start-up), it's really kind of exciting to think that, given its explosive growth, the Maker Faire might well help along an invention or two that's truly important.
Maker Faire is labor of love for everyone involved from the staff at MAKE to all the Makers who make it one of the most inspiring weekends you can imagine. In just 2 weeks we have Maker Faire Austin (Oct. 18th and 19th) if you didn't get tickets yet, what are you waiting for??
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Oct 6, 2008 08:20 AM
Announcements, Maker Faire |
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October 3, 2008
NoiseBridge: new SF hacker space
There's a new Bay Area hacker space, NoiseBridge, in the Mission District:
We want to provide infrastructure and collaboration opportunities for people interested in programming, hardware hacking, physics, chemistry, mathematics, photography, security, robotics, all kinds of art, and, of course, technology. Through talks, workshops, and projects we encourage knowledge exchange, learning, and mentoring.As a space for artistic collaboration and experimentation, we are open to all types of art - with a special emphasis on the crossover of art and technology. From hardware labs to electronics, cooking, photography, and sound labs, anything that's creative is welcome.
We intend to have many interesting things happening at all times. Sharing is essential to making this work. A logical followup to this is to find a space to display our creative projects.
Read more about it on Jake Appelbaum's LiveJournal page.
The NoiseBridge Wiki [via LaughingSquid]
More:
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Oct 3, 2008 04:57 PM
Announcements, DIY Projects, Makers |
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September 30, 2008
Mythbusters reminder - send me your suggestions!
Just a reminder - I've gotten a bunch of neat suggestions to give to Jamie and Adam. The show is this Saturday; still time to send me your ideas to pass on!
Jamie and Adam of Mythbusters will be doing 2 shows in Seattle on October 4th.
Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage take you on a behind-the-scenes look at the Discovery Channel's Mythbusters with a hilarious and entertaining Inside The Scientist's Studio style presentation. They will bring stories of myths gone wrong and outtakes of segments never seen on air. They will answer questions about their unique personal chemistry and the mad science behind making one of the most popular shows on television. You give Jamie and Adam your suggestions for myths they should bust on future programs. "Behind The Scenes At Mythbusters" does not include experiments or explosions.
I'll get a chance to talk to them while they're here - I'd love to pass on myth suggestions from Make readers! Send them to me at patti@makezine.com; I'll put them together and pass them on. Make sure you include your contact info.
Posted by Patti Schiendelman |
Sep 30, 2008 12:00 PM
Announcements, Events, Kids |
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Today is the last day of the 10% off everything sale at the Maker Shed store, order something fast!
Today is the last day of the 10% off everything sale at the Maker Shed store, order something today and save some cash - if your order is over $25 you also get a free Maker's notebook. Halloween is coming up soon, here are a few scary/related items to pick up while the sale is still going on.
Use code CRZYDAN
Animated Ghost Kit
Grab this cool kit for Halloween. Sound activated, the ghost flashes his little red LED eyes, vibrates and makes scary sounds! Easy and fun to build. Hack it!
MAKE: Halloween Special Edition
DIY HALLOWEEN from the editors of MAKE and CRAFT brings you 40-plus DIY projects for the holiday that's made for makers. From the craftiest costumes to amazing animated props and the latest in computer-controlled haunted house effects.
Twitchie Robot Kit
Twitchie is an open source multi-purpose robot kit. It has the capacity to frighten and scare, but also the power to love and care! It's a regular pathos-o-matic! Grown men scream! Maternal instincts long dormant, suddenly activated! It's a robot unlike any other, and you can make one with this kit. Cover your Twitchie any way you'd like to make it truly unique.
Making Things Talk
Programming microcontrollers used to require an expensive development environment costing thousands of dollars and requiring professional electrical engineering expertise. Open-source physical computing platforms with simple i/o boards and development environments have led to new options for hobbyists, hackers, and makers. This book contains a series of projects that teach you what you need to know to get your creations talking to each other, connecting to the web, and forming networks of smart devices.
Arduino Starter Kit
Arduino is a tool for making computers that can sense and control more of the physical world than your desktop computer. It's an open-source physical computing platform based on a simple microcontroller board, and a development environment for writing software for the board. Arduino is open source!
We've put together our own Arduino Starter Kit, tossed in our bestselling Making Things Talk book, wrapped it up in some cool packaging so you can get started quickly without having to do a lot of shopping first. Check out the "How To" for some helpful links to provide support and contact with the growing Arduino community. Happy Hacking!
Use code CRZYDAN on checkout.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Sep 30, 2008 10:00 AM
Announcements |
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September 29, 2008
Summer is over, back to Dorkiness
Just a reminder to DC dorks that the we kick off another fall and winter of Metro-area geeky, maker-y fun with the September Dorkbot DC meeting, tomorrow night (9/30/09), at George Washington University. We hope to see you there. Presenters include Bruce Howard with his lightglove virtual controller and Andrew Harris will talk on Functional Programming for Hobbyist-Class Platforms. Hit the link below for more info.
More:
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Sep 29, 2008 11:00 AM
Announcements, Events, Makers |
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Science & education section @ Maker Shed store
We have a new science & education section @ Maker Shed store, since the 10% sale + free Maker's notebook is still going on for 2 more days it might be a good time to pick something up that might spark the next generation of minds who will need to fix all the problems ahead :)
Use code CRZYDAN for the discount, the Maker's notebook will be added automatically, oh we also have more Arduinos so order them while they're in stock.
Here are a few of my favorites...
Buckyball kit
Discover a molecule so exciting, it's the state molecule of Texas! Named after R. Buckminster Fuller, inventor of the geodesic dome, "BuckyBall" is the nickname for a Carbon 60 molecule. Like the faces of a soccer ball, it has 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons. A great science project, complete with fun facts to know and tell.
Fuel Cell Car & Experiment kit
Assemble and experiment with a unique reversible hydrogen Fuel Cell. This fuel cell kit provides a playful introduction to one of the most significant technologies of the 21st Century. With this kit you can build a model car that actually runs on water! 96-page full-color book. Ages 12 and up.
Physics Pro kit
An advanced physics kit that allows you to continue your study of statics and dynamics from previous lessons and begin your study of more complex topics in physics, including fluid dynamics, energy, oscillation, hydraulics, and pneumatics. The main focus of the kit is the behavior of the two most important fluids in our world — water and air and objects immersed in them. You will investigate how air and water rest and flow, what they can carry and how they move. More than 213 parts are included in this kit, which are compatible with all other Thames & Kosmos Physics kits. For ages 10 and up.
Power House kit
Sustainable Living in the 21st Century. Build and use an alternative energy model house and 20 other energy-related devices. Learn how about energy from the sun, wind, plants and electro-chemical reactions. Discover how to transform, store and use these forms of energy with real working models. Ages 12 and up.
Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments
For students, DIY hobbyists, and science buffs, who can no longer get real chemistry sets, this one-of-a-kind guide explains how to set up and use a home chemistry lab, with step-by-step instructions for conducting experiments in basic chemistry. Learn how to smelt copper, purify alcohol, synthesize rayon, test for drugs and poisons, and much more. The book includes lessons on how to equip your home chemistry lab, master laboratory skills, and work safely in your lab, along with 17 hands-on chapters that include multiple laboratory sessions.
You won't be able to get these one sale for too much longer.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Sep 29, 2008 08:01 AM
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September 27, 2008
We're doing it again, 10% off *everything* in the Maker Shed Store use code CRZYDAN
Okay, we don't do a lot of promotions or discounts at the Maker Shed, but last month we ran a "Dog Days of Summer" promo. A ton of you responded gleefully. But some folks cried foul because you were squeezing in that last week of vacation before school started and you missed it. Fair enough. Now that we're all back at work or in school or testifying before congress for a $700 billion bail out plan, we're going to close out September with a very cool Back-to-School special: Not only will we give a very generous 10% off every order, but with every order of $25 or more, we're throwing in one of our new Maker Notebooks (think "inventor's notebook meets Moleskine at Maker Faire!). Check 'em out.
Use code CRZYDAN for the discount, the Maker's notebook will be added automatically.
I suggest getting anything Arduino related, it's the best deal online at the moment.
But wait...while this offer is good through midnight San Francisco time September 30th, every couple of days the Maker Shed comrades have promised they'll be shaking things up and sneaking in some additional special offers throughout the week at MakerShed.com. Fair warning - This time, when it's over it's over. We won't have another discount like this again.
If you missed that use code CRZYDAN.
(Update: We have more Arduinos, get them while you can!!)
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Sep 27, 2008 10:00 AM
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September 26, 2008
We can make things better...
Folks, these are the best of times and the worst of times, as they say. I live a couple blocks away from Wall Street in a crummy apartment that is getting torn down as we speak. There are piles of ironic rubble everywhere. As I pack up electronics, copies of MAKE, and tools, it's becoming clear to me that we have an historic opportunity to make things better, not just immediately, but for the future. We're all likely to feel financial pressures with inflation; our dollars won't go as far, so our interests and hobbies should be ones that give back. I'm pretty sure "DIY" is going to get even bigger, as more people will be making things. Some make because we want to, some because it's all we'll be able to do.
When we are young, we have lots of time, but not lots of money, so we play, we tinker, we explore. I think we're going to have that opportunity again. The things we make, the tools we use, the books and resources we buy need to work harder for us and be things we not only learn from, but pass on to others, including children. We can spend more time together at meetups (MAKE, dorkbot, etc) and collectively form places, like hacker spaces and tool shops (NYCR, etc) to pool our resources. We can invest in hobbies that will give back, like electronics, woodworking, and DIY in general. Being able to make, fix, repair, and build might be the most important skills to develop. We really only have each other, and I think we're all better off when we're able to be self-reliant when we need to be.
We have a lot of challenges ahead. I'm an American and I tend to think that we are at our best when we are challenged the most. It doesn't get more interesting than this. There are energy problems we'll need to solve. There are education problems we'll need to solve. If you're a parent, you're in the best possible position to help. You never know what will spark a kid's interest, so you expose them to lots of things. I don't have any kids (yet) but after a few years of doing Maker Faires and talking with thousands of parents, I know that electronics seem to be one of those things that kids go crazy with. I'm not sure how we're going to make the world a better place, but I know we will need scientists and engineers.
As 2008 comes to a close soon, we're doing everything we can at MAKE to inspire the current and next generation of Makers, who will be creating the next chapter in this story. We have a Maker Faire coming up in Austin (October 18-19). Tens of thousands of people will come together to celebrate making things. We also have a giant sale going on for the rest of the month (only a few days left): everything in the Maker Shed store is 10% off, and you get a free Maker's Notebook automatically added to orders over $25. Use discount code CRZYDAN at the checkout. If you've been sitting on the sidelines waiting for a time to get started with electronics, this is it. Pick up a soldering set, a kit or two, and maybe an Arduino. There are dozens of people I know who got started and within just a few months were considering new careers; some have even started their own businesses making electronics.
I know there are lots of things you can do with your time and money, and I want to thank all the folks who support MAKE: everyone who visits our sites, watches our videos, reads our books and magazines, and comes to Maker Faire. We're just one small group in a giant community that is trying to make things better. MAKE is just a collection of Makers; we didn't create this group of people -- they were and always will be out there. I hope we're doing a good job celebrating this movement and inspiring folks. If you think there's more everyone could do, I'm certain you will join in and help.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Sep 26, 2008 02:50 PM
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History Hacker on History channel tonight
Tonight, our friend (and previous host of Weekend Projects) Bre Pettis, will debut a new show on the History Channel called "History Hacker" so I asked Bre to do a guest post here on MAKE, enjoy!
My show, History Hacker, will be on TV tonight! It's is all about exploring our technological history by hacking the inventions of the past. While making it, I imagined families watching the show and enjoying it together! If you can, I'd love it if you can watch it with your kids.
I really pushed hard to make the show fresh. There are a billion jumpcuts in this show and we achieved some special split screen and in-camera effects. It's an hour long, so I have time to get into some projects to break down some of the principles that Tesla pioneered and fought for in the war of the currents. I make a neon bulb, AC generator from a bike and muck about with an old telephone magneto. I also go check out the power plant in the basement of the New Yorker and the space systems lab at MIT to see how the principles that Tesla pioneered are being used today.
Tonight, this show is really in you and your family and friend's hands. It's a pilot and so it will only go forward if it gets the ratings and response from viewers like you! If you feel so moved, write an email with your feedback to an email address that goes to the people at the network who make these decisions.
Tonight!!!!!
History Hacker on History
8PM and Midnight (Before and after the political debate)
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Sep 26, 2008 04:00 AM
Announcements |
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MAKE @ Digital Nomads - Things to do and make with old Palm Pilots
MAKE is participating in a campaign with DELL called Digital Nomads, it's actually a site with a ton of folks from different sites contributing stories, tips, how-tos and more for people always "on the go" as they say.
One of my latest post is called "Giving old PDAs a new life"... Things to do and make with old Palm Pilots.
- Digital Nomads the site
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Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Sep 26, 2008 01:00 AM
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Handcar Regatta, this Sunday in Santa Rosa, CA
This Sunday, September 28, Erasmus P. Kitty will play host to the most splendorous Great West & Railroad Square Handcar Regatta & Exposition of Mechanical and Artistic Wonders, aka The Handcar Regatta. The good doctor promises fun & frolic, song & dance, grace & beauty, and wonderful eccentricities. And free balloons for the kids! (Okay, I made up that last part, but *admission* is free).
Our very own Make Mobile will be on-hand along with folks from MAKE & CRAFT. Felting queen Brookelynn Morris and CRAFT editor Goli Mohammadi will be showing how to make felt soup-strainers in the afternoon from 2pm-6pm.
More:
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Sep 26, 2008 12:31 AM
Announcements, Bicycles, Events, Makers |
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September 24, 2008
MAKE and CRAFT at Crafty Bastards!
This Sunday, September 28th (10am - 5pm), the 5th annual Crafty Bastards! Arts & Crafts Fair will take place at the Marie Reed Learning Center, in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC. This is an awesome event, put on by the venerable Washington City Paper. Our very own CRAFT is a sponsor this year.
CRAFT and MAKE will be on hand, at the Craft: Zine Maker Square (booth #128 on the tennis courts). I will be there, along with my MAKE contributing editor and Make: Books cohort Brian Jepson, and we'll be conducting LED Throwie and Button Ring workshops (that's right, come watch me and Brian craft! :-) Craftzine contributor Teresa Levy of Sewing Stars will also be with us, as will local multimedia designer Esti Gerson, who's helping us put together the whole Maker Square shebang.
We'll be doing workshops, selling Maker Shed merch, and talking up MAKE, CRAFT, and the maker movement. Should be loads of fun, so stop on by!
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Sep 24, 2008 04:10 PM
Announcements, Crafts, Events, Maker Faire |
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September 22, 2008
Dorkbot DC September meeting
30 September 20087 - 9 PM (ET)
Smith Hall of Art, Room 114
George Washington University
801 22nd St NW
Washington, DC 20037
Schedule for next meeting
Bruce Howard : The Lightglove Virtual Controller : Lightglove is a "virtual controller" technology worn underneath the wrist that optically senses hand shape and tracks position with motion sensors in real time. Not only does it allow the user to control elements in virtual space, but the interface itself is virtual since it is a non-contact optical sensing platform that moves untethered with the hand(s). The host system emulates any hand-input device e.g. mouse, joystick, on-screen keyboard or virtual reality glove. The benefits of this unique technology include ergonomics, instant availability on the wrist and gesture-based control. We will discuss the advantages of Lightglove technology and provide a live demonstration to illustrate operation and the fine degree of sensitivity the controller offers.
Bruce Howard is Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Lightglove(tm) and has over 28 years' experience in hardware systems design and support including radio communications, electromagnetic interference and nuclear / EMP. He designed and prototyped all hardware and has written and debugged all the software and firmware associated with the Lightglove. He also wrote all 4 patents for Lightglove technology and has been involved with optical design since his undergraduate work at Virginia Tech (VPI-80), where he earned a BS in Electrical Engineering.
Andrew Harris : Functional Programming for Hobbyist-Class Platforms
Functional programming languages are used by discriminating hackers around the world because of their power and elegance. But for those discriminating hackers that want to target low-power hobbyist-class platforms such as ARM and XScale based systems, or even smaller systems, a quandary exists: popular functional language compilers such as the Glasgow Haskell Compiler and the MLton Standard ML compiler are very big, complex, and employ large run-time libraries. Recompiling the run-time libraries for new platforms is difficult. As an alternative, this talk presents an open source functional programming language compiler that generates pure C code -- code expressly designed to be suitable for compilation and execution on these hobbyist-class platforms. This eliminates the quandary that those discriminating hackers face when targeting small, low power hobbyist-class platforms for building REDACTED and REDACTED.
Andrew Harris is a member of the professional staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory where he develops spacecraft flight software for deep space missions. Andrew holds M.S. degrees in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, and Robotics. He is also an amateur radio operator (KB9OOH) and a PADI certified SCUBA diver.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Sep 22, 2008 02:00 PM
Announcements, Arts, Electronics |
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Features and more @ MAKE!
DIY Halloween contest at MAKE! In honor of the best DIY holiday ever, we're having a party -- and everyone's invited! Elaborate costumes for the whole family, gadgets that go "zzzZAP!," gross-looking foods, creepy decorations that turn your house into a forbidding castle, and spooky jack-o-lanterns guarding your front door: these are the things we look forward to all year.
DIY HALLOWEEN from the editors of MAKE and CRAFT brings you 40-plus DIY projects for the holiday that's made for makers. From the craftiest costumes to amazing animated props and the latest in computer-controlled haunted house effects. Get it at the Maker Shed store!. And lastly, our Animated Ghost Kit. Grab this cool kit for Halloween. Sound activated, the ghost flashes his little red LED eyes, vibrates and makes scary sounds! Easy and fun to build. Hack it! Get it at the Maker Shed Store!
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Current Podcast
Not so lazy Sunday... Weekend Project - Hot Glue Web Gun
There's still time to start making or just watch this week's Weekend Project: Hot Glue Web Gun. You can view the video here, grab the PDF here and subscribe in iTunes to get all our Weekend Projects and PDFs...
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