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There are a ton of different tools available for prototyping hardware. But how do you know which tool is the right one at any given time? One of the main properties we look at to determine whether or not a tool is appropriate for a given design phase is repeatability. Repeatability refers to the ability […]

China Manufacturing parts, Inc. got me a scale for Valentine’s Day. I think someone is trying to say that second helpings of the catered lunches aren’t doing me any favors. Whatever; when life gives you subtle hints in the form of a personal health product, you tear that thing down! The UA Scale came as a part of […]

3D printing is a fantastic solution for building fast, cheap prototypes. Small enclosures? Piece of cake. 5 variations of a door handle? No problem. But what happens when your dimensions surpass that of a 3D printer build bed? Here are a few alternative methods for building prototypes larger than 1-2 ft. 1. 2-Dimensional Cutters CNC […]

I’ve been doing CAD modeling with Logitech mice for years. Their combination of design, utility, and value can’t be beat. When I was handed not one, but two high-end Logitech gaming mice this week, I couldn’t wait to tear these apart and uncover the secret ingredients inside. Our two contenders are the G600 MMO mouse and the G502 Proteus Spectrum […]

The Mars Climate Orbiter infamously disintegrated after its trajectory sent it too close to the planet’s atmosphere, due to a calculation error—an error that could have been avoided if everyone used the metric system. You might ask, “Well, why not have everyone use imperial units?”, to which I would respond: You might wonder why the […]

A few of us have been griping that it’s time to get a company car. Back in the old days, our 6’ 5” CEO Amando used to deliver prototypes to customers on a tiny scooter. These days, we really want to make deliveries in style… so we got a LAMBORGHINI! Okay, not a real Lamborghini—we’re not that […]

Flower Power is an environmental monitor that you stick in the soil of a potted plant. It measures 4 things: sunlight, temperature, fertilizer, and moisture. Powered by a replaceable AAA battery, it’s water resistant and good for indoor and outdoor use. The company behind this product, Parrot, hails from France and makes a diverse lineup […]

In the midst of your holiday shopping, you probably came across the new Amazon Kindle Fire that’s selling for $50. $50! That’s twice as cheap as any other tablet Amazon has on the market. For 50 bucks you get a 7” display, 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, Wi-Fi, 8 GB of storage, and rear and front-facing cameras. […]

I still remember the first Chinese electronics factory I visited like it was yesterday: It was an old tier-3* contract manufacturer somewhere in the sprawling Dongguan City. Its white tile facade was yellowed from acid rain, and despite the sweltering midsummer heat, only a few ceiling fans feebly circulated the muggy air on the factory […]

Before we get to business today, here’s a little trivia: The Lazer Tag product line was brought to us by Worlds of Wonder (the original WoW), a toy company founded by former Atari employees. This hot hardware startup hailed from Fremont, California and got its start making “the world’s first animated talking toy,” Teddy Ruxpin. It […]