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Tilta mods Blackmagic's Pocket Cinema Camera with a tilt screen and SSD
With their sharp picture, super efficient and flexible RAW format and SSD compatibility, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras are fantastic choices for videographers on a budget or anyone in need of a solid B-camera that doesn't break the bank. But one nagging problem is the camera's fixed 5-inch LCD, which can make it difficult to keep an eye on the action when positioning the camera at certain angles. Accessory maker Tilta is correcting that with an aftermarket modification kit that adds the ability to pull and tilt the screen to suit your viewing angle.
Marc DeAngelis09.21.2019
The PIS2 is a portable PS2 years in the making
The PlayStation 2 has been in the grave for over a decade, but that hasn't kept gamers from tinkering with Sony's iconic console. Reddit user darkwingmod has been working on and off for several years to perfect his vision of a portable PS2, the PIS2. The build features genuine PS2 hardware augmented with a Raspberry Pi 2, which loads game files over an ethernet-connected SMB server; no emulation is involved. Darkwingmod says that the games run close to full speed and FMVs play smoothly.
Marc DeAngelis09.05.2019
Arcade Coder teaches kids to build games for the whole family
Tech Will Save Us (TWSU), the company behind cool kids' STEM kits, has launched a new flagship product designed to get kids into game design. The Arcade Coder is a 12-inch by 12-inch board with 144 fully programmable and controllable multi-colored LED buttons, that teaches children aged six and over easy-to-learn block coding and how to design their own games.
Rachel England08.30.2019
Confronting existential dread through DIY musical instruments
A Day That Will Never Happen Again. Here You Are, You Are Here. Everything You Love Will One Day Be Taken From You. Believe it or not, these are not the names of Cure songs, but of electronic musical instruments -- though obviously not particularly traditional ones. They're collectively known as The Book of Knowledge of Impractical Musical Devices and they were created by Yann Seznec, a sound artist based in Scotland. (Though he is in the process of moving back to the US.) It's a project that pulls inspiration from a number of places. But there are three big ones that unify the series. As the name suggests, The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices by Al-Jazari is a major reference point. But Seznec's project also explores our relationship with sound and media, as well as the fleetingness of... well, everything. As he says in describing the third volume in the series Everything You Love Will One Day Be Taken From You: "Every time I play that sound I'm destroying it. And it's slowly slipping away from me. Just like everything is." Yikes.
Terrence O'Brien08.09.2019
The new Raspberry Pi 4 is ready for 4K video
Like the Raspberry Pi but wish it had a little more oomph for your homebrew projects? The Pi Foundation might have what you need. The newly released Raspberry Pi 4 Model B mates the familiar tiny computer-on-a-board design with purportedly "ground-breaking" boosts to performance, particularly for media. Thanks to both a newer 1.5GHz quad-core Broadcom processor with H.265 decoding, two micro-HDMI ports and up to 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM (more on that in a bit), the Pi 4 can output 4K video at 60 frames per second. This could theoretically serve as a modern DIY media hub, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation even claims that it's fast enough to compete with "entry-level" x86 PCs.
Jon Fingas06.24.2019
YouTube uses AR to let you try on makeup during tutorials
There's no question YouTube's beauty bloggers have some of the largest followings, and the platform has become an important place for even the biggest makeup brands to debut their products. Now, Google's AR Beauty Try-On feature will let YouTube users virtually try on makeup while watching tutorials and reviews.
Christine Fisher06.18.2019
IK Multimedia’s $250 drum machine is available now
IK Multimedia's $250 drum machine, Uno Drum, is available starting today. The company announced the portable, battery-powered device last month, but we weren't sure when it would be available.
Christine Fisher06.14.2019
Kickstarter warns creators against calling projects 'the world's best'
Kickstarter is asking its users to tone down the hyperbolic language and to layoff the misleading imagery. In an attempt to promote transparency, the now 10-year-old platform issued new rules and guidelines aimed at "honest and clear presentation."
Christine Fisher06.13.2019
Google's Area 120 made a free, drag-and-drop 3D game builder
Google's in-house incubator, Area 120, has produced things like an app that teaches coding and tools to boost literacy. Now it wants to help gamers create their own 3D games, no experience necessary. Today, it launched Game Builder, a free platform that aims to "make building a game feel like playing a game."
Christine Fisher06.13.2019
The Morning After: Keanu Reeves surprised us at E3 2019
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. The E3 2019 show floor doesn't open until Tuesday, but things are already in full swing with presentations from Microsoft, EA and Bethesda. We've seen everything in gaming that was announced so far, from high-profile (Project Scarlett, Star Wars, George R.R. Martin) to offbeat (Battletoads) to truly unexpected (Keanu Reeves!). Stay tuned for more news today from the likes of Ubisoft and Square-Enix.
Richard Lawler06.10.2019
Ask Engadget: What are the best language learning apps?
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 our "Ask Engadget" column. This week's question concerns using apps to learn a new language. Weigh in with your advice in the comments -- and feel free to send your own questions along to ask@engadget.com! What are the best language-learning apps?
Engadget06.01.2019
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.
Terrence O'Brien05.08.2019
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.
Kris Naudus05.02.2019
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.
Rachel England05.01.2019
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.
Wirecutter03.24.2019
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.
Kris Naudus02.19.2019
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.
AJ Dellinger02.15.2019
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.
Kris Naudus02.14.2019
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.
Edgar Alvarez01.23.2019
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.
Terrence O'Brien01.18.2019