Soil Block Maker

Welcome to Minecraft World! Check out our advanced tutorials and come play on our free server. No self-respecting Minecraft house is complete without a state of the art automatic cobblestone generator. But what does the average Minecrafter need with a bunch of cobblestone? To ...more

Welcome to Minecraft World! Check out our advanced tutorials and come play on our free server. One of the most efficient crops to grow in Minecraft is the melon. While not the best at boosting your health meter, melons require little work and they take about as long as wheat ...more

Blowing dust and fungal spores are creating a public health problem that could be just a slice of what's to come with climate change. Spurring regional expansion of ticks, and mosquitoes, warming temperatures are also rising ocean temperatures that stir up atmospheric turbule ...more

Coffee is one of the world's most popular drinks, and its fans are also usually devoted to a certain method of brewing. Some love the Keurig, others the French press, and still others swear by cold brewing. However, one of the oldest and easiest ways to brew coffee is also one ...more

It goes without saying that a pizza stone is one of the keys to making a perfect pizza. The science behind pizza stones is relatively simple: the stone conducts and holds heat, which keeps the oven temperature steady even when a cold ingredient (such as an uncooked pizza) is i ...more

Despite the hype and potential of immersive computing, the augmented reality industry is showing that it is not invincible, as another AR hardware maker, this time Osterhout Design Group (ODG), is reportedly going out of business. On Tuesday, asset liquidator Hilco Streambank ...more

A good, sharp knife is a cook's best friend, which is why there's so much passionate debate about what kind you should get. Most enthusiastic home cooks opt for a stainless steel knife, but it turns out there's a different option that the pros favor, and that's carbon steel. T ...more

Every summer my husband and I plant a tomato plant. We do this to enjoy the plump red tomatoes right off of the vine. This summer we have had a problem, which is that SOMETHING IS EATING OUR TOMATOES AND IT IS NOT US! The Beginning Let me start from the beginning. Purchase ...more

Jeb just announced a great new feature that will be added in the 1.2 update. This map format, titled "Anvil," will open Minecraft to so many more possibilities with the new update to mod compatibility. "The purpose of the new format is to prepare for modding, especially to al ...more

Earlier we've looked at starting off in Survival mode, plus simple combat. Now we look at a more refreshing aspect of Minecraft: Food! Food Ever since the hunger bar was added to Survival mode, food has tripled in its role. Having no food will slowly decrease your hunger bar ...more

Today we pay homage to a phenomenon. One as diffuse and amusing as the internet itself, and as pointless as dog Halloween costumes. I'm speaking, of course, of giant games. Not Supergiant Games, makers of the forthcoming and awesome-looking indie RPG Bastion, but giant games ...more

In the age of automatic video editors and all around software-assisted creativity, how can a humble blogger help people master a program if said program does all the work for you? This isn’t a theoretical question, dear reader. In the old days (you know, like two months ago), ...more

Do you do last minute cramming before you go to the dentist? No, I don't mean reading up on orthodontia in hopes of having an intellectual conversation about crowns with your dentist (how you can talk at all with all those tools in your mouth is beyond me, though dentists alwa ...more

Like theme music, I always feel that I need more fog in my life. Fog can be useful for many reasons—warding off smaller siblings from your bedroom, keeping curious hands out of your cupboard, and tricking your friends into thinking there's something horribly wrong with their v ...more

Don't be intimidated about plant nutrition and how to read those mysterious numbers on fertilizer labels! Watch this funny and memorable video that breaks down the basics of fertilizing and shows you how to feed your plants. Video: . Ready to feed you hungry plants now? Garden ...more

Hackers and makers are often grouped under the same label. While hackers draw on computer science skills to write programs and find bugs, makers use electrical engineering to create hardware prototypes from microprocessor boards like the Arduino. We'll exercise both sets of sk ...more

Watching an ice cream pro build you a custom frozen treat mixed with your favorite fruit, candy, and/or toppings makes buying a cone even more exciting. But why go out for ice cream when you can create your favorite combinations in your own kitchen? While you might not have an ...more

Election day is less than two weeks away and the political rhetoric is at an all time high. From the constant political commercials to the endless cable news coverage, it's hard to escape the noise. And nothing is worse than your social media sanctuaries being invaded by some ...more

While the story of augmented reality headset maker Osterhout Design Group has come to an end, the epilogue of its demise continues. After ODG's intellectual property, including patents and trademarks, went up for sale via Hilco Bankstream last month, Heritage Global Partners ...more

The camera system on the iPhone has never been better. Apple's iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max sport some of the best shooters on the market. But no level of quality makes up for the fact that shady apps can access your cameras for nefarious reasons. You can take control of ...more

While Leap Motion has given makers a DIY solution for building their own augmented reality headset with Project North Star, a self-described "AR wonk" has taken the blueprints one step further by creating an untethered version. Noah Zerkin, a research and development project ...more

Have you ever browsed through Lenses on Snapchat and got bummed out when the app recommends that you "try this with a friend" and you're all alone? Well, now you can take AR snaps with your cat! The new Lenses for cats and their humans reside in the carousel alongside all of ...more

The latest business move by Magic Leap could result in a significant boost to its spatial computing platform's performance and headset design. On Friday, Magic Leap announced the acquisition of Computes, Inc., makers of a decentralized and distributed mesh computing platform. ...more

If you're not impressed with the current crop of AR content, and you're worried this may put a damper on the industry's growth, these stories should give you cause for some optimism. As Magic Leap builds momentum in the run-up to the launch of its Magic Leap One headset, the ...more

Less than two months after launching its augmented reality platform for casual gaming and shared experiences, Snapchat is ready to make Snappables available to advertisers. The first sponsored Snappables will be available to users Thursday in Snapchat. Candy Crush makers King ...more

Despite a round of updates to Pokémon GO that patched and eliminated location spoofing, the game still has a difficult time dealing with the most hardcore cheaters. Like weeds on a grassy lawn, third-party bot makers still remain the biggest thorn in Niantic's side and continu ...more

According to multiple users on Reddit, the Pixel and Pixel XL's camera can have some serious auto-focus issues if you're using a certain type of case with Google's new flagships. When the problem occurs, your camera app will refuse to settle on a focus point, making almost eve ...more

With all due respect to the fine folks at DrinkTanks, it's a little surprising that no one came up with their idea sooner. After all, last I checked, beer was pretty darned popular. Still, the company has come up with the ultimate toy for beer drinkers. (Santa, I've been good ...more

With Avatar, Facebook's personalized stickers for use on its social and messaging platforms, those who aren't on Facebook or have otherwise dumped the social network may feel left out. Whatever your reasons for shunning Facebook may be, there are other ways, each with its dis ...more

Computer vision is a key component in enabling augmented reality experiences, but now it can help give sight to the blind as well. In this case, that assistance comes from Envision, developers of mobile apps for iOS and Android that use optical character recognition (OCR) and ...more

After closing its office last year, enterprise AR company Daqri has moved on to the final stage of its lifecycle with the liquidation of its assets. Hilco Streambank, who also administered the patent sale of former smartglasses maker Osterholt Design Group (ODG), and Rock Cre ...more

The era of smartglasses designed for consumers has officially begun, as shipments of North Focals began arriving at its stores this week. And the company now has plans to expand its retail footprint. Meanwhile, a new player is emerging in the 3D content creation market, curre ...more

The app that Lego demoed at this year's iPhone launch event is now available in the App Store, and it showcases several new capabilities available in ARKit 2.0. The Playgrounds app enables players to access augmented reality multiplayer games with ARKit's new shared experienc ...more

The arrival of Magic Leap One is tantalizingly close and, although the company has been saving the last details for launch day, a few of the more important details were found this week hiding deep in the code on Magic Leap's website. While Magic Leap's AR hardware will be her ...more

Cookies 'n' Creme is one of Hershey's most popular candy bars, right behind their classic milk chocolate bar, Kit Kat, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. We've got a whole lotta love for this creamy, crunchy creation. So much love, in fact, that we decided to replicate this supe ...more

While Apple's AR wearables development continues clandestinely, its mobile ecosystem is laying the foundation for the software side of its smartglasses, with Apple Arcade serving as the latest example. Google does have its own smartglasses in the wild, but it is squarely focu ...more

You may have seen news reports over the last two days detailing a major security flaw in virtually all smartphones. The devices that are at risk are not limited to either iPhone or Android — all of us are affected. If you want to make sure your smartphone and its data stay sec ...more

Let's set the scene: you're at home, it's late in the evening, and you have a hankering for those deliciously decadent chocolate-wrapped squares of ice cream goodness. You could drive to the store and pick up the usual pack of Klondike Bars in the ice cream aisle... or, you ca ...more

In this day and age, maintaining your privacy is a perpetual battle, and doing so with an internet-connected device like your smartphone is even more of a struggle. Every website you visit, every app you install, every message you send, and every call you make is a potential v ...more

A long time ago, we recommended the Hover Zoom extension for Chrome as an easy way to blow up small image thumbnails without actually have to "click" on the images themselves. Over the past year, there have been reports that Hover Zoom now collects and sells your browsing data ...more

With the introduction of Vine and the subsequent Instagram update, abbreviated video sharing has come to the masses, to be experimented with in an unprecedented way. While both video-sharing apps have their own set of restrictions (length, size), it's never suffocating and ac ...more

Your entire life has been a lie. Mario does not hit blocks with his head, footlong subs are never really 12 inches long, and those paper ketchup cups at fast food joints aren't just little cups. And that's not the worst of it. What I'm about to tell you next is the revelation ...more

One of China's largest smartphone makers, Oppo, just took the wraps off its new design for augmented reality smartglasses called AR Glass 2021. The reveal was part of the company's annual Oppo Inno Day, where various forward-looking tech initiatives are put on display. But un ...more

The week of the annual Consumer Electronics Show is supposed to be filled with good news for the augmented reality industry as AR headset and smartglasses makers show off their new wares. Alas, as CES wrapped this week, a dark cloud hung over the AR hardware fraternity. We le ...more

The future of forests looks dreary in the face of a warming climate, but scientists are exploring the relationship between soil microbes and the ability of trees to move to higher altitudes, a key component of their survival. With the rate of ice melting and sea level rise ha ...more

Already among the leaders in AR development tools via its Unreal Engine, Epic Games has added another tanky weapon to its arsenal. On Wednesday, the company announced its acquisition of Sketchfab, itself one of the leading repositories of 3D content for AR and VR experiences. ...more

The legal battle between Epic Games and augmented reality startup Nreal isn't cooling off anytime soon. In a new twist, the Chinese startup, while defending itself against Epic's lawsuit, has decided to file its own lawsuit against the games and software platform maker. • Do ...more

The COVID-19 pandemic has practically shut down all sports except for World Wrestling Entertainment, which has continued staging matches without an audience, leaving us sports fans with nothing much to cheer for. While they can't replace live games, smartphone games provide an ...more

Despite some of the biggest players in tech still lagging in terms of offering smartglasses options, there are nevertheless a number of smartglasses makers, including North and Vuzix, with consumer-grade smartglasses on the market right now. Startup Form now joins the ranks o ...more

The rise and fall of Meta, the Silicon Valley-based augmented reality startup that looked to challenge the likes of Microsoft's HoloLens, and others, took just six years. Now, as the story of the company draws to a close, we finally have some deeper insight into what exactly ...more

Gboard is one of the best third-party keyboards available for iPhones, but you probably don't know everything you need to know about it to become a real Gboard pro and stop using Apple's stock keyboard for good. I've tried many third-party keyboards on my iPhone since they we ...more

With their first attempt at the mobile market, Razer introduced a device that looks at the smartphone differently. Instead of focusing on minimal bezels or an amazing camera, Razer decided to make a phone for gamers. So how could Razer target the growing mobile gaming market, ...more