Make: Kit Reviews

The littleBits kit is like Lego for basic circuits. Each “bit” is a small circuit board that enables a single electronics component or electronic function, like a potentiometer, light sensor, LED, or motor. The bits snap together magnetically with edge connectors that are color-coded to indicate their general role within a circuit; for example magenta […]

Electronics and Controllers: circuits, electronics, kids, starter set

The Egg-Bot is an art robot designed by Bruce Shapiro that’s fun to watch as it draws intricate designs on eggs or any other round objects 3cm–10cm in diameter, including ornaments, golf balls, and light bulbs. You design the patterns in the free app Inkscape, and the bot draws them using fine-point Sharpies, engraving tools, […]

Electronics and Controllers: arts, crafts, electronics, robotics

This is a fantastic introductory electronics kit that comes with your choice of large red or green LEDs and everything else needed (aside from a soldering iron, solder, and flush cutters) to make one electronic 6-sided die. (The manufacturer says: “The name Dice Kit sounds a great deal better than ‘Die Kit’, so we bent […]

Toys & Games: electronics, Games, toys

This kit is amazingly cool and easy to use. POV (persistence of vision) displays show words or patterns that seem to float in mid-air; if you’ve ever seen one, you know what a great effect it is. A line of LEDs flashes the Y component of what you’re displaying, and you provide the X by […]

Electronics and Controllers LEDs: electronics, LEDs

The world of Arduino microcontrollers can be a challenge to break into — but not if you’re equipped with this kit, which includes all of the hardware you need to work through each of the experiments in Getting Started with Arduino, the popular introductory book by Arduino project co-founder Massimo Banzi. To make it even […]

Electronics and Controllers Microcontrollers: Arduino, electronics, microcontrollers

Tired of all those TVs everywhere? Want a break from advertisements while you’re trying to eat? Want to zap screens from across the street? The TV-B-Gone kit is what you need. The new v1.2 works worldwide, turning off virtually any TV by running 230 TV power codes for Asian/North American and European IR remote standards. […]

Electronics and Controllers: electronics, pranks

Thousands of people mastered soldering for the first time at this year’s Maker Faire events in the Maker Shed’s “Learn to Solder” tents, with the helpful coaching of Mitch Altman, Jimmie Rodgers, and dozens of other hackerspace volunteers. Participants left the Maker Shed with smiles on their faces, new skills, increased confidence, and a cool […]

Electronics and Controllers: electronics, kids, skills, soldering

This pixel-scale, portable Meggy Jr game platform is fun for any gamer, especially those who know their way around an Arduino. About the size of a VHS tape, it offers an 8×8 matrix of RGB LEDs and a lot of functionality with very little setup. It comes pre-programmed with Attack of the Cherry Tomatoes, a side-scrolling […]

LEDs: electronics, Games, LEDs

The Octolively is one of the most entertaining kits I have built in a while. It’s an interactive, tileable LED module that carries eight huge (10mm) LEDs arranged on its 4″×8″ board. Its sensors detect nearby movement using both infrared and visible light, and the LEDs, which come in a variety of colors, respond with […]

LEDs: electronics, LEDs

This easy-to-assemble, no-solder kit lets you create your own unique LED light show. The only tool needed is a pair of pliers for crimping the wire connectors. The RGB (red-green-blue) LEDs create a slow, ever-changing, multicolored glow that’s perfect for setting the mood of any room. Makes a great nightlight, too!

LEDs: art, electronics, LEDs