If you've ever been inspired to try out 3D modeling after enjoying computer-generated imagery in video games and movies, chances are you've checked out an paid applications like 3ds Max (previously called 3D Studio Max), or even free ones like Blender, then just went "No Way! It's way too complicated."
Many new developers are diving right into the Microsoft HoloLens, but augmented and mixed reality are fairly big subjects in terms of learning. There's a lot to cover and, unfortunately, very few places for someone brand new to Windows Holographic to begin lessons.
The HoloLens opens up new, digital locales within our physical world, so it was only natural for the HoloLens Challenge to ask developers to create a portal into one. One developer rose to the task and gave life to wall art, turning it into an interactive game called Future Boy.
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 expensive frozen slab for ice cream topping your kitchen counters, you can mimic the creamy consistency and customizable options from Cold Stone Creamery and Marble Slab any time you're craving it. Best of all, you don'...
Most people I've talked to agree that Shake Shack has mastered the upscale, fast food hamburger quite well. So when a new burger comes out on the ultra-popular fast food chain's menu, you've got to take notice—even if you live nowhere near one.
We admit it: we are ranch dressing fanatics. We like to put it on our simple salads, spread it across our chicken wings, and dip homemade sweet potato fries in it. Plus, since childhood, neither of us can eat pizza without ranch dressing to accompany it.
A stack of light-as-air pancakes can make a weekend morning truly golden. While fluffy pancakes may not seem like rocket science, the reality is that there are many little details that can contribute to a pancake fail that's either too dense or too crumbly.
Step aside, ginger ale; ginger beer is here, and it's delicious. Ginger beer is made by fermenting a combination of ginger simple syrup, yeast, and water, which gives it its robust flavor and sparkling quality. It's extremely simple to make, but you do have to wait a bit for the final product. After a few days, though, your ginger beer will be sparkling and ready to drink as is, or in your favorite cocktail.
Our future technology has a lot of amazing possibilities, and few have more promise than augmented and mixed reality headsets. But these advancements come with several concerns over privacy, and if we don't understand them, we may lose control of our own data without even knowing.
Mixed reality (MR) feels like an amazing, almost mind-blowing futuristic technology—but only once you've experienced it for yourself. Words, images, and even videos simply cannot describe the experience in full. If you want to really peer into the future and experience MR for yourself, you can sign up and just go in many cities.
Sprinkles are a gateway to excitement, whether it's a birthday party with friends or an ice cream sundae by yourself. It may seem like these colorful creations can only come from the grocery store, but it's actually pretty easy to make beautiful sprinkles in your own kitchen.
There are literally hundreds of granola recipes floating around the internet—but I can tell you right now that they're all completely unnecessary. You don't need a recipe to make granola; I've been making granola for years and have never once used one!
If you have a local Trader Joe's, you know first-hand how enchanting the frozen aisles are—almost every item offers the promise of a delicious meal or dessert. (We're always tempted to open the package and eat the cookie butter cheesecake, stat.)
It's no secret that the microwave is a modern-day wonder that, when used correctly, can cook a wide variety of food in a snap.
If you're anything like me, the urge to bake comes in waves. Winter constitutes an especially large wave; when I need to put on a few extra pounds for insulation, I go a bit carb crazy and take any opportunity to make breads, pies, and cakes.
Butter is one of the most versatile ingredients in the world: its variety of uses range from brightening a morning piece of toast to finishing a beautiful rib-eye steak with decadent flair.
My favorite finishing touch to any dish is a tuile. Small, elegant, and simple—even its name makes it sound delicate. Tuiles are garnishes that are malleable when directly removed from the oven and crisp up as they cool down. I love them because they complement both savory and sweet dishes and can add a nice alternative texture to creamy dishes. Read on to learn how to transform this warm, workable dough into a variety of crispy, light accents.
Baking used to be a fun, relaxing hobby and a way to make treats for friends and family. These days, this hobby has become a creative battleground among out-of-work graphic designers with Pinterest accounts. People everywhere are now upping their baking game by adding interesting ingredients or daring designs. Presentation has become just as important as taste.
This easy "recipe" requires just two ingredients: popcorn and caramel bits. Caramel bits are made for melting, and they take all the work out of making caramel-based anything. If you've ever made caramel before, the result is delicious, but it's often hot and sticky work—in most cases.
It's so nice to be able to reuse old glass jars for food storage. Occasionally, though, even the sturdiest container has to be recycled because it retains the smell of its previous contents. Usually the culprit was garlic, garlic-based, or something pickled, and you're certainly not going to store your fresh herbs or fruit in that. There is, however, a quick and easy way to get that old stink out of your jar and make it usable again. You just need two things...
You have an abundance (or scarcity) of alcohol, liqueurs, and chasers, but don't know how to combine or mix them together to produce some kind of enjoyable concoction for friends. What do you do? Mix things you think will taste good together? They probably won't. There's rules about clear alcohol vs. dark alcohol and how they pair with juices and sodas, so what's the best way to know what goes well with what?
Learning to make giant bubbles for this video has been the most fun I've had with a project in a long time. It's addicting to try to get them to grow bigger and bigger than the ones before. Since filming this video, my skill has improved tremendously and the bubbles you're about to see, though spectacularly big, are dwarfed by what I've made since. Everyone loves to watch. This is definitely one project that will draw a crowd!
This video tutorial shows you how to make a simple pop pop boat (putt putt boat) out of house hold items. Very simple and easy to do.
Cooking may be an art, but baking is a science. It requires precise measurements since the outcome is based on chemical reactions. Using too much or too little of one ingredient can be the difference between perfect, crunchy-yet-chewy cookies and the dreaded "one big cookie." That's why frozen cookie dough and pre-made bread and cake mixes are so popular. They're easy to throw together, and pretty much guarantee success every time. But what if you're feeling so lazy that you don't even want t...
The following video demonstrates how a simple and inexpensive forge can be made using little more than a soup can and plaster.
Have a PVC pipe that's in an awkward position and you're having a hard time reaching it to cut it? This video demonstrates that cutting a PVC pipe is as simple as wrapping a nylon string around it. Now you can cut through a PVC pipe without a saw or knife.
If you're interested in creating a dosimeter using simple tools, take a look at this video. Using a digital camera, a plastic scintillator, and some tape a radiation dosimeter can be crafted allowing for radiation information to be collected with simple materials.
There's no need to shell out tons of money to wear the latest jewelry trend. Craft your own bohemian, indie-cool jewelry by checking out this DIY video.
You may be just recovering from a hectic - and binge-filled - holiday season, but prom season is just around the corner. Make sure you look like the belle of the ball by creating this simple and romantic hairstyle.
You will need Photoshop to be able to create this, but the version doesn't matter since this is quite a simple procedure. Create your own simple animated emoticons (like a flashing LOL sign) that you can then add to your MSN e-mail.
Embroidery is a useful skill to develop so you can add your own embelllishemnts to favorite clothes, and it's not as difficult as it seems. This tutorial, perfect for beginners, shows you how to create a simple embroidery pattern using the basic chain stitch.
Having a good friend in your life is like having a steady rock that you can always lean on when times get tough. A good friend who loves you through thick and thin is hard to find, so honor your friendship by crafting this simple braided cloth friendship bracelet.
In Minecraft, traps provide an easy and safe means of harvesting monster-specific resources. This gamer's guide will walk you through the construction of a simple lava trap. For complete instructions, watch the video!
Want to make the notorious coslow salad? This video will lay it out for you. All you need to do is watch, because it's simple, consisting of lettuce, pepper, carrots and other simple, yet yummy ingredients. Everything a surfer loves, that's why this one's called the surfer's coslow salad.
Now that it's a week before Christmas, things are really down the wire. You've got your presents wrapped and your Christmas tree decorated, but what about your greeting cards?
You don't need to be Michelle Obama to have a house full of jaw-droppingly beautiful Christmas decor. All you need is a little ingenuity and the tips from this Christmas decorating video.
Once a simple video game... well, it's still a simple video game that's returned to your Facebook page. This video demonstrates how you can play the nostalgic arcade game Snake. Catch the food and grow longer without running into yourself!
Love to fold awesome origami designs? Then there's no better way to spend a holiday afternoon with a cup of hot chocolate and this easy and gorgeous Christmas craft.
There's no better hairstyle to make you look instantly polished and elegant than an updo. So if you have more party invitations than you know what to do with this holiday season, cut some stress by creating this simple cute updo.
This is one of those hairstyles we remember throwing together at the last moment before grabbing our books and jetting off to school. As simple as they come, this low messy bun basically involves hastily putting together a bun and then adding a headband for chicness.