🚜 Apple watch pets, talking chairs, and wind up tractor books
A real mixed bag
This week a book of mine hit the shelves. I’m one of those ‘the goalposts are always moving types’. Even now, I say ‘Oh but it’s not a novel, novels are worth celebrating’. So I’m going to pause to be proud for a moment. No, it’s not a novel (I’m still working on that one!). It’s a board book designed to be worn on your head. A real publisher and a ginormous business put it on their shelves. 3 year old me would be thrilled.
So folks, if you need a gift for <3 year old, and they like wearing books on their head; I made this one for them.
Alright, let’s get on with it!
Get writing! Here's a tiny prompt that may spark new story ideasIf you feel in a slump, like you’re just writing nonsense: write nonsense. Specifically, take a leaf out of Edward Lears book, ‘nonsense songs and stories’. You might start with a short story about a table and a chair that need some air.
Apparently, Lear was known to introduce himself with a long pseudonym: "Mr Abebika kratoponoko Prizzikalo Kattefello Ablegorabalus Ableborinto phashyph". Terrific stuff.
My favourite playful web picks for the month.AI generates toy ideas for boys and girls: by @ani.liu.studio. Results are unsurprisingly gender normative.
Girls toys are largely centered on jewelry, domestic chores, dolls and animals, while boys toys are largely centered on weaponry, electronics, cars, and construction. In collaborating with the machine
Microsoft comic chat: back in the day Microsoft would turn your text chats with friends into comic strips. Bring this back with more AI, I say.
A vintage little professor calculator: selling 1+million units in 1976, this ‘reverse calculator’ was apparently fun (I found reddit communities who still love it, so, I’m taking their word for it). Lots to ponder on here for educators & AI.
A photo roll that shows parallel universes: heck yeahhhhh, I want to dip into photos I take of myself, and see what ‘me’ in a parallel universe is doing at that point of time.
Apple watch Tamagotchi: friend and brilliant colleague Lucy has been designing a cute lil’ Tamagotchi app with 3d printed cases for Apple watches.
@lucythemakerthese are the important things in life. Also im making the tamagotchi style pet with my boyfriend @Jacob ❤️ its been so fun working on a project together and we have little standups every morning where we discuss all the feedback and features were working on! Itc called ‘habbie: step tracker & pet’ on the app store. Im also uploading the tamagotchi model to my patreon - considering migrating to thangs.com though because it seems like an easier way to share models! Lmk if you have a preference, i might make the move this week 💕 #diy #3dprinting #y2k #phonecase #diyphonecase
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Mute distracting notifications, grab a warm cuppa and find a seat in the sun.Robbie, by Isaac Asimov. After reading Klara and The Sun, I was delighted to find this lil’ story about a girl and her robot friend, published in 1940. In the middle of the AI hype cycle (or, past midpoint) I find it comforting to know humans have been thinking of these futures for 100+ years.
“You’re an air-coaster, Robbie, you’re a big, silver aircoaster. Hold out your arms straight. — You got to, Robbie, if you’re going to be an aircoaster.” The logic was irrefutable. Robbie’s arms were wings catching the air currents and he was a silver ‘coaster. Gloria twisted the robot’s head and leaned to the right. He banked sharply. G
Something well thunk and beautifully made!This series of picture books comes with a wind-up tractor/train/ship that you can then drive around on the pages 😭 😭 😭 I love anything that experiments with the form of a book. This thing is chunky but I played around with it this week and was pretty delighted with the quality.
A novel gift for a kid, or grown-up who likes experimental book forms.
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