building

A lot of kids would see rubbers bands as weapons to be flung at the back of their classmates' heads. Not Paul Poulos, Kalin Ngo, and Robert Schill.

The students from Westlake High School in Westlake, Ohio, attached rubber bands to wood boxes to create a musical instrument that plays real live music. And not Justin Bieber, either. Bach's "J'esu, Joy of Man's Desiring."

Their DIY instrument so impressed the judges of the Design Squad Nation's Big Build Contest that it netted them first prize in the competition. The contest, sponsored by the PBS competition series, challenged teams of 'tweens and teens, led by an adult mentor, to super-size one of the 40 Design Squad hands-on projects found online.

As with last year's contest--which focused on the green inventions and yielded projects like a kids' commuter bike and a temporary shelter for disaster victims--this year's devices showed some serious inventor moxie. The two runners-up and nine finalists created a confetti-launching trebuchet; a solar-powered hot tub; a bamboo sailboat with a tarp for the sail; an electromagnetic crane; and an entire living room made out of recycled cardboard, to name just a handful.

For the grand-prize-winning contraption, called String Thing, the inventors attached rubber band "strings" to handmade plywood "sound boxes" that amplify the strains of the strummed rubber bands in much the same way a guitar works. Nine separate sections hold nine strings, and each string is tuned to a different note based on markers that hold the string down. Though the bands are lined up to play the Bach composition in the video below, the instrument is totally customizable by moving the markers on the strings. … Read more

Microsoft will offer Windows 8 users the option of working in the new Metro interface or sticking with a more traditional desktop environment.

In the latest installment of the "Building Windows 8" blog, Microsoft exec Steven Sinofsky confirmed yesterday that Windows 8 machines will sport the Metro interface, which he described as "fast and fluid, immersive, beautiful, and app-centric."

With touch-screen capabilities and an overall theme borrowed from Windows Phone 7, the Metro UI has been designed with smartphones and tablets in mind but can run on traditional computers as well.

However, for people who want … Read more

Windows 8 will let you open and view ISO and VHD files all on its own, according to the latest "Building Windows 8" blog from Microsoft.

Posted yesterday by Microsoft engineer Rajeev Nagar, the new blog post, titled "Accessing data in ISO and VHD files," revealed that native support for ISO and VHD files was one feature often requested by users, prompting the company to add it to its upcoming OS.

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) files are image files that hold the contents of a CD or DVD. Large programs available for download through the … Read more

Ever find it frustrating trying to copy or move files in Windows? Then some long-overdue improvements in Windows 8 should be welcome news.

Admitting that file management or the "copy jobs" feature now in Windows can be confusing, Alex Simons, a program management director on Microsoft's Windows engineering team, yesterday revealed four enhancements destined to surface in Windows 8.

Contributing to the latest installment of Microsoft's ongoing "Building Windows 8" blog, Simons said that copying, moving, renaming, and deleting files are the most heavily used features in Windows Explorer, accounting for 50 percent of … Read more

Microsoft is reportedly locking down its latest Windows 8 build to prevent unauthorized people from installing it and leaking details about certain features, WinRumors reported yesterday.

Other purported details about the latest Windows 8 build, known as 8064, were revealed earlier this week by WinRumors, which is a Windows enthusiast site, and other sites. The new build is apparently the Windows 8 Developer Preview that Microsoft is likely to unveil at its Build conference next month.

In an attempt to thwart unauthorized users from accessing the new developer build, Microsoft has apparently set up unique product keys that are now … Read more

Windows 8 is set to hit the prerelease stage over the coming months, according to a blog posted yesterday by Microsoft President Steven Sinofsky.

Though the term prerelease version is a bit vague, Sinofsky is likely referring to the beta of Windows 8 since he said that the company wants to "begin an open dialogue with those of you who will be trying out the prerelease version over the coming months."

Aiming the new blog series, "Building Windows 8," at customers, developers, and users in general, Sinofsky used the post to provide tidbits of information but … Read more

Sometimes the programs we end up liking the best are the ones that aren't particularly innovative or exciting, but that simply do one thing and do it in a commonsense, elegant way. Efficient To-Do List Free Portable is just such a program. This portable application makes it easy to keep track of your tasks and set reminders without adding a bunch of useless bells and whistles.

The program's interface is sleek and intuitive, reminding us of recent versions of Microsoft Office products. In the dialog for creating new tasks you enter a subject, comments, start and due dates, … Read more

Anyone who knows anything about sales can tell you that there's much more to the process than simply approaching a potential customer, making your pitch, and hoping for the best. There are specific steps in the sales process, and the better you can manage the events in each of these steps, the better your results. Pipeliner is a comprehensive tool that can help sales professionals keep track of every step along the way, from the initial contact with a potential client to closing the deal.

The program's interface is sleek and attractive; it's made for professionals and … Read more

Three-dimensional models are essential if you're in the design field. Google SketchUp gives you the ability to easily create your own 3D models. With an easy-to-use interface and a wide swath of Help features, it's the perfect tool for beginner and intermediate designers alike.

To begin, Google SketchUp puts all of the help options in plain sight, which include video tutorials, tips and tricks, a blog, and a help center. It asks you to select a template from a long list that includes templates for architectural design, woodworking, Google Earth modeling, and basic plans. We started simple with … Read more