You may not have heard of BQ, but the Spanish company is the second largest smartphone manufacturer in Spain. BQ produces a large selection of mid-range smartphones, tablets, and ebook readers. But who cares about any of that.
BQ's CEO, Alberto Mendez, is so passionate about inspiring the next generation of engineers that he has created a robot kit for kids. These kits are under $100 and they come with all sorts of electronic components so that you can build robots to your own design. Programming will be handled using a drag and drop interface on your desktop, and you can even design and 3D print extra elements to fit onto your robot.
The whole project is based on open source hardware and software. Mendez explained that he wants to inspire the next generation to get into design, programming, and mechanical engineering. Allowing kids to get hands-on time building a robot is a great way to do it, compared to the abstraction of traditional classroom education in math and the sciences.
It's an admirable aim and the results so far are super cute. Check out our video of the robot dancing like Michael Jackson. Mendez says it will be ready for sale within two to three months and the kits will cost around 80 and 90 euros ($90 to $100). We're going to try one out just as soon as review units are ready.
You may not have heard of BQ, but the Spanish company is the second largest smartphone manufacturer in Spain. BQ produces a large selection of mid-range smartphones, tablets, and ebook readers. But who cares about any of that.
BQ’s CEO, Alberto Mendez, is so passionate about inspiring the next generation of engineers that he has created a robot kit for kids. These kits are under $100 and they come with all sorts of electronic components so that you can build robots to your own design. Programming will be handled using a drag and drop interface on your desktop, and you can even design and 3D print extra elements to fit onto your robot.
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The whole project is based on open source hardware and software. Mendez explained that he wants to inspire the next generation to get into design, programming, and mechanical engineering. Allowing kids to get hands-on time building a robot is a great way to do it, compared to the abstraction of traditional classroom education in math and the sciences.
It’s an admirable aim and the results so far are super cute. Check out our video of the robot dancing like Michael Jackson. Mendez says it will be ready for sale within two to three months and the kits will cost around 80 and 90 euros ($90 to $100). We’re going to try one out just as soon as review units are ready.
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.
Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.
Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today
Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!
Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally.
The Nokia 3210 is the worst phone I’ve used in 2024
Where do I even start with the Nokia 3210? Not the original, which was one of the coolest phones to own back in a time when Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace wasn’t even a thing, but the latest 2024 reissue that has come along to save us all from digital overload, the horror of social media, and the endless distraction that is the modern smartphone.
Except behind this facade of marketing-friendly do-goodery hides a weapon of torture, a device so foul that I’d rather sit through multiple showings of Jar Jar Binks and the gang hopelessly trying to bring back the magic of A New Hope than use it.
The Nokia 3210 really is that bad
