Make: Magazine

12/24/2025

Still looking for the perfect gift? We’ve got you.

Give the makers on your list something better than stuff, give them possibility.

A Maker Shed gift certificate lets imaginations run wild, from electronics and robotics to crafting, tinkering, and everything in between.

🎁 Grab one now and let them build whatever’s next...
https://www.makershed.com/products/gift-certificates

Digital Gift Certificates are perfect for any Maker, Crafter or Hacker! Get a $100 Gift Card and a free $15 Gift Certificate now!

12/23/2025

Everyone knows Arduino and Raspberry Pi, but some of the most exciting innovation is happening just outside the spotlight.

In 'Guide to Boards 2026: Indie Boards' from Make: Volume 95, we dive into powerful single-board computers built by small, passionate teams who are rethinking accessibility, open source, and personal computing.

From a “21st-century survival kit” computer to a home server designed to bring your data back under your control, these boards might just change how you think about computing.

Read the full story here: https://makezine.com/article/technology/microcontrollers/guide-to-boards-2026-indie-boards

With low-cost single board computers and tools for hosting your own cloud server, 2025 had some exciting indie dev boards.

12/20/2025

Credit-card-sized computers? Meet the Oxocard Connect.

Make: editor, David Groom explores how this modular ESP32-based board can be programmed using the Arduino IDE, opening up powerful new possibilities for beginners and experienced makers alike.

From displays and joysticks to expandable cartridges, the Oxocard is a playful yet serious way to dive into embedded development.

Read more here: https://makezine.com/article/technology/programming-the-oxocard-connect-with-arduino/

NanoPy is the standard IDE for Oxocard projects. However, thanks to the ESP32 microcontroller at the heart of the Oxocard, programming with C++ via the Arduino IDE is also a viable development option. Here's how to get started...

12/19/2025

Retro Roadshow has been delighting Maker Faire Bay Area crowds since 2023 with a carefully curated collection of vintage computers and game systems, brought to life through thoughtful storytelling and hands-on experiences.

What began as a personal passion has grown into a family-powered traveling exhibit that continues to inspire curiosity across generations.

Read the full Maker Spotlight to learn how Retro Roadshow came to life, and where you can experience it next. https://makezine.com/article/maker-news/maker-spotlight-retro-roadshow

12/19/2025

Vintage tech. Big nostalgia. Even bigger heart.

Since 2023, Retro Roadshow has been one of the most joyfillled, immersive exhibits at Maker Faire Bay Area, inviting visitors to play, explore, and reconnect with the magic of early computing and gaming.

Our most recent Maker Spotlight isn’t just about retro consoles. It’s about family, creativity, and finding art in unexpected places.

Check out the link in our bio to read the full story and discover where Retro Roadshow is headed next.

RetroGaming

12/17/2025

Running out of time, but still want a meaningful gift?

Good news: Make: eBooks are on sale now, and they’re delivered instantly.

No shipping. No waiting. Just hands-on projects and creative inspiration for every kind of maker.

🎁 Give the gift of making, right on time.
Shop the sale now: https://www.makershed.com/collections/make-ebooks-pdf?page=1

12/12/2025

Meet Stringman: the overhead, sock-snatching robot you didn’t know you needed

Every month, OSHWA certifies open source hardware from around the world, and November brought 15 new projects, from spectral measurement tools to RGB lighting controllers… and yes, robots that clean up your laundry.

Want to keep up with the newest certified builds? You’re in the right place.

Explore all of the November OSHWA certifications! https://makezine.com/article/maker-news/open-source-hardware-certifications-for-november-2025

Video from the incredible Over Engineer YouTube channel ( on YouTube)

12/10/2025

Ever wonder how to turn candles, cassette players, or simple circuits into real working instruments?

Make: Electronic Music from Scratch is a beginner-friendly crash course in building whimsical audio inventions at home!

Inside you’ll learn how to make:
- Oscillators that change tone with candle flickers
- A cassette-based mini-keyboard
- A talkbox that’ll amaze (and maybe spook!) family members
✨ And dozens of other musical circuits

Written by Kirk Pearson of Dogbotic, a Bay Area audio laboratory, it’s a hands-on journey through music history, circuitry, and sound experimentation.

Get your copy on sale now! https://www.makershed.com/products/make-electronic-music-print

12/09/2025

Very Useful (and Fun) Monsters Robotic Workshop Kit - On Sale in the Maker Shed now!

https://www.makershed.com/products/very-useful-monsters-robotic-workshop-kit

12/09/2025

Huge thank you to Make: for sending us the Very Useful Monsters Kit! 👾💛
It’s a super fun STEM kit that mixes coding, simple mechanics, and creative design 🤖 perfect for young makers.
You can build, code, decorate, and experiment, we’re diving into the kit, and we can’t wait to show you everything inside!! — stay tuned! 🚀✨ Make: Magazine

12/08/2025

Super powerful computing, small enough to hold in your hand.

In our newest Guide to Boards 2026, author David Groom breaks down some of the most innovative and unexpectedly capable boards we’ve ever seen, led by the Raspberry Pi 500+ and the new Arduino Uno Q.

This guide reflects how rapidly the single-board computer world has evolved:

• Linux keyboards you plug straight into a monitor
• Arduino boards that act as both MCU and computer
• Python as a first-class hardware language
• Affordable boards powering AI, robotics & off-grid communication

Read the full article from Make: Volume 95 here: https://makezine.com/article/electronics/guide-to-boards-2026-super-tiny-computers

Arduino channels Xzibit, and Raspberry Pi reminds us why we love computers.