Hey everyone! Hope your week is off to a great start! 😀
Maybe this newsletter will help, eh?
Get your mind a’spinnin with COOL new stuff!
Anyway, Let’s get started. This week’s a good one!
Make your own Game - Fast - Easy - Free
Ever wanted to try your hand at making a game, but don’t have the time to learn multiple new disciplines ranging from Java to digital art?
Honestly, I’ve never had time either. That’s where Koji comes in!
Koji is essentially an online game developing platform - where you can tweak premade templates into your own creation! Add music, pictures, text and more.
Want your own Flappy Bird? Gem match? Done. Pacman? Yup. You can change all of these games into your very own unique creation!!
It’s so easy - and there’s only a teeny learning curve. Basically, once you figure out where to find settings and such, you’re good to go.
Have some knowledge of coding? Cool! You can upload your own game code, edit code, etc. You can build your own game and use Koji as a hosting platform.
Have questions when you’re making a game? They’ve got an amazing Discord community standing by to help!
I’ve had oodles of fun making a few games over the past few months. Plus - it’s a great way to get exposed to coding. Give this to a kid and tell him to make you some games to play. He’ll be off to learning how to code in no time! It’s easier to incentivize someone to do something hard (like coding) when there’s something fun to do with it.
Check it out!
Make a Interactive Wall - Seriously! 😲
I know - I was super curious when I heard about it too.
There’s a company called Bare Conductive in London that makes DIY kits that you can use to make interactive walls or art displays.
The key to making this happen is their Electric paint - Yes. Electricity conducting paint. It’s really cool! Basically, using electric paint, movement sensors, some speakers (and some coding) can get you the COOLEST wall/display/art project ever.
Seriously. How many people do anything this cool?
Here’s a video example of the Electric Paint in action.
It’s really wild stuff! There are infinite possibilities. 😀 Think of all the cool things you could make! This guy made a musical table. Incredible!
Check out their site at the link! They’ve got some pretty awesome kits available for sale.
Netflix Throwback
I found this really cool post from Vanity Fair about the time in 2000 when Netflix execs Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings tried to pitch selling Netflix to Blockbuster for $50 million dollars.
When asked how much they wanted to sell Netflix for, Reed dropped the bomb. $50 million dollars.
And the CEO of Blockbuster tried not to laugh.
“But now that Reed had named a number, I saw something new, something I didn’t recognize, his earnest expression slightly unbalanced by a turning up at the corner of his mouth. It was tiny, involuntary, and vanished almost immediately. But as soon as I saw it, I knew what was happening: John Antioco was struggling not to laugh.” Source
It’s crazy to think of, right?
It just goes to show how we must be open to new ideas. We can’t stay in the status quo, and assume that everything will stay the same. Things change - for good and ill. Technology marches forward.
Back then, Blockbuster thought it was safe and in a good position to stay dominant.
Blockbuster was king of the video world.
Now? It’s bankrupt and there’s literally only one store left.
Netflix launched legal streaming on the internet. It changed the world - from a buy/rent sales model to a subscription sales model.
Now people spend $50+ a month on Netflix, Hulu, Etc. instead of renting or buying DVDs.
Even crazier - this whole streaming world is about to change drastically. People are starting to get sick of all the subscriptions they need to buy. It’s only a matter of time until things change again.
Just like the ole’ days of cable and premium channels - history is starting to repeat itself.
The question is.
Who’s the next revolutionary Netflix?
It’s a question worth pondering. 🤔
What do you think? I’d love to know your thoughts!
The Land of Rando!
Just when you thought KFC was done with crazy marketing. 🤣 KFC is going to release a Dating Sim on Steam! Read about it here.
This dude in China made an amazing video game over two years. In his spare time. With no help. It’s incredible. If you click on one link from the newsletter - THIS IS THE ONE YOU CLICK ON! Watch a few minutes - and marvel at this dude’s dedication and skill!
It’s time for something apocalyptic. Swarm Drones are coming! 😓 and they will definitely be weaponized. I found this fascinating - and terrifying article about them. It’s not too long, in case you were worried. 😂