Scaled

This is another one of those projects that immediately hit me as being really cool ... and then cooled off quite quickly as I thought about it more. But, before I get to my opinion, what is it that we're looking at in the photo above this paragraph?

The Loog Guitar is the idea/creation of Rafael Atijas' as a project he started for his Master's thesis at NYU. It's a build-at-home, three-stringed guitar designed for children (ages 6+) to help them learn about music and playing the guitar. There are three interchangeable styles (body and headstock) that you can purchase and swap if you'd like; even two neck lengths depending on the age/height of the child.

Already a successful project on KickStarter, the Loog seems to have found a good niche for itself. It appears to be well built and, from the video on the site, even sounds pretty good when played. However, is teaching a child to play on a three-stringed guitar all that much better than "teaching" them to play on a five-buttoned plastic guitar? Furthermore, the US$215 advertised price point for this guitar is already higher than the price for an off-brand 3/4-scale guitar which offers the opportunity for a fast-learner to jump right into full guitar chords and use any available TAB or guitar music resource to continue learning with.

Don't get me wrong... I do think this is a neat project.  The DIY aspect of it, the care of the design (from the packaging to the guitar stand and everything) and sustainable resources used for it as well. I'm no expert on the guitar, let alone when it comes to guitar theory or instruction, so perhaps I'm totally wrong with my criticism here, but I'm just leery of learning an abbreviated version of something with the idea that you can then quickly pick-up the full version of the technique.

What is your take on the project? Will you be supporting it? Would you consider getting one of these guitars? 

» Found at: The Loog Guitar

Dive

I haven't even finished reading this, and I'm sure that I'm way behind the curve on even knowing that this excellent resource, Dive into HTML5, was out there, but from what I have read so far, it's quite awesome.  Written in easy-to-understand language, with an incredible "history" of the evolution of (x)html to start – do not skip this part! – this free resource is the perfect starting point for those interested in HTML5, covering everything from the canvas element, video and embeds, geolocation, new form controls, etc., etc.

Once you have finished reading through this resource, A List Apart is a great place to find more information... or, more specifically, A Book Apart. This series of "brief books for people who make websites" looks fantastic.  They have released two books so far, with two more already on the way.  I've previously read (and still own) books Dan Cederholm (and ALA's founder, Jeffrey Zeldman) which are excellent, so I imagine the quality of these references will be nothing less than that.

So, although the holidays are over, these are some excellent references that are either free or very affordably priced for anyone who had a resolution set around working on the web. If you're going to do it, you might as well do it right (and with the right tools around to help you out).

» Found at: Dive into HTML5

Wood

I like to think that I'm a pretty handy guy around the house. I have a respectable workbench in the basement (and garage) filled with tools. I've built a few projects in my time, including one or two semi-major projects (fences, large shelving, etc.)... but I've got nothing on Marc Spagnuolo, The Wood Whisperer himself.

I have no idea if I'd ever get around to building some of these projects, but like most shows on HGTV, I could sit here in front of my computer and watch his videos all day long. His video about making the hallowe'en bowls (see above) was what I watched first and, if it wasn't for my lunch hour only being so long, I'd have just kept watching everything else on the site.

There is a lot on the site that I still haven't looked at -- a 'guild membership' to help fund the site, a number of reviews and articles, etc. -- but it's all well put together. The video's have a great tone about them, with just the right amount of humour, safety advice and project guidance. I felt like there was enough information in the clip that I could have done the project myself, from raw pieces of wood to the final finish, which I don't always think is the case on other sites.

So, even if you don't plan on dusting off the ol' drill and rushing off to Rona or Home Depot for materials, check out these videos.

» Found at: The Wood Whisperer