If you’re looking for a few fun tech tips to keep yourself busy in 2022, we have just what you need! Read on to find out about a few cool DIY projects and gadgets you can make yourself!
Technology giant Google has shared a list of tips from their Most Helpful Stories of 2022. From planning a trip to getting a good night’s sleep, these tips can come in handy for recharging, reconnecting, and working smarter in 2022.
1. Stream Your Music
If you want to listen to your favorite music anywhere, streaming is the way to go. Streaming is a form of internet delivery that sends data to your device or computer as small packets so it can start playing almost immediately. It differs from downloading in that it does not save a copy of the audio file to your hard drive.
The main advantage of streaming is that it’s faster than downloading and doesn’t take up much room on your device. But, there are some things to consider before you start using it.
You need a wireless connection and a music streaming service that you like. Some services, such as Apple Music, offer a free trial. Others, such as Spotify, require a paid subscription.
Most smart devices come with built-in music libraries that you can use to stream music from a variety of services. Depending on the device, you may need to download an app to access this feature.
Creating playlists can help you find and organize your favorite songs. You can create a playlist from the music in your Library or the Apple Music catalog, or you can add songs manually.
Once you’ve created a playlist, share it with your friends. This will make your music more accessible and help you find new tunes that you might not have heard before.
Some apps let you stream music from your phone or iPod touch to other iOS devices or Macs and PCs without having to sync them. This is great if you want to listen to your music on multiple devices or if you have a large library.
Streaming music has become more popular than downloading it because of the convenience and cost savings. Some companies offer paid subscriptions that include millions of songs to stream to your computer. Other services, such as Pandora, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music, have free tiers of advertising-supported music that you can also stream to your computer.
2. Make Your Own Games
Creating your own games is a great way to bring your creative mind to life. It can also be a fun and rewarding experience.
First, you need to decide what kind of game you want to create. This can include the theme, gameplay, characters, and more. It’s also important to make sure that the game can be easily learned by novice players.
Once you have these things in mind, it’s time to make your first game prototype. This will help you see how your game is playing and what changes need to be made. It should not take more than three weeks to complete and should only contain the core mechanics of your game.
After that, you need to start coding your game in a programming language of your choice. Typically, this will be C++ but you can learn other languages that work well for video games such as Java and Python.
You can also use a free software program to build your game such as GameMaker. This is a popular and easy-to-use program for creating video games.
Creating your own game can be an amazing experience and can even lead to career opportunities. However, it is important to remember that it is a lot of work and it can be difficult to get started.
The best way to avoid this is to keep your idea small and simple. A good starting point is to develop a prototype of a simple 2D game. Then, you can add more features as your skills improve and your game continues to progress. This will help you understand what your game is lacking and give you a better chance of making the best possible game.
3. Create a Streaming Dash Cam
If you’re a driver who loves the idea of sharing your road trip experiences online, a streaming dash cam could be the perfect thing for you. Streaming dash cams are small, easy-to-use devices that record and upload footage directly to your smartphone or computer through WiFi. They’re a great way to share your driving adventures with friends, family or loved ones while also providing evidence in the event of a crash or other automotive mishap.
Creating your own streaming dash cam can be an affordable way to keep yourself and your family safe on the road. Whether you’re looking to monitor your child’s driving habits or you want to protect your business assets, a streaming dash cam can help you stay on the right track.
You’ll want to make sure you choose a dash cam that records in crisp video quality, so you can see what’s happening in front of you with clarity and accuracy. Additionally, look for a dash cam that connects to gyroscope and accelerometer data to detect harsh braking, turning or acceleration.
Another key aspect to look for when choosing a streaming dash cam is if it has internet connectivity. If not, you’ll need to manually retrieve footage from the vehicle to review and use it.
Luckily, dash cams that are internet-connected are more secure, and can automatically upload safety-related event footage to the cloud, making it possible to coach and exonerate drivers in real time. This was how Sprint Waste was able to exonerate their drivers from more than half of all accidents in 2019.
4. Create a Smart Home
There are a lot of ways to make your home more fun and tech-savvy. One of the easiest ways to do this is by creating a smart home, or home automation. A smart home is a type of home that uses technology to control and monitor various systems throughout your house, including security, lighting, and temperature controls.
The first step in creating a smart home is to figure out which systems you want to automate. You can choose to build your smart home one system at a time, or you can go for an all-in-one approach that involves automating every system in the house.
When choosing which home systems to automate, consider your lifestyle and budget. For instance, if you have an older house with high energy bills, then you might be more interested in a smart thermostat.
A smart home also allows you to create your own experiences and customize how you interact with different systems. For example, you can set up a system that automatically makes the lights and heating go off when you leave the house.
Another option is to have a voice assistant control all of your devices, so you can talk to your house from anywhere and change the settings accordingly. This way, you can use your favorite voice command to turn the lights off or open your garage door without having to go into each room yourself.
Having a smart home can be an expensive endeavor, so you should decide on a budget ahead of time. This will help you determine what kind of controlling equipment you need and how much it will cost to set up your smart home.
5. Make Your Own LED Lights
LEDs are a fantastic source of light that can be used to illuminate your home and add a touch of style to your space. They are available in a variety of colors and temperatures, so you can easily achieve your desired look.
LED lighting is also energy-efficient, meaning that it uses much less electricity than incandescent bulbs. This helps to lower your energy bills and save the planet.
If you’re looking for an energy-efficient way to illuminate your home, consider installing flexible lighting strips in your kitchen or living room. These flexible lights can be cut to fit any space and offer a wide range of lighting options, including backlighting, accent lights, and task lighting.
Another option is to use cabinet spotlights to illuminate storage spaces in your home. They are a great way to brighten up medicine cabinets, wardrobes and trophy cases.
The coolest part about these lights is that they can be programmed to change color depending on the time of day, or you can create a customized look. You can even control your lights from your phone, which means you can have a customized lighting system in your home at the touch of a button.
If you’re interested in learning how to make your own LED lights, there are many DIY courses online and in your local area. For instance, Arrow Electronics and Cree have teamed up to host an exciting workshop that will teach you how to design and build your own LED-based lighting solution.
