All the usual writing crew have abandoned me (what, it's the weekend?).
So instead of yelling at the staff and helping with the odd headline, I've actually got to do something useful around here. In other words, I'm going to write a few posts.
But it's also the weekend that Maker Faire happens in San Mateo, where I live.
Now, I'm not much of a maker, but I do like to get my hands dirty. I've got a bunch of half-finished projects all over my house, including two half-finished cigar box guitars, an unfinished Drawdio kit, and an old Nintendo DS that I disassembled in an effort to replace its broken case and could never get to work right again.
You might say I'm more of a breaker than a maker. But I love going to Maker Faire to see what other, more talented makers have come up with.
So I'm going to make lemonade out of this pile of lemons known as the "weekend shift." We're going to make VentureBeat into a temporary makers-only zone just for today.
Don't worry, you'll feel right at home here. Along with SaaS startups, iPhone apps, and photo-sharing sites, one thing that the technology world is discovering is that making hardware is a pretty good business after all.
It's easier than ever to make things. There's a ton of information online about how to make everything from sauerkraut to sensors. Hundreds of hackerspaces, as well as for-profit workshops like TechShop, make tools and knowhow available to anyone who wants to learn. And once you have a solid idea, electronics manufacturers (in China or even in Oregon) make it easier than ever to go into mass production.
Somewhere between the self-driving couches, the flaming sculptures, and the Arduino-powered blinky light projects, I think we'll catch a glimpse of the future of tech.
Stay tuned. And if you don't like maker day on VentureBeat, please send me smoke signal or drum signal stating, "I don't like learning about people who make things, so I have disassembled my laptop, smartphone, and tablet and am living on a diet of nuts and berries."