is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
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Lego isn’t just for kids: the latest news for nostalgic adults and adult budgets
In 1979 — nearly 50 years ago — Lego jazzed up its very first spaceships with an iconic sloped computer brick that was just painted plastic. In 2022, we introduced you to the engineer who fit an actual tiny computer inside.
Now, industrial designer Paul Staal has flipped the script with a working desktop PC that’s a supersized homage to the classic computer brick (via Reddit and Hackster.io).
You can play with this 3D model at Staal’s site. Model: Paul Staal
It’s 10 times bigger than the original:
Size comparison. Image: Paul Staal
The “M2x2” is largely a 3D-printed case for a Mac Mini — one you can freely print at home yourself — but it’s not just a shell. He’s outfitted it with a 7-inch IPS touchscreen display, and a full array of additional ports and SD card reader thanks to an integrated USB-C hub.
The volume knob and a visualizer. Video: Paul Staal
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