Kano Pixel Kit’s grid of lights will unleash your inner coder

Pining for the days of hackable hardware, but lacking any sort of programming ability? Grab a Kano Pixel Kit (£75). Snap this dinky disco thing together and, after briefly blinding you with its eye-searing grid of LEDs, the tiny unit will have you hacking together dazzling interactive light shows. Using drag-and-drop components in the Mac/PC/Kano app, it sneakily teaches unsuspecting fiddlers the fundamentals of programming, letting them fashion anything from a chunky weather app to a glowing animated Mario. And, when sensors show up later this year, you’ll be able to take things further, such as using the tripwire sensor to have the Pixel Kit sear a thief’s retinas should they try to steal it.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.