by Lina Martinez

Everyone loves a good gadget.

Gadgets, as it happens, serve multiple purposes. They are designed to fulfill a function that you couldn’t perform without them, such as a smartphone is used to make calls on the go – or at least, that was the primary role of mobile phones. As a result, while we surround ourselves with piles of gadgets, it’s fair to say that we don’t always have any other alternative. However, not all gadgets fit into this category. Indeed, more and more devices exist purely to achieve a social goal. They make us feel part of a community. They allow us to receive the social approval we need to belong to a specific group. Think of wearable fitness trackers, for instance. Fitness devices are a technical marvel. Many can track your movement, location, heartbeat, and calorie use at the same time. They compile data records which are stored in an online cloud facility, for you to consult, share and compare. But, despite their powerful features, fitness trackers are mostly useless. The fact that we choose to wear them doesn’t make them essential to any workout activity. Surprisingly enough, social goal devices make up for a profitable market.

For anyone who is looking for a money-making side hustle, the gadget world is the ideal solution. You can keep your costs low by choosing a DIY approach:

Raspberry Pi tutorial online  

Raspberry Pi makes everything cheaper

If you love building innovative devices on a budget, you’re probably familiar with the Raspberry Pi concept. Indeed, Raspberry Pi helps amateurs to learn coding and basic electronics as part of fun and exciting projects. Once you get the hang of it, you can start experimenting and developing more complex products, such as a digital clock that can self adjust. The simplistic but effective design of the Pi lets you tap into the modern urban decor trend, which is perfect for finding an audience for your creations. Additionally, you can also keep your production costs under control by using a vinyl cutter such as www.vinylcuttingmachineguide.com to make a sticker circuits for your Pi project. In the end, you have a product that can be created and customized without breaking the bank – which makes it appealing to your gadget-loving customers.

Creating something new out of the old

Some devices have reached iconic fame, such as old mobile phones or even 1990s monitors. However, nobody would want to use them anymore. But you can turn them into something new and exciting with a little bit of DIY love. A decorated and empty monitor, for instance, is a perfect cat’s bed! You can even trade the old electronic systems as you repurpose the device, as per www.makeuseof.com. If you’re handy with a paintbrush, you can transform old CDs into a set of fun and colorful coaster – do make sure to add a coat of protective varnish on top. In short, there are plenty of options!  

Share your passion online

Last, but not least make the most of your online presence to connect with your audience and take them through your creative process. A tutorial video on Youtube will attract more buyers than your website online!

DIY gadgets are surfing on a wave of popularity. They tap into a natural need for social approval – and if devices make one feel part of a community, uniquely designed gadgets offer an influential position within the community. But more importantly, DIY tools are a great side hustle with great potential!