Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the success that InventGeek has had. When I started this site it was to serve as a creative outlet for myself alone. But I quickly learned that there are many out there—fans and DIY enthusiasts alike—who share the same passion for tinkering and reinvention. What started as a personal blog became something much bigger than I ever anticipated.
Over the years, InventGeek has been featured on hundreds of websites, dozens of magazines, radio shows, and even television—all over the world. If it wasn’t for the larger sites embracing our projects early on, we definitely wouldn’t have reached as many people or had the opportunities that followed. The media coverage not only validated what we were doing but connected us with thousands of makers who went on to build, improve, and iterate on the projects we shared.
By The Numbers
- Featured on hundreds of websites across the globe with Hundreds of Millions of views!
- Published in dozens of magazines in 8+ countries
- Featured in several books on how to.
- An Authority and example of content under the topics of modding, making and DIY on wikipedia.
- Millions of page page views from readers worldwide
- Projects replicated and improved by thousands of DIY enthusiasts
- Winner of multiple innovation awards, and nominated for the TR35 Review.
Greatest Hits
Mac G3 to P4 Conversion The project that started it all. Written at 4AM and submitted to Slashdot during the height of the Mac-to-Intel rumors, this article went viral and put InventGeek on the map. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect—Mac announced their formal CPU switch just days later.
LCD Quick Fix One of our most impactful articles. This simple repair guide has helped thousands of people fix their LCD monitors instead of throwing them away. I still get emails weekly from people thanking us for saving them hundreds of dollars.
Breadbox LED Garden Concept A proof-of-concept that proved critics wrong and inspired real products. This project is now being manufactured by three companies worldwide—completely royalty-free for anyone to use and improve upon.
Algae Bioreactor An eco-friendly solution that earned awards and media attention for its innovative approach to sustainability. Featured across science and tech publications internationally.
Television & Radio
- KUTV News – Live interview showcasing maker projects
- Tom’s Hardware Radio – In-depth discussion on DIY innovation
- Radio America – National broadcast feature
Print Publications
- Make Magazine – Volume 24, October 2010
- PC Magazine – Multiple features (January & February 2006)
- Zeit Wissen – German Science Journal, February 2007
- Hardcore Gamer Magazine – March 2007
- High Tech Magazine – Ukrainian Edition, May 2006
- Tomorrow Magazine – Germany, June 2006
- Glamour Magazine – Italian Edition, May 2006
- PC World Magazine – Greek Edition
- City Weekly – 2010 Feature
- Business Week – Project coverage
- Book: “No Tech Hacking” – Unauthorized feature
Major Tech Sites
Slashdot, Engadget (US, China, & Japan), Gizmodo, Hackaday, Make, Cnet, Tom’s Hardware, Lifehacker, HardOCP, Oh Gizmo!, TechEBlog, Joystiq, Autoblog
And Hundreds More Including:
Hacked Gadgets • Digg • Microsoft.com • SciFi.com • UberGizmo • Trossen Robotics • HackNMod • Daily Hack • Askmen.com • PC Impact • GadgetBlog.it • IXBT.com • EverythingUSB • cnews.ru • GadgetZone.nl • Modmot1on.com • Panzar Cuccok • and many, many more across dozens of countries and languages.
The Real Impact
The media coverage was never the goal—it was just a byproduct of sharing what we loved to do. But looking back now, I can see how InventGeek changed lives in ways I never expected. Including my own.
The LCD fix alone has saved thousands of monitors from landfills and put money back in people’s pockets. The breadbox concept proved that a simple proof-of-concept, shared freely with the world, could inspire manufacturers to create real products—now being sold worldwide, completely royalty-free. Countless projects on this site have been replicated, improved upon, and taken in directions I never imagined.
But the real impact goes deeper than any single project. I’ve received emails from people who said InventGeek inspired them to start their own sites, launch their own businesses, or pursue careers in making and innovation. Some went on to create their own successful ventures. Others finally had the courage to share their work with the world, imperfections and all.
For me personally, InventGeek opened doors I never knew existed. It taught me that you don’t need to be perfect to make an impact—you just need to be genuine and willing to share. That lesson became the foundation for everything that followed: successful Kickstarters, multiple companies built and sold, and ultimately the financial freedom to give back through causes I care about. None of that would have happened without taking the leap to put my work out there in 2004.
InventGeek proved that when you follow your bliss and share it openly with the world, amazing things happen. Not just for you, but for everyone who connects with what you’re doing. That’s the legacy I’m most proud of—not the page views or magazine covers, but the chain reaction of inspiration and innovation that continues to ripple outward, even as the site sits mostly quiet today.
The maker community doesn’t need InventGeek to be active anymore. It just needed the spark to realize that their ideas, their tinkering, their imperfect attempts—all of it is worth sharing. And judging by the incredible things people are creating out there today, that message came through loud and clear.
