Google Has a New App That Teaches You How to DIY Just About Everything
No matter what you love to DIY, there’s a good chance you have felt overwhelmed trying to find help online, especially for more elaborate cooking, crafting, or home projects. The geniuses at Google are here to save the day, because they’ve recently launched Tangi, a new app that lets users upload quick how-to videos in one place, helping to spark inspiration and also actually learn how to do stuff.
Described as a hybrid between Pinterest and Instagram mixed with short video sensations TikTok, Byte, and the now-defunct Vine, Google employee Coco Mao was inspired to create the app after visiting her parents in Shanghai and realizing they were watching a lot of how-to videos about painting and photography on their phone, even though she describes them as “smartphone challenged.”
Mao’s mom had stepped up her oil painting game thanks to the help of online videos, so she wanted to create a one-stop shop where “creative people can get new ideas and connect with other passionate people like them.” As she told TechCrunch, “We only focus on DIY and creativity content. Our platform’s goal is to help people learn to craft, cook and create with quick one-minute videos. We designed Tangi to make it easier for users to find a lot of high-quality how-to videos.”
Her team then developed Tangi, a name that combines the words “teach and give” and “tangible” — i.e. things you can make and tangibly hold in your hands. The app’s creators hope to focus on creativity and community, so they’ve been working with makers in all kinds of specialties, including art, DIY, cooking, fashion, beauty, and more.
By searching in the app, you will find videos that usually range in length from 45- to 60-seconds, and you can then share what you’ve worked on in the app’s “Try It” feature. You can save or “like” a video by tapping the heart button, which will then create a feed of all your “Liked” videos for later reference. One of the app’s most popular videos so far is this no-mess guacamole hack, which shows users how to make guac right in the shell of an avocado.
Of course, you can still search the web and other platforms, especially for more complex projects, but Mao hopes this will help inspire users to try something new. So far, Tangi is available as a website and an iOS app, and we imagine it’ll be available on Android devices soon. There’s a waitlist for those who want to upload their own videos onto the platform, but for now, it’s worth browsing to see what might inspire your next project.