Retrotechtacular: The Speaking Clock Goes Silent
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/retrotechtacular-the-speaking-clock-goes-silent/
It used to be that time was a lot more relative than it is today. With smartphones synced to GPS and network providers’ clocks, we all pretty much have access to an authoritative current time, giving few of us today the wiggle room to explain a tardy arrival at work …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/retrotechtacular-the-speaking-clock-goes-silent/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/retrotechtacular-the-speaking-clock-goes-silent/
It used to be that time was a lot more relative than it is today. With smartphones synced to GPS and network providers’ clocks, we all pretty much have access to an authoritative current time, giving few of us today the wiggle room to explain a tardy arrival at work …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/retrotechtacular-the-speaking-clock-goes-silent/)
Protect Your Batteries Before You Wreck Your Batteries
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/protect-your-batteries-before-you-wreck-your-batteries/
[Jan] is solving a problem many of us have had, deeply discharging our project’s batteries and potentially damaging the cells.
His board can handle batteries from 6 to 34 volts and supports both LiPo or Lion batteries. The board can be flexible about its cut-off voltage. It also has a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/protect-your-batteries-before-you-wreck-your-batteries/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/protect-your-batteries-before-you-wreck-your-batteries/
[Jan] is solving a problem many of us have had, deeply discharging our project’s batteries and potentially damaging the cells.
His board can handle batteries from 6 to 34 volts and supports both LiPo or Lion batteries. The board can be flexible about its cut-off voltage. It also has a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/protect-your-batteries-before-you-wreck-your-batteries/)
RPi4: Now Overclocked, Net-Booted, and Power-Sipping
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/rpi4-now-overclocked-net-booted-and-power-sipping/
It has now been a few months since the launch of the Raspberry Pi 4, and it would only be fair to describe the launch as “rocky”. While significantly faster than the Pi 3 on paper, its propensity for overheating would end up throttling down the CPU clock even with …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/rpi4-now-overclocked-net-booted-and-power-sipping/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/rpi4-now-overclocked-net-booted-and-power-sipping/
It has now been a few months since the launch of the Raspberry Pi 4, and it would only be fair to describe the launch as “rocky”. While significantly faster than the Pi 3 on paper, its propensity for overheating would end up throttling down the CPU clock even with …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/rpi4-now-overclocked-net-booted-and-power-sipping/)
Syringes Become Rockets In This Flying Build
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/syringes-becomes-rockets-in-this-flying-build/
Syringes have all kinds of useful applications in the workshop, from injecting fluids to helping pick up tiny components. There’s always room for a bit of levity however, and [Tom Stanton] decided to have a play with some syringe rocket builds.
The basic idea involves blocking the end of a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/syringes-becomes-rockets-in-this-flying-build/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/syringes-becomes-rockets-in-this-flying-build/
Syringes have all kinds of useful applications in the workshop, from injecting fluids to helping pick up tiny components. There’s always room for a bit of levity however, and [Tom Stanton] decided to have a play with some syringe rocket builds.
The basic idea involves blocking the end of a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/syringes-becomes-rockets-in-this-flying-build/)
Multimeter Display Perked Up With Nixies, LEDs, And Neon Tubes
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/multimeter-display-perked-up-with-nixies-leds-and-neon-tubes/
Just because something is newer than something else doesn’t automatically make it better. Of course the opposite is also true, but when it comes to displays on bench multimeters, a fancy LCD display is no guarantee of legibility. Take the Hewlett Packard HP 3478A multimeter; the stock transflective display with …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/multimeter-display-perked-up-with-nixies-leds-and-neon-tubes/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/multimeter-display-perked-up-with-nixies-leds-and-neon-tubes/
Just because something is newer than something else doesn’t automatically make it better. Of course the opposite is also true, but when it comes to displays on bench multimeters, a fancy LCD display is no guarantee of legibility. Take the Hewlett Packard HP 3478A multimeter; the stock transflective display with …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/multimeter-display-perked-up-with-nixies-leds-and-neon-tubes/)
Amstrad Portable Gets A Modern LCD Transplant
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/amstrad-portable-gets-a-modern-lcd-transplant/
Playing classic games on the real hardware is an experience many of us enjoy, but sometimes the hardware is just a bit too retro for modern sensibilities. A case in point is the miserable monochrome LCD that was originally installed in the Amstrad PPC640 portable 8086 PC that [Drygol] recently …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/amstrad-portable-gets-a-modern-lcd-transplant/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/amstrad-portable-gets-a-modern-lcd-transplant/
Playing classic games on the real hardware is an experience many of us enjoy, but sometimes the hardware is just a bit too retro for modern sensibilities. A case in point is the miserable monochrome LCD that was originally installed in the Amstrad PPC640 portable 8086 PC that [Drygol] recently …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/30/amstrad-portable-gets-a-modern-lcd-transplant/)
Be Anyone or Anything with Facial Projection Mask
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/be-anyone-or-anything-with-facial-projection-mask/
In the market for a low-poly change to your look? Hate the idea of showing up for a costume party only to find out someone is wearing the same mask as you? Then this face changing front-projection mask may be just the thing for you.
To be honest, we’re not …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/be-anyone-or-anything-with-facial-projection-mask/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/be-anyone-or-anything-with-facial-projection-mask/
In the market for a low-poly change to your look? Hate the idea of showing up for a costume party only to find out someone is wearing the same mask as you? Then this face changing front-projection mask may be just the thing for you.
To be honest, we’re not …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/be-anyone-or-anything-with-facial-projection-mask/)
Building an Open Hardware eBook Reader
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/building-an-open-hardware-ebook-reader/
On the whole, hackers aren’t overly fond of other people telling them what they can and cannot do with the hardware or software they’ve purchased. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more difficult to avoid DRM and other Draconian rules and limitations as time goes on. Digital “eBooks” and the devices …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/building-an-open-hardware-ebook-reader/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/building-an-open-hardware-ebook-reader/
On the whole, hackers aren’t overly fond of other people telling them what they can and cannot do with the hardware or software they’ve purchased. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more difficult to avoid DRM and other Draconian rules and limitations as time goes on. Digital “eBooks” and the devices …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/building-an-open-hardware-ebook-reader/)
Linux’s Marketing Problem
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/linuxs-marketing-problem/
The cult classic movie Office Space is a scathing critique of life for software engineers in a cubicle farm, and it did get a lot of things right even if it didn’t always mean to. One of those is the character of Tom Smykowski whose job is to “deal with …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/linuxs-marketing-problem/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/linuxs-marketing-problem/
The cult classic movie Office Space is a scathing critique of life for software engineers in a cubicle farm, and it did get a lot of things right even if it didn’t always mean to. One of those is the character of Tom Smykowski whose job is to “deal with …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/linuxs-marketing-problem/)
High-Precision Air Bearing CNC Lathe and Grinder
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/high-precision-air-bearing-cnc-lathe-and-grinder/
You know you’re in for a treat when you are told that a lathe which can reach a resolution of one micrometer (1×10−6, a millionth of a meter, or 0.00004″ for people who love zeros) is ‘not hard to build’. This is one of the opening statements …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/high-precision-air-bearing-cnc-lathe-and-grinder/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/high-precision-air-bearing-cnc-lathe-and-grinder/
You know you’re in for a treat when you are told that a lathe which can reach a resolution of one micrometer (1×10−6, a millionth of a meter, or 0.00004″ for people who love zeros) is ‘not hard to build’. This is one of the opening statements …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/high-precision-air-bearing-cnc-lathe-and-grinder/)
Saintcon Badge is an Enigma No More
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/saintcon-badge-is-an-enigma-no-more/
Through the weekend Twitter has been a-titter with news coming out of Saintcon, the annual security conference in Provo, Utah. Now that the weekend is over we can finally get our hands on full hardware and software sources for the curvy, LED-covered badge we’ve been salivating over and a write …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/saintcon-badge-is-an-enigma-no-more/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/saintcon-badge-is-an-enigma-no-more/
Through the weekend Twitter has been a-titter with news coming out of Saintcon, the annual security conference in Provo, Utah. Now that the weekend is over we can finally get our hands on full hardware and software sources for the curvy, LED-covered badge we’ve been salivating over and a write …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/saintcon-badge-is-an-enigma-no-more/)
Superconference Interview: Ted Yapo
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/superconference-interview-ted-yapo/
We’re just two weeks away from the fifth annual Hackaday Superconference, the single biggest gathering of hardware enthusiasts on at least one continent. It’s gearing up to be great, and we’re super excited for the opportunity to bring you such a diverse array of talks, workshops, and more.
What makes …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/superconference-interview-ted-yapo/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/superconference-interview-ted-yapo/
We’re just two weeks away from the fifth annual Hackaday Superconference, the single biggest gathering of hardware enthusiasts on at least one continent. It’s gearing up to be great, and we’re super excited for the opportunity to bring you such a diverse array of talks, workshops, and more.
What makes …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/superconference-interview-ted-yapo/)
Bee Minder Proves Not Even Bees are Safe From Surveillance States
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/bee-minder-proves-not-even-bees-are-safe-from-surveillance-states/
We all know how important bees are to our ecosystems and [Kris Winer]’s bee monitor provides a great way to monitor these amazing but delicate creature’s habitats, hopefully alerting us before a disaster strikes a vital hive.
The board is based around LoRa sensor tile called Cicada but redesigned to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/bee-minder-proves-not-even-bees-are-safe-from-surveillance-states/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/bee-minder-proves-not-even-bees-are-safe-from-surveillance-states/
We all know how important bees are to our ecosystems and [Kris Winer]’s bee monitor provides a great way to monitor these amazing but delicate creature’s habitats, hopefully alerting us before a disaster strikes a vital hive.
The board is based around LoRa sensor tile called Cicada but redesigned to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/bee-minder-proves-not-even-bees-are-safe-from-surveillance-states/)
Five Channel Monitor Keeps Boat Batteries Shipshape
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/five-channel-monitor-keeps-boat-batteries-shipshape/
While those of us stuck sailing desks might not be able to truly appreciate the problem, [Timo Birnschein] was tired of finding that some of the batteries aboard his boat had gone flat. He wanted some way to check the voltage on all of the the batteries in the system …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/five-channel-monitor-keeps-boat-batteries-shipshape/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/five-channel-monitor-keeps-boat-batteries-shipshape/
While those of us stuck sailing desks might not be able to truly appreciate the problem, [Timo Birnschein] was tired of finding that some of the batteries aboard his boat had gone flat. He wanted some way to check the voltage on all of the the batteries in the system …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/five-channel-monitor-keeps-boat-batteries-shipshape/)
Fresh-Squeezed OJ Served In Orange Peel-Ay
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/fresh-squeezed-oj-served-in-orange-peel-ay/
Though it’s really more apple cider weather here at Hackaday HQ, freshly-squeezed OJ is a treat that knows no season. Sure generates a lot of peel, though. Not something you think about when you’re used to buying it in jugs at the grocery store. What a waste, huh?
Italian design …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/fresh-squeezed-oj-served-in-orange-peel-ay/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/fresh-squeezed-oj-served-in-orange-peel-ay/
Though it’s really more apple cider weather here at Hackaday HQ, freshly-squeezed OJ is a treat that knows no season. Sure generates a lot of peel, though. Not something you think about when you’re used to buying it in jugs at the grocery store. What a waste, huh?
Italian design …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/fresh-squeezed-oj-served-in-orange-peel-ay/)
Stereolithography Goes Big
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/stereolithography-goes-big/
When it comes to hobby-level 3D printing, most of us use plastic filament deposited by a hot end. Nearly all the rest are using stereolithography — projecting light into a photosensitive resin. Filament printers have typical build volumes ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 cubic centimeters and even larger isn’t unusual. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/stereolithography-goes-big/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/stereolithography-goes-big/
When it comes to hobby-level 3D printing, most of us use plastic filament deposited by a hot end. Nearly all the rest are using stereolithography — projecting light into a photosensitive resin. Filament printers have typical build volumes ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 cubic centimeters and even larger isn’t unusual. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/stereolithography-goes-big/)
BEAM Dragonfly Causes A Flap
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/beam-dragonfly-causes-a-flap/
Normal people throw away stuff when it breaks. But not people like us. Or, apparently, [NanoRobotGeek]. A cheap robotic dragonfly died, and he cannibalized it for robot parts. But he kept the gearbox hoping to build a new dragonfly and, using some brass rod, he did just that.
The dragonfly’s …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/beam-dragonfly-causes-a-flap/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/beam-dragonfly-causes-a-flap/
Normal people throw away stuff when it breaks. But not people like us. Or, apparently, [NanoRobotGeek]. A cheap robotic dragonfly died, and he cannibalized it for robot parts. But he kept the gearbox hoping to build a new dragonfly and, using some brass rod, he did just that.
The dragonfly’s …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/beam-dragonfly-causes-a-flap/)
Symbiflow Open Source FPGA toolchain
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/symbiflow-open-source-fpga-toolchain/
Anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of programming FPGAs knows that it’s a land of proprietary tools that almost require marriage level commitment to a specific platform to be effective. Symbiflow hopes to solve this by becoming the GCC of FPGAs.
Rather than a tool built around a specific chip …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/symbiflow-open-source-fpga-toolchain/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/symbiflow-open-source-fpga-toolchain/
Anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of programming FPGAs knows that it’s a land of proprietary tools that almost require marriage level commitment to a specific platform to be effective. Symbiflow hopes to solve this by becoming the GCC of FPGAs.
Rather than a tool built around a specific chip …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/symbiflow-open-source-fpga-toolchain/)
Raspberry Pi NAS Makes Itself at Home In Donor PC
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/raspberry-pi-nas-makes-itself-at-home-in-donor-pc/
It’s safe to say that most of us have at least one Raspberry Pi hanging from a USB cable someplace, silently hammering away at some unglamorous task that you’d rather not do on a “real” computer. With as cheap as they are, it’s not like there’s a big concern about …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/raspberry-pi-nas-makes-itself-at-home-in-donor-pc/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/raspberry-pi-nas-makes-itself-at-home-in-donor-pc/
It’s safe to say that most of us have at least one Raspberry Pi hanging from a USB cable someplace, silently hammering away at some unglamorous task that you’d rather not do on a “real” computer. With as cheap as they are, it’s not like there’s a big concern about …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/raspberry-pi-nas-makes-itself-at-home-in-donor-pc/)
This Week in Security: Project Zero’s iPhone, BBC The Onion, Rooting Androids, and More
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/this-week-in-security-project-zeros-iphone-bbc-the-onion-rooting-androids-and-more/
The always interesting Project Zero has a pair of stories revolving around security research itself. The first, from this week, is all about one man’s quest to build a debug iPhone for research. [Brandon Azad] wanted iOS debugging features like single-stepping, turning off certain mitigations, and using the LLDB debugger. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/this-week-in-security-project-zeros-iphone-bbc-the-onion-rooting-androids-and-more/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/this-week-in-security-project-zeros-iphone-bbc-the-onion-rooting-androids-and-more/
The always interesting Project Zero has a pair of stories revolving around security research itself. The first, from this week, is all about one man’s quest to build a debug iPhone for research. [Brandon Azad] wanted iOS debugging features like single-stepping, turning off certain mitigations, and using the LLDB debugger. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/01/this-week-in-security-project-zeros-iphone-bbc-the-onion-rooting-androids-and-more/)