Pi-hole, Raspberry Pi, SparkFun, and 'Smart' Things
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Something I should’ve done a long time ago: Installing Pi-hole : Dissociated Press
Spent some quality Sunday time today refurbishing some older mini PCs that had been gathering dust so I could run a few personal projects. One of the projects I’ve had on my to-do list an embarrassingly long time is to set up Pi-hole for ad blocking / filtering. If I’d known it’d be that easy I’d have done it a long time ago!
I installed Pi-hole on an ancient Core i3 NUC with 8GB of RAM running Debian. It took about two minutes, five if you count reading some documentation and maybe seven minutes if you count logging into the admin interface and quickly setting my laptop and phone to use Pi-hole for testing.
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Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 review - HDR, autofocus, wide angle, and NoIR camera - CNX Software
A few days before launching the Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 with HDR and autofocus, Raspberry Pi Trading asked me whether I would be interested in reviewing the new modules, and sent me three samples: the standard module, the Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 Wide, as well as the NoIR version that lacks an IR filter and is better suited for night shots.
It took a full week for DHL to send the package to my house, but I’ve now had time to review the new Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3, mostly with libcamera, but also Picamera2, focusing on the new features such as HDR, autofocus, and wide angle. I also had a quick try at the Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 NoIR but without IR lights.
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How Cold Is It Out There?
Hello everyone, and welcome to another Friday Product Post here at SparkFun Electronics! This week, we have two new Qwiic Temperature Sensors for you in two form factors! Both of these boards feature the highly accurate STTS22H sensor from STMicroelectronics. These two boards are a great addition to the Qwiic Ecosystem and come in a Standard and Micro form-factor. Following that, we have an updated version of the classic SparkFun LiPo Fuel Gauge as well as a new SMA cable.
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Smart appliances could stop working after two years, says Which?
Smart appliances could stop working properly after just two years because manufacturers are failing to provide tech updates, according to Which?. Research by the consumer champion found products like expensive dishwashers, TVs, and washing machines - which might be expected to last more than a decade - are "being abandoned" by brands.
A lack of software support from firms means devices do not get updated.
The older they get, the risk of online hacking also increases, Which? says.
It found that "hardly any brands even came close to matching their expected lifespan" with their smart update policies, while others failed to respond when they were asked to clarify the length of support.
Products' operating systems need updates, because if support ends, then their functionality cannot improve. The updates also include security patches, which can fix flaws if any come to light.