Open Hardware/Modding: Pine64, Arduino, and More
-
Linux Gizmos ☛ Cubie A5E with 4K Video Support and M.2 NVMe SSD Now Available for Preorder
Radxa recently launched the Cubie A5E, a compact single-board computer measuring just 56 mm x 69 mm. Designed for both consumer and industrial use, it combines 4K video support, AI vision capabilities, and efficient processing in a portable form factor.
-
CNX Software ☛ Review of SMARTHON Smart City IoT Starter Kit for BillBC Micro:bit
SMARTHON Smart City IoT Starter Kit for micro:bit is an educational kit for 10+ years old teaching basic projects from turning an LED to more complex projects with multiple sensors, IFTTT integration, and mobile app development. The company sent us a sample of the Start Kit along with a BillBC Micro:bit board for review, and we’ll report our experience with the kit in this review. Unboxing of SMARTHON Smart City IoT Starter Kit for micro:bit The package I received includes the SMARTHON Smart City IoT Starter Kit for Micro:bit and a BillBC Micro:bit V2 board since it’s not included in the starter kit.
-
CNX Software ☛ Morse Micro MM8108 WiFi HaLow SoC supports up to 43.33 Mbps transfer rate, improves range and power efficiency
Morse Micro MM8108 is a new WiFi HaLow (802.11ah) SoC with a throughput of up to 43.33 Mbps, and improved range and power efficiency compared to its predecessor the Morse Micro MM6108 introduced in 2022 and supporting up to 32.3 Mbps transfer rate.
-
Ruben Schade ☛ Part four: Installing an SSD in our PlayStation 3 Slim
It was embarrassingly recently when I realised the PlayStation 3 (and 4) had hard drives. My brain was firmly in late 2010s mode, and assumed they had flash storage when their capacities were reported. Derp! For someone who worries about data integrity and longevity, I wanted to see how easy it was to swap these out with SSDs. Turns out, it was easier than I expected.
-
[Repeat] Arduino ☛ This maker designed a custom flight controller for his supercapacitor-powered drone
The job of the flight controller is directing power from the supercapacitors to the motors (brushed DC motors, in this case) in a very precise manner. An Arduino Nano 33 IoT board oversees that process and The Tinkering Techie chose it because it has onboard sensors useful for a quadcopter, including a gyroscope and an accelerometer. A custom PCB hosts the Arduino and the supercapacitors, while a simple 3D-printed frame ties everything together.
-
Arduino ☛ This robot can dynamically change its wheel diameter to suit the terrain
A vehicle’s wheel diameter has a dramatic effect on several aspects of performance. The most obvious is gearing, with larger wheels increasing the ultimate gear ratio — though transmission and transfer case gearing can counteract that. But wheel size also affects mobility over terrain, which is why Gourav Moger and Huseyin Atakan Varol’s prototype mobile robot, called Improbability Roller, has the ability to dynamically alter its wheel diameter.
-
Pine64 ☛ January Update: Thinking Out Of The Vox - PINE64
This month we report on some news concerning the PineVox, what the community have been up to with their PineNotes and the brand-new 1.15 InfiniTime update. We would like to wish our community a happy New Year and hope you all had a good end of 2024.
But since it’s now the beginning of 2025, we’d like to fill you in on what we have planned for the first part of the year.
We plan to release the PineVox to the public thanks to Gamiee’s recent progress and we plan to continue improving the software for the PineNote, thanks to Maximilian, Diederik and our testers in the community. We have some exciting devices coming as well, mentioned in previous community updates. The PineCam and StarPro64 have been sent to developers in our community, so we hope to report on these devices in the coming months.
-
Silicon Angle ☛ Apple devices at risk after security researcher hacks ACE3 USB-C controller
Apple Inc. users are facing new security risks after a security researcher successfully hacked Apple’s proprietary ACE3 USB-C controller, a critical component responsible for managing charging and data transfer on Apple’s latest devices.
First revealed at the 38th Chaos Communication Congress at the end of December but with details only recently announced, the ability to breach Apple’s security highlights significant vulnerabilities in Apple’s USB-C implementation and rightly raises concerns about user data security and device integrity.
-
The Drone Girl ☛ Drone repair or replacement: what's better for a damaged drone?
Drone owners face a tough decision when their equipment is damaged: is it worth repairing, or should you invest in a brand-new model? Buying a new drone is almost certainly easier than first diagnosing the problem, sending in your drone and waiting out the repair. Plus, there’s not always a guarantee that the repair will be the best option. But at the same time, a drone repair can often save money — at least if done correctly.
Here’s how to evaluate whether a drone repair or replacement is the best choice for you.
-
[Repeat] Tom's Hardware ☛ Maker builds a Raspberry Pi 5 powered stereoscopic 3D video camera
Recording things in 3D is no longer relegated to the world of professional videographers. Today, with a little bit of effort, you can engineer a stereoscopic camera from scratch using off-the-shelf parts and a Raspberry Pi. That's exactly what maker and developer Sridhar Rajagopal has done with this impressive Raspberry Pi-powered stereoscopic 3D camera project. This camera lets you both record and stream 3D videos in real time using our favorite SBC.
-
Tom's Hardware ☛ Maker designs custom Raspberry Pi 5 case using CNC machined aluminum for the ultimate cooling
Ideatracker took matters into their own hands by designing and creating a solid aluminum Raspberry Pi case from scratch and manufacturing it with a CNC machine.
-
Hackaday ☛ Raspberry Pi Hack Chat With Eben Upton
Join us on Wednesday, January 15 at noon Pacific for the Raspberry Pi Hack Chat with Eben Upton!