A vintage keyboard, a mysterious battery, and some questionable 1990s engineering choices...
For five years this classic keyboard has sat in my cupboard:
This is an Apple Extended Keyboard II, released 1990. This model is praised by keyboard nerds for its "clicky" mechanical ALPS switches and sturdy design.
This …
In Part 1 of "Inside a $34 Smartphone" we poked at the software side of the dirt cheap Huami H3 smartphone.
We now know the phone is a Spreadtrum SC6825 passing off as a MediaTek. Using fake branding that combines Huawei and Xiaomi into Huami - something less than either.
(Speak Russian? Vlad translated this post!)
This Huami H3 smartphone cost me $34US (210RMB) in January. It's sold with a 5 inch screen, Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G cell connectivity, Android 4.4 and an 8 core processor.
I picked it up in the electronics capital of the world - Shenzhen, China. My …
Decisions, Decisions...
"If I can buy a Raspberry Pi so cheaply, why would I ever use an Arduino for an electronics project?"
I often hear this from people who are new to embedded programming and electronics. This post is the first of two, aimed at beginners in the embedded world …
Earlier this month I was lucky enough to head over to Shenzhen, China, for Dangerous Prototypes' Hacker Camp and Maker Faire Shenzhen. I flew over with Jon Oxer (from Freetronics), and Mitch Davis (from Hackvana) was on our flight as well. Good Melbourne contingent!
Ian from Dangerous Prototypes has put …
Misappropriating discount store LEDs to improve the illumination in my microscope.
If "a poor workman blames his tools" then I am a poor workman when it comes to electronics. Every time I buy new equipment my soldering gets better - nicer soldering stations, different tips, decent magnification. Soldering under a microscope …
Taking apart a very cheap USB to Ethernet adapter and pondering on the parts found inside.
Here are two USB to Ethernet adapters:
One of them is sold on ebay for $3.85 AU ($3.99 US), including postage to Australia. The other is sold at Apple Stores for $29 …
Demo page with data from the last week in September
A few months ago, in the dead of Canberra winter, we discovered our flat had a mould problem. Insidious disgusting mould had crept in around our walls. Much scrubbing ensued.
Black mould found behind a cupboard - eww!
We bought a …