Hasta La Gadget!

If a seemingly infinitely programmable mini computer like the Raspberry Pi is just too… limiting, we’ve got good news: the Gertboard extender has started shipping. The $48 companion board reaching customers’ doorsteps converts analog to digital and back for Raspberry Pi fans developing home automation, robotics and just about anything else that needs a translation between the computing world and less intelligent objects. The one catch, as you’d sometimes expect from a homebrew project, is the need for some assembly — you’ll have to solder together Gert van Loo’s Arduino-controlled invention on your own. We imagine the DIY crowd won’t mind, though, as long as they can find the fast-selling Gertboard in the first place.

[Image credit: Stuart Green, Flickr]

Filed under: Misc

Gertboard extender for Raspberry Pi ships to advanced tinkerers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 03:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quite possibly the two greatest things in the world — beer and Arduino — have been married once again in a hack does them both justice. Accomplished maker and alcohol enthusiast Jeff Karpinski turned a spare Uno and an Ethernet shield into a gadget that automatically checks him in on Untappd. The build is connected to his kegerator through a hall-effect flow sensor that sits in his tap lines. Every time he pulls himself a pint of homebrew, the Aruino makes an API call to the so-called Foursquare for beer nerds, and updates his profile. Obviously, publishing to the site every time the keg is tapped could get messy, so there’s an automatic five minute time out to avoid getting repeat hits just for topping off. There’s also a button that manually engages the five minute lock out, allowing Jeff to pour his buddies a cold one without claiming the drink for himself on Untappd. And updating is a snap thanks to the simple web server that’s integrated. Changing what beer is on tap in the API call is as simple as opening a web browser. Interested in upgrading your own kegerator? Check out the source link for complete instructions and a parts list.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Internet

Arduino Kegerator hack checks in your homebrews on Untappd originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big PC companies are often seen as being at odds with the concept of custom-built computers: apart from letting us tick a few checkboxes before we order, they’d rather we not fiddle with the internals. Fujitsu is breaking the mold and embracing some of that DIY culture with its upcoming Hands-on Custom PC Assembly Service. The Japanese can take classes that teach them how to install their picks (from a limited range) of processors, hard drives and RAM. While the program doesn’t start completely from scratch — the motherboard is already installed — it takes would-be assemblers through many of the experiences of building their own PCs from the ground up. Builders can choose how many components, if they’re not quite so ambitious, and learn smart practices like wearing anti-static wristbands. While there won’t be as many unintentional jolts of electricity as the real deal, the courses should help PC owners feel comfortable working inside a computer — not to mention save Fujitsu a few technical support calls. The variable-price courses start in Japan on August 9th for multiple Esprimo desktops and a LifeBook portable. We can only hope that American PC vendors take a few hints and encourage everyone’s inner technician.

Fujitsu starts build-it-yourself PC service, lets you go homebrew without the electrical shocks originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 10:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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