Building an Integrated, Automatic AirPlay Turntable

Want to stream your vinyl to AirPlay speakers without extra boxes or messy cables?This project shows how to convert a fully automatic 1980s Technics turntable into a self-contained AirPlay streamer …

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Anthropic’s open-source Claude Desktop Buddy turns ESP32-S3 devices into interactive AI desk companions

Anthropic has opened its Claude Hardware Interface (Bluetooth API) to developers, enabling an ESP32-S3-based desk companion to connect directly to the Claude desktop app over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). To demonstrate this new feature, the company released an open-source reference project called Claude Desktop Buddy. It currently runs on the M5StickC Plus (an ESP32-based board from M5Stack, about $30 on AliExpress and Amazon) and works as a small interactive hardware companion for Claude. Also, during the recent “Build with Claude” event, the company recommended the ESP32-S3-based M5Stack Cardputer as one of the best hardware options for developers who want to...

PENOX WristBuds – A Bluetooth 6.0 smartwatch with integrated TWS earbuds (Crowdfunding)

PENOX WristBuds is a 2-in-1 rugged Bluetooth 6.0 smartwatch with integrated TWS earbuds, eliminating the need for a separate charging case. Designed for outdoor enthusiasts and the “zero-clutter mobility” market. The watch is built around a Bluetrum AB5681G RISC-V smartwatch MCU managing both the smartwatch interface and audio synchronization. The device sports a large 2.1-inch IPS display with a 320×390 resolution and is housed in a CNC-machined zinc alloy body. But what’s interesting about this is its mechanical, spring-loaded “Pop & Snap” design that houses the TWS earbuds inside the watch, and eliminates the need for a separate charging case....

Радио почти из ничего. Самодельные радиодетали 1920-х. Детекторы

В продолжение путешествия к истокам радио (самодельные резисторы 1920-х [1], самодельные конденсаторы 1920-х [2]) мы с тобой, дорогой читатель, обратим свой взгляд на тогдашние детекторы — важнейший элемент любого долампового радио, выделяющий из радиочастотных колебаний звуковой сигнал. Какие же существовали материалы и конструкции детекторов, пригодных для изготовления скудными средствами среднестатистического энтузиаста-любителя радио? Чем последнего, в этом смысле могла порадовать отечественная промышленность? Во времена, когда ещё не существовало готовых фабричных элементов-полупроводников, когда самым сложным инструментом в арсенале радиомастера, вероятнее всего, мог быть простой электрический паяльник, да и само сетевое электричество водилось не во всяком доме.

M5Stack PaperColor ESP32-S3 devkit features 4-inch E Ink Spectra 6 color display

M5Stack PaperColor, or M5Paper Color, is an ESP32-S3 development kit with a 4-inch E Ink Spectra 6 full-color display with a resolution of 600×400, designed to offer both low power consumption and high visibility under strong lights. While the color ePaper display is the start of the show, the devkit also features a microSD card slot for storage, a microphone with echo cancellation, a 1W speaker, a temperature & humidity sensor, a few buttons, two RGB LEDs, an IR transmitter, and a Grove connector for expansion. With regards to power, a 1250 mAh battery is included, rechargeable through the device’s...

Форвард-М. Странный домофон со странными функциями

Приветствую всех!

Пожалуй, самыми странными среди домофонов являются не какие-то раритетные экземпляры с оптическими или магнитными ключами, а «локальные» модели, выпускавшиеся одним предприятием для одного города или региона. В самом деле, столь странных конструктивных решений, какие встречаются там, порой не встретить больше нигде. Про пару таких девайсов я уже рассказывал, и вот ко мне попал очередной — некий «Форвард» весьма странного вида и с не менее странной схемотехникой.

Итак, в сегодняшней статье посмотрим на один из самых распространённых в Сибири домофонов. Заодно узнаем, зачем в нём RTC и батарейка, как его оживить и что ещё отличает его от привычных нам...

Start9 RISC-V Router features SpacemiT K1 SoC, runs StartWRT OpenWrt fork (Crowdfunding)

Start9’s “RISC-V Router” is powered by a SpacemiT K1 octa-core RISC-V processor paired with 4GB RAM and 16GB eMMC flash, and offers dual GbE networking, as well as an AsiaRF AW7915-NP1 WiFi 6 4T4R module enabling up to 2401 Mbps combined data link. It’s not exactly a high-end router, but Start9 claims it is the “most open router on the market” thanks to its RISC-V processor, OpenSBI open-source boot stack, and StartWrt operating system, a fork of OpenWrt. Start9 router specifications: SoC – SpacemiT K1 CPU – 8-core X60 RISC-V processor with single-core performance equivalent to about 1.3x the performance...

M5Stack PaperColor is an ESP32-S3 dev kit with Spectra 6 e-paper panel

M5Stack has introduced the PaperColor, a compact development board built around the ESP32-S3R8 processor and a 4-inch Spectra 6 full-color e-paper display. The platform combines wireless connectivity, onboard sensors, audio hardware, battery operation, and expansion interfaces for low-power IoT and embedded display applications. The system is based on the ESP32-S3R8 SoC featuring dual Xtensa LX7 […]

Yocto Project 6.0 “Wrynose” released with Linux 6.18 LTS

The Yocto Project 6.0, codenamed “Wrynose”, has just been released with Linux 6.18 LTS, about two years after Yocto Project 5.0 “Scarthgap” release with Linux 6.6 LTS. Over 240 contributors submitted over 4000 commits since the previous Yocto 5.3 “Whinlatter” minor release of the popular framework used to create custom embedded Linux distributions. Yocto Wrynose is a Long Term Support (LTS) release, which will be supported until at least April 2030. The project’s developers especially highlight these 4 years of support, improved SBOM and CVE tracking features, and more secure defaults to ease compliance with the upcoming EU Cyber Resilience...

PortaRF single board SDR mixes HackRF One and PortaPack H4M hardware, adds AI voice control

Designed by OpenSourceSDRLab, the PortaRF is an open-source software-defined radio (SDR) that integrates HackRF One and the PortaPack H4M into a single device. It’s a standalone device that supports transmitting and receiving radio signals from 1 MHz to 6 GHz. Traditionally, a portable HackRF setup meant stacking a PortaPack on top of the main board. PortaRF replaces this with a single PCB, making it more compact, easier to use, and with improved signal quality. It also adds a larger display, more flash, and a bigger battery. PortaRF specifications: MCU – NXP LPC432 dual core ARM Cortex M4/M0 (LPC4320FBD144) microcontroller CPLD Xilinx...