The best laptop Apple ever made

Today I posted a video titled The best laptop Apple ever made, and tl;dw1 it's the 11" MacBook Air.

I acknowledge in the video my pick is slightly subjective, and I also asked a number of other YouTubers which Mac laptop they consider the best (or at least most influential). If you don't want to watch the video, I'll summarize their choices here:

Certified Android devices won’t let users sideload APK app files anymore, or at least it won’t be straightforward

Google won’t allow people to (easily) sideload apps through APK files on certified Android devices starting in September 2026. It will still be possible, but either require “developer verification” and an “advanced flow” for power users. I was recently made aware of the issue after a BravePipe (previously BraveNewPipe) update, where I was greeted by a pop-up entitled “Keep Android Open” and linking to a website for more details. The “Keep Android Open” website explains that the following will be required to install and update an app (APK) on a certified device: Paying a fee to Google Agreeing to Google’s...

Радио почти из ничего — самодельные радиодетали 1920-х годов. Резисторы

Рассматривая любительские рукодельные электронные лампы, например, [1, 2], интересно и полезно будет вспомнить и об остальных радиоэлементах, изготовлять которые ранним любителям приходилось самостоятельно и собственноручно. Кроме естественных корпусов-ящиков и контурных катушек, дросселей, трансформаторов, коллеги-предки часто были вынуждены делать и почти всё остальное — как установочные элементы — ручки, верньеры, шкалы, клеммы, включатели-переключатели, ламповые панельки, так и радиоэлементы пассивные — резисторы и конденсаторы переменные и постоянные, диоды (детекторы и выпрямители), элементы питания, в том числе и анодные (а это на минуточку — 40…80 вольт!) батареи.

Добавим — всё это предлагалось собирать обычному увлечённому гражданину, юношеству, часто школьнику и из самых чепуховых, буквально подножных...

Как разгоняется электричка? Запускаем блок регулировки ускорения

Приветствую всех!

Раннее летнее утро, пригородная платформа на вокзале одного неназванного города. Пассажиры садятся в стоящую на пути электричку, занимают места и достают обязательную для любой поездки на железной дороге еду. В это время машинист готовится к отправлению, закрывает двери, отпускает тормоза и, наконец, переводит ручку контроллера в ходовое положение.

Казалось бы, всё просто, но многие даже не подозревают, сколько интересного в этот момент происходит. Итак, сегодня разберёмся, как всё это работает, как устроены отвечающие за это блоки и как сжатый воздух помогает электричке плавно трогаться. Заодно запустим один из блоков и увидим его в работе.

Enabling MediaTek M7902 WiFi and Bluetooth drivers on Ubuntu 24.04 the easy way

Last month, we noted that Mediatek MT7902 WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.x chipset finally got drivers in mainline Linux, and should be part of the Linux 7.0 release. MT7902 wireless modules are used in many Windows laptops, but users have been asking for the Linux drivers for almost two years now. One method is to wait for the drivers to find their way into your distribution, but “hmtheyboy154” didn’t feel like waiting and backported the drivers to Linux 6.6 to 6.19. Since I own one of those laptops, namely the ASUS Vivobook 16, I gave it a try on Ubuntu...

u-blox JODY-W6 – NXP IW623/AW693 tri-band Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4 LE audio modules

u-blox has expanded its JODY family of modules with the NXP IW623/AW693-based JODY-W6 series that adds tri-band Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4 (including LE Audio) in a single package. There are seven product variants across five main series models, mainly based on NXP’s IW623 chipset for professional use and the AW692/AW693 for automotive use. The modules are optimized for the parallel operation of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and target high-throughput, low-latency, and secure connectivity use cases such as industrial automation, healthcare systems, smart buildings, network infrastructure, and in-vehicle infotainment and telematics systems. It has a 15.6 × 19.8 mm LGA form...

Free Stuff - January 2026

The January 2026 recipient for the Great Scott Gadgets Free Stuff Program is Hank Fordham, a cybersecurity specialist and public speaker from Alberta, Canada! Hank, better known online as “Hank the Hacker” delivers live hacking demonstrations at conferences, higher education institutions, CTF competitions, and public sector events. We have sent Hank a HackRF One and YARD Stick One to use as core components of these demonstrations at upcoming conferences this year. He tells us that his presentations focus on demystifying wireless attacks by showing audiences how real-world RF threats work in practice. Rather than relying solely on slides, he builds...

Free Stuff - December 2025

The December 2025 recipient for the Great Scott Gadgets Free Stuff Program is Nikos Gerogiannakis, applying on behalf of the Epictetus Wireless Security & Signal Research Initiative at the Hellenic Mediterranean University. Nikos says that their group has established a solid foundation in digital signal analysis and embedded security through hands-on projects such as an FPGA-based logic analyzer and Smart Locker systems. With the HackRF One we have sent their way, the group plans to proactively audit systems like their RFID scanners, probing for real-world vulnerabilities such as signal replay to develop genuinely robust, open-source access controls. They also plan...

Self-Repair Guide for HackRF Pro USB-C Connector

Since HackRF Pro began shipping at the end of 2025, we have become aware of an ongoing issue with USB connectors on some units received by customers. Our engineering team has investigated further and discovered that the connector manufacturer changed tooling between our prototypes and full production, resulting in less reliable ground/shield contact. The next production round has started and we have corrected the issue by using a replacement part, so this issue should only affect units from the r1.2.1-p1 round.

If your HackRF Pro tends to lose USB connectivity easily when the USB cable is touched, first try a different...

Restoring an Xserve G5: When Apple built real servers

Recently I came into posession of a few Apple Xserves. The one in question today is an Xserve G5, RackMac3,1, which was built when Apple at the top—and bottom—of it's PowerPC era.

This isn't the first Xserve—that honor belongs to the G41. And it wasn't the last—there were a few generations of Intel Xeon-powered RackMacs that followed. But in my opinion, it was the most interesting.

Unfortunately, being manufactured in 2004, this Mac's Delta power supply suffers from the Capacitor Plague. The PSU tends to run hot, and some of the capacitors weren't even 105°C-rated, so they tend to wear out, especially...