Best of Hardware — August 2024

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    Article
    Avatar of infoworldInfoWorld·2y

    I switched to a vertical mouse and I’m never looking back. Here’s why.

    Vertical mice are designed to keep hands in a more natural 'handshake' position, reducing wrist and arm strain. They may take some time to get used to, but can significantly improve comfort and reduce repetitive stress injuries compared to conventional mice. With many options available at different price points, switching to a vertical mouse might be a worthwhile investment for those who spend long hours using a computer.

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    Video
    Avatar of twoninutepapersTwo Minute Papers·2y

    NVIDIA’s New AI: Game Changer!

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    Article
    Avatar of awegoAwesome Go·2y

    Building BLE Applications with BleuIO and Go

    This tutorial provides step-by-step guidance on building Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) applications using the BleuIO USB dongle and the Go programming language. It covers setting up the development environment, installing required packages, and writing a Go program to interact with the BLE dongle. Key features of BleuIO, including its easy-to-use AT Commands and cross-platform support, are also highlighted.

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    Article
    Avatar of lobstersLobsters·2y

    Kindle + Python = e-Ink Dashboard (part 1)

    Explore how to repurpose an old Kindle Paperwhite 3 into a low-power e-Ink dashboard by installing Python. The process involves jailbreaking the Kindle to allow custom software installations, setting up a launcher, and preparing scripts for the dashboard functionality. Detailed instructions for both software and serial/hardware jailbreak methods are provided, along with configuring essential files for a functioning KUAL extension.

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    Article
    Avatar of infoqInfoQ·2y

    What Can You Learn From the Fastest Code in the World?

    Explore various optimization techniques to enhance code speed, especially in networking scenarios where processing packets efficiently is critical. Techniques covered include inline functions, compiler optimizations, advanced data structures like Swiss Tables, interleaved processing to reduce cache misses, and loop unrolling. Practical examples are used to demonstrate how these methods can reduce processing time from 1000 clocks per packet to just 65 clocks. The importance of benchmarking and understanding trade-offs in optimizations is also highlighted.

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    Article
    Avatar of jeffgeerlingJeff Geerling·2y

    New 2GB Pi 5 has 33% smaller die, 30% idle power savings

    Raspberry Pi released a 2GB Pi 5 for $50, featuring a new BCM2712 D0 chip stepping which is 33% smaller and offers around 30% better idle power efficiency compared to older versions. Despite having less RAM, the new model shows significant improvements in chip size and power consumption. Overclocking tests reveal stability issues above 3.5 GHz, and direct die cooling presents marginal gains. Ultimately, the 2GB variant is a budget-friendly option as long as your applications don't require extensive memory.

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    Article
    Avatar of lobstersLobsters·2y

    Perfect NAS Solution

    The post explores an efficient and low-power NAS solution using a combination of different hardware, including the Silent Fanless Dell Wyse 3030 LT, HP EliteDesk 705 G4, and the GenMachine model Ren5000 with AMD Ryzen CPUs. The author emphasizes the importance of the price/performance ratio and details a backup strategy using the '4.1 - 2 - 1 - 1' rule, combining local, offsite, online, and offline backups to ensure data redundancy. Power management optimizations and the inclusion of an EATON 3S Mini UPS are also discussed.

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    Article
    Avatar of hnHacker News·2y

    DIY Raspberry Pi 1000 turns a Raspberry Pi 5 into a PC-in-a-keyboard

    Arnov Sharma created a PC-in-a-keyboard using a Raspberry Pi 5, called the Raspberry Pi 1000. The project involves using a membrane keyboard, custom 3D printed enclosure, a cooling fan, an M.2 Hat with a 128GB NVMe SSD, and a volume knob connected to a microcontroller. The PC can boot in 6 seconds and handle tasks like Minecraft and 4K video streaming. Detailed documentation including a parts list, CAD files, and code is available on Hackster.io.

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    Article
    Avatar of game_developersGame Developers·2y

    My Bluetooth Mouse is dead. A moment of silence.

    A tribute to a Bluetooth mouse that has 'transcended' beyond connectivity. It recounts the humorous and nostalgic journey of the lost peripheral, drawing comparisons to other legendary tech pitfalls. It ends on a hopeful note, offering assistance for finding new tech companions.

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    Article
    Avatar of hnHacker News·2y

    Understanding Wi-Fi 4/5/6/6E/7 (802.11 n/ac/ax/be)

    This post explains various Wi-Fi generations (Wi-Fi 4/5/6/6E/7) and their capabilities. The key highlights include understanding Wi-Fi's real-world throughput versus advertised speeds, the importance of client devices' capabilities in determining Wi-Fi performance, and how interference, distance, and marketing hype impact actual Wi-Fi speeds. Practical advice on choosing routers and optimizing Wi-Fi setup for better speed and range is also provided.

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    Video
    Avatar of youtubeYouTube·2y

    Time of Flight Sensor

    Time of Flight (ToF) sensors measure distances up to 2 meters with millimeter accuracy by emitting an invisible laser pulse and timing its reflection. Unlike ultrasonic sensors, ToF sensors are unaffected by surface material properties. These sensors are easy to wire with just four connections to a microcontroller and offer additional advanced features via GPIO and X shut pins. Despite a higher cost of $3 to $4, they provide superior precision.

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    Article
    Avatar of hnHacker News·2y

    ZitaoTech/Hackberry-Pi_Zero: A handheld Linux terminal using Raspberry pi Zero 2W as Core with 4' 720X720 TFT display

    The Hackberry Pi Zero is a handheld Linux terminal featuring a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, a 4' 720X720 TFT display, and a BlackBerry keyboard. The device includes dual swappable batteries, customizable keymaps, 3 USB2.0 ports, a Stemma I2C port, an external TF card slot, and supports various OS installations such as Kali, Raspberry Pi OS, and Retropi. The compact design measures 139.4x82x15.7mm and weighs about 151.7 grams without the battery.

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    Article
    Avatar of communityCommunity Picks·2y

    CL-32 Is a Modern Pocket-Sized, E Ink-Based Computer Powered by an ESP32-S3 — with a Retro Style

    The CL-32 is a new pocket-sized computer created by Peter Barker, featuring an ESP32-S3 microcontroller, E Ink display, and a 72-key keyboard. This retro-styled device is designed for low power usage and robustness in educational settings. The E Ink display provides clear readability and lower power consumption. The ESP32-S3 offers dual-core processing, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth support, with expansion options for further customization.

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    Article
    Avatar of jeffgeerlingJeff Geerling·2y

    Raspberry Pi Pico 2 - RP2350 adds more PIO, RISC-V cores

    The Raspberry Pi Pico 2, priced at $5, introduces the RP2350 chip, which significantly upgrades many features of its predecessor, the RP2040. Enhancements include an extra PIO, faster clock speeds, upgraded Arm Cortex M33 cores, and additional power-efficient RISC-V cores. The device offers increased GPIO pins, SRAM, and the addition of built-in flash variants. Despite the enhancements, it uses less power, which benefits battery-operated projects. The Pico 2 maintains the same form factor, enabling easy upgrades for existing projects.

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