External News

ThrustMaster Eswap X Pro review – is the future of controllers modular?

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Look, we exist. There are PC players who prefer a controller over a keyboard and mouse for the majority of games, particularly in titles like Rocket League or racing games. The high-end gamepad market has gained traction over the past few years, with customisation becoming a key feature as brands compete for our sweaty paws. The latest brand to toss its hat into the ring is Thrustmaster, and its candidate, the ThrustMaster Eswap X Pro, is a $160 / £150 Xbox and PC-compatible pad with a modular design. Could this make our list of the best PC controllers?

The standout feature of the Eswap X Pro controller is its modular ecosystem, which Thrustmaster coins ‘T-MOD’ – meaning the thumbsticks, D-pad, side grips, and triggers can all be swapped to different positions, and with the additional purchase of colour packs, you can also tweak change the look of the controller.

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The PiBoy CM4 & SRX Are Coming! New Pi Powered Handheld Leaked!

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In this video, we take a look at some new Raspberry Pi Powered Retro Handhelds that are probably coming soon or in the works! I received an email recently with some images of what seems to be a Raspberry CM4 handheld and a Raspberry Pi 4 handheld know as the PiBoy CM4x and The PiBoy XRS and these look amazing! Keep in mind I have no information on pricing or release dates but I wanted to share the information that has right now with anyone who is interested!

Researchers Find a Faster, More Efficient Way to 3D Print

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Two researchers at Penn State have created a new system for five-axis additive 3D-printing that reduces the amount and density of support materials needed for making printed objects.

In a paper entitled “Process planning for five-axis support free additive manufacturing,” doctoral candidates Xinyi Xiaoa and Sanjay Joshi proposed using a 3D printer with a movable build plate or extrusion arm to turn objects in 3D space as they’re printed, thereby making every surface “flat” as its being extruded.

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Zelda Ocarina Of Time Switch HD Remake Rumored For 2021

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Rumours of a Zelda Ocarina Of Time Switch game have the Retro Dodo team celebrating Christmas all over again.

Many Nintendo fans around the world are waiting patiently for a new Zelda game to drop, though there is a lot of speculation as to what that game could actually be.

After the mammoth success of Breath of the Wild, Nintendo will undoubtedly be working hard to get the new release ready for the Nintendo Switch Pro. Still, with the Legend of Zelda series approaching an important milestone, the chances of seeing Link in a classic remake on the Switch are increasing by the minute.

The Legend of Zelda celebrates its 35th Anniversary in 2021. Our readers know how big Nintendo went on Marketing Mario’s 35th Anniversary; from Super Mario Shoes to Legeo Super Mario sets, Mazza partied hard.

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LensLok – Early 80’s Anti-Piracy that frustrated | MVG

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In 1985, in an effort to combat software piracy. ASAP Developments invented the LensLok – a plastic lens in a foldaway frame.The LensLok device was essentially a row of prisms arranged vertically in a plastic holder. In this video we take a closer look at the LensLok to understand how it works, and why it ultimately failed as an anti-piracy device.

Back to the BBS – The return to being online (Part One)

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Bulletin Board Systems (BBS’s) were what people went online with before the web. This multi-part documentary shows you what BBS’s do, why they are still relevant and fun to use today. The documentary interviews some users and system operators, both young and old.
Crazy as it may sound, BBS’s are actually still around today and can be accessed via the net. BBS’s offer information and provide mail systems that are away from the prying eyes of Facebook and Google. They’re a very sociable place to be, with messaging & chat.
They have art unlike any you’ve ever seen and some really cool games and mods. Think of the best bits of E-mail, usenet, Reddit, Facebook Groups, filesharing and a few more besides. Package it all in one area, with a really cool retro aesthetic and you have a BBS.
People run BBS’s today because they are passionate about engaging in a community of people with similar ideals, something they won’t get anywhere else.

New Off-Grid Solar Inverter Design Reaches 99.5% Peak Efficiency

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Solar panels, while they can last for decades, can suffer from loss of efficiency when routed into your home. Instructables user MPaulHolmes has a fairly uncomplicated solution for off-grid solar systems to eliminate pulse width modulation, have bare minimum switching of the transistor, and maintain small total harmonic distortion.

The hardware requirements for this high-efficiency off-grid solar inverter are fairly simple — you will need to build a circuit that can independently control three separate H-bridges. The bill of materials for the prototype, as well as the software and schematic, are freely available should you contact the designer via email, or you can wait to purchase a newer version of the PCB that will soon be made public.

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