Technology

ESP32-C3 WiFi & BLE RISC-V processor is pin-to-pin compatible with ESP8266

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When we reported about ESP32-S2-MINI modules last September, we also noted Espressif teased us with ESP32-S3 and ESP32-C3 with close to no details. ESP32-S3 is expected to be a multi-core WiFI & Bluetooth processor with AI instructions/accelerator, but there were no details about ESP32-C3 at all, and we only found out it would be a RISC-V processor several weeks ago.

But Twitter user Johnny Wu posted a screenshot in Chinese and its translation claiming ESP32-C3 was finally released by Espressif Systems. [Update: The datasheet has been released. See comments.]

ESP32-C3 WiSoC is pin to pin compatible with ESP8266, works with ESP32 development framework (e.g. ESP-IDF), supports Wi-Fi & Bluetooth LE 5.0 connectivity, and integrates 400KB SRAM & 384KB ROM. It features a single32-bit RISC-V (RV32IMC) core @ 160 MHz, and consume as little as 5uA in deep sleep mode. Pricing will also be similar to ESP8266.

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MeLE PCGO 2 It’s A Fanless Mini PC Stick With 8GB Of Ram!

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In this video, we test out the all new MeLE PCGO2, A Fanless Mini PC Stick with 8GB of Ram and powered by the Intel Celeron J4125 CPU! Capable of 4K resolutions and it runs Windows 10, Linux, and even Android On paper this looks like a nice little totally silent Mini Stick PC but how does it really perform? IS it any better than the Chuwi LarkBox or the Lark Box Pro? test out some 4k video playback from YouTube and PLEX and finally wrap it up with some PC gaming with games like Sky rim, Overwatch, and even CS-GO.
SO is it worth buying? Let’s find out

Web the RIPper

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Most people remember bulletin board systems as having chunky text-based graphics. One developer tried fixing that, but RIPscrip ran head-first into the web.

Today in Tedium: Bulletin boards, love them or hate them, quickly became relics of their time for a few reasons. One of the most visible, for obvious reasons, was the graphics. Say what you will about the gracefulness of a text interface with colorful ANSI graphics, but for many consumers, it could simply not compete with the literal photos and graphical user interfaces of the World Wide Web. Bulletin board operators, some of whom had built out sizable businesses around their onetime hobbies, were aware of this problem, though, and were trying to help build a second life for their systems that modernized them for the next generation. And that meant getting graphical. Problem was, the digital climate was moving too fast even for nice graphics. Today’s Tedium talks about efforts to give BBSes graphics and why RIPscrip, as the most popular effort was called, might have been secretly ahead of its time.

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The GPRino is a $300 ground penetrating radar

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Ground penetrating radar systems, which can be used to sense the density of objects under the Earth, are normally seen as a fairly exotic piece of equipment. Naturally, such devices cost thousands of dollars. Mirel Paun’s “GPRino” prototype, though, aims to accomplish this viewing task for the comparatively paltry sum of $300.

The GPRino uses antipodal Vivaldi antennas to see into the ground, under control of an Arduino Mega. Onboard visualization is handled by an LCD shield, and collected data can also be transmitted to a PC for further analysis.

Arduino Portenta + STEMMA Cable = PorSTEMMA

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We wanted to try out the Arduino Portenta that has arrived, and what better way than to test it out with our STEMMA QT boards? There’s a 5 pin expansion port, which exposes the I2C pins and power+ground. Using our handy MKR to STEMMA cable https://www.adafruit.com/product/4483 we can plug in any of our 50+ sensors and displays. Here we show how adding an OLED and IMU is plug-n-play trivial and our examples just work!

Slingbox server shutdown will kill every box in two years

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Before streaming video from the cloud was a normal thing, a Slingbox was the best way to access TV from anywhere. Just plug one of their transcoders into your antenna or cable box, plug in the internet, and it provided a stream you could watch at work, and eventually, on your phone. As CEO Blake Krikorian explained to Engadget just after it launched in 2005, the concept was that while TiVo enabled time shifting, Slingbox could do placeshifting.

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The STRENGTH of 3D prints REMELTED in SALT

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Everyone is currently talking about 3D prints remelted in salt, but how strong are they really? I printed parts in DasFilament PLA, ESUN PLA+, DasFilament PETG and ESUN ABS, and remelted them in salt. I’ve also been looking at different salt grain sizes and the temperatures that are necessary to properly re-melt the parts. Let’s find out, if we can get 3D prints with the strength of injection molded parts!

DeLorean Electric Car Conversion: Behind The Build

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A lot has changed since Back To The Future was released in 1985. During these last 3.5 decades, we’ve seen a plethora of hybrid and electric cars enter the market – from the practical Toyota Prius to the industry disrupting Tesla. The EV revolution has also inadvertently led to a new era in DIY electric cars. With more electric cars on the road, Motors, inverters and battery cells, which used to be hard to come by, are now readily available on the after market.

John DeLorean’s DMC-12 – the car we all know and love as Doc and Marty’s Back to the Future Car was meant to be the definitive sports car of the 1980’s. The gull-wing doors and stainless steel exterior made it a unique curiosity for car enthusiasts. However, there was one big problem with the DMC-12, its small 6 cylinder engine put out a feeble 130 hp. But for one special DeLorean, a Buick Grand National Engine swap created, what was referred to as, the world’s fastest DeLorean. The turbocharged 4.3 liter v6 was tuned to 570 horsepower.