Hackaday Links: Sunday, July 28th, 2013

hackaday-links-chain

[Chris Gammell] tipped us off that he’s building an online training program for learning electronics. The ten session course will cost money to take but you can get the goods for free if you’re one of the beta testers. We love to listen to The Amp Hour podcast which is just one of [Chris’] many endeavors.

Did you buy a Chromecast this week? We did, but we don’t have it in hand yet (ordered through Amazon). You can still get a look inside from the iFixit teardown.

Practice your Processing skills by using it to code a game of Pong.

A bit of lighter fluid and a hacked insert will get you a flaming wallet. We guess this is a different type of an anti-pickpocket device. [Thanks Stephen]

[Brain] used a $1.50 magnifying lens to help his Raspberry Pi camera module read QR codes better.

We really like [Aaron Christophel’s] LED matrix clock (translated). He started from a marquee that must be at least a decade old. He stripped it down and figured out how to drive it using a Sanguino as a controller.

9 thoughts on “Hackaday Links: Sunday, July 28th, 2013

  1. Is it just me or is the fact that someone is selling knowledge is kind of irrelevant to HaD? I mean, I’m all in to pay for a good education and everything but this ain’t in the true spirit of “sharing”. I’ve never seen HaD posting about the great education system we have here and there so why should we bother with someone doing it online? Am I missing something here? If it’s the case,I’d be happy to change my mind but until then, free knowledge is the only way we should go for knowledge.

    Also,all hail the new overlords. Congrats on the buy,hope you’ll like the coming years!

    1. Chris does a lot of things, he is sharing his knowlege for free on many many sites. He hosts The Amphour podcast with Dave Jones from eevblog, and Dave is also sharing his knowlege for free and living out of it thanks to YouTube.
      If Chris want to live from Contextual Electronics or at least cover expences realeted to it, then he has to charge something.
      Hi is doing great stuff and deserves every penny.

        1. Thanks guys,that’s exactly what I was wondering. Not bashing on the guy that’s for sure but it was just a legit question right? I tip my hat to the guy for the commitment.

          That being said,could he say,link up with a university or something alike to accredit his course material so the students get a recognized “certification” of some kind? I know I’d like that kind of things cause I’m studying in mechanical engineering and all my electronic “skills” are self taught,but I can’t really put them on a C.V. since there’s no accreditation.

          That’d be a very very nice feature, and I bet it’d promote his thing even more.

          That being said,very good job Chris!

          1. Thanks!

            I’ve been thinking about the accreditation side of things. I don’t think I’ll be pairing up with any Universities (waaaaaay too much red tape), but I do agree it would be nice to be able to say 3rd parties that someone completed the course and to let others know what that actually means about their potential as electronics designers. I’m not keen on colleges in the long run as indications of skill (with the acknowledgement that I did in fact graduate from one). I think the only thing that can show what someone is capable of is a portfolio and that WILL be a part of the course.

  2. A bit of lighter fluid and a hacked insert WILL get you a flaming wallet!! However this is not an anti-pickpocket device, this is just a fucking stupid idea!!

    Whatever nutter is crazy enough to douse a cotton sock in lighter fluid, hot glue a lighter to it, set it alight, struggle to put it out AND THEN go onto say how good this would be in their pocket deserves everything they get!

    FFS!

  3. Want an anti-pickpocket setup,honeypot style! Use bait in pocket with a wide band plastic holding pins pointing down and sewed in place, just like those carnivorous plants. Yow!

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