For a long time I've wanted to get more into embedded stuff and closer to the physical world when it comes to computers. As a kid I was quite interested in electronics and tweaked some small stuff, but I never really got into programming anything. Now with the market full of cheap Arduino-compatible chips, I decided to hook myself up into the Internet of Things and make a WiFi-operated garage door opener. Check out the article for an overview of the project.
In a previous article I discussed KVM and its audio capabilities. As of now there still isn't a nicely working emulated audio device for Windows 10 guests let alone a working Skype for Business client for Linux. In my day job I have to attend Skype for Business (formerly Lync) meetings quite often but it was impossible using my work laptop, which has Linux. I finally took the time to check out how USB passthrough works in KVM and solved the problem. Read the article to see how.
I wanted to have new earphones I could use when walking or doing sports. One of the requirements was they should be open design. I ended up buying the Sony SBH70 bluetooth earphones, found some shortcomings and tried to fix them with a little bit of modding. Read the full article to see some custom wingtips.
Most mortals have to listen to music in a somewhat small room - a closed space, which will usually result in boomy bass at some frequencies, and terrible flutter echo in the upper end of the audible spectrum.
Read this article to find out quick and cheap tricks to remedy the problems.
If one wants a silent gaming rig, nowadays they may just pretty much put a few extra drachmas in it and achieve the wanted results with little to no effort. But it hasn't always been like that. In this article I tell about my four-year-old computer and what I did to keep it silent. Some points might be of interest even nowadays.
Especially since getting an easily recurring tinnitus a few years ago I've been super careful not to play my trumpet without adequate damping. Wearing earplugs works, but doesn't feel or sound good, and it doesn't help the neighbours one bit. I decided to build myself an acoustic absorber tub. Read the article to see how it fares even in hard-surfaced rooms.
After reviewing my new Asus laptop and again realizing how badly designed some modern hardware is, I decided to write a review of my old Acer laptop, too, and describe my ideal laptop. I hope some manufacturer is listening.
The Asus UX305CA promises good features, nice display, great looks and very light weight. Find out from this article how it has delivered in practice, and how it has worked running Xubuntu.
