Computers – Electronics – UpCycle & More
Well folks here’s another retro gaming platform revitalized into a mini computer. The C=64 was and still is my all time favorite platform and this Mini version may be on my purchase list once its released in March. First we saw the NES Classic Edition hit stores before Christmas 2016 and it was an immediate sell out, followed by the Super NES was released last year for $199.99 at Amazon The next logical step was to release the Commodore 64 Mini!
Modern cars offer a ton of on board self diagnostic equipment to help point us in the right direction when things begin to fail. However it seems that most auto manufactures would prefer the diagnosis of the dreaded “check engine” light left to the professionals. I don’t believe this should be the case. If you own the car you should be able to diagnose issues and make decisions on how and where to have them repaired.
Continue reading “Weekend Project – Check Your Check Engine Light For $20”
The technology world is continuously changing. Today’s awesome technology is tomorrows trash, its just a simple fact of life. I truly believe we should do what we can to reduce, reuse and recycle our old tech. Today while rummaging through the archive of stuff I came across an old Sony PRS-600.
The Sony PRS-600 was released in 2009 and by all standards ready for the trash heap. Before sending this device off to its finial resting place I decided to make a cute black and white picture frame.
Using an old 2GB SD card, I loaded up around 300 of my favorite photos, inserted it into the unit. On the settings menu I configured the PRS-600 to never shut off, and run a perpetual slide show with a 60 second delay between images. Continue reading “Make a Sony E-Reader Picture Frame”
Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if we never invented the micro chip? Micro chips and to that extent the micro processor should be hailed as one of the greatest inventions of all time. Most of our modern life 
would not be possible if we were not able to fit billions of transistors in the space of a postage stamp silicon wafer. Just think about that statement for a moment! Your mobile phone would be the size of a car, your home computer the size of a room in your house. Constantly swapping out burnt vacuum tubes.
Micro chips to the rescue.
Ever wondered how these chips are made? I never gave it a thought myself 
until I stumbled across these Silicon Wafers. For some reason or another these wafers were deemed defective so they were unable to continue the journey into computers, phones and other electronics. Some of the wafers were destined to become DRAM’s (memory) some designed to be micro processors, while others custom circuits for a specific job. Continue reading “8″ (200mm) Silicon Wafer With Amazing Chip Patterns”
Its not even Halloween yet and I’m writing a post about what toys are going to be hot for Christmas! For my readers that have children we have all been there, done that in previous years. Running out to the Target or Toys ‘R’ Us only to find the last Tickle Me Elmo is gone. Thinking we are a creative bunch we begin surfing Ebay and Craig’s list only to find the toy we want is commanding a $200 premium over list price!
I urge you to get out this weekend, or stay in and let you mouse do the shopping and pickup these hot toys before its too late. I have done some research and have made my best guesses as to what toys they want. Also I will give my best guess if there is going to be a supply issue.
Since I love electronics, lets start there!
Switch is the latest in Nintendo’s long line of video game consoles. You can play at home on the big screen or take the device portable on the go!
$299.99 at Amazon w/ prime shipping!
I am knee deep in an upgrade from Exchange 2010 to Exchange 2016 in the office. There have been many challenges that I will be addressing in another post, however I thought this one regarding iOS 11 to be important enough to write about it today.
Cannot Send Mail. The message was rejected by the server.I have one user on the network that is receiving this message when they attempt to forward or reply to th
eir mail on my exchange server. When composing a new message the mail is delivered as expected. The fact that this is a new server and the user was migrated just days before led me to believe the issue was on my end.
None of the above was able to fix her issue. Further more, my own iPhone was on iOS 11 and at least a dozen other users had upgraded and their devices were working properly.
I was about to give up when I stumbled across this article today from Apple Continue reading “iOS 11 – Cannot Send Mail. The message was rejected by the server.”
There is close to 5 billion mobile phones in use in on our planet and almost 1.5 billion automobiles operating around the world. Through a very inexact science it may be safe to postulate that most drivers own a mobile phone. For quite a number of years governments have been enacting hands free laws and promoting the concept of hands free in numerous public service announcements. In fa
ct at least 1/2 of the states in the United States have some type of hands free law on the books. My question to you is how do you keep your phone hands free, yet usable in your car? Which mobile phone car mount do you use?
There are many different types of mobile phone holders on the market, however when it comes down to it most of them can be lumped up into the following categories.
Continue reading “Stay Hands Free In a Hands on World – Mobile Car Mount Roundup”
This post is just a friendly reminder to update your IOS devices. As soon as your done reading this, grab all of your iPhones and iPads and run the 10.3.3 update.
Apple has recently discovered a vulnerability in the WiFi chip that could allow an attacker within proximity of your phone to run unsigned code and gain unauthorized access to your device.
Just think of the hacking possibilities as you order your morning coffee at Starbucks, or while you walk the boardwalk this summer enjoying the beach. This new vulnerability will be exploited in public spaces where a large pool of targets are in range of the attacker.
Continue reading “Update your iPhone & iPad NOW 10.3.3 – New WiFi Vulnerability”
On a recent trip to Rehoboth Beach Delaware, I discovered this very cool retro shop called Gidget’s Gadgets. The store is jammed packed with retro goodies that will bring your inner child bubbling to the surface. In addition to the retro, funny and gag gifts they also specialize in vinyl records.
In the last decade we have seen vinyl records making a huge comeback with some artists releasing new albums on vinyl. I grew up at the tail end of the vinyl craze and was more of a tape / CD collector when I was younger. I do have to agree that there is something special about the pops and clicks and the warm sound a record can produce.
Continue reading “Gidget’s Gadgets – Retro fun in Rehoboth Delaware.”
The retro hits just keep on coming! Nintendo has been banking on our love for nostalgia lately reviving tons of classic games and consoles. Late last year they released a limited production run of the NES classic that had about 30 installed classic NES games and included 1 retro controller. They were next to impossible to purchase selling out almost instantly everywhere and even bringing Amazon’s servers to a crawl. I guess the next console in the progression of things is the SNES Classic!
Looks like we will be able to purchase this closer to the end of the year, sometime late September. This time around however the unit will include two controllers and will have an $80 price point.
Continue reading “Nintendo Retro Does It Again – SNES Classic Coming Soon!”