Hacker News: slug

New comment by slug in "Chest Fridge (2009)"

slug — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 15:41:52 +0000

There's an easy solution for the chest freezer, I've been using IKEA recycling bins, the plastic is cold proof, see: https://youtu.be/ydbsVS5rbSM?is=FVhiLHx4Uh94nb0k

New comment by slug in "S.A.R.C.A.S.M: Slightly Annoying Rubik's Cube Automatic Solving Machine"

slug — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 18:17:15 +0000

I built a cubotino a few years ago, similar mechanism, see https://github.com/AndreaFavero71/cubotino

Uses a rpi 2 w, works well, can solve and scramble 3x3x3 cubes, using just 2 servo motors.

New comment by slug in "Ultrasonic Chef's Knife"

slug — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:44:05 +0000

I got a wired (usb-c) ultrasonic cutter for around $100 (not this one), and it's amazing for cutting precise holes on electronic project boxes (plastic / abs).

New comment by slug in "1TB Raspberry Pi SSD on sale now for $70"

slug — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 16:55:49 +0000

Beaglebone Black with PRU

New comment by slug in "Making a Linux home server sleep on idle and wake on demand (2023)"

slug — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 12:11:06 +0000

Or just suspend to RAM on backup finish/time and use wake on RTC alarm (and set to turn on after power return on power failure if needed), no need for extra HW.

New comment by slug in "We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own"

slug — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:35:41 +0000

What bad old days? 15 years ago we had n700, n800 and n900 to run whatever we wanted on a portable device.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N700_Series_Shinkansen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_N800 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_N900

New comment by slug in "Google: 'Your $1000 phone needs our permission to install apps now' [video]"

slug — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 21:40:07 +0000

I think we are confusing the perfect from the good enough.

If there's an ecosystem that allows converting old hw, lot of people will less resources can make reuse of that e-waste.

Installing ubuntu nowadays is a few clicks that anyone minimally proficient on computers is able to do, not much more difficult than installing a browser "or an app on their phone".

Sure, there's "dozen of apps" for that iOS/Android, but if the HW+OS combination is no longer supported, how can we continue using it or update it ? $50 might not seem a lot to you or me, but it's a lot to many people in the world, specially with something they already have. Using cloud for inference, which is also not free or private, bringing again dependency from some entity, where local HW is perfectly capable of basic object detection. I personally have "professional" PoE cameras with built-in object detection for surveilance, but see a use case where cheap access can also be useful.

I'm still mystified why there's so much push back from people to own and make use of old HW for whatever purpose they see fit.

New comment by slug in "Google: 'Your $1000 phone needs our permission to install apps now' [video]"

slug — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 15:47:33 +0000

You are right, my drawer doesn't have a single Apple device, since that company is probably the reason we got into this situation to begin with, so at least I voted with my wallet.

New comment by slug in "Google: 'Your $1000 phone needs our permission to install apps now' [video]"

slug — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 15:41:59 +0000

I just gave you an use case about having family members using old computers for all their needs. If those old phones can continue to be used with software updates not locked down by their original hw vendors, don't see why that is a bad thing.

I also didn't mention any use of k8s which I don't make use of or using rpis as nodes on a computer cluster ("homelab"), so you are extrapolating in a very weird direction.

By nodes I meant, say robotic applications, simple room surveillance camera, baby monitor,audio streaming, multimedia/tv remote control, where a rpi/custom hw could be perfectly be replaced by an old phone, since it comes with imu, cameras, audio, touchscreen, wifi, storage, etc.

New comment by slug in "Google: 'Your $1000 phone needs our permission to install apps now' [video]"

slug — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 14:58:23 +0000

All my personal and family computers are more than 10 year old, running latest Ubuntu. They have probably slower CPUs than that 8 year old iphone, but can run the latest web and email clients just fine. These are almost all salvaged from e-waste. I have a drawer full of old phones that could make very useful computer nodes, but instead of that I have to get (buy) some semi open raspberry pis since those phones are locked down.

New comment by slug in "Walkie-Textie Wireless Communicator"

slug — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 22:57:01 +0000

Cheap FRS walkie-talkies, can find plenty of these on ebay if don't want to buy new (will need new batteries though).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Radio_Service

New comment by slug in "ESP32 Bus Pirate 0.5 – A hardware hacking tool that speaks every protocol"

slug — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 01:20:26 +0000

I was able to record/playback fujitsu mini-split commands using a simple wemos d1 IR shield + wemos d1 mini (esp8266) a few years ago.

https://www.wemos.cc/en/latest/d1_mini_shield/ir.html

https://www.wemos.cc/en/latest/d1/d1_mini.html

New comment by slug in "My DIY modular charging station"

slug — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 01:00:13 +0000

There's bat-safe boxes ( https://www.bat-safe.com ) , but can't comment on effectiveness...

New comment by slug in "Making $1M from my personal projects"

slug — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 21:35:33 +0000

nah, just rotate your monitor 90 degrees (or 270).

New comment by slug in "Xiaomi Home Integration for Home Assistant"

slug — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:02:28 +0000

Have HA running without any issue on a Linux KVM VM.

New comment by slug in "Xiaomi Home Integration for Home Assistant"

slug — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 12:56:42 +0000

Costco Feit WiFi dimmers can be flashed with esphome with some work, have a few dozen running. Haven't tried the bulbs.

New comment by slug in "Ask HN: What are the best programmable holiday lights?"

slug — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 02:27:11 +0000

There's multiple types. I use the bullet type regulated 12V ws2812 for outdoor applications and they are individually addressed. I also use 12V ws2812 RGBCW (RGB+white cold+white warm) unregulated (resistor) led strips which are grouped in threes for indoor. Both work just fine with wled or custom software (e.g. micropython / C++ ) on esp32.

New comment by slug in "Undergraduates with family income below $200k will be tuition-free at MIT"

slug — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:23:05 +0000

Kindergarten is preschool which means at least daycare, it's not free in the US , I think there's a confusion with elementary school, to which there's a public option. Also forgetting the fact there's no universal parent leave in the US compared with the very generous many months elsewhere, which also makes a huge difference to new parents. There's no possible comparison...

New comment by slug in "Robots on Lake Michigan beaches to prevent drownings"

slug — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 21:24:13 +0000

And how many of those are young kids ? 1 is already too many

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s0514-vs-drowning.ht...

New comment by slug in "[dead]"

slug — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 12:01:47 +0000

Boeing CEO to Senators :'It's a travesty that you are still in your job'