Hardware Tech News

The PSPi Version 6 project enables makers to build a custom handheld gaming console by housing a Raspberry Pi inside a modified PlayStation Portable shell. Enthusiasts and developers can now contribute to the open-source hardware design and its ongoing improvements via the project's official GitHub repository.

A newly developed lightbulb-shaped computer combines a projector and computer vision to project digital information directly into the physical world. This innovative device represents a novel approach to augmented reality by seamlessly blending computing with our everyday environment.

OpenSCAD is highly regarded for allowing programmers to create parametric 3D models using plain, version-controllable text, but its code-based workflow makes iterative design and complex operations like filleting frustrating. While it remains an excellent niche tool for highly parametric tasks and AI code generation, users caution against using it for general-purpose modeling and instead recommend interactive, kernel-based alternatives like FreeCAD for broader CAD workflows.

A tech enthusiast has shared a guide detailing how to run classic Macromedia Director games on modern computer hardware. By successfully bypassing outdated copy-protection mechanisms, the author managed to revive numerous nostalgic childhood titles for contemporary systems.

Nvidia is in talks to acquire US open model startup Reflection AI in a move supported by the Trump administration. The potential acquisition aims to strengthen domestic AI development and provide a robust competitor to cheap Chinese models like DeepSeek.

A recent research paper titled Eye of Sauron introduces a method for detecting long-range hidden spy cameras, though it acknowledges limitations against completely passive surveillance devices. The findings spark broader discussions on the enduring challenges of electromagnetic eavesdropping and side-channel attacks. Ultimately, the conversation illustrates how modern shielded display technologies have made remote signal interception techniques like Van Eck phreaking significantly more difficult than in the past.

A new Hacker News project called Carrier-Explode decodes and compares hidden carrier settings across iPhone, Pixel, and Galaxy firmware. The tool breaks down configurations for APNs, VoLTE, 5G, and Wi-Fi Calling to reveal exactly what each carrier and software build changes.

A YouTuber reported that police visited his home after he built a Flock-style camera system designed to track law enforcement vehicles. The incident highlights the irony of authorities using automated surveillance to monitor the public while resisting when that same technology is turned back on them.

A newly demonstrated device detects hidden spy cameras by sensing their electromagnetic fluctuations from several meters away. This clever long-range detection method has proven surprisingly effective at locating concealed surveillance equipment.

Amidst the recent announcement of the upcoming Atari 800XL Hybrid Gaming Console, tech enthusiasts are reflecting on the legacy of the classic Atari Falcon. Readers fondly recall the GEM-based Falcon as a powerful machine, frequently comparing its 030 processor to the 020 found in Amiga contemporaries like the 1200 and 3000.

The autonomous trucking sector is making significant technological strides, but experts are evaluating how close the industry truly is to a full-scale commercial revolution. Current developments highlight impressive progress in self-driving freight vehicles, though widespread deployment still faces substantial regulatory and operational hurdles.

A new online archive provides free access to a curated collection of 45 rare tech documents and books, featuring iconic texts like Steve Jobs' Top 100 email and Netflix's culture deck. This project offers tech professionals and enthusiasts a unique opportunity to read the foundational memos and forgotten writings that helped shape the modern technology industry.

A man discovered that his parents' smart coffee machine consumed an unexpected 1TB of data in just 10 days. He noted that the internet-connected appliance generated a massive amount of network traffic, far exceeding normal expectations. This unusual data usage highlights the hidden bandwidth demands and potential monitoring needs of modern smart home devices.

A smart home enthusiast transformed their Home Assistant dashboard by hiring an illustrator to create a custom drawing of their house. Featuring animated elements like a flickering fireplace and a softly lit garden, this creative upgrade has made the smart home experience much more enjoyable for the entire family.

A recent blog post explores the functional and layout differences between Windows and Mac keyboards for software developers. It highlights how these hardware variations impact development workflows, shortcut efficiency, and overall software quality.

ETH-68 is a new Linux-compatible Ethernet audio interface that integrates MIDI support over UDP to simplify host connectivity and prevent timing issues. The hardware employs a unique push-based clocking system driven entirely by the device itself, removing the need for complex host-side clock synchronization in standard setups. For multi-interface configurations, users can utilize PipeWire or JACK resamplers to sync the audio graphs, though this approach may introduce some latency.

A maker on Hacker News shared a DIY project detailing the creation of a flexible neon t-shirt using LED filaments. The creator repurposed flexible lighting components from their personal parts bin to integrate customizable illumination directly into everyday wearable clothing.

Google Chrome is officially adding native support for the JPEG XL image format to enhance web performance. This new format offers significant advantages over traditional JPEGs, including superior compression, built-in HDR support, and lossless JPEG transcoding.

Researchers in Vienna and Beijing have successfully activated the world's first thorium nuclear clocks, a breakthrough detailed in a new Nature journal article. Although thorium is one of the rarest elements in the galaxy, it is highly abundant in the Earth's crust and serves as a primary component of natural background radiation.

A developer has created a minimal, proof-of-concept kernel written in Swift that runs within the QEMU emulator, sparking community discussions about the potential of Embedded Swift for low-level development. Enthusiasts praise the language's seamless C/C++ interoperability and ability to handle fundamental system tasks, suggesting these techniques could eventually be used to write drivers for established embedded operating systems like Zephyr or U-Boot.

This interactive feature explores the historical engineering challenge of achieving machine precision without pre-existing accurate tools to copy. Through 3D figures, readers can examine the development of flat surfaces, screw-cutting lathes, and millionth-of-an-inch measurements that laid the groundwork for modern manufacturing.

Tech columnist Robert Cringely is facing intense backlash after failing to deliver a low-cost Minecraft server promised through a $35,500 Kickstarter campaign. While unconfirmed rumors about his death have sparked wild speculation among frustrated backers, critics suggest he simply lacked the follow-through to complete the hardware project, making the failed campaign a cautionary tale about the risks of crowdfunding.

A new tool called AnyPS5 allows users to automatically port PlayStation 5 executables to Linux and Windows without using emulation. By successfully mapping 87% of the console's system libraries, the project enables direct binary translation for PC platforms. This innovation provides a novel method for running native PS5 software on standard computer hardware.

Developers have created a Pi-hole-class DNS ad-blocker that runs entirely on a $2 ESP32-C3 microcontroller without requiring extra PSRAM. The project efficiently blocks ads by storing 537,000 domain hashes in flash memory and features a built-in web dashboard for easy management.

OpenTPU is a newly released open-source AI accelerator that was entirely developed by artificial intelligence, featuring a comprehensive repository that includes its RTL, ISA, simulator, compiler, and profiler. The accelerator has already demonstrated its capabilities by successfully running large language models such as Qwen3, LFM2.5, and Qwen3.5 on a Kintex-7 PCIe card.

A team of Claude Opus 5.5 AI agents has identified two room-temperature magnetic semiconductor candidates for next-generation computer memory. Both materials exhibit zero net magnetism while successfully sorting electrons by spin, featuring one newly designed compound and a material originally created in 1999. The team has released their complete calculations, code, and known caveats to support further research.

A recent review tests 12 budget-friendly Zigbee temperature and humidity sensors priced under $15 from brands including Aqara, Sonoff, and Tuya. The evaluation compares their accuracy and reliability to help smart home users determine which affordable models are actually worth buying.

A recent discussion on long-term data archival highlights the ongoing debate between using LTO tape drives and Blu-ray M-Disk optical media for cold storage. While LTO offers cost efficiency for large data volumes, users express concerns over its strict environmental requirements, high hardware costs, and maintenance needs. Consequently, many favor M-Disk as a more resilient and accessible backup of last resort for disaster recovery scenarios.

Simon Bradley reviews Will Millard's book Mapping Britain, which explores the extensive history of the Ordnance Survey archives. The article examines the evolution of traditional cartography and the meticulous creation of physical maps over the centuries. This retrospective highlights how these foundational mapping techniques laid the groundwork for the advanced geospatial and digital mapping technologies used today.

Qualcomm is licensing Huawei's LogicFolding chip technology, marking a significant shift as the Chinese company transitions from a technology buyer to a provider for Western firms. The innovative multi-layer wafer design reduces signal resistance and heat, effectively leveraging a 7nm manufacturing process to achieve 1.4nm scale performance. This agreement highlights Huawei's growing influence and rapid advancement in domestic semiconductor innovation.