Remo Abbondandolo studied open source hardware as a business model. The results are published in his Master’s thesis Open Source Hardware Fostering User Entrepreneurship: Empirical Evidence from Arduino Users. Where do we fit amongst giants like Adafruit and SparkFun? 3.2. Business Models in OSH Drawing on detailed information from company websites and interviews, and applying […]
Category Archives: kit biz
Server hosting Adafruit style
Adafruit took pity on us and shared some valuable web hosting experience: After hearing about Dangerous Prototype’s search&move to a new hosting provider, we thought we’d post up about our hosting experiences! We currently use ServInt for our hosting provider. They’re what we would classify as a ‘full service’ provider. Basically they own the computer, […]
How to: Mail PCBs the cheap way
Over the past two years we’ve mailed close to 1000 free PCBs all over the world. We find that a sturdy envelope and a stamp is the cheapest, and somewhat successful, way to mail PCBs. A new wiki page shows the tricks we use to mail PCBs. The how-to is reproduced here for you blog […]
Another programmable dummy load
iTead has another dummy load on the way: Today we finished the OverLoad hardware finally design and now the first OverLoad dummy load is processing, and soon will back in stock. By using the larger radiator and cooling fan, the OverLoad can work with 3A-12V without any pressure, in our aging test, it bear the […]
Your favorite online hardware stores
voidptr writes: I recently lost few bucks on a bad online tools store and maybe you folks can give me good or bad experiences. What online hardware stores do you use? We’ve been discussing several in the forum, including: sureelectronics.net iteadstudio.com futurlec.com seeedstudio.com Via the forum.
New State of Electronics documentary trailer
There’s a new preview for the State of Electronics a documentary about open hardware. The first trailer is here The producer hopes a network will be interested if there are a lot of youtube views, your extra hit could make it possible. Interesting fact: filmed with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera. Video […]
Max V CPLD development kit
The Altera Max V Development Kit is designed around the MAX V CPLD (5M570Z, 256-pin FBGA, -5 speed). The board features two general-purpose 2×20-pin 0.1-inch expansion headers, a 4-pin PC speaker header, two 6-pin motor control headers, a Type B USB connector (power source and communication port) with cable. The board has footprints for the […]
TOOLS: Photo studio
Our favorite tools have a new home on the wiki. Each week we’ll muse about one of them. Have your own tool review? We’ll post that too! Our photo studio is setup for quick and easy photographs. It’s on a table right next to a computer in the development area so we can do demos […]
Free PCB drawer and unlimited free PCBs
Free PCB recipients can now pick their own board from the new free PCB drawer! The drawer is full of scrap PCBs: extras from our projects, abandoned prototypes, and new experimental designs still in development. Until recently we had no idea what was in the PCB drawer, now everyone can check availability online. You can […]
Altera BeMicro SDK FPGA USB dev stick
Kati writes to inform us that Altera and Arrow Electronics have teamed up to introduce the BeMicro SDK (Software Development Kit), a prototyping board for embedded software developers to learn about FPGAs. The board runs a soft embedded processor on a 22K logic element FPGA, and utilizes the popular USB stick format. It’s available on […]
Mouser now sells the Arduino
Chris writes: I noticed that Mouser now sells the Arduino! I am not a big fan of them, but it is great to see how far this little board has gone. They have a wide variety from the Lilypad, Uno, and Mega to lots of shields. Via the contact form.
TI TMS320C5000 DSP dev-board
TI has new credit card sized dev-boards for the TMS320C5000 digital signal processor (DSP): The C5502 eZdsp development tool, which includes a range of integrated peripheral devices along with an XDS100v2 JTAG emulator, a complete version of the industry-leading CCS IDE v4 and access to chip support, optimized DSP, Image and Telecom library with source […]
A box of parts!
We just got a big box of parts from Mouser. Not too much stuff this time, full order is below the fold. A few dev-boards, restock of PNP transistors and LEDs, and a few parts for some test boards. Also some Lattice Semi CPLDs – they’re the people with the hilarious infomercial for the MachXO.
An ad in 2600:The Hacker Quarterly
Special thanks to the machinegeek for arranging our first ad in the infamous 2600: The Hacker Quarterly. This ad is in the issue that hits newsstands tomorrow. We’re in great company. Notice the TV-B-Gone ad in the lower right.
Solder-masking using Kapton tape
Rohit writes: Ultrakeet.com has got some pretty cool tutorials on solder masking using kapton tape, SMD removal, building a capacitive discharge spot welder, and a bunch of other things on their ‘articles‘ page Thanks Rohit! Via the contact form.
Getting Started with Arduino Kit Giveaway
MAKE is holding a drawing for a Getting Started with Arduino Kit. To be eligible for this drawing, all you have to do is tell them why you want to learn Arduino and maybe what projects you might like to do with it. Eligible entries will end at 11:59 PST, Tuesday March 15th, 2011. Good […]
Handheld RF spectrum analyzer now available
Seeed has a new handheld RF Spectrum Analyzer designed by Arocholl: As wireless communication devices grows in use everywhere, so it does the need to monitor, test and diagnose them. RF Explorer is an extremely affordable Handheld Spectrum Analyzer designed from scratch to be a sort of Swiss Army Knife for the specific needs of […]
Seeed Studio Arduino ProtoShield kit remixed v1.0
Seeed Studio has their Arduino ProtoShield kit remixed V1.0 selling today for $12.90. The shield kit features 100mil grid, full pinout of the Arduino, USB B type connector, free drill hole matrix of 32/50/80mil, breadboard style strip, UART and I2C pinout sets, 5V/GND/3V3 power rails, a free button as well as reset button pinout, Pin13 […]
BlackJack solderwerks hot air system
Chuckt tiped us to the BlackJack SolderWerks Hot Air System in a followup to our Aoyue 852 hot air station tool post: This is a cheaper smd hotair / re-work station in the United States. Several people on the forums say it works. Don’t buy too many of them because I want to get it […]
Watterott Electronic has the Web Platform
Watterott Electronic now stocks the Web Platform, Bus Pirate LCD Adapter v2, #Twatch and the Bus Pirate in Germany. Thanks for supporting our projects. If you’d like to be distributor please drop us a line. Hacker Spaces get distributor pricing too.