Gray Watson's Blog -- October 2009

Blogging is a useful way for me to record my thoughts and digital travels every so often. Hope you enjoy my digital stream of consciousness.

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October 2, 2009   

• I've always have various little hardware project ideas rattling around in my head. Thought I'd blog some links around the Arduino open source programmable microcontroller. Very cool little device which has digital and analog inputs and outputs which can control robots, do data collection, and various other hardware projects. I've played with the Basic Stamps in the past but this looks like a better architecture -- and it's open. You can buy a getting started kit for ~US$60.
  • Arduino home page (slow site)
  • Maker shed arduino hardware store
  • Sparkfun is a cool project hardware company
  • Adafruit is another cool little hardware company
  • Cool little serial to ethernet hardware which you can use to put your Arduino on the net.

October 1, 2009   

• Here are some cool products that I found recently from various places.
  • ultracapacitor based rechargable flashlight that takes 90 seconds to recharge and will last forever without battery failures. Unfortunately it costs US$170.
  • 2.5" and 3.5" SATA hard drive dock for using those old drives as backup devices.
  • Cigarette lighter USB power adapter for charging your USB device in the car.

• Cool couple who sell a number of "green science" kits and products. They also have a number of instructional videos about various projects and technology. Fun to watch. Here is their ebay store.

  Green Power Science is dedicated to the backyard scientist. Our belief is that some of the smartest people in the world discover the best things through trial and error IN THEIR OWN BACKYARDS OR GARAGES. We welcome all levels of creativity and hope you find the answers you are looking for.

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