3 concept PC parts that you may want in your next gaming PC

Say goodbye to visible cables – Concept PC parts from MSI, Asus, and Gigabyte eliminate cables by routing connectors to the rear of the motherboard.

Motherboards leading the way – MSI's "Project Zero" motherboards and Gigabyte's "Project Stealth" line already offer rear-connected motherboards, perfect for clean builds.

Graphics cards follow suit – Some new graphics card designs, like Gigabyte's "Project Stealth," draw power directly from the motherboard, eliminating the need for visible power cables.

So, yes, most of it is around cables, but cables are the messiest part of most PC builds today. It really does make sense for a complete rethink around cabling and cases.

See https://www.xda-developers.com/3-concept-pc-parts-next-gaming-pc/

#technology #hardware

Oops sorry for duplicate posts... For some odd reason, my "edit post" view kept showing after I had submitted, so I thought it never posted. Now it went out three times and I can't take two back.

Ethernet for Hackers: The very Basics

The linked article is an excellent primer around Ethernet in the modern era.

The only thing I could add on the basics side, is why Ethernet is actually a twisted pair of cables. The twist alleviates the possibility of EMI (electromagnetic interference) inference by ensuring there is no long, straight lengths of wire that would act as an antenna. Twisting the pairs causes the electromagnetic fields generated by each wire to partially cancel each other out, significantly reducing the overall interference picked up by the cable. This is known as common-mode rejection.

Twisting also helps eliminate crosstalk, which occurs when the signal from one wire leaks into another pair in the same cable. This can also corrupt the data signal and lead to errors. Twisting the pairs helps to keep the magnetic fields of each wire contained, reducing the amount of crosstalk between them.

See https://hackaday.com/2024/02/12/ethernet-for-hackers-the-very-basics/

#technology #Ethernet

Ethernet for Hackers: The very Basics

The linked article is an excellent primer around Ethernet in the modern era.

The only thing I could add on the basics side, is why Ethernet is actually a twisted pair of cables. The twist alleviates the possibility of EMI (electromagnetic interference) inference by ensuring there is no long, straight lengths of wire that would act as an antenna. Twisting the pairs causes the electromagnetic fields generated by each wire to partially cancel each other out, significantly reducing the overall interference picked up by the cable. This is known as common-mode rejection.

Twisting also helps eliminate crosstalk, which occurs when the signal from one wire leaks into another pair in the same cable. This can also corrupt the data signal and lead to errors. Twisting the pairs helps to keep the magnetic fields of each wire contained, reducing the amount of crosstalk between them.

See https://hackaday.com/2024/02/12/ethernet-for-hackers-the-very-basics/

#technology #Ethernet

Ethernet for Hackers: The very Basics

The linked article is an excellent primer around Ethernet in the modern era.

The only thing I could add on the basics side, is why Ethernet is actually a twisted pair of cables. The twist alleviates the possibility of EMI (electromagnetic interference) inference by ensuring there is no long, straight lengths of wire that would act as an antenna. Twisting the pairs causes the electromagnetic fields generated by each wire to partially cancel each other out, significantly reducing the overall interference picked up by the cable. This is known as common-mode rejection.

Twisting also helps eliminate crosstalk, which occurs when the signal from one wire leaks into another pair in the same cable. This can also corrupt the data signal and lead to errors. Twisting the pairs helps to keep the magnetic fields of each wire contained, reducing the amount of crosstalk between them.

See https://hackaday.com/2024/02/12/ethernet-for-hackers-the-very-basics/

#technology #Ethernet

The US government makes a $42 million bet on 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) cell networks

The US government has committed $42 million to further the development of the 5G Open RAN (O-RAN) standard that would allow wireless providers to mix and match cellular hardware and software, opening up a bigger market for third-party equipment that’s cheaper and interoperable.

O-RAN is about establishing interoperability which means companies like Verizon and AT&T wouldn’t be forced to buy all of their hardware from a single company to create a functional network. For the rest of us, that means faster build-outs and “more agile networks,” according to Rakuten.

Well, this is news to me, as I always thought a standard like 5G was an open standard and interoperable between "brands". A mobile phone has to connect to a 5G network with provider A, and then also when roaming with provider B or C. This is at least true for the client side.

I get that if you want to mesh some Wi-Fi devices in your home, invariably that is normally only achieved with the same brand. So maybe the backhaul part of the 5G network is the same brand that connects with the same brand as well.

Clearly, then, being able to mix and match would dramatically change the ability to innovate and roll out a lot quicker. The same would be even more true for when the provider wants to switch brands going forward, as there is zero vendor lock in.

Which then leads me to ask, so why can't we mix and match mesh networking with home routers too? The benefit would be even greater for us cash strapped consumers.

See https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/12/24070550/open-ran-standard-us-funding-5g-huawei

#technology #interoperability #5G

ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) and ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation): How are they different?

ANC helps create a quiet listening environment, perfect for those moments when you want to enjoy your music like an audiophile or listen to a podcast without the distraction of background noise. It works by detecting external sounds and then generating opposing sound waves to cancel them out. This means you can enjoy a more immersive listening experience, whether you're in a busy café, on a plane, or working in a noisy office.

On the other hand, ENC focuses on making sure your voice is heard clearly during voice calls. It uses an array of microphones to isolate your voice and minimize surrounding noise. This is incredibly useful for phone calls, video conferences, and voice recordings, ensuring that you're heard clearly by the person on the other end, even if you're in a loud environment.

So similar things they do, but for different purposes. Ideally, you'd actually want to have both of them. Many headsets do in fact do a form of ENC without stating it is actual ENC.

See https://www.xda-developers.com/anc-vs-enc/

#technology #audio #ANC #ENC

I did not realise you get rechargeable coin cell batteries such as for the CR2032

I've long been using various types of rechargeable AA and AAA batteries, including the 1.5 volt versions, but I've just never seen any mention at all about these button/coin cell 3.6V Li-Ion batteries being rechargeable.

It's said that there are rechargeable versions of the LIR2032, LIR2025, LIR2032H, LIR1632 and the LIR2016. I use various of these in AirTag trackers and some other devices.

Looking at a local electronic supplier, I see they do indeed stock rechargeable CR2032 batteries. They cost a bit over double the price of the single use battery, but if you can get a few charges out of them, it may be worth it.

A downside though that I see is the rechargeable battery has a stated capacity of 30mAH, whilst the single use version is 230mAH. A different site shows a capacity of 40mAH (plus or minus 5mAH) and the life cycle of over 500 recharges. Some batteries state as high as 70mAH.

So, certainly the capacity is a good 4x less. It means what used to last 12 months on a charge, would need recharging at least every 3 months with a rechargeable battery. Cost wise though, it is still going to be 100x cheaper (500 recharges divided by 4 as the same life as a single use battery), and that also means 100 batteries not being disposed of.

I'd certainly like to give these a try.

#technology #batteries #rechargeable #environment

Using a USB Serial Adapter (UART) to Help Debug Your Raspberry Pi

A serial console allows you to see the boot logs even before the Linux kernel has started booting! Therefore, a serial console attached to your Raspberry Pi can help you find causes of problems like the following:

* A new Linux distribution that you flashed on your Raspberry Pi does not boot.

* Your Raspberry Pi boots into an older kernel even though you installed a newer kernel provided by your distribution maintainer via apt/pacman/dnf.

* You installed a new kernel using apt/pacman/dnf but now the Ethernet port does not work and you can't SSH into it to uninstall that kernel.

* Your Raspberry Pi does not boot at all.

* You are learning kernel development and want to see why the change that you made is preventing the kernel from booting.

* You have so many Raspberry Pis that you have run out of displays to connect to and just want to watch the boot logs to sanity check if they are booting correctly or not.

I actually already have one of these USB serial adaptors that I'd been using to flash Tasmota software onto my Sonoff WiFi power switches.

See https://itsfoss.com/use-uart-raspberry-pi/

#technology #RaspberyPi

South African Rooibos featured in popular survival action role-playing game Enshrouded

Although difficult to come by in the game, the Rooibos shrub is found in the Nomad Highlands region and looks like it would in spring when it’s in full bloom, covered in tiny yellow flowers.

The Council said one possible reason Keen Games incorporated Rooibos into their game was likely due to its growing popularity in Germany and Europe at large.

Interesting how games mimic real world trends, and of course gaming itself is a massive industry.

Seeing that Rooibos actually grows in the Cederberg environment of the Western Cape in South Africa, I'm just wondering if this region in the game in then supposed to be South Africa?

See https://mybroadband.co.za/news/gaming/524736-south-african-rooibos-featured-in-hit-game.html

#technology #gaming #SouthAfrica #rooibos

Elon Musk Gutted Their App. Now They Want To Make One That's Billionaire-Proof: Tapestry will be RSS

"Twitterrific was our flagship app, and by far earned the most of any of our pieces of software we’ve produced. Its loss is still being felt revenue-wise to this day. We're hopeful that Tapestry will help us regain some of that ground and help us keep our company healthy, doing the things we love to do — developing great, friendly and useful apps for iOS and macOS."

The linked article though is quite interesting in what it reveals from all of this. When you consider both Twitter and Reddit did this to their users and 3rd party devs, there is a trend towards these more private centralised social networks to have restrictions in the way of 3rd party access. Whilst on the decentralised social networks the trend tends to be using an open protocol, and usually also supporting open RSS feeds.

So, Tapestry is tapping into this more open ecosystem: "This isn't really a social media client directly in the mold of Twitterrific; instead, it's a single place to view online stuff that matters, and it mostly uses open standards like ActivityPub and RSS. Luckily for them, they've already reached their $100,000 minimum funding goal."

Its intention is not to replace any existing clients, although with all the decentralised social networks I've been involved with, their devs all openly encourage having different 3rd party client apps.

But it's what is not directly stated in the linked article that concerns me the most, and I've heard others also echoing this sentiment, especially some journalists who have "jumped ship" from Twitter to Mastodon and other networks. The issue is around quality content creation, especially news. It's not that there is no such news on the decentralised social networks, it's that there are still too many mainstream news services, journalists, and governments stuck fast on Twitter, Reddit, etc. So many users are also just stuck in their bubble in the same places.

We do really need to see that final seismic shift across to embracing an open and decentralised social network ecosystem. Certainly, the Fediverse, built on the ActivityPub protocol, is not the only option out there, but it is an open standard endorsed social network and has gained a lot of content and user traction.

The way I understand Tapestry, is that it would not only help provide an integrated (single) view of the Fediverse (yes most existing ActivityPub apps can also do that), but it can also seamlessly include discovering and following content from Bluesky, and many others, including potentially even Nostr (via RSS feeds).

So, Tapestry may help provide some cohesion and single view that many users and content creators, who are still stuck on Twitter, Reddit, etc, seem to crave/demand. Many such users are actually caught up in indecision over "where must I pick to move to". With something like Tapestry, that fear may disappear, and for creators such as news and governments they would be more easily "found and followed" through one single app like Tapestry.

Will it happen? I think so as the vast majority of users are often solely content consumers, and whilst it is true that to develop a high-quality app from the ground up takes cash, Iconfactory does have that experience and they have raised over US$100,000 to fund their app development.

Who knows, I'd expect this app to even go further, and start to support likes and comments for some of the networks it integrates with over time.

See https://digg.com/internet-culture/link/iconfactory-tapestry-mastodon-rss-interview-Twitterrific

#technology #socialnetworks #Twitterrific #Tapestry

Yes they do differentiate that in the article - was the same with the Amazon Alexa speaker listening in - that was faulty trigger words and then doing faulty confirmations to send the audio transcription away.

Decentralized social network Farcaster is trying to reach mass adoption through Web 2.0 techniques

Only heard about this one today...

It also doesn’t allow users to sign up for Farcaster with a crypto wallet, one of the network’s co-founders Dan Romero wrote on X, to allow more users to sign up more quickly. “The best way to do that is to make onboarding as [Web 2.0] as possible — mobile-first, no wallet required, no crypto required.”

Joining the application requires a U.S.-based phone number for a free sign-up (well rules many of us out), paying $5 for an in-app purchase, or having a friend already on the app who can pay $3 for your invite.

"By the time my account was live, I was following 60 accounts, which I presume came from me selecting interests beforehand. I also had one follower."

See https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/06/farcaster-decentralized-social-network-mass-adoption/

nostr:npub1gcxzte5zlkncx26j68ez60fzkvtkm9e0vrwdcvsjakxf9mu9qewqlfnj5z and the version on F-Droid? I just don't want 9 different app stores - already have 3 without Obtainium installed.

WiFi networks that span over 3km are on the way but we've long had 5km plus with line of sight WiFi

Morse Micro’s test was carried out on a stretch of an empty beach but the beachfront had many buildings which interfered with the signal. So, they say it was a good demonstration of what we can expect in the real world.

So, whilst we've seen outdoor WiFi working distances of 5km plus at 2.4GHz this was point to point line of sight. Normally 2.4GHz and 5GHz indoor WiFi does not travel very far as the higher frequencies don't penetrate solid obstructions very well.

One of the key differences here is that this HaLow standard is at a much lower 900MHz which will penetrate better. It was the reason why with %G cellular, at its very high frequencies, did not travel very far or penetrate deeply at all (requiring more towers that are closer to users).

Lower frequencies though also go with lower data throughput speeds, which is why cellular providers have been trying to move up to 5G as the speeds are way faster (over those shorter distances).

This standard though will be of tremendous use connecting users in underdeveloped areas where getting connected is more important than ultra-fast streaming speeds. That said, this frequency is not available in Africa (Region 1) because it is reserved for cellular providers still. Also, increased distance would likely also mean increased signal congestion. This is why each region and country have regulators approving devices so that there is better utilisation of scarce radio spectrum (in other words, don't import this equipment unless it is approved for your country).

See https://www.techzim.co.zw/2024/02/wifi-networks-spanning-3km-on-the-way-cell-tower-kind-of-range/

#technology #WiFi

Your Phone Is Not Listening to You: The tech myth has pervaded all corners of society, but its origins show it was never true to begin with

The myth has taken off so much in the last eight years because it feels like it could be true. You do get hyper-targeted ads on Facebook and Google, but it’s not because your phone is listening to you.

You may be typing your thoughts into your phone more than you realize. Yes, you talked about booking a trip to Hawaii, but did you also briefly Google how much flights cost? Did you ask Siri what the best hikes in Maui were? Did you text search on Instagram for beautiful restaurants inside a volcano? That information is sold to advertisers, and you probably tell your phone more than you think.

There’s a bounty of evidence that advertisers can use your search queries, social media usage, and cookies to build a superbly accurate picture of you. That information is tracked by advertisers, so they don’t need your microphone.

However, researchers from Northeastern University tackled this myth in 2018 and found it’s a complete bust. They tested Facebook, Instagram, and over 17,000 other apps, and the researcher found zero instances of an app unexpectedly activating your microphone and sending audio out when not prompted to do so.

However, researchers from Northeastern University tackled this myth in 2018 and found it’s a complete bust. They tested Facebook, Instagram, and over 17,000 other apps, and the researcher found zero instances of an app unexpectedly activating your microphone and sending audio out when not prompted to do so.

So, whilst we know from the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal what does actually happen, the fact is there is still zero evidence about microphones being used to listen to all conversations. We'd like to believe it, so the myth does not get stopped. I also fell for this when it was "factually" stated that the advertiser had said it was happening and the webpage was then changed. But it seems now that the webpage never said that at all in the first place.

This sort of thing just makes people more paranoid for no reason. It's why I always like to have any dissent backed up with some concrete report or evidence. IT is too easy to troll and disagree without reason, but such an argument has zero weight at all.

See https://gizmodo.com/your-phone-is-not-listening-to-you-1851220787

#technology #privacy #myths

Goodbye Eskom — R1 billion deal to bring fastest off-grid car chargers to South Africa

Zero Carbon Charge has signed a R1-billion memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Shanghai Magic Power and Greencore Energy Solutions to build integrated supercharging systems for the 120 charging stations it is currently rolling out in South Africa.

The company’s first electric charging station, on the N12 between Klerksdorp and Wolmaranstad, is set to be completed by June 2024.

The map shows a pretty good spread of these chargers across the country. Not only is this good for the Eskom situation (allowing faster adoption of EVs in South Africa) but it is also very important for any disasters when not only EVs must be recharged, but also other critical infrastructure.

Right now, in South Africa there was a freak storm across the Karoo a few days ago, and all grid power for those areas is off for nearly two weeks. Masses of diesel is being used to run generators, and the diesel has to be brought in over long distances. I can see these types of charging stations also providing a vital role for this scenario in future.

See https://mybroadband.co.za/news/energy/524140-goodbye-eskom-r1-billion-deal-to-bring-fastest-off-grid-car-chargers-to-south-africa.html

#technology #EV #SouthAfrica #environment

SparkyLinux harbors a flamboyant array of desktops: Stable and rolling releases, Pi versions, and some very unusual customizations

SparkyLinux is a lightweight distro based on Debian, but it offers some choices that few if any others do.

This year's first new version of SparkyLinux has two development streams: a rolling-release version 8, based on Debian "Trixie," release 2024.01 of which just landed. There's also a stable-release version: SparkyLinux 7 is based on Debian 12 "Bookworm," and version 7.2 came out last month.

The original Unix desktop developed about 20 years ago, the Common Desktop Environment or CDE, became open source back in 2012, is also one of the desktop options on SparkyLinux. Back in Linux's youth, there was an $80 commercial version of CDE for Red Hat Linux 4.

See https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/28/sparkylinux/

#technology #Linux #vintage #opensource

Started building the #Lego Orient Express train today. Got the tracks done so far. Looks nice and large, judging by the 30cm ruler in front.

#train #locomotive #steam #railway

Yes, you really need a USB-C cable tester now to sort out which cables are fast charge or not, etc. Wonder if there is not an app of sorts which could do that as there is intelligence built into the cable connectors.