What is a Home lab, and why tech enthusiasts should build one
“With the ever-changing tech landscape, having hands-on experience is more valuable than ever. While textbooks, YouTube videos, and online courses provide a solid foundation, nothing beats the practical knowledge gained from working with real systems. That’s where the power of the home lab comes into play. It’s a dedicated space where you experiment with various software and hardware, including desktops, networking gear, and Chromebooks.”
A home tech lab is not something that just appears overnight. It grows over quite a time. There is also no set way to do it, but the core of it is usually some form of self-hosting some services, whether on a humble Raspberry Pi, a mini-PC as a server, or a NAS. You start out with one thing, and you keep adding to it, and then upgrading parts as your lab grows.
Apart from skills development, saving money by hosting at home, you also end up with lots of flexibility with what you do.
Bear in mind though if you grant access to the outside world, you do introduce some risks if you have not got your firewall, reverse proxy, and other basic security set up properly (but that is part of the learning too).
I just recently moved all my devices onto their own grouped VLANs. This improves their security as well as reducing lots of broadcasts across my network, but this was quite a bit more complex to do.
If you think that any form of home lab is just unnecessary, think for a moment that if you are adding no-name Wi-Fi cameras, Wi-Fi switches, audio speakers, etc to your home network, that you do want to really separate those types of devices from your actual computers and phones and the network.
See https://www.androidpolice.com/home-lab-explainer-how-to-build as well as this one about VLANs at https://www.xda-developers.com/reasons-you-should-you-be-using-vlans-on-your-home-network
#technology #selfhosting #homelabs
I did notice with previous version that my phone's HEIC photos were not sharing. I coukd manually post them to Nostr, BlueSky and Mastodon tho. Hope this is fixed as my phones camera defaults to HEIC.
Wox is the open source Alfred alternative Windows users need to boost their productivity
“Windows search is slow, frustrating, resource-intensive, and prone to burying the file you actually need under irrelevant results. With a built-in Bing search engine, it’s undoubtedly a common pain point for Windows users. And that's even before mentioning the full-screen takeover that disrupts your focus. Overall, it’s nowhere close to app launchers like Alfred, Raycast, and even Spotlight Search on Mac.”
Many 3rd party alternatives are often more flexible than Windows' own built in tools. Wox has a plugin store to also extend its functionality a lot further.
The biggest challenge for many is to overcome the muscle memory. You need to remember you have a tool like this, otherwise it falls into disuse. I'm frequently amazed at how much stuff I've installed, and completely forgotten about!
#technology #opensource #productivity
6 reasons Darktable is better than Adobe Lightroom for hobbyist photo editors
“This open-source photo editor offers professional-grade features without the subscription cost, making it an excellent option for everyday photographers who want to enhance their images without breaking the bank.”
Darktable is an open source photography workflow application and raw developer. A virtual light table and darkroom for photographers. It manages your digital negatives in a database, lets you view them through a zoomable light table and enables you to develop raw images and enhance them.
As it costs nothing, you really can't go wrong with trying it out. I also use digiKam a lot for my photo editing and organising.
See https://www.xda-developers.com/reasons-darktable-is-better-than-lightroom
#technology #opensource #photography
You can turn an old phone into a Stream Deck for your PC: here's how
Macro Deck is an open source software to use your Android smartphone, tablet or almost any touch screen device with an internet browser as a simple macro pad or even as a powerful automation solution for streaming, gaming, content creation and more. This is just the companion app, so will you also need the Macro Deck application on your (Windows) PC.
Another option similar to this, though, could be to use BitFocus Companion configured with a virtual Stream Deck. BitFocus has the application that will run on Linux, Windows or macOS, and similarly can be controlled by any remote device on the network with a browser. It may be more flexible than the Macro Deck solution as it is cross-platform.
See https://www.xda-developers.com/you-can-turn-an-old-phone-into-a-stream-deck-for-your-pc-heres-how
#technology #opensource #streamdeck
#caturday
WikiTok is a Web App Is TikTok for Reading Wikipedia
“WikiTok, which, as its name alludes to, is a web interface that combines TikTok and Wikipedia. Unlike traditional video-sharing platforms, WikiTok offers users a refreshing respite from the relentless algorithms that dominate our digital landscape. The web app delivers an article at random, with an engaging image filling the display. If something interests you, you can tap “Read More,” and then the full Wikipedia article will pop up in another window. If it doesn't catch your fancy, you scroll up, and another article will randomly appear.”
I was just listening to a podcast today where a mother was talking about how her daughter telling her their school was taking away phones during the school day, and the daughter thought it was a good thing as “the kids addicted to TikTok are anyway unhappy” and this may give them a chance to recalibrate.
WikiTok has no algorithm that is tailored to a person's interests. The articles are random, but at least it is real knowledge of a general nature, and without the addictive pull. It is a similar format in which it is presented, but without the algorithm, it also means that it will present articles of a broader interest.
This option is web based, so you need to bookmark the link in the linked article below, or save it to the home screen to open using the browser similarly to an app.
See https://lifehacker.com/tech/this-web-app-is-tiktok-for-wikipedia
#technology #WikiTok #TikTok #Wikipedia
Apple hearing aid feature now available in South Africa
“South Africa’s hearing aid market might be in for a big shake-up: Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid functionality is now available in South Africa. Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 were set apart from other Bluetooth earbuds in the market when US regulators last September approved their use as hearing aids, opening up a potentially lucrative new market for the California-based technology giant.”
Yes, with hearing aids costing from R10k to R100k, even Apple AirPods will seem very cheap by comparison.
The point of this functionality though is not just about amplifying sound (many ear buds can do that), but it is about assessing hearing loss and compensating properly for it.
It is amazing this has taken so long to get to market if I think about own long we've had super cheap reading glasses available in discount pharmacy stores. For many, they just want “good enough” to use.
See https://techcentral.co.za/apple-hearing-aid-feature-south-africa
#technology #southafrica #hearing #airpods
The New OnePlus Watch 3 Lasts 5 Days In Smart Mode
“One of the standout features of the OnePlus Watch 3 is its long battery life, which lasts 16 days in power saver mode and 5 days in smart mode. A quick 10-minute charge gives owners a full day of use, so an hour's charge will likely reset the 16-day (or 5-day) countdown. The 120-hour battery life in smart mode lets you keep Bluetooth and Wi-Fi running, send messages and make calls, use the screen, and track exercises.”
I don't generally judge a watch by its standby or power save modes, as it often only tells the time and does a few other basics. But 5 days of normal use, and a 10-minute charge giving a day of use, is pretty good (OK my Pebble Watch did last longer).
It is good to see they upped the battery capacity a bit too. For me, battery life is more important than a phone or watch being 1 mm thinner. The battery chemistry has also changed, so clearly battery life was a prime consideration for this design.
To top it all, this watch actually runs Wear OS. Why I say that, is that the Wear OS watches have mostly had dismal battery life compared to the tweaked OS's from Huawei and others.
This watch will be on my short list to compare when I next need to replace my smartwatch.
See https://www.howtogeek.com/oneplus-watch-3-release
#technology #smartwatch
5 networking tools to safeguard your home lab from the inside out
“If you’re new to the hobby, securing your home lab is paramount to ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of your systems and data. It’s easy to inadvertently expose your entire system to online threats, especially when you’re new to running self-hosted systems. Implementing robust networking tools can safeguard your environment from potential threats, both internal and external. Here are five essential networking tools to fortify your home lab from the inside out.”
Certainly some good suggestions here in the linked article. There are however also some excellent alternatives to consider too:
* pfSense vs OPNsense
* VLANs are excellent but note you'll need VLAN aware switches and wireless access points
* OpenVPN vs WireGuard
* Pi-hole vs AdGuard Home
I'd also add a Watch Your LAN type app to this list.
See https://www.xda-developers.com/networking-tools-to-safeguard-your-home-lab-from-the-inside-out
#technology #homelab #networking
I Spend More Time Watching Games Than Playing Them (and I'm Not Alone)
“A recent study suggests that gamers spend, on average, around 7.5 hours playing compared to 8.5 hours watching games. With so many great games around, why do these gamers spend more time watching than playing? As someone who finds himself watching games more than playing them, I can say there are several reasons.”
This is certainly true for me. Although I do play some games, it takes a bit of time to organise the steering wheel etc, to update the game, and then to get back into where I was with it. It is quite fun to watch others playing, see what they do, and you can end the session at any time you want to (and even continue watching tomorrow).
On a funnier note, I used to watch one or two specific players many years ago. I went to look them up, and they are still playing the exact same games, except they look quite a bit older now. ;-)
It does show there is quite a market for this, and quite a few YouTubers make their living off playing games the whole day (was it not our parents back in the 1980s and 1990s who said you can't play games the whole day, and better get out and get a job). That didn't age well!
See https://www.howtogeek.com/i-spend-more-time-watching-games-than-playing-them-and-im-not-alone
#technology #gaming
Say goodbye to parking tickets in South Africa
Once you've used a parking app at a shopping mall for parking, you'll never look back. No queues to pay, no carrying cash, it keeps record of what you paid where, it is quicker to enter and exit a mall, no struggling with a machine that does not accept your note or coin, no more losing your ticket and having to pay a penalty.
Although the article covers the Admyt app, I'm also using the Parket app for a new mall in Cape Town that has cashless parking only.
I think the Admyt app does charge a small charge for the usage, but at one mall where I get a free 90 minutes of parking from PnP, I still use the Admyt app to scan the QR code in store, and my parking is free.
When I was visiting the same mall last weekend, I was amazed to still see so many people paying for their parking. There are signs all over the mall advertising the service, and any new user gets R20 free credit.
When I went to park at Newlands Forest not too long ago, I saw the parking “guard” has a QR code to accept payments by SnapScan. He says he gets paid more by SnapScan users than he receives as cash, and there is less risk of him having cash stolen from him.
The article at https://mybroadband.co.za/news/motoring/581651-say-goodbye-to-parking-tickets.html explains more about Admyt works.
#technology #cashless #SouthAfrica
Got my device and setting up OPNsense on it - yes looms like you can tweak anything in the firewall rules to decide what passes or not between any VLAN on OPNsense (and pfSense).
OpenBoard is a free and open source cross-platform interactive whiteboard for schools and universities
OpenBoard is a free and open-source interactive whiteboard software compatible with any projector and pointing device.
Currently, OpenBoard is maintained by the Education Department (DIP) of the canton of Geneva, in Switzerland. The University of Lausanne, who developped the original Uniboard software in 2003 has joined the effort by means of a logistical and financial contribution.
It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux (including a Flatpak).
See https://openboard.ch/index.en.html
#technology #education #opensource #whiteboard
5 quirky self-hosted services to manage your relationships, adventures, and more
I’ve been a part of the self-hosting ecosystem for a long time, and let me tell you, it’s filled to the brim with all sorts of fun and interesting projects. On the practical side of things, you’ve got the e-book management platform Calibre Web, budgeting powerhouse Firefly III, PKM system TriliumNext Notes, and a host of other utilities. For security experts, there’s the network traffic probe ntopng and self-hosted firewall OPNsense.
But here’s a list of the most quirky (but still fairly useful) services you can host on your workstation.
There is something for trekkers, tourists, and travellers; a Customer Relationship Management tool; a private, self-hosted browser; a genealogy tree; a habit tracker and changer; and a few other ideas too.
The great thing with self-hosting a service is that it remains private. I'm busy implementing OPNsense firewall myself right now at home.
See https://www.xda-developers.com/quirky-but-fun-self-hosted-services
#technology #selfhosting #privacy #opensource
10 of the best plug-ins for your OpenMediaVault NAS
On its own, OpenMediaVault is a decent OS if you want to build a NAS out of a low-spec device. After all, it has the holy trifecta of a simple UI, lightweight nature, and compatibility with ARM systems. However, hidden under that beginner-friendly exterior is a highly customizable operating system that can be outfitted with powerful plug-ins to extend the functionality of your NAS.
The linked article covers a few interesting plugins you can use to extend the functionality of your OMV NAS. I'm still using OMV myself after many years, as it does what it needs to do quite well.
See https://www.xda-developers.com/best-plug-ins-for-your-openmediavault-nas
#technology #OMV #NAS
5 reasons why FreeOffice is a great Microsoft Office alternative
I use FreeOffice myself, mostly because it starts up super quickly (ready in under 5 secs) and has an interface that resonates with me.
Yes, LibreOffice is just as powerful and is much better known, but I find it takes nearly 30 secs to start up on my desktop PC. I also have challenges getting the themes to show the colours correctly.
The great thing though with free office packages is, you can install two, four or more of them and give them a good try out.
FreeOffice is not perfect, though, and one of the biggest drawbacks is the lack of an English grammar checker (there is a spell checker).
See https://www.xda-developers.com/5-reasons-why-freeoffice-is-a-great-microsoft-alternative
#technology #officesuite #alternativeto
Opera Air is the most relaxing browser you've ever seen
Given how much work gets done in our browsers, it's odd that companies haven't capitalised on making their software as calming as possible. This is a shame because, if a recent survey from Opera is to be believed, we're in dire need of a browser that can soothe us during the frantic days. Well, given how Opera makes browsers, it decided to solve this problem itself with Opera Air, a new version that emphasises calmness and relaxation while you browse.
In response to the need of a browser that takes the user's mindfulness first and foremost, Opera Air focuses on what it calls “Boosts.”
It's very true that many of us spend far more time in a browser, than actually using any native apps any more today (on our desktops anyway). Depending on whether you go to Facebook/X or Bluesky/Mastodon, your experiences online can vary greatly (this is especially true for sites that actively employ algorithms to incite rage, as nothing drives clicks better than rage).
There is nothing unique about what they have added into this browser, but I suppose browser providers are struggling to differentiate themselves from the others.
The link at the end of the XDA Dev article though is incorrect, so the correct one is https://www.opera.com/air.
From https://www.xda-developers.com/opera-air-release
#technology #browsers
Someone built a DIY wall-mounted NAS with Lego and a Raspberry Pi
In a post on the HomeServer subreddit, user koechzzzn showed off their newest build. It's nothing too complex; it's a Raspberry Pi and a hard drive connected to one another and mounted on the wall using a Lego case. People in the thread were pretty impressed, even if they weren't so keen about how the original poster screwed the Pi and the Lego in.
Some spare Lego can go a long way. One of my first router "racks" was made out of Lego, too.
See https://www.xda-developers.com/diy-wall-mounted-nas-lego-raspberry-pi
#technology #Lego #NAS
Thanks yes I tried various options tho with that port 1. Have just ordered a Protectli device so planning to go with pfSense.