Magazines

Issue 25 of the MagPi for #RaspberryPi owners is out now

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Here’s what they say about the latest issue of the MagPi:

This month’s MagPi contains a wealth of different material.  There is a review of Raspberry Pi powered autopilot technology, the first of a mini-series from the PiBot robotics team, data acquisition with BitScope and more automation projects.  We are also very pleased to host a review of the FishDish electronics board, written by our youngest guest author so far.

With standard peripherals such as the Raspberry Pi camera, a lot of interesting projects can be implemented.  For example, time lapse photography is introduced this month.  The Raspberry Pi, installed with Linux, provides many network diagnostic tools.  Following last month’s WiFi sniffing article, some more networking tips and tricks are discussed.

The MagPi is devoted to providing programming articles without the need for additional hardware.  This month, Java classes are introduced and we are please to provide the first in a series of articles on the BASIC programming language.  Completing this month’s programming content, a full Python version of the Pocket Enigma Cipher machine is given.  The Pocket version uses wheels, similar to the original Enigma machine shown on the cover.

Get the issue over on the MagPi’s website.

Opinion

Celebrating Geekness Day

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A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by Lisa Margetis from SingleHop about the upcoming Geekness Day on 13th July. Ahead of this date, they’ve asked lots of people to answer some questions. So here goes…

What makes you a geek?

I’ve always had an obsession with computers and gadgets leading to childhood nickname Gadget Boy. I started out my computing journey with a ZX81 (which I barely got any time on due to my sister hogging the keyboard!) before moving onto a Dragon 32 (which we bough a day before they went out of business) and then, finally a BBC Master 128 where I wasted many an hour playing games like Thrust and Jet Set Willy. I didn’t get a PC until I was at university!

I guess my fundamental geekness these days comes from my interest in the Raspberry Pi. I’m heavily involved with the community, writing a blog and answering forum posts on the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Stack Exchange and other places. I regularly beta-test new products that get sent to me for review and I like nothing better than getting a soldering iron out and assembling new boards.

What is your proudest geek moment?

I think probably my proudest moment was finally finishing my Picorder, a Star Trek-inspired, Raspberry Pi-powered tricorder.

What is your geek motto/favorite geek quote?

There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don’t.

Who is your geek role model?

I don’t really have one single role model, but I am in constant awe of both the generosity and the inventiveness of the Raspberry Pi community.

Which SingleHopper geek do you most relate to? Why?

Probably David Dunlap for his interest in tinkering and steampunk, both of which I share an interest in.

How familiar are you with SingleHop’s product offerings?

I’ve taken a quick look at their offerings but apart from that I’m not particularly familiar. I know that they offer things like private cloud hosting and managed hosting.

Anything else you think we should know?

What else can I tell you about me? I live in a small town in rural Bedfordshire, UK with my wife and two step-children and I’m involved in amateur theatre (I sing, I dance, I act), which is a complete departure from being a geek!

Compute Module, Crowdfunding

First #RaspberryPi Compute Module motherboard

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Geekroo Technologies have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the first Compute Module motherboard. The CoMo Booster is a 4-layer PCB with the following features:

  • Built-in 150Mbps WiFi
  • Built-in RTC (Real Time Clock)
  • Programmable Power Management Unit(PMU), can accept wide range of input voltage (6-23V)
  • Can use 3.7V lithium battery as backup power supply. The system automatically switches to the battery power when external power outage happens. It also automatically charges the battery when the external power source is connected.
  • Build-in Arduino(ATmega32u4) as the System BIOS
  • USB hub with overcurrent protection system
  • Multiple audio connectors (SPDIF OUT,Analog OUT,MIC IN)
  • Built-in temperature monitoring system, 5V cooling fan interface
  • OLED screen(128 x 32), can display any information you want.
  • All the connectors on one side of the device

Pledges start at $99 AUD (approx £54) for a Booster without the Compute Module and $139 (approx £76) for a Booster plus a Compute Module. This obviously makes it much more expensive than a normal model Pi, but if you want something new and cool I guess it’s worth it.

You can read more and pledge here.