Claes Andersson

Pong is a classic from the very dawn of the video game era. Recreating it remains a popular exercise for those new to coding. However, its simple logic makes this game particularly suited to an all-hardware build; something which [Glen] tackles with aplomb.

Not content to take the easy way out, [Glen] went for a particularly hardcore method of construction. The game uses absolutely zero integrated circuits in its construction. Instead, it relies upon the services of 431 bipolar transistors, 6 JFETs and 826 diodes. Everything is laced together on protoboard, connected with a neatly organised nest of colored wires. Schematics are available for the curious.

It’s a full featured build, too. Video output is in color, scores are displayed at the top of the screen, and there’s even stereo panning for the sound effects. It just goes to show what some humble components can do when put to work in the right way. We’ve seen some of [Glen]’s work before too, for example in this op-amp bouncing ball device. Video after the break.

Usually when one thinks of using a CNC machine for producing PCBs, one thinks of those big, bulky CNC machines that pretty much fill an entire desk. But what if a CNC machine could be small enough to fit on a desk without getting in the way, yet still be useful enough to make single- and double-sided PCBs? This was the idea behind The Ant, the compact PCB manufacturing machine which [Mattia] and [Angelo] designed and open sourced.

In addition to the above linked Bitbucket repository for the project, the ‘Ant Team’ has a YouTube channel on which they have a range of rather professionally edited videos on the project, ranging from constructing the little machine, to various updates and more  Also see the video that is attached after the link for a visual introduction to the project.

Support and community interaction is mostly performed via the Reddit group for the project, where the diminutive machine finds a welcoming community as it continues to evolve. The machine itself is specified at this point as being able to built from commercially available and 3D printed parts, requiring no further tools for cutting or shaping. The precision is about 0.2 mm trace spacing.

Optical alignment for double-sided boards is achieved using a USB micro camera and the bCNC software, while the cost for materials is said to be quite inexpensive when compared with commercial solutions

Honestly, after seeing the machine in action, wouldn’t you want to have a CNC machine that’s so small and good-looking on your desk? If there’s one thing one might want to add, it’s probably a way to deal with the copper dust that’s produced while creating PCBs. Having to clean that off the desk after each PCB manufacturing session would get a bit cumbersome, we imagine.

Hello! My name is Dieter Bohn and I have problems. My main problem is that I look around at my fellow humans and see them dealing with little problems that shouldn't be problems. I see tangled cables, messy computer interfaces, and wildly confusing living room TV setups. For whatever reason, I really enjoy solving these small problems and then stare agog when I see people just living with them. Then I run up and tell them I can fix it and, well, they stare back at me in confusion. "Okay Dieter. You're weird." Yes, I am — so you don't have to be.

But I know I'm not alone in enjoying fixing this stuff. So we're going to make some videos about these little fixes. This isn't a "Getting Things Done" system. I don't believe that people should...

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For 19 years, Anssi Vanjoki was employed at Nokia, working his way up the then-world-beating company to join the manufacturer's executive board in 1999. When Nokia's CEO stepped down in 2010, Vanjoki was in charge of the company's entire smartphone division, and many believed he was set to become CEO. Instead, Microsoft's head of Business Stephen Elop was installed as CEO, and Vanjoki swiftly resigned his position. The Verge asked Vanjoki for his opinion on the Nokia sale, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, he's not impressed.

Echoing comments he made to Finnish press, Vanjoki tells The Verge in an emailed statement that the situation is "shameful, but unavoidable." He believes that the sale represents a "complete failure" of Nokia's...

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There's some brilliant concept art for Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, showcasing some designs for the cyclops that are funnier than what ended up on screen. As well as some that are way more horrifying-looking.

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