Anton Olsen.com

Fun with TLDs, .st

• to.doli.st
• nihli.st
• uglie.st
• fi.st
• lamba.st

Compared to the .sh domains, the .st domains are a bargain at only €35 per year.  I’m not going to rush out and buy any of these, but they could be fun projects.  I’ll add it to the to.doli.st.

http://www.nic.st/

links for 2008-06-17

• 1-Wire 8-bit LCD Reference Design - Maxim
  Nice reference on using Maxim’s 1 wire 8 channel switch to drive an LCD driver.
  (tags: one-wire lcd maxim todo toread)
• DS2408 1-Wire 8-Channel Addressable Switch
  Maxim’s 8 channel I/O, 1 wire addressable switch. Handy for those tight increasing the number of ports on the tiny AVRs
  (tags: multiplexer driver toread)
• Electronics-Lab.com Blog » Blog Archive » AVR audio spectrum analyser on dot LED matrix display
  LED Graphic Spectrum Analyzer.
  (tags: avr fast fourier todo)
• ELM - Audio Spectrum Monitor
  (tags: AVR diy audio)
• Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python
  Teach your kids to program games with python
  (tags: book ebook game kids learning python programming)
• Customer Secure Order Form
  Small 10mah battery
  (tags: battery lipo 10mah)
• Micro RC Product Page
  more tiny batteries
  (tags: battery rc)

The Happening is Kinda Happening

Despite the bad reviews, the Happening did surprisingly well in the box office this weekend with about $30M. I’ll take a pass though and save my money to see Kung Fu Panda again.

Theatrical Horror Reviews
The New Republic: Most Morally Abhorent Film Ever Made
The Movie Review: ‘The Happening’

links for 2008-06-14

• Leica D-Lux 3 Pixel Dog
  A cool ad with a pixelated dog sculpted of LEGO.
  (tags: ads art Camera cool lego)

My First PCB Order

I just ordered a PCB from BatchPCB.com. I should have the finished product in about 2 weeks.  The downside to cheap PCB sources, is that it takes forever to get the part back.  $5 per sq inch (+10 setup + shipping) makes the wait worth while though.  Most small order PCB manufacturers cost 4-5x that.

This board is an adapter for the tiny 3mm square 10 pin DFN so I can plug it into the solderless breadboard.  Even with the adapter board it will be challenging to solder.

Robot Uprising

Sean made the mistake of confiding in me that he has nightmares about robots waking up and attacking.

links for 2008-06-13

• Virtual Villagers® - Official Site - by Last Day of Work. Download Free Game Trial.
  game to try out for the kids
  (tags: education game online virtual windows)
• Desktop Nexus - Your source for desktop wallpapers and computer backgrounds!
  (tags: art downloads free graphics)
• DESKTOPOGRAPHY
  (tags: art design free photo wallpaper)
• RepairPal
  (tags: car guide repair review toread)

Flooding in Cedar Rapids

Looks bad and it is getting worse. It is strange seeing places I worked at underwater.

links for 2008-06-12

• Vibration motors for miniature oscillation and haptic sensory applications by Precision Microdrives
  Some pager motors, with eccentric weights
  (tags: pager motors)
• 6mm Inline Gearmotor by Precision Microdrives
  A motor about the size of a 6mm pager motor but with a 25:1 planetary gear box. Yikes on the price though.
  (tags: motor gearbox 6mm tiny pager)
• Motors & Accessories - Standard Motors « Products « Solarbotics
  More page motors, not the best prices.
  (tags: pager motor)
• Robot Room - Removing Weight From Tiny Vibrating Motor
  A number of methods for removing eccentric weights from a pager motor.
  (tags: pager motor)
• Miniature Pager Motors-The Electronic Goldmine
  Nice selection of pager motors, with eccentric weight, at some great prices.
  (tags: pager motot tobuy)
• MOT1030 - Pager Motor - MOT1030
  Another low cost pager motor.
  (tags: pager motor)
• Phidgets Mini Joystick Sensor - RobotShop.ca
  A small analog joystick.
  (tags: analog joystick)

links for 2008-06-11

• CadSoft Online: Home of the EAGLE Layout Editor
  A new version of Eagle CAD is out. I might have to jump the gun and install this one manually since Ubuntu doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to catch up.
  (tags: eagle cad pcb circuit design)