Google kills the Chromecast, introduces the Google TV Streamer for both video streaming and Smart Home control

Google TV Streamer

Google has just announced the Chromecast media streamer would be phased out, introducing instead the Google TV Streamer for both TV streaming and the Smart Home with not only gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 5, and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, but also Matter support and Thread border router function. The Android TV device comes with 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash, an HDMI 2.1 port supporting up to 4Kp60, and a USB-C port for power and data. A voice remote control is also included, and the solution is not integrated with the Smart Home allowing users to connect to locks and motion sensors through Thread/Matter, monitor their security camera systems, and more. Google TV Streamer specifications: CPU – Not disclosed, but allegedly the MediaTek MT8696 quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor @ 1.8 GHz, Imagination GE9215 GPU @ 750MHz as found in the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is used here. System Memory – […]

Linamp – A Raspberry Pi 4-based audio box with Winamp look and feel

Linamp audio player

Linamp is a media player box based on Raspberry Pi 4 SBC and a touchscreen display with a GUI that replicates the popular Winamp media player’s GUI that older readers may remember from the late 90s and early 2000s when it was one of the most popular music players for Windows. Rodmg found some renders of what a real Winamp player could look like online, and it inspired him to create his own. As its name implies Linamp runs on Linux (DietPi) instead of Windows, and the hardware is based on a Raspberry Pi 4, a 7.9-inch touchscreen display, a USB DAC, and various connectors and cables, all housed in a custom-designed metal enclosure and a 3D-printed front cover both designed with Onshape. Here’s the complete list of off-the-shelf items used for the build: SBC – Raspberry Pi 4 with a 32 GB microSD card, a set of passive heat […]

SparkFun Thing Plus – NORA-W306 – A dual-band Wi-Fi 4 and BLE 5.3 IoT board

Sparkfun Thing Plus - NORA-W306

SparkFun Thing Plus – NORA-W306, is a dual-core, dual-band WiFi 4 and BLE 5.3 microcontroller board in the AdaFruit Feather form factor based on the u-box NORA-W306 module and targeted at low-power wireless applications. The u-blox module integrates the Realtek RTL8720DF chip, a dual-core ARM Cortex-M33 and Cortex-M23 microcontroller with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and Bluetooth 5.3 Low Energy. It offers up to 4MB of encrypted flash and has an onboard PCB antenna. It’s very similar to the RealTek RTL8720DN we covered a few times in the past, but comes with embedded flash. The SparkFun Thing Plus – NORA-W306 board features a USB-C connector for programming, data, and power. The USB data lines are protected against electrostatic discharge and are connected to a CP2102N USB-to-serial converter for uploading code or serial. This board includes a 2-pin JST-style connector for a LiPo battery, a single-cell charger, and a LiPo fuel […]

Arduino and LVGL-compatible ESP32-C3 board features a 1.28-inch round touchscreen display fully housed in a case

ESP32-2424S012 round display full enclosure

The ESP32-2424S012 is an ESP32-C3 WiFi and BLE development board with a 1.28-inch round touchscreen color display that is fully housed in a black or white plastic enclosure and suitable for Arduino and LVGL library. As we’ll see further below some have also used it with Tasmota and ESPHome firmware. We previously covered several tiny ESP32-S3/ESP32-C3 boards with a round display such as the LILYGO T-RGB ESP32-S3 board, Makerfabs “ESP32-S3 Round SPI TFT with Touch 1.28″, SB Components’ Dual Roundy, but they either don’t come with a case at all, or only the front is covered, but the bottom is laid bare. The ESP32-2424S012 is quite similar, but it can be purchased with a case that covers both the front and back with some openings for expansion connectors. ESP32-2424S012 board specifications: Wireless module – Espressif Systems ESP32-C3-MINI-1U module SoC – ESP32-C3 RISC-V microcontroller @ 160 MHz with 400 KB SRAM, 2.4 […]

M5Stamp Fly ESP32-S3 WiFi drone is controlled by the M5Atom WiFi joystick controller using ESPNOW

M5Stamp Fly ESP32 Drone

M5Stack M5Stamp Fly is a tiny ESP32-S3 WiFi drone based on the company’s M5Stamp S3 WiFi 4 and BLE IoT module, equipped with four motors and several sensors. and controllable the M5Atom WiFi joystick controller also based on ESP32-S3 WiSoC. We have recently seen some tiny ESP32 or ESP8266 WiFi drones with a low-cost ESP32 DIY drone and the PiWings 2.0 drone, but the M5Stamp Fly is more advanced with a total of six sensors including a barometer, two time-of-flight distance sensors, a 6-axis IMU, a 3-axis magnetometer, and an optical flow detection sensors, plus two Grove connector for additional sensors or modules. M5Stamp Fly (K138) specifications: Main controller – M5Stamp S3 module WiSoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3FN8 dual-core 32-bit Xtensa LX7 microcontroller with AI vector instructions up to 240MHz, RISC-V ULP co-processor, 512KB SRAM, 2.4GHz WiFi 4 (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth 5.0 BLE + Mesh, 8MB flash Connectivity 2.4 GHz WiFi […]

Tachyon is a business card-sized SBC based on Qualcomm QCM6490 Arm AI SoC with 5G and WiFi 6 connectivity (Crowdfunding)

Tachyon Qualcomm QCS6490 SBC

Particle Tachyon is a credit card-sized SBC for AIoT projects powered by a Qualcomm QCM6490 octa-core Cortex-A78/A55 SoC with 12 TOPS of AI performance, 4GB RAM, 64GB UFS storage, and support for 5G cellular and WiFi 6 connectivity. The Tachyon integrates MIPI DSI and CSI display/camera interfaces, two USB-C ports including one with DisplayPort Alt mode, and also leverages some Raspberry Pi 5’s hardware features with a 40-pin GPIO header for HAT expansion boards and the 20-pin PCIe FFC for PCIe add-ons. Tachyon specifications: SoC – Qualcomm QCM6490 CPU – Octa-core Kryo 670 with 1x Gold Plus core (Cortex-A78) @ 2.7 GHz, 3x Gold cores (Cortex-A78) @ 2.4 GHz, 4x Silver cores (Cortex-A55) @ up to 1.9 GHz GPU – Adreno 643L GPU @ 812 MHz with support for Open GL ES 3.2, Open CL 2.0, Vulkan 1.x, DX FL 12 DSP – Hexagon DSP with dual HVX and 4K […]

Tuya Ivy smart flower pot monitors your plant’s inner feelings

Tuya Ivy Smart Flower Pot

No need to check the calendar, it’s not the first of April, and Tuya Ivy is indeed a smart WiFi-connected flower pot with a display that will report your plant’s thirst for water, need for more light, and even loneliness… Developed by PlantsIO, the Ivy smart flower pot is powered by an ESP32 wireless microcontroller connected to seven sensors including lighting and moisture sensors, and a display to show various faces. There’s also a USB-C port for power, a microSD card slot for data storage, some buttons, and a touch bar for user interaction. Tuya Ivy specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-WROVER-E SoC – ESP32 dual-core LX6 processor running at 240 MHz with 520KiB internal RAM Memory – 64 Mbit PSRAM (ESP PSRAM64H) Storage – 64Mbit SPI flash (XMC 25QH64CH10) Wireless – 2.4 GHz WiFi and Bluetooth 5.x (Only WiFi appears to be use) Storage – microSD card Display – Tri-color […]

ODrive Micro is a compact, brushless motor controller designed for space-constrained robotics applications (Crowdfunding)

odrive micro

ODrive Micro is a high-performance servo motor drive from ODrive Robotics that comes in an ultra-compact, 32 x 32mm form factor. The controller provides up to 100W continuous power for driving brushless servo motors. The ODrive Micro is the latest in a series of motor controllers from ODrive and builds on the company’s established software and hardware ecosystem. This includes support for CAN Bus, programming libraries, and a web-based graphic user interface for easy and intuitive setup. The Micro features a CAN interface for daisy-chaining other controllers and an onboard 12-bit magnetic encoder for direct mounting without needing an external encoder. It also offers the option to mount hall, quadrature, and SPI external encoders via the J1 header on the board. The ODrive Micro is aimed at robotics applications where space is premium, including hobbyist and professional use. It is similar to the Wukong 2040, ClearCore, and the Serial Bus […]

UP 7000 x86 SBC