homebrew
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The bootleg Nintendo Network replacement no longer requires jailbreaking
The Pretendo Network, an open-source Nintendo Network alternative, no longer requires a hacked Wii U console. With Nintendo’s servers for the obsolete console shutting down on Monday, the Pretendo Network shared a new workaround that provides limited access to its homebrew servers.
Exobrew is the latest machine trying to make homebrewing beer beginner friendly
The Exobrew's temperature controlled keg handles everything from boiling to serving. But the $879 price might put some off.
Nintendo has unofficial The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening PC remake taken down (update)
An anonymous and inventive Nintendo fan has recreated the Game Boy classic The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening with a twist. The widescreen Windows remake adds high frame rate support and lets you zoom out to view a larger portion — or even all — of Koholint Island.
‘Super Tilt Bro.’ is like NES Smash Bros. with online matches
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to play ‘Super Smash Bros.’ a decade before it came out — with online gaming tech that didn’t exist in the 80s — ‘Super Tilt Bro.’ is your answer. The retro homebrew NES game pays homage to Nintendo’s fighting franchise (while steering clear of Nintendo IP) in a lovingly crafted passion project now seeking funding on Kickstarter.
It's already possible to hack an AirTag
A security researcher has successfully hacked an AirTag, making it launch the 'wrong' website.
VR time machine helps an inventor relive his past
An inventor has created a VR time machine that lets him relive a given day from his perspective -- so long as he recorded it, at least.
PlayStation 2 can play homebrew games by using DVD player exploits
A software engineer has discovered that you can 'hack' the PlayStation 2 to play homebrew games by feeding it specially crafted DVDs.
Hacked NES Power Glove controls a modular synth with finger wriggles
Look Mum No Computer has hacked a Power Glove to control a modular synth with finger gestures, and it's just as weird as you'd expect.
Original Xbox's complete source code leaked online
The OS of the original Xbox has been leaked online, which could help to improve unofficial emulation of the console.
Nintendo wins court case to block Switch piracy websites in the UK
Nintendo just scored another win in its ongoing crusade against pirates, although the consequences are slightly unusual this time around. The gaming giant has won a UK injunction that will have five major providers in the country (BT, EE, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin) block four sites that distribute pirated Switch games, help users modify vulnerable Switches and offer circumvention hardware. The court agreed with Nintendo that the sites were violating Nintendo trademarks, targeted the UK and didn't have a legal justification for the mods.
PicoBrew shifts its focus from beer to coffee with the MultiBrew
In May of 2018 PicoBrew announced the Pico U -- a universal brewing machine that was supposed to make basically any beverage you could called "brewed", from coffee, to beer to horchata. Well, the story didn't end well for the Pico U. Its Kickstarter campaign was pulled and the device never actually saw the light of day. A little over a year later and the company is ready to try it's hand at an all-in-one system again. The Pico MultiBrew takes the core concept of the U, but refocuses it. The result is a product that might have an easier time finding a home on your counter.
Android is (unofficially) available for the Nintendo Switch
You no longer have to wonder when you can throw caution to the wind and install Android on your Switch. Homebrew developers at XDA have released the first publicly available Android firmware for Nintendo's system, a take on the Android 8.1-based LineageOS 15.1 for compatible models. It's still buggy, including issues with battery life, auto-rotation and sensitive touchscreen input, but the core functionality is there. Effectively, it's a small Android tablet with a pair of controllers attached -- you can browse the web, play 3D games and otherwise use it like you would other mobile devices.
The new Raspberry Pi 4 is ready for 4K video
Like the Raspberry Pi but wish it had a little more oomph for your homebrew projects? The Pi Foundation might have what you need. The newly released Raspberry Pi 4 Model B mates the familiar tiny computer-on-a-board design with purportedly "ground-breaking" boosts to performance, particularly for media. Thanks to both a newer 1.5GHz quad-core Broadcom processor with H.265 decoding, two micro-HDMI ports and up to 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM (more on that in a bit), the Pi 4 can output 4K video at 60 frames per second. This could theoretically serve as a modern DIY media hub, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation even claims that it's fast enough to compete with "entry-level" x86 PCs.
Maker Faire ceases operations amid financial trouble
It's a grim time for fans of homebrew gadget creation. Maker Media, the company responsible for Maker Faires and Make:, has stopped operations and laid off all its staff. CEO Dale Dougherty explained it to TechCrunch as a matter of financial trouble. It "wasn't that interesting to its investors," and sponsors were backing out. Autodesk and Microsoft didn't fund the flagship Bay Area Faire in 2019, for example. This came despite healthy demand. The recent Bay event met ticket expectations, for example.
PicoBrew's new kits let you homebrew beer with your ingredients
PicoBrew's all-in-one homebrew appliances put a brewery on your countertop. They're relatively easy to use, and give novice beer makers detailed steps to make their own suds -- no previous experience required. There was one huge hindrance for the Pico C, Pico Pro and Pico S though: you couldn't buy ingredients from your local homebrew shop and pop them into these small appliances. You could do that with the $2,500 modular Pico Z, but it simply wasn't an option on the more affordable models. Well, that changes today with the so-called UnPak'd Kit.
NVIDIA's $99 Jetson Nano is an AI computer for DIY enthusiasts
Sophisticated AI generally isn't an option for homebrew devices when the mini computers can rarely handle much more than the basics. NVIDIA thinks it can do better -- it's unveiling an entry-level AI computer, the Jetson Nano, that's aimed at "developers, makers and enthusiasts." NVIDIA claims that the Nano's 128-core Maxwell-based GPU and quad-core ARM A57 processor can deliver 472 gigaflops of processing power for neural networks, high-res sensors and other robotics features while still consuming a miserly 5W. On the surface, at least, it could hit the sweet spot if you're looking to build your own robot or smart speaker.
Watch LG’s CES press conference in 8 minutes
Considering LG began its CES hype campaign in early December, the company's obscenely early press conference today -- the first of the show -- was unexpectedly short and sweet. LG is committed to releasing a 5G smartphone this year, and promises its ThinQ AI home appliances will get progressively smarter, suggesting how to better manage your home rather than just blindly obeying your conversational commands. LG also gave an appropriate amount of airtime to HomeBrew, its new capsule-based craft beer system for nurturing easy, homemade batches.
LG's automated craft beer system could make homebrewing much easier
Given the phenomenal popularity of craft beers and ales sweeping bars across the globe, it's surprising that homebrewing hasn't yet taken off to the same levels. Sure, we've seen a number of systems touting the trend -- Picobrew and Brewie are two that have done well on Kickstarter -- but it's yet to really go mainstream. But this could be set to change now that LG is getting in on things.
Nintendo Labo contest champions include a solar accordion and teapots
If it wasn't already apparent that you can do much more with Nintendo Labo than what comes in the box, it is now. Nintendo has unveiled the winners of a Creators Contest that challenged them to produce games and musical instruments, and the results go well beyond what you might expect. One of the more inventive examples is Momoka Kinder's solar-powered accordion. It uses the Joy-Cons to both play notes (when you cover one of the holes with your finger) and change volume based on tilt, while pressing buttons on the Switch screen controls the octave. You probably won't serenade someone with it, but it's complete and relatively easy to make (you can use tissue boxes if you like).
Custom oscilloscope console pays tribute to 'Star Fox' and 'Asteroids'
Throughout gaming's storied history, there's been some wild hardware like N-Gage, the Barcode Battler and, more recently, Nintendo Labo. But we haven't seen anything quite like the Ocelot Arcade System, a homebrew console that uses an oscilloscope as its display. Yep, an oscilloscope. The console can display 3D vector graphics in real time and deliver four-channel polyphonic sound through a built-in amplifier and speaker.
