Author Archives: robertwilkie

A Needle Printer

Posted on December 19, 2013 by robertwilkie

This is interesting design, the author for around $200 build a printer that uses a needle to punch holes in paper.  This could have potential to make expand into needlepoint someday. http://hackaday.com/2013/12/19/a-weird-kind-of-printer/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hackaday%2FLgoM+%28Hack+a+Day%29

Posted in Arduino, CNC/3D-printing | Comments Off on A Needle Printer

Well so much for Xerox getting into 3D printing

Posted on December 18, 2013 by robertwilkie

Looks like Xerox sold off a bunch more of its engineering, this time to 3D systems. Hopefully things will fair better for those folks than the ones sold to HCL. http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2013/12/xerox_sells_portion_of_its_wil.html

Posted in Xerox | Comments Off on Well so much for Xerox getting into 3D printing

Learn the basics of CNC

Posted on December 18, 2013 by robertwilkie

Nice site that has some good lessons on CNC basics, you can download the windows game, or run thru the website on it (not as nice looking).  Oh and its free. Worth trying out and showing kids. http://hackaday.com/2013/12/05/learncnc-game/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hackaday%2FLgoM+%28Hack+a+Day%29 http://learn-cnc-game.sourceforge.net/lesson_browser/index.html?lesson=0&page=1 http://learncnc.org/

Posted in Cheap, Teaching and Learning | Comments Off on Learn the basics of CNC

Hey at least Xerox didn’t bribe

Posted on December 17, 2013 by robertwilkie

It sounds like bribery gallory is happening in Washington City.  Up for grabs is a contract for managing parking meters and such.  It seems several companies have made some donations to city counsel members.  It sounds like Xerox indirectly did … Continue reading →

Posted in Xerox | Comments Off on Hey at least Xerox didn’t bribe

How to Get a Refund for an Android App You Bought and Doesn’t Work

Posted on December 16, 2013 by robertwilkie

Interesting article, it sounds you are OK if you get the paperwork going in the first 15 minutes after buying it.  After that…you have to decide if you time is really worth more than the time it takes to get … Continue reading →

Posted in android, Cheap | Comments Off on How to Get a Refund for an Android App You Bought and Doesn’t Work

Xerox having issues with Medicaid in Montana

Posted on December 16, 2013 by robertwilkie

Xerox was to modernize Montana’s medicaid system…sounds like its not going well and being “renegotiated”. http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/xerox-montana-ponder-what-to-do-about-stalled-medicaid-computer/article_8ecfd9b8-651a-11e3-ba85-001a4bcf887a.html

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Get things cheaper on ebay

Posted on December 16, 2013 by robertwilkie

By looking for mis-spelled items in the description.  Apparently there are now 2 websites that do the “search” for misspellings for you.  They are fatfingers.com and eaby.com. http://lifehacker.com/eaby-finds-misspelled-items-on-ebay-for-cheaper-prices-1482960264?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lifehacker%2Ffull+%28Lifehacker%29

Posted in Cheap | Comments Off on Get things cheaper on ebay

How to find a Serial port

Posted on December 14, 2013 by robertwilkie

Good write-up on how to find the debug serial port on an embedded system.  What is also interesting in this article is a tool the author wrote to help determine the baud rate of the serial port. http://www.devttys0.com/2012/11/reverse-engineering-serial-ports/ http://hackaday.com/2013/12/14/reverse-engineering-serial-ports/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hackaday%2FLgoM+%28Hack+a+Day%29

Posted in Tinkering | Comments Off on How to find a Serial port

Make a 9V Battery Powered Function Generator

Posted on December 14, 2013 by robertwilkie

Interesting build.  Not sure if its worth it or just buy a used one (or cheap one from China) yet. http://makezine.com/2013/12/14/make-a-9v-battery-powered-function-generator/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=%24%7Bfeed%7D&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+%24%7Bmakezineonline%7D+%28%24%7BMAKE%7D%29&utm_content=%24%7BGoogleReader%7D

Posted in Tinkering, Tools | Comments Off on Make a 9V Battery Powered Function Generator

Google acquires Boston Dynamics, the robot builder behind Big Dog and Cheetah

Posted on December 14, 2013 by robertwilkie

I had to post this up as fast as I can. This is a very interesting buy for Google. I wonder what the long term goal google has for all the robot stuff they have been buying up. http://www.engadget.com/2013/12/14/google-bought-boston-dynamics-its-over-for-humans/?ncid=rss_truncated

Posted in android, Misc-Life | Comments Off on Google acquires Boston Dynamics, the robot builder behind Big Dog and Cheetah