#RoanokeMinecraftMarathon Coming March 11 CoLab #Roanoke

Roanoke Minecraft Marathon: The Roanoke Minecraft Marathon will be 12 hours of gaming online to raise awareness and support for the Children's Miracle Network through Extra-Life.org. There will be food, prizes and lots of fun!

#Roanoke #Minecraft Marathon Preview

Annoying #Ubuntu Glitches

I think this has been going on for a couple of years now, but I still get stuck trying to install Ubuntu Restricted Extras to get the additional codecs needed for MP3 playback, etc.  If you the install through the Software Center, it hangs up on a permissions screen in the background that you don't have any access to.  Then you end up rebooting and get this annoying error pop-up:

The following packages requested additional data downloads after package installation, but the data could not be downloaded or could not be processed.

ttf-mscorefonts-installer

This is a permanent failure that leaves these packages unusable on your system.  You may need to fix your Internet connection, then remove and reinstall the packages to fix this problem.

I got hit with this even now (February, 2016) with a new install of Ubuntu 15.10. Note to self:  always remember to do this install from the command line:

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

First Look at the Keyestudio UnoR3

This Arduino compatible board has quality construction and an attractive color scheme that makes it stand out from the many other compatible boards on the market. Bonus: watch for the discount code at the end of the video for 10% off any purchase for the month of February, 2016 at the RoanokeHobby.info online store!

When online media re-hashes #OldNews

Looks like the pitchforks are out again for FTDI, but in an article from 2014, it clearly stated they was going to incorporate a warning message in future drivers.

This is from 10/24/14 "new FTDI driver ... will tell you a chip is fake" http://bit.ly/1X0NPPR  #DoYourResearch

Snow Day Discount on #SparkFun Mini-Inventors Kit

The snow is gone, but not the 10% off on SparkFun Mini-Inventors Kit with code SNOWDAY10 until 2/6/16 in the Roanoke Hobby shop!

Minecraft Marathon mc.RoanokeHobby.xyz Join Our Team

Join us on March 11 - 12, 2016 for the Minecraft Marathon hosted at CoLab Roanoke to benefit Children's Miracle Network. http://extra-life.org/team/roanokehobby -- Watch live at http://www.twitch.tv/nirvana2165

Why I Dislike @Microsoft and Use #Ubuntu instead

Scenario: Windows 10 on a HP tablet consistently stops on a routine Windows Update around 80%. Multiple reboots.  No resolution. I turn to the Microsoft Support Forum, find no answer. Click on the Online Chat with Support.

After one sentence describing the issue, I only get this as a solution:

Rose....

‎2‎:‎29‎:‎56‎ ‎PM

Okay, I suggest you to contact a local technician for the further assistance with this issue. Hello, I am the local technician (Microsoft Certified Professional).  What kind of answer is that?  Back to the laptop with Ubuntu Linux.  Thanks anyway.

A Closer Look at the Arduino: USB

There are several different Arduino boards on the market: name-brand, compatibles and clones. In this video I take a look at the different types of USB connectors and chip sets that does the USB-to-Serial conversion.

Is there any #security online?

The horror stories just seem to keep coming: large companies getting their customer data hacked; tax refunds hijacked; credit cards compromised. This article tells an interesting story about one person's experience with a well known online retailer and their customer service.

How Amazon customer service was the weak link that spilled my data

"For users, continue to be extremely careful with information you share. Even big companies like Amazon can’t keep it safe."

 Good advice for anyone would be to do a "security checkup" on all of your online accounts. Perhaps now is a good time to use that two-factor authentication that's available on most sites.  And don't forget, Safer Internet Day is February 9, 2016!

First Look at the FTDI Ner0

Recently funded on Kickstarter, the Ner0 is an Arduino compatible board designed with some nice extra features. Mostly notable is the power section which uses a more efficient 5V switching regulator instead of the LDO regulator used in most other Uno compatible boards (including the original Arduino). This reduces the potential of damaging heat build-up when the project draws a higher current, such as driving a LED display or WiFi board.

CoLab-O-Bot Decisions! Your #Productivity Assistant

Pi Zero - Soldering the Header Pins

For someone that has never soldered before, this video goes into more detail about soldering the GPIO header pins to the Pi Zero. We also go over some soldering basics and a few tips on technique.
 

Pi Zero Next Steps: Part 1

You've finally got a Pi Zero in your hands, now what? I take a look at soldering in the GPIO pins and protect the board with an acrylic case. Instead of using the USB and HDMI ports to connect, you can easily connect through the GPIO serial pins to access the command line.

Yes, #ESP8266 Can Now Be Easy

Take an ESP-01 module + breadboard adapter + USB-to-Serial board = Fun!

The First #Microprocessor Chips and the F-14 Tomcat

Ray Holt developed one of the first microprocessor chip sets for Garrett AiResearch's Central Air Data Computer for use in the F-14 Tomcat from 1968 to 1970. This was classified information and was not made public until in the 90's. Check out the Bugbook Museum blog for the story!

Buying Your First Board

Looking to start a DIY electronics project? Interested in learning more about AVR microcontroller boards? I take a look at several different options for buying your first board.

First Look at the RedBoard

Are Credit Cards with a Chip Safer?

The new chip card readers are starting to show up in retails stores now. The assumption is that the credit card users are being better protected. But, how true is that?

First Look at the Raspberry Pi Zero