Hackaday Podcast · 19 Dec 2025 · 50m · Episode 350
Elliot Williams and Jenny List discuss the loss of NASA's Maven Mars orbiter and review several community hacks, including Cavish Devar's open-source AirPods control software, Abe's lo-fi analog video camera, and Kevin Nokey's Commodore 64 laptop. They also examine a Sudbury Neutrino Observatory update, Pladino's level shifting guide, and Ivan's MIDI slappophone. The episode concludes with Elliot Williams' critique of spreadsheets and Jenny List's praise for the Haiku operating system as a viable daily driver.
makers and hobbyists
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Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the recent Antares rocket explosion, the Hackaday Prize space trip controversy, and the passing of Tom Maglioli from Car Talk. They also cover U-beam's wireless charging technology, Dr. Greg Shaver's ultrasound chip startup, and DIY projects including a Tony Stark Halloween costume and reflow oven modifications.
Hosts Christopher and Elecia White discuss their recent experiences judging the Hackaday Prize, highlighting finalists like the Ramen Spectrometer and Chip Whisperer, and review the rapid success of Darma Kickstarter campaign. They also cover the logistics challenges faced by Light Up and the upcoming Peep camera project, while critiquing the technical accuracy of the TV show Scorpion versus the novel The Martian.
The host of The Electromaker Show reviews several maker projects, including Kevin's Pi Day synthesizer, Graham Sanderson's DOOM port on the RP2040, and Daniel Bell's DIY Spacemouse. The episode also covers crowdfunding updates for the Halo TD-XPAH Wi-Fi 6 board and the SoCORAD32 amateur radio, alongside a deep dive into Ben Vallack's custom ergonomic keyboard and Neil's Pockit modular computer with its new CM4 upgrade.
Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the Hackaday Prize, which offers a trip to space, emphasizing that open-source documentation and novel ideas are more important than polished hardware. They explore the concept of a portable lab, debating the use of makeup cases, Android-based scopes like the Aussie Prime, and handheld scopes from Handtech. The conversation also covers Altium's strategic failure in China and subsequent move to San Diego, changes to Eagle's licensing model, and the consolidation of the audio chip market through Serious Logic's acquisition of Wolfson.
Dave Jones and Chris Gammell experiment with Google+ Hangouts to record a video episode, discussing the technical limitations of the platform and the cancellation of smart meter initiatives by Google and Microsoft. They analyze the decline of NASA's space program, suggesting a renewed space race with China is necessary to restart funding, while highlighting Neil deGrasse Tyson's advocacy for science. The hosts also explore the democratization of product design through open-source hardware, citing CERN's new license and community projects like 3D-rendered multimeters using Google SketchUp, and discuss the shifting dynamics of the global semiconductor industry.
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