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Parler, the largely unmoderated social network popular with conservatives, often found fans by lampooning Big Tech. But after the site got knocked off the internet the weekend following the US Capitol insurrection, it’s more apparent than ever how even fringe services must rely on mainstream technology providers. Now Parler is apparently trying to rebuild — …

Parler begins to come back online with the help of a Russian tech company  Read More »

Over the four years of the Trump presidency, social media platforms generally took a soft line in enforcing their policies against threats and misinformation, allowing most borderline speech, including the president’s, to stand. In the wake of a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol aimed at disrupting the transfer of power, and ahead of an …

Social media platforms are cracking down to prevent Inauguration Day violence Read More »

Over the last few months, we’ve noticed an increase in demand for SparkFun products from companies in the drone industry. Which led to the question, what are these companies purchasing? The answer to that question has now been turned into a handy reference page for anyone looking for drone technology. Here, you’ll find great options …

Drone Technology Read More »

In this tutorial, I will show you how to design and build a simple 555 LED Flasher Circuit. I implemented this LED Flasher circuit in such a way that it mimics a Police Flasher instead of a simple ON-OFF sequence. Table of Contents Introduction 555 Timer IC is one fascinating integrated circuit. There are many …

555 LED Flasher Circuit | 555 IC and 4017 IC Read More »

Signal, once a niche messaging service for the privacy-minded, is currently the most downloaded app in the United States, unseating perennially popular social media and gaming apps. Its newfound popularity is due to a convergence of reasons, including WhatsApp’s changing policies, violence at the Capitol that led many tech companies to deplatform Trump, and a …

What is Signal, and why is everybody downloading it right now? Read More »

One of the nation’s largest labor unions and several ride-share-app drivers in California plan to file a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 22. The California law, approved by voters in November, allows gig companies to continue treating their workers as independent contractors rather than as employees. The Service Employees …

Prop. 22 faces first legal challenge as SEIU, ride-share drivers plan to file suit Read More »

With the start of each new year we take a look at what we think is going to be a big hit with our customers, so we can get some ideas on what to build throughout the year. It’s pretty obvious that last year threw a wrench in the works to the point that we …

New Year, New Projects Read More »

In this tutorial, we will have a brief overview about the Arduino Nano Board, the layout of the board, some of the important specifications and finally the Arduino Nano Pinout along with the pin description. Table of Contents Introduction After Arduino UNO, the most popular board in the Arduino line-up is probably the Arduino Nano. …

Arduino Nano Pinout, Board Layout, Specifications, Pin Description Read More »

Big Tech companies from Facebook to Apple took swift action in the wake of the attack on the US Capitol, banning the people and content that helped incite and organize a violent mob that left at least five people dead and dozens injured. The most prominent ban was of President Trump, who arguably got elected …

How the Capitol riot revived calls to reform Section 230 Read More »

The violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday seeking to prolong the presidency of Donald Trump took shape on social media. Facebook, Twitter and their social media peers spent Trump’s term in office lurching from one crisis to another, scrambling to revise their policies on misinformation, hate speech and incitement to violence in …

Twitter, Facebook lock down Trump after social media-fueled riot in D.C. Read More »

Jesse Brockmann is a senior software engineer with over 20 years of experience. Jesse works for a large corporation designing real-time simulation software, started programming on an Apple IIe at the age of six and has won several AVC event over the years. Jesse is also a SparkFun Ambassador. Make sure to check out the …

Winning a Virtual Robotics Competition Read More »

Those of you who are familiar with track lighting pendant systems must already know about the various components required for it. This includes the track, the light bulbs, and most importantly the track lighting pendants. These are used to hang the lights and thus we have mentioned some of the best track lighting pendants later …

The 10 Best Track Lighting Pendants Reviews & Buying Guide Read More »

On Sunday, Amazon will kick Parler — the conservative social media platform that brands itself as a “free speech” alternative to sites like Twitter — off of its web-hosting service, potentially putting an end to a site that has become a nexus of extremism. Amazon’s decision, which was first reported by BuzzFeed News on Saturday, …

Why conservatives’ favorite Twitter alternative is about to disappear from the internet Read More »

The pandemic economy has favored the well-off and made life miserable for the working poor. New motor vehicle sales for 2020 reflect that bifurcated reality. The automobile industry has been “much more focused on higher priced products and more affluent customers” since the pandemic hit, Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive, said in the …

Many couldn’t afford a car in 2020. The rich went on a buying spree Read More »

2020 is (finally) coming to an end, and we here at SparkFun Electronics are thankful to be making it out the other side of this year with you! In celebration of the Christmas holiday, SparkFun will be closed on Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25. This means that we will not have our normal …

Happy Holidays from SparkFun Electronics Read More »

Table of Contents Introduction After Blinking LEDs and controlling Relays using Arduino, every hobbyist, who is actively making DIY projects, plans on building a Weather Station. It doesn’t have to predict rainfall or storms but simply measure the basic stuff like Temperature and Humidity. Temperature Sensor and Humidity Sensor (often they come in a single …

List of Arduino Compatible Temperature Sensors for DIY Projects Read More »

Capitol Police may have allowed nearly every member of a mob of pro-Trump rioters to enter, vandalize, and leave the Capitol building scot-free, but internet sleuths and official investigators are determined to hold them accountable. The reckoning has already begun: Several people have now been charged with riot-related crimes, and law enforcement officials promise more …

The Capitol rioters put themselves all over social media. Now they’re getting arrested. Read More »

Parler. Gab. Rumble. MeWe. DLive. Over the last four years, a small constellation of newish social media sites and web platforms has found favor with those on the political right who see the heavy hand of censorship in Facebook’s and Twitter’s tightening policies against hate speech and violent rhetoric. Now, with President Trump “permanently suspended” …

Trump without Twitter: Will he move to the ‘Trumpnet’? Read More »

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome to the first Friday Product Post of 2021, and even though most of us are still on holiday, we still have new products to show off today. To start with, we have two versions of the popular ESP32 WROOM module. After that we have a new version of the popular Edimax …

WROOM into the New Year! Read More »

If you are in the market for some sort of ambient lighting you will find a lot of options out there. While some options are designed as a decorative piece, others can even light up your room properly. One such option can be buying one of the best LED track lighting options discussed later on …

The 9 Best LED Track Lighting Reviews & Buying Guide Read More »

Ali Alexander, a far-right activist and conspiracy theorist, posted a video to YouTube on Christmas Day, urging people to come to Washington, DC, on the day that Congress would finalize Joe Biden’s election to the US presidency. With a triumphant soundtrack, the video features President Trump at a rally declaring, “We will never give in. …

How Trump’s internet built and broadcast the Capitol insurrection Read More »

The pro-Trump mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol’s Senate floor and Capitol rotunda on Wednesday may have breached more than just the building’s physical security. Photos show rioters in congressional offices, including that of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco). Any computers left on could be vulnerable, and so could papers — such as personal …

The attack on the Capitol may pose a cybersecurity risk. Here’s how Read More »

Hello everyone – we have quite a few new products to talk about today and it all starts with two new Alchitry FPGA boards. The Alchitry Au+ and Ft Element add new options for those of you wanting to get started with FPGA or collect a more powerful option if you feel comfortable with the …

Get Your FPGA Fix Read More »

In this project, I will show you how to design a simple Graphical User Interface system with the help of the Nokia 5110 LCD Display. I will design a minimal Nokia 5110 Menu interface with the help of Arduino and a few Push Buttons. Using this Arduino Nokia 5110 LCD Menu Interface as a reference, …

How to Design an Arduino Nokia 5110 LCD Menu? Read More »

For more than two months, Fox News has been telling its viewers that the presidential election has been stolen. Or, at the very least, it could have been stolen. Now, facing the fatal consequence of that lie — a riot at the US Capitol that left at least four people dead — America’s most popular …

Fox News wants its viewers angry enough to watch but not angry enough to riot Read More »

Facebook has suspended President Trump’s account through the end of his presidency, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday morning. The move comes a day after several social media platforms deleted posts and suspended accounts belonging to the president in response to his messages condoning the rioters who broke into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Responding …

Facebook shuts down Trump’s account through the end of his term Read More »

One of the most common issues that people face while working on electrical circuits is to hold different electrical components. If your electrical components are moving all over the place, then they may not be welded properly. To prevent such issues, you fix the components in place using something like the best soldering tapes present …

The 10 Best Soldering Tapes Reviews & Buying Guide Read More »

Federal security agencies have finally confirmed that the massive hack of government and private computer systems that was uncovered in mid-December was likely Russian in origin. A statement from a joint task force issued January 5 was one of the first from an administration that has been reluctant to share many details about the hack …

Justice Department now says its email accounts were “potentially accessed” in Russia hack Read More »

Baritone-for-hire David Newman was looking forward to a year of singing gigs. Then, in March, the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, two members of a choir in Washington state died, and dozens more fell ill after their two-hour practice became a super-spreader event. Concerts were quickly wiped from calendars around the world. “The piercing …

How an $8 part from Walmart makes it safe for choirs to sing again Read More »

In this project, I will show you how to interface a 128X64 Graphical LCD with Arduino UNO. This particular LCD Module is based ST7920 LCD Controller. So, we will first see a little bit about the Graphical LCD Module and its LCD Controller ST7920. Then we will see the steps for Interfacing the 128×64 Graphical …

A Tutorial on Interfacing 128×64 Graphical LCD with Arduino Read More »

Could the rich and famous of Silicon Valley be vaccinated before it is their turn? That thought bothers everyone from California’s governor to the doctors across the state who make a mint treating these millionaires and billionaires. And it might not be such a hypothetical, say a dozen medical veterans and other close observers of …

How the ultra-wealthy could try to cut in line for the Covid-19 vaccine Read More »

The visually poetic, observational nonfiction film “Sing Me a Song” follows a young Bhutanese monk named Peyangki as he personally experiences digital disruption. Constructed more like a coming-of-age drama than a documentary, it spins a fascinating tale of romantic melancholy played out against the peaceful, meditative backdrop of the Himalayas. A follow-up to director Thomas …

Review: Online dating changes a Himalayan monk’s life in the riveting ‘Sing Me a Song’ Read More »

When you reach a certain age, you begin to notice that friends of yours are starting to have kids. You might even notice that you’re having kids yourself. With a little luck (and perhaps a bit of nudging), hopefully your kids will get interested in science or engineering at an early age. It’s extra sweet …

Can I Give You a Lift? Read More »

In this project, I will show you how to interface a Nokia 5110 LCD with Arduino UNO. First, we will see a little bit about the famous Nokia 5110 LCD Module and its LCD Controller PCD8544 from Phillips. Then we will see the steps for Interfacing Nokia 5110 LCD with Arduino UNO board and display …

Interfacing Nokia 5110 LCD with Arduino | Hookup Guide Read More »

This holiday season, you’re likely to know someone who buys or receives a smart speaker. One in five US households already have one, and 18 million are expected to ship in the last quarter of 2020. Amazon, Google, and Apple make the most popular models, which now include voice-activated headphones, rings, eyeglasses, and doorbells. But …

The real cost of smart speakers Read More »

A recent tweak to the food delivery app Grubhub that changes the way customers are prompted to tip delivery drivers has frustrated many workers, who say the change discourages tipping and is slashing their potential earnings. Popular food delivery apps typically allow customers to tip drivers a percentage of their meal’s cost, with the default …

Grubhub drivers say app change eats into tips, jeopardizing a usually generous season Read More »

Those of you who want your home to look luxurious and comfortable should ensure that all parts of your house are well light. Apart from the ceiling lights in your home, this also includes smaller ambiance lights that can completely change the look and feel of your home. One such great option is to get …

The 10 Best Puck Lights Reviews & Buying Guide Read More »

President-elect Joe Biden’s selection of a former Facebook attorney to a senior role in his White House is serving as the latest flashpoint in the debate over how much influence the tech industry should have in Washington. Biden on Wednesday named Jessica Hertz, until this year a lawyer focused on regulatory affairs in Facebook’s DC …

An ex-Facebook lawyer is Big Tech’s latest tie to the White House. Or is it? Read More »

That secret party-house rager you were hoping to throw on New Year’s Eve? Don’t try to book it on Airbnb. The short-term rentals site has clamped down on listings during the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to prevent large gatherings of the sort health authorities are urging people to avoid. That includes instituting a global …

Here’s what Airbnb is doing to discourage large gatherings over the holidays Read More »

The SparkFun Qwiic Connect System is an ecosystem of I2C sensors, actuators, shields and cables that make prototyping faster and less prone to error. All Qwiic-enabled boards use a common 1 mm pitch, 4-pin JST connector. This reduces the amount of required PCB space, and polarized connections mean you can’t hook it up wrong. The …

A Qwiic Update Read More »

Whether your car came installed with air suspensions by default or you want to upgrade to better rear suspensions for your car, getting a complete air suspension kit is highly recommended. These kits include all of the parts that you need to install air suspension in your car. And hence, we have offered some of …

The 6 Best Air Suspension Kits Reviews & Buying Guide Read More »

On March 4, I commuted into Vox Media’s New York City headquarters for what would end up being the final time during the godforsaken year of 2020. On the way in, I made a pit stop for some coffee, spending $3.89 on a bottle of Chameleon Cold-Brew, but left without handing over a card or …

The year shopping changed forever Read More »

After a fulfilling and action-focused ending to the second season of “The Mandalorian,” fans of the “Star Wars” brand are no doubt hungry for other experiences within the space opera universe. Few offer as thrilling a pitch as “Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge.” The game stands as a showcase for the latest in …

How the new virtual reality ‘Star Wars’ experience gets us closer to a theme park ‘metaverse’ Read More »

While there are a lot of car parts and components that are required for the proper functioning of your car, not all of them are as significant as others. But even then, without these smaller parts, your car can have a lot of issues. One such example is one of the best ball joints that …

The 7 Best Ball Joints Reviews – Ultimate Guide Read More »

One of the wealthiest people in the world, MacKenzie Scott, has spent the end of 2020 giving away about $1 billion a month, a staggering amount that sets a high mark for tech billionaires in terms of speed. Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, disclosed on Tuesday that she had donated $4 billion …

MacKenzie Scott, the Amazon billionaire, is giving away $1 billion a month to charity Read More »

Tony Hsieh had ambitions that reached far beyond the shoe-selling business. After moving Zappos, his billion-dollar e-commerce company, to the Las Vegas suburbs and selling it to Amazon, he set his sights on transforming the city itself, pouring $350 million — mostly of his own money — into its hollowed-out downtown core, two miles north …

Tony Hsieh is gone, but his Las Vegas vision is finding new life Read More »