Tony is a Geek

Another week, another "this will solve world peace" Linux Distro.... except, I like the look of this one: http://zorinos.com/ There is an ULTIMATE version that currently costs $15 and adds a load of things. For trial purposes, there is a CORE version , that has all the essentials, minus a few of the custom elements. If I get time this week, I'll do a USB install onto a 64Gb USB stick and see how easy it is to transition over to, or whether it is just like using a Debian / UBuntu distro with a new set of wallpapers....

PolySync Arduino-fest..... but you have to have a Kia Soul...for now: If you’re tired of waiting around to get an autonomous vehicle, PolySync’s  Open Source Car Control Project  (OSCC) development kit can be had for under $1000. Autonomous cars are still in their infancy, and can cost upwards of $100,000. If you’re willing to do some of the work yourself—and trust a machine you modified to drive you around—PolySync has an Arduino-based kit (nearly) available to help you build your own. You can pre-order a kit right now for $649, and you’ll have program each Arduino module yourself when you receive it. You’ll also need a 2014-or-later Kia Soul on which to install it, chosen for its combination of drive-by-wire controls as well as relatively low price. Keep in mind, however, the project is intended for R&D and off-road use only. The OSCC Project is built around a number of individual modules that interoperate to create a fully controllable vehicle. ...

Zigbee...Zigbee....Zigbee..... yep, I have quite a few of these in my "Arduino" stash drawer. Have you used the Zigbee in any of your IoT projects?  If so.....you might want to read on.... " Within the next few years, billions of IoT devices will densely populate our cities. In this paper we describe a new type of threat in which adjacent IoT devices will infect each other with a worm that will spread explosively over large areas in a kind of nuclear chain reaction, provided that the density of compatible IoT devices exceeds a certain critical mass. In particular, we developed and verified such an infection using the popular Philips Hue smart lamps as a platform. The worm spreads by jumping directly from one lamp to its neighbours, using only their built-in ZigBee wireless connectivity and their physical proximity. The attack can start by plugging in a single infected bulb anywhere in the city, and then catastrophically spread everywhere within minutes, enablin...