Crowdfunding Success - Was it worth it? I embarked on a thrilling adventure of turning a nifty idea into a tangible product — the ESP32 Rainbow, a Sinclair Spectrum-inspired gadget that merges retro vibes with modern tech. With the brains of an ESP32-S3, capacitive touch, a built-in display, and some snazzy UV silk screen printing, it's a little marvel that got crowdfunded successfully. But, oh boy, was the journey enlightening — from grappling with pricing conundrums and the bureaucracy of certifications to the harrowing odyssey of international shipping. While it didn't line my pockets with gold, seeing people enjoy something I created is worth all the sweat... 21 July 2025
Thats a wrap It's that festive time of year when goodies arrive from PCBWay, and what a delightful surprise to receive the Partner of the Year award! A huge thanks to PCBWay, my Patreons, and GitHub sponsors for the amazing support. This year has been thrilling, starting with ESP32 projects and diving into nickel plating experiments. I'm particularly excited about the ESP32 Rainbow project, now fully funded and gearing up for a 2025 release. With lots planned for the coming year, here's to a Merry Christmas and an exciting New Year ahead! 23 December 2024
A Kickstarter Success Story While exploring my old tweets, I noticed one where I exuberantly declared 'I'm getting a drone!', leading me down a rabbit hole that included a forgotten Kickstarter campaign and a $520 pledge. After fearing I'd fallen victim again to a failed Kickstarter project, I discovered in my trove of saved emails that the campaign creators refunded my pledge when they realised the idea wasn't feasible, marking a rare and pleasing end to a Kickstarter adventure. 12 January 2023