Disassembling a 16-bit mini handheld video arcade revealed a fairly uncomplex interior with most of the functionality being handled by a blob chip on a single-sided PCB. Despite the simplicity, the impressive design manages to fit 156 games into flash storage on a multi-layered daughter board, which helps simplify the main board's design. While not as hackable as hoped, the teardown provided an interesting glimpse into the device's construction.
In this blog post, I explore the TS80P soldering iron, a tool that has been generating buzz. One of the highlights is that its firmware can be flashed with an open source system called IronOS. Here, I share my process of flashing the TS80P with IronOS and testing it out on a Raspberry Pico W. Please note, a Quick Charge or Power Delivery supporting power supply is needed for this iron. While running some tests, I observed that using a fast charger can heat this iron up twice as fast as using an Apple charger. Also, flashing the firmware is...
Here's the concept: your iPhones turn into wireless controllers and your tablet is now your console, all thanks to gamekit. It's a whole new way of gaming, reminiscent of the Wii, or using your devices for interactive card games. Interesting eh?