Multicopter, DIY drones & Tektronix - Zappy Zendik Zoilism

[display_podcast]

• Chris has a new mic! An AT2020 USB microphone. Dave uses a Samson C01U USB microphone.

• The Jacksonville police mistake LED lightbulbs for a bomb! Whoops!
• Shonky Product of the Week:
  • The ADE651, a scam bomb detector. Similar to a dowsing rod...in that it's full of crap!
• Shoutouts:
  • Fake EE Quips has created a bingo game to play along with during The Amp Hour.
  • Tymkrs has created a new podcast called "ZombieTech" as part of their broad range of educational material.
  • Another site for electronic education called The Signal Path. Similar format to Dave's videos, they're great for learning about electronic components.
• DIY Drones has a fun (unlisted video) that shows a (possibly fake?) electronic human-scale multicopter. The guy driving it wasn't being very safe, but we're glad he's ok.

• Dave wishes we could talk about it more, but he wanted to remind people about the Tektronix announcement coming up in a few hours (from when the swhow was taped). Dave may or may not have something to say about it soon.
• Rumor about TI selling the OMAP family to Intel or Broadcom. Junko Yoshida (the EIC) was upset they took so long to respond (because they don't regularly participate?).
• TI has a new app out for all their products. Speaking of, Chris just got a Nook and has Android unlocked on it, but probably won't put electronics apps on it. Do you use mobile apps from vendors?
• High voltage electronics and a funny accent? Yes please! Great (dangerous) videos from PhotonicInduction!
• We've talked about Kickstarter before on here and the viability of HW projects. Geekscape describes an unfortunate scam on Kickstarter for a project that sounded pretty cool (and too good to be true)
• Prizes were ridiculous, but didn't compare to the money required to get the top prizes in the the MC Frontalot Kickstarter Campaign that recently completed.
• This Day In Nerd History:
  • Charles Kettering, an American engineer whose 140 patents included the electric starter, car lighting and ignition systems. Later had the General Motors Institute named after him (now Kettering University). Vice president and director of research for General Motors Corp. (1920-47).
• Are robots going mainstream? At $285K per robot, probably not. But it's a good step forward. Dave is building a Microbric robot at home for fun.
• Should green cards be stapled to diplomas? Could help with the exodus of skilled workers back to their home countries and instead entice them to start companies in the US (or wherever they are educated).