If youβve always wanted an Italian sports sedan but assumed the price would be out of reach, thereβs now a compelling opportunity in the used market. The 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia, in its non-Quadrifoglio trims, has depreciated enough that well-equipped examples can now be found for less than $25,000. Thatβs a rare price point for a European performance-leaning sedan with distinct style and engaging dynamics.
I started a climate modeling project assuming I'd be dealing with "large" datasets. Then I saw the actual size: 2 terabytes. I wrote a straightforward NumPy script, hit-run, and grabbed a coffee. Bad idea. When I came back, my machine had frozen. I restarted and tried a smaller slice. Same crash. My usual workflow wasn't going to work. After some trial and error, I eventually landed on Zarr, a Python library for chunked array storage. It let me process that entire 2TB dataset on my laptop without any crashes. Here's what I learned:
The bar for a NAS can be lower than the ultra-expensive hardware it usually requires. Sometimes, it can be as simple as a hard drive or a DAS plugged into a Wi-Fi router via its USB port.
I use free apps every day, and I write about them constantly. In many cases, theyβre genuinely great. Some of the most useful software on my phone and computer doesnβt cost me a cent upfront. But that doesnβt mean itβs actually free.
A thin, watery layer coating the surface of ice is what makes it slick. Despite a great deal of theorizing over the centuries, though, it isn't entirely clear why that layer forms.
In [Big Clive]βs recent grab bag of tat ordered from Chinese commerce platforms, there were two touch light control boxes that can turn any ungrounded conductive surface into a mains load dimmer control. Of course, the primary reason for the purchase was a teardown, and a teardown we got.
These unassuming little boxes are built around the TontekΒ TT6061A, listed as a βtouch dimmerβ, which uses a triac to control the output current. There are four levels, ranging from off to full brightness, before the next touch event turns the output off again.
With the output off, [Clive] measured 0.7 W power usage. After popping open the plastic enclosure, the circuitry turned out to largely follow the recommended application circuit from the datasheet β as can be seen in the above screenshot β with apparently a few cost optimizations, in the form of omitted diodes and a capacitor.
The problem with these devices is that they are only really suitable for dimming low-power resistive loads like incandescent lights, with LED lights likely requiring the unpopulated capacitor spot on the PCB to be populated to tweak the chipβs triac timing, among other changes. There are also the slight issues with no real concern with them radiating EMI, and the exciting possibility of getting shocked at mains voltage without at least a class-Y capacitor installed.
Perhaps using a capacitive touch controller instead that works through plastic, for example, isnβt such a crazy alternative here, especially since theyβre not really much more expensive and less likely to shock you. Want to create your own triac designs? We have just the post to get you started.
Noise and vibration keeps sending soldiers to the medics
The future of the British Army's troublesome Ajax armored vehicle program has again been called into question after the official in charge was removed and use of Ajax halted over its effects on personnel.β¦
The Artemis II crew comprises NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. They will fly in a 16.5-foot-wide Orion capsule on top of the Space Launch System for a roughly ten-day trip around the moon as early as February 6.
Brazilian researchers developed an AI system that analyzes WhatsApp audio messages to identify depression, showing high accuracy and potential for low-cost, real-world mental health screening.
Mention the INDIRECT function in an Excel forum and you'll start a fight. It's volatile, meaning it's always awake and recalculating, which can turn a fast spreadsheet into a sluggish mess. But used correctly, it's a power user's secret weapon for building dynamic, reactive dashboards.
Home Assistant is arguably the best choice for anyone looking to start a smart home, but this is especially true for power users. If you want unhindered freedom to decide how your smart home functions and youβre not afraid to get your hands dirty, thereβs no better choice.
Google Sheets is hiding a massive productivity feature in plain sight: the timeline builder. It's dynamic, it's colorful, and best of all, it updates itself. So, forget the manual formattingβhere's how to build your own visualized project tracker in just five minutes.
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Rani Molla / Sherwood News:
In [Big Clive]βs recent grab bag of tat ordered from Chinese commerce platforms, there were two touch light control boxes that can turn any ungrounded conductive surface into a mains load dimmer control. Of course, the primary reason for the purchase was a teardown, and a teardown we got.
