#hardware-engineering
164 episodes
#4687: Bonding Cellular Connections: Why Can't You Buy It?
Why can't you buy a box that bonds two SIM cards? We explore the DIY build and the market gap.
#4664: The Trapdoor in Your CPU: How Hypervisors Actually Work
Inside the silicon trapdoor that makes virtualization possible — and why it's nothing like Docker.
#4657: From Plugboards to JIT: Who Controls the Hardware?
How the relationship between programming languages and hardware shifted from total programmer control to runtime autonomy.
#4645: The Hidden Connectors Between Belt and Gear
Why MOLLE straps, Tough-Built clips, and carabiners each solve a different carry problem — and how the connector dictates your gear.
#4639: Concrete Walls vs. Wi-Fi: Choosing a Fill-in AP
One AP used to cover Daniel's apartment. Then he moved. Concrete walls changed everything.
#4630: The EDC Belt Revolution: Nylon Webbing & Ratchet Mechanics
Why nylon webbing and ratchet buckles beat leather and holes — the material science and engineering behind the modern EDC belt.
#4613: Baby Gear That Costs More Than a Used Car
From $1,500 bassinets with firmware updates to app-connected bottle makers — a look at the most absurdly engineered baby products.
#4569: Dialing Without a Switchboard: Twilio Number Normalization
Twilio expects E.164, but Israel dials 0-3-... Here's what breaks when you become your own carrier.
#4562: Weighing Euroboxes: DIY Load Cells vs. Off-the-Shelf Sensors
Daniel wants to know if his industrial shelving is overloaded. The answer involves 24-bit ADCs, micro-deformation, and a surprising market gap.
#4552: Pegboard vs Louvre: Building a Workshop System
Choosing between pegboard and louvre panels for a compact, efficient workshop — and the standards that make accessories actually fit.
#4490: Right to Repair: History, Hype, and Hard Limits
From John Deere tractors to iPhone batteries — the real history, genuine commitments, and where repair advocates overreach.
#4489: Fixing Your Monitor's Death Whine
Can an amateur fix a failing monitor? The surprising answer is yes—with the right parts and safety know-how.
#4488: Building the Perfect Linux Triple Monitor Setup
How to buy three identical monitors for Linux that actually look consistent side by side.
#4440: Before Denim: The Terrible Trousers That Rivets Killed
Before 1873, workers wore trousers that rotted, unraveled, or sandpapered their legs. Then a Nevada tailor fixed it with a copper rivet.
#4415: Why Your Phone Scan Fails (and How to Fix It)
AI scanners are amazing—until they fail on glare or white paper. Here's how to fix it with stuff you already own.
#4413: Bluetooth Tape Measures: What Actually Works
Can you pair a laser measure to your phone and skip manual typing? The compatibility landscape is messy.
#4397: Finding the Perfect Bolt: Israel’s Hidden Hardware Gems
How to find and share Israel’s best hardware stores using praise-only lists and firgun culture.
#4396: Can a Credit Card Power Bank Really Charge Your Phone?
The physics of fitting a full phone charge into a 5mm credit card power bank — and what actually works today.
#4389: The $120 Noise Sensor That Could Change Cities
One Jerusalem resident wants to track construction noise from his balcony. Here’s why that’s harder than it should be.
#4387: Drilling 60mm Holes in Melamine with a 12V Drill
Can a 12V drill handle a 60mm hole saw through melamine? The answer is yes—with the right technique and tool choices.
#4385: USB-C Charging Station for Your Tool Belt
Can you build a custom charging station for your tool belt? We break down the electrical engineering behind USB-C Power Delivery.
#4358: How Spy Hardware Engineers Actually Get Recruited
The hidden pipeline from soldering irons and DEF CON villages to covert listening devices.
#4353: GPIO Pins: Your SBC's Hidden Superpower
What GPIO pins actually do, where the power limits are, and which sensors work on each side of the divide.
#4344: Freeing IR Codes from Broadlink's Walled Garden
Dump the firmware, flash Tasmota-IR, and take control of your own IR codes.