iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

hey @somafm.com have you seen the neat little SomaFM player app for the $30 M5Stack Cardputer? No relation to it, just thought it was neat. Source: github.com/dr3d/SomaFM-... & install with bmorcelli.github.io/Launcher/ The Cardputer ADV even has an audio out jack! #m5stack #cardputer #esp32

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 31/08/2026

So glad a BlinkM photo I took 16 years ago ends up being the poster child for "your router spies on you". At least they attributed me! #BlinkM

Screenshot of a website showing a old router with an Arduino plugged into it and a BlinkM plugged into the Arduino, from https://www.gadgetreview.com/your-cheap-router-has-been-calling-china-every-35-seconds Original photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/todbot/5265869976/

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 26/08/2026

Updated the CircuitPython Board Viewer to let you compare boards. For instance, here’s ESP32-S3 vs ESP32-C3 QTPys. S3 has two I2C busses, C3 has a B00T0 button! todbot.github.io/CircuitPytho...

screenshot of https://todbot.github.io/CircuitPython_BoardViewer/ comparing two ESP32-based QTPys

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 24/08/2026

I was just chatting with @johnpark.bsky.social yesterday about making a modern take of the Model 100, maybe using one of those weird narrow 1280x400 LCDs

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 24/08/2026

So close to a TRS-80 Model 100!

TRS-80 Model 100 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_Model_100

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 05/08/2026

What in the what is this speaker? Is it an Altered Item from The Oldest House crossed with LLM hallucination? Transporter malfunction of a box of consumer electronics? I kinda want it.

Screenshot from an Amazon page for a "bosta Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Touch Screen, Wireless Stereo Pairing, Wild Mini Rugged Travel Outdoor Speaker, Metal Wild Cool Look, for Travel Home Shower Party Beach Camping Hiking (Gray)" that seems to mashed together smartwatch, camera, and cigarette lighter

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 07/07/2026

Art appreciation moment: "The Tiger"

"The tiger
He destroyed his cage
Yes
YES
The tiger is out"
Poem by Nael, age 6

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 26/06/2026

Uhoh what does Seeed know that we don’t

“Order before June 27 to avoid China war…” email header screenshot

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 04/05/2026

See, you could get DuPont cables from Digikey, or you could get Dubang cables from E-Simpo. The choice is clear.

screenshot of aliexpress page selling dupont jumper cable clones

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 09/04/2026

I took a trip to Burbank! Made pilgrimages to the two most important locations: FilmTools for gaff tape and Portos Bakery for churro croissants #burbank #gafftape #gaffer #portos

three rolls of gaff tape next to a yellow portos bag

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 06/04/2026

Dangit I think I might need to actually learn Rust. In Electron, a minimal app to control blink(1)s weighs in at 285 MB on disk. An equivalent Tauri Rust app is 5.5 MB! github.com/todbot/elect... github.com/todbot/tauri...

screenshot of electron-blink1-toy running

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 26/03/2026

Another stupid MacOS 26 Tahoe change making my life harder. In Tahoe, several USB tools I use are broken. They call `system_profiler SPUSBDataType` internally to get USB info. In Tahoe that's gone, replaced by "SPUSBHostDataType", which returns not enough info #macos #tahoe #USB #macos26

The output of "system_profiler -json SPUSBDataType" on pre-Tahoe systems. Very useful!

The equivalent output from "system_profiler -json SPUSBHostDataType" on MacOS Tahoe. Not Useful!

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 23/03/2026

Hey neat! @crashspacela.bsky.social is having a neat Learn To Solder class in a few weeks! blog.crashspace.org/2026/03/4-19...

image blurb for the class: “Learn to Solder Sailor Moon LED Keychains”

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 21/03/2026

I'm so glad I have a Linux box on my desk to MOUNT USB DRIVES because #MacOS just decides to forget how to do it (and hangs Disk Utility). The device is there! It works! It shows up in USB Prober! A reboot fixes it! WHY? Apple, you used to do USB MSC so well, what happened? It's so tiring.

Me holding up a regular FAT-formatted USB thumb drive that works on every other system, but somehow flabbergasts Apple's MacOS. Behind it is my MacBook's screen showing USB Prober recognizing the drive but Disk Utility hanging. I love my Mac, but MacOS basic functionality has really gone down.

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 21/03/2026

#caturday among the giant artichoke plants

Brown tuxedo cat in a backyard with artichoke plants behind him

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 15/03/2026

I made a veggie baked ziti with zucchini. It was pretty darn good

Baked ziti fresh out of the oven, the baked cheesy crust is looking very scrumptious

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 10/03/2026

Talking w/ friends about shortwave recently and was reminded as a 1980s kid I was able to RECEIVE PICTURES FROM SPACE SATELLITES on my Apple ][ w/ a simple circuit & assembly code from a magazine. I found it! BYTE June 84: www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Byte... On perfboard into joystick port!

"FAX Converter" circuit schematic going from shortwave receiver output to Apple II game controller port. It's just a transformer to half-wave rectifer to a transistor to make clean digital edges

Example "fax" image output from satellites that the Apple II was receiving

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 04/03/2026

Switch-like split controller for Playstation?! Thanks to @paulcutler.org for latest ep of @thebootloader.net podcast that introduces me to the OpenSplitDeck by TommyB. He’s got a demo video & repo to build your own: ‪https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycMgIToLav8‬ #steamdeck #arduino

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 04/03/2026

Happy World 303 Day! I’m celebrating by noodling on my “TBish” code in #CircuitPython #303day #tb303

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 01/03/2026

Deluge noodling to test video upload. Recorded straight from phone. #deluge #synthstromdeluge

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 28/02/2026

Got my new iPhone. Love the replaceable battery. (from old.reddit.com/r/funny/comm...)

Orange "iphone" with what looks like a 3xAAA battery compartment

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 02/02/2026

Warm February in Pasadena. Very hard on the #Caturday cat. Look how he suffers.

Brown tuxedo cat laying outside amongst roses & green grass, with a white picket fence and a palm tree in the background

Brown tuxedo cat laying outside amongst roses & green grass

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 13/01/2026

Want to learn about drum sequencer circuits? Moritz Klein has a video for you! @paulcutler.org and I talk about it and his other videos on the latest episode of @thebootloader.net podcast www.thebootloader.net/episodes/202... Moritz's vid: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9HK...

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 12/01/2026

I love how signing into Fusion 360 has the same apparent complexity of launching nuclear missiles: opens 4 diff windows from two apps, reading off a secret code after inputting other secret codes. Too bad they don’t include a keylock USB device & play “TURN YOUR LAUNCH KEY SIR” #fusion360 #autodesk

TURN YOUR KEY SIR scene from Wargames (1982)

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 10/01/2026

Sunbeams better than most humans, cat declares #caturday

brown tuxedo cat sitting in a sunbeam with half-closed eyes

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 09/01/2026

New Marvel MCU movie just announced

Youtube video thumbnail titled "CAST IRON NAAN"

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 08/01/2026

Gotta have that special wire drawer

“This is where I keep various lengths of wire” from Futurama

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 05/01/2026

Why so many Pasadena Parrots in my yard?! So loud I can’t think! 😀

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 04/01/2026

Cat looks askance at this Saturday #Caturday

Brown tuxedo cat looking with suspicion at the camera

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 04/01/2026

Cat looks askance at this Saturday #Caturday

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 03/01/2026

Hey want free stickers? How about a free podcast? We got both! And cat pics! www.thebootloader.net

Brown tuxedo cat holding a Bootloader Podcast sticker

Brown tuxedo cat laying on the ground looking derpily at the camera

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 23/12/2025

Thank you @somafm.com for making long drives more fun

Car dash display showing SomaFM Christmas Lounge station playing

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 15/12/2025

Hey cool, @thingm.bsky.social got me chocolates for the holidays (disclosure, I am ThingM and we send these out to our large customers. and our helpers. and me)

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 05/12/2025

But what *IS* the Matrix? Oh. okay. nevermind.

screenshot of a section of the Matrix page on Wikipedia showing a 2x3 real matrix labeled A: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix_(mathematics)

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 13/11/2025

I got @thebootloader.net stickers! Thanks @paulcutler.org! And they’re cat-approved (sorta, you know cats) #caturday #podcats #podcast

Sleepy brown tuxedo cat with a The Bootloader Podcast sticker propped up on him

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Tod Kurt (todbot) @todbot.com · 09/11/2025

“Caturday? …again? ..okay fine” #caturday

Brown tuxedo cat on a patio looking meh at the camera

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