Hackaday Podcast

In this week's episode, Hackaday Editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi start things off by getting excited about the recently announced 2026 Retrocomputing Challenge. From there the conversation will cover efforts to improve desktop 3D printing with lasers, an expensive grill with an ESP32 controller and an open source firmware, open source tools underground, and some impressive techniques to squeeze a bit more utility out of the common QR code.
You'll also hear about turning PVC pipes into flat stock, old school Radio Shack electronic kits, and VR soldering demos. Stick around to the end of the episode learn about the latest developments in over-the-counter hearing aids and the 1-bit CPU that's enjoying an unexpected fandom nearly 50 years after its release.
Check out the links if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

It's still hot on both sides of the Atlantic, but Kristina has a new secret weapon for staying cool without making noise. Will Elliot and the others follow suit? Time will tell.
In Hackaday news, well, there's a lot of it. For starters, Supercon Ten tickets went on sale Thursday morning, but chances are good that by the time you read this, the early bird offering will be all pecked out. But, never fear! More tickets will be released soon enough.
Don't want to buy a ticket, but still want to go? Submit a talk proposal that gets accepted, and you'll be welcomed in free of charge. Lucky for you, we just extended the deadline by two weeks to August 26th.
After exhausting the news, Elliot reached into the ol' Mailbag and found a funny anecdote from [Vik Olliver]. (Funny in that it'll make you go 'hmm'.) A brief discussion about imperial vs. metric ensued, but then it was on to the hacks.
Check out the links on Hackaday if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

This week's Hackaday podcast is a European affair again, as Elliot Williams is joined by Jenny List on a summer evening to review the week. And we have a feast of hacks for your delectation.
As the title above says, one of the stand-out hacks this week was a set of airless mountain bike tyres 3D printed in glorious fluorescent TPU. They look as though they shouldn't work but in fact they showed real promise, and we discuss the process behind their design. Then we take a look at a hybrid of a UV printer and an SLA 3D printer, capable of making high-resolution and robust 3D prints. The prospect of new Amigas intrigues us for a while, then carbon-fibre fabric in 3D prints.
Finally we're in awe of the tech behind the Las Vegas Sphere, and we're there for some radio at the Danish BornHack hacker camp. Follow that one up and you'll find a bonus, an unofficial extra Hackaday podcast.
All the usual links are on Hackaday, but before you head on down to have a listen, don't forget we've got a mailbag for the podcast and we'd love to hear from you!

Elliot Williams and Al Williams got together to compare notes on the most interesting posts this week on the site. As usual, there are just too many choices, so you'll have to settle for just the few that can fit in a podcast. The guys were excited about 3D printing -- both FDM and SLA -- as well as a few camera projects. Ever wanted your own starship? They do, too, and you'll hear about it along with portable radar and more.
Want to make flexible PCBs? Fill up a carbon dioxide tank? Or play Doom via regular expressions? Tune in, and you'll find out about those stories and more.
Follow along with the links, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments! Better still, drop us a note in the mailbag, and you might hear your question on a future episode. You can record audio or send us a message, and one of the hosts will read it on your behalf.

On this episode, Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi discuss their love of electronic paper, clunky cartridges, and keeping old games alive by any means possible. You'll also hear about getting the most out of the sensors in our 3D printers, playing with X-rays at home, a ring that runs Java, and a roulette wheel that outgrew its 555 timer. Stick around to the end to learn about a different sort of IRC that's even more niche than the one you're probably familiar with, as well as the logistical challenges and potential benefits of catching rockets with a giant net.
Check out the links if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!