Like Raspberry Pi itself, the magazine has just been going from strength to strength – although we’d have not got anywhere without the wonderful community we get to highlight, and the readers who pick up a copy at the shops or get it delivered to their door every month. Thank you all!
Ten years official
Next year will also coincide with ten years of the magazine being official, which means I’ll have worked on the magazine for ten years. At an old job, someone told me about how they change careers every ten years, and it’s something I think about often. I don’t mean because I’m thinking about leaving The MagPi – as a career I’ve been a magazine writer for about 13 years, so I’m long past due that anyway – but because ten years is a long time. It also probably feels especially longer because since 2015 a lot of major things have happened around the world.
In my first year at Raspberry Pi, we put Raspberry Pi Zero on the cover – that was 2015! In fact when I joined, several months before the famous issue 40 came out, it was already on the cards. We were working up to it happening, building up the magazine with that issue as the goal. While issue 150 won’t be that grand (unfortunately we cannot put Raspberry Pi 500 on the cover, sorry), it will still be just as important. We’ll even have a fancy cover! We don’t know what kind of fancy cover yet but mark my words, fancy.
Beyond 150
As you may have noticed, a huge number of Raspberry Pi products have been released over the last few months and I am very excited to get to play with them more in 2025. The X00 series of Raspberry Pi are my fave, so I’m looking forward to getting my 500 shortly (it’s not even been announced as I write this) and upgrading my little workstation. I still have an AI Camera waiting to be used as well and I’m excited to get started with that – computer vision is one of my favourite uses of machine learning.
So I hope you’ll join us for issue 150 and for the rest of 2025. While I may not be a spry 20-something anymore like when I started on it, the magazine is not slowing down one bit.
Enter, PiFi, a simple kit that allows you to easily create a fast and secure wireless network with just a Raspberry Pi.
The kit comes with just three items: a microSD card with the software preloaded, an Ethernet cable to plug into the nearest router, and the all-important Wi-Fi dongle that handles a lot of the heavy lifting for the wireless.
External vs internal
When plugged into a USB 3.0 socket, the wireless dongle is actually faster than the internal wireless on Raspberry Pi 4 when utilised as an access point – PiFi reckons it’s up to eight times faster, and in our tests it was definitely running noticeably faster for internal speeds.
Set up is a doddle – you literally just plug everything in and turn Raspberry Pi on. You can then connect via the smartphone app, set up a new admin password, and you’re done. There’s extra settings you can start digging around in, and you can even tunnel through a VPN if you have one. By default, WireGuard is available for connecting to a VPN; however, OpenVPN can be selected in the VPN tab of the app.
Plug and play
While PiFi is still fairly new, the documentation is very robust. Access to the latter is made available straight from the app if you fancy diving deeper into the configuration – and there’s quite a lot of depth to it, to the point where you might break some stuff. Luckily, there’s a clever hardware reset involving unplugging the dongle and waiting a minute or so before plugging it back in.
The range is fine. You won’t be replacing your home router with something like this, but it can easily work to bring better Wi-Fi to a room or corner of the house if you have a spare LAN port available. And, as we said before, it’s definitely coming with us to all future Airbnbs.
Verdict
9/10
A very good piece of kit that simplifies portable access points, with good enough wireless range to boot.
“I was inspired to create the Hackberry Pi Zero about three years ago when I found a project about reverse-engineering on Hackaday,” Zitao says. “I thought it would be really cool to have a device with a thumb keyboard, so I began reverse-engineering old BlackBerry keyboards and made it technically work. I then saw a project called Beepberry and thought it would be super-cool to create a similar device with a different BlackBerry keyboard. I basically looked to use the same design but mount a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W instead.”
Well-connected
Beepberry – or Beepy as it’s now known – is a versatile device designed primarily to run various messaging services via the chat app Beeper. Created by Eric Migicovsky, who founded the Pebble smartwatch, Beepy uses the keyboard of a BlackBerry Classic and a Raspberry Pi Zero W. It allows access to Linux, which can be viewed on a 2.7-inch black and white LCD display.
“My start point was to design a learning tool for Linux beginners like me, but also address the pain points from the Beepberry such as using a display with a backlight and adding external USB ports,” Zitao says. It’s why the Hackberry Pi Zero has three USB 2.0 ports, made possible thanks to the use of an internal hub. “As the project progressed, I found it would also be cool to add a STEMMA-style I2C port for communicating with sensors. In this way, beginners can learn to code with Python.”
The device also has an external TF card slot so that the operating system image can be replaced very easily. Flip the device onto its back and you’ll find Zitao has added three compartments as well. One of these can be opened to reveal Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, giving users easy access. The other two house a pair of swappable batteries and, in keeping with the mobile phone theme, these take Nokia BL-5C rechargeable lithium-ion packs. You’re able to replace them within ten seconds without killing the power.
Key to success
Of all of the components, the keyboard is arguably the most eye-catching and Zitao says the choice of BlackBerry keys was rather straightforward. “The BlackBerry keyboards are known to be good quality and they offer a great typing experience,” he notes. “The optical trackpad from a BlackBerry keyboard can work as a mouse too and this also offers a very good user experience. The choice of keyboard influenced the size of the screen because I needed them to fit alongside each other.” As it happens, it’s a perfect fit.
Zitao hasn’t stuck to using just one BlackBerry Qwerty keyboard. Although he initially chose to incorporate one from the BlackBerry Classic (or Q20), a smartphone that was unveiled in 2014, he has also created another device that makes use of the keyboard from a Q10 (unveiled the previous year). He has also developed a third variant – one that uses a keyboard from the BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9983. And there has been scope for a bit of fun.
One of the devices Zitao has made features a set of colourful buttons showing a circle, triangle, cross, and square, which gamers will instantly spot as having been inspired by Sony’s PlayStation controller. “I actually started making a Bluetooth keyboard variant of the BlackBerry keyboards about six months ago and at that time the top row of keys were the original BlackBerry-style keys,” he says. “Then a customer suggested I try PlayStation-like buttons. I found they fitted very well and were easy to print.”
Mapping the way
The keyboards needed a bit of work in order to get them to operate with Raspberry Pi – notably, hooking them up to a keyboard controller which uses a RP2040 chip. There’s an analogue button which needs to be switched on so that the keyboard controller communicates with Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W. If it is turned off, another device can be connected to the USB-C port – a PC keyboard, perhaps – and that will be used to communicate with Raspberry Pi instead.
It’s also possible to customise the keymap. “I chose the open-sourced firmware QMK to power the keyboard through the USB interface and one benefit for that is the user can remap the keyboard layout if they want by using the Vial app,” Zitao explains. “The BlackBerry keyboard only has about 40 keys so I designed three layers for the keyboard, which means each key can be mapped into three symbols or letters.”
The remapping tool vial is basically a web app and Zitao says Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W doesn’t have enough power to open it due to its limited RAM. “I designed a USB-KVM on board to make the keyboard controller chip able to communicate with the external computer so the customer can edit the keymap on their computer,” he adds. “At the same time, the hardware can make the Hackberry Pi Zero work as an emergency keyboard.”
It certainly works well. Hackers are likely to use Kali Linux – an advanced penetration testing distro for ethical hacking and network security assessments – but Zitao just likes to play around. “I’ve used the devices to learn coding with Python, learn the Linux command-line terminal, and to play some retro games. It really is a lot of fun.”
Coolest Projects is our global technology showcase for young people aged up to 18. Coolest Projects gives young creators the incredible opportunity to share the cool stuff they’ve made using digital technology with a global audience. Everyone who takes part will also receive certificates and rewards to celebrate their achievements.
What you need to know about Coolest Projects
The Coolest Projects online showcase is open to young people worldwide. Young creators can enter their projects to share them with the world in our online project gallery and join our extra special livestream event to celebrate what they have made with the global Coolest Projects community.
By taking part in Coolest Projects, young people can join an international community of young makers, represent their country, receive feedback on their projects, and get certificates to recognise their achievements.
Coolest Projects is completely free to take part in, and we welcome all digital technology projects, from young people’s very first projects to advanced builds. The projects also don’t have to be completed before they can be submitted.
Projects can be submitted to one of seven categories: Scratch, games, web, mobile apps, hardware, advanced programming, and AI (new for 2025).
Young creators up to age 18 can take part individually or in teams of up to five friends
Any young person anywhere in the world can take part in the online showcase, and there are in-person events in some countries for local creators, too (find out more below)
Submissions for the online showcase are now open and close on 28 May 2025
All creators, mentors, volunteers, teachers, parents, and supporters are invited to the special celebration livestream on 25 June 2025
We know Coolest Projects has a big impact on young people all over the world, and we can’t wait to see your creations for 2025. You can find out more about the incredible creativity and collaboration from mentors and makers worldwide in our 2024 impact report.
How to submit your project
Taking part in Coolest Projects is simple:
Young people think of an idea for their project or choose something they’ve already made and are proud of
Young people work with friends to create their project or make it on their own
Creators (with the help of mentors if needed) enter projects via the Coolest Projects website by 28 May
Creators’ projects are shared with the world in the online showcase gallery
Creators, mentors, and supporters explore the amazing projects in the online gallery and join the livestream on 25 June to celebrate young creators’ achievements with the Coolest Projects community worldwide
Mentors — entering more than one project? Sign up for a group code, and your young people can link their projects to your account.
Sign up or log in. If you don’t have one already, you’ll need to set up a Raspberry Pi account. Click on the ‘sign up’ link in the top right-hand corner of the website to create one, and provide your details. You’ll be emailed a verification code as part of the sign-up process. If you already have an account, you can just log in.
Create a group. Once signed in, you’ll be able to create a group. You’ll be asked questions about your group, including the group name and the country you’re based in, and be asked to agree to some privacy policies before continuing. You will then be able to view your group code and group submissions on your group dashboard.
Share your group code with your young people. Your group dashboard should look like this, with your group code displayed. The group code is what your young people will need to link their submissions to your account. They’ll be asked to input their group code at the start of the project submission form.
Submit your coolest projects. Every young person who uses your group code will have their project linked to your account. You can review and edit their projects in your group dashboard and submit them from there. There is no limit to the number of young people who can submit entries using your group code.
For a more detailed run-through of how to use group codes, please see our ‘how-to’ video.
Coolest Projects in-person events in 2025
As well as the global online showcase, Coolest Projects in-person events are held for young people locally in certain countries. We encourage creators to take part in both the online showcase and their local in-person event. In 2025, creators can attend the following in-person events, run by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and partner organisations around the world:
Coolest Projects Ireland, 1 March 2025 (run by the Foundation) — entry closes on Friday 14 February
Coolest Projects South Africa, 2025 date coming soon (run by CoderLevelUp)
More events are on the way, so sign up for the Coolest Projects newsletter to be sure you hear about any in-person events in your country. And if there isn’t an event near you, don’t worry, as the online showcase is open to any young person anywhere in the world.
Need help with your submission?
Coolest Projects welcomes all digital tech projects, from beginner to advanced, and there are loads of great resources available to help you help the young people in your community to take part. If you’re searching for inspiration, take a look at the 2024 showcase gallery, where you can explore the incredible projects submitted by participants last year.
You’ll find everything you need to know about all seven Coolest Projects categories on our category pages, including our brand new AI category. Our projects site is also a great place for participants to begin — there are hundreds of free step-by-step project guides to help young people create their own projects, whether they’re experienced tech creators or just getting started.
We will also be running a series of online webinars for mentors and young people to help participants develop their creations for each Coolest Projects category. Sign up for the sessions here. All sessions will be recorded, so you can watch them back if you can’t join live.
Be sure to check out the Coolest Projects guidance page for resources to help you support young people throughout their Coolest Projects journey, including a mentor guide and session plans.
There’s lots more exciting news to come, from the announcement of our VIP judges to details about this year’s swag, so sign up for updates to be the first to know.
Whether your coders have already made something that they want to share, or they’re inspired to make something new, Coolest Projects is the place for them. We can’t wait to see what they create!
A vehicle’s wheel diameter has a dramatic effect on several aspects of performance. The most obvious is gearing, with larger wheels increasing the ultimate gear ratio — though transmission and transfer case gearing can counteract that. But wheel size also affects mobility over terrain, which is why Gourav Moger and Huseyin Atakan Varol’s prototype mobile robot, called Improbability Roller, has the ability to dynamically alter its wheel diameter.
If all else were equal (including final gear ratio), smaller wheels would be better, because they result in less unsprung mass. But that would only be true in a hypothetical world on perfectly flat surfaces. As the terrain becomes more irregular, larger wheels become more practical. Stairs are an extreme example and only a vehicle with very large wheels can climb stairs.
Most vehicles sacrifice either efficiency or capability through wheel size, but this robot doesn’t have to. Each of its wheels is a unique collapsing mechanism that can expand or shrink as necessary to alter the effective rolling diameter. Pulley rope actuators on each wheel, driven by Dynamixel geared motors by an Arduino Mega 2560 board through a Dynamixel shield, perform that change. A single drive motor spins the wheels through a rigid gear set mounted on the axles, and a third omni wheel provides stability.
This unique arrangement has additional benefits beyond terrain accommodation. The robot can, for instance, shrink its wheels in order to fit through tight spaces. It can also increase the size of one wheel, relative to the other, to turn without a dedicated steering rack or differential drive system.
Basic drones are very affordable these days—you can literally find some for less than the cost of a fast food drive-thru meal. But that doesn’t mean drones are easy to control. That is actually quite difficult, but manufacturers are able to work off of established reference designs. In a video that perfectly illustrates the difficulty, The Tinkering Techie attempted to make a supercapacitor-powered drone with his own custom flight controller.
Most airplane designs have inherent aerodynamic stability. Even without power, they can continue to glide. Even helicopters have some inherent stability in the form of autorotation. Quadrotor drones do not—they need constant power and very frequent motor control updates just to stay aloft. Even the slightest control error will result in catastrophic failure. Despite knowing the challenge, The Tinkering Techie wanted to try making his own flight controller.
Aside from the custom flight controller, this drone is also unique for its power storage. Instead of conventional lithium batteries, it has a bank of supercapacitors. Those can fully charge in seconds—though they don’t store energy well over long periods of time.
The job of the flight controller is directing power from the supercapacitors to the motors (brushed DC motors, in this case) in a very precise manner. An Arduino Nano 33 IoT board oversees that process and The Tinkering Techie chose it because it has onboard sensors useful for a quadcopter, including a gyroscope and an accelerometer. A custom PCB hosts the Arduino and the supercapacitors, while a simple 3D-printed frame ties everything together.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a success story and The Tinker Techie ultimately failed to achieve stable flight. The are many potential reasons for that, but one of the most glaring was the use of brushed DC motors, which can’t respond as fast as brushless DC motors can — an important factor for a drone.
Managing your IoT data just got a whole lot easier — Arduino Cloud, now lets you send your time series data straight to AWS S3. With this seamless connection, organizing and analyzing your data is a breeze.
In case you don’t know, Arduino Cloud is a robust, integrated platform that simplifies the development and lifecycle management of IoT and industrial products at scale. Today, we’re very excited to share its integration with AWS S3 storage.
If you’re familiar with the AWS ecosystem and you’ve started using Arduino Cloud, you can now extract time series data and publish it directly to Amazon S3 buckets. This new feature uses AWS’s scalable storage system and helps you access, manage, and analyze your IoT data easily.
You can now extract data at scheduled intervals, aggregate, and store it in CSV files within S3; which is a huge step to connect your Arduino devices with your current AWS setup. This functionality is available to all users on premium Arduino Cloud plans that support API access: Entry, Maker, Maker Plus, School and Business, . Whether you’re tracking environmental data from a smart garden or monitoring industrial equipment, the AWS S3 integration provides a straightforward way to manage large datasets.
Check out this Github link to learn how to extract time series samples from Arduino cloud and publish them to a AWS S3 destination bucket.
Seamless experience with AWS Marketplace
The new S3 integration feature is even more powerful when combined with the availability of Arduino Cloud licenses on the AWS Marketplace. By purchasing licenses through AWS, there is no need for separate billing platforms, you benefit from unified billing. This makes it easier to manage subscriptions and simplify accounting, especially for organizations that are s already using AWS. They can get started with Arduino Cloud without the hassle of separate billing platforms. You can learn more about it here.
With this new AWS S3 integration, Arduino Cloud keeps growing its ecosystem. This makes it easier for developers to create and expand IoT solutions.
Get started with the new AWS S3 and Marketplace integration
With the new AWS integrations, you can:
Take control of your IoT data with our new AWS S3 integration. Check out the documentation to learn more details.
Simplify your billing by purchasing Arduino Cloud licenses directly through the AWS Marketplace. Explore the available plans on our AWS Marketplace listing.
This is just the beginning. We’re also adding support for AWS IoT SiteWise, bringing even more capabilities to your IoT projects. Stay updated by following the Arduino blog.
If you have questions or need support, visit our contact page. We’re here to help you get the most out of Arduino Cloud. Get started today!
Afandi Indiatsi, our Programme Coordinator in Africa, recently attended Coolest Projects South Africa 2024. Read on to hear her highlights.
What happens when creativity, enthusiasm, fun, and innovation come together? You get Coolest Projects South Africa 2024 — a vibrant showcase of students from all walks of life displaying their talent and shaping the future of technology.
Dozens of projects exhibited at the event in Cape Town
Hosted by our partner, Coder Level Up, Coolest Projects South Africa brought together creators, mentors, educators, and industry leaders to celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of young tech enthusiasts from across the country.
With nearly 200 projects submitted and dozens showcased, the event highlighted the impressive talent and potential of South Africa’s next generation of innovators.
Taking place at the University of Western Cape’s Department of Education in Cape Town, the event was a hub of excitement. Right from the start the venue was buzzing with activity, with the South African World Robot Olympiad (WRO) team kicking things off with a fantastic demonstration of their robotic inventions. Their creations came alive to cheers and applause as they performed flawlessly, leaving attendees in awe — what an inspiration they were!
Standout projects ranged from garbage collection to chocolate
The participants then presented their projects, each of which was ingenious in its own way. From hardware and visual programming to game development and website creation, there was a wealth of ideas on display — and a demonstration of the boundless potential of young minds when given the right tools and guidance. Adding to the inclusive spirit of the event, participants from Durban and East London joined remotely, their energy resonating through Zoom.
One standout project was a garbage collection robot created by an all-girls team from Nguzo Saba School. Using a LEGO kit, these creators transformed their idea into a functional invention. What made their project exceptional was their ability to improvise and enhance the kit to achieve their desired functionality. This was a true testament to their creativity, resilience, and problem-solving skills.
Another memorable presentation came from Emma, who used Scratch to tell the story of the history of chocolate. Her engaging narrative spanned the journey of chocolate from the Olmec civilisation in Latin America to today’s chocolate museums. Emma’s research was extensive, and she captivated the judges not only with her presentation but also with chocolate samples for everyone to enjoy — a sweet touch that left a lasting impression!
How Coolest Projects harnesses the power of education, creativity, and mentorship
A recurring theme throughout the event was the importance of mentorship. Many of the young people shared that they had sought guidance from mentors, teachers, and family members while developing their projects. This collaborative spirit underscored the role of supportive communities in fostering innovation and creativity among young creators.
Coolest Projects South Africa 2024 was more than a showcase of talent. It was a reminder of the transformative power of education, mentorship, and creativity. Every project had a story of passion and perseverance, and every creator left inspired to dream bigger.
As we reflect on this event — and the many other Coolest Projects events that took place around the world this past year — we are reminded that the future of technology is in capable, imaginative hands.
Get involved with Coolest Projects in 2025
Coolest Projects will be back and bigger than ever before in 2025.
The Coolest Projects online showcase is open globally to any young person up to age 18. Registration opens 14 January, and we’ll host a celebratory livestream on 25 June.
Thanks to an incredible network of partners, Coolest Projects events will also be hosted in person in many countries around the world. Go to the Coolest Projects website for more event dates and details.
Xbox Insiders can now join the preview for Belly Bumpers! Use your belly to knockout other players in this 2-8 online and local party game. Eat juicy burgers to increase the size of your belly or force-feed opponents until they burst. Bump it out in a world of food-themed stages.
About Belly Bumpers
Local and Online Multiplayer
Bump your friends out of the arena in this belly-centric party game. Play with 2-8 local players on a single device! Cross-platform online multiplayer is also supported for 2-8 players.
Eat Burgers
Eat burgers to increase the size of your belly and the power of your bumpers. Be careful as you eat a variety of foods because some have horrible side effects!
Force-Feed Opponents
Force-feed opponents until their bellies burst by slapping them in the face with food!
Food Arenas
Bump it out on over 10 food-themed stages. Each stage has unique interactive food elements such as stretchy licorice!
Custom Games
Play with only the tastiest foods. Set your own rules, modify bump powers, choose stages, and more with in our customizable games.
How to Participate:
Sign in on your Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One console and launch the Xbox Insider Hub app (install the Xbox Insider Hub from the Store first if necessary).
Navigate to Previews > Belly Bumpers.
Select Join.
Wait for the registration to complete, and you should be directed to the Store page to install it.
How to Provide Feedback:
If you experience any issues while playing Belly Bumpers, don’t forget to use “Report a problem” so we can investigate:
Hold down the home button on your Xbox controller.
Select Report a problem.
Select the Games category and Belly Bumpers subcategory.
Fill out the form with the appropriate details to help our investigation.
Other resources:
For more information: follow us on Twitter at @XboxInsider and this blog for release notes, announcements, and more. And feel free to interact with the community on the Xbox Insider SubReddit.
Launching today at CES 2025, the Arduino Pro Portenta Proto Kit is here to revolutionize how professionals approach prototyping. Designed to empower engineers, designers, and innovators from all walks of life, this kit provides everything you need to turn your ideas into functional prototypes quickly, efficiently, and without conventional limitations.
Available in two variants – Portenta Proto Kit ME (Motion Environment) and VE (Vision Environment, available later this month) – the kit equips you with advanced tools to tackle any challenge, from environmental sensing to machine vision to vibration detection, accelerating the prototyping phase from weeks to days and days to hours. Whether you’re developing predictive maintenance systems or high-speed test rigs, the flexible and comprehensive Portenta Proto Kit has you covered.
What’s inside the Portenta Proto Kit?
At the heart of the kit is the powerful Portenta H7, paired with the versatile Portenta Mid Carrier. These components support advanced processing and edge machine learning, ensuring your prototypes are as future-ready as they are functional.
The kit also includes the full set of our innovative Modulino nodes for rapid sensing and actuation, 4G GNSS Module Global for connectivity, and an Arduino Cloud for BusinessVoucher for your first three months of seamless cloud integration – so you can store, display, and analyze data remotely.
Depending on your chosen configuration, you’ll also find everything you need for motion, vision, and environmental sensing in one kit:
Nicla Vision and Nicla Sense Env for machine vision and environmental monitoring (Vision Environment variant)
Nicla Sense ME for motion detection and predictive maintenance (Motion Environment variant)
You’ll easily integrate all of these hardware tools with the new Proto Shield included, and leverage the Arduino IDE on the software side to develop quick, scalable, IoT-enabled prototypes.
Go from concept to reality in a wide range of applications
The Arduino Pro Portenta Proto Kit is suitable for many industries and countless applications: the kit’s modular design means you can tailor your prototypes to meet specific requirements, ensuring your projects are always on track. What’s more, you’ll often be able to transition from prototyping to production with no redesigns required.
Here are some ideas you could explore:
Predictive maintenance: reduce downtime and monitor machinery health, using advanced Nicla sensors and cloud-based predictive algorithms.
Environmental monitoring: precisely track air quality, noise, and other parameters for real-time decision-making.
Machine vision: implement object recognition, motion detection, and people counting using Nicla Vision.
Logistics tracking: monitor goods in transit with environmental data and cloud-enabled location tracking.
Intruder detection: use motion and face recognition for security monitoring, with cloud-based real-time alerts.
EV charging station: create a prototype for efficient, remotely managed charging with data analytics.
High-speed test rigs: build scalable test benches for automated sensor calibration, load testing, and real-time data analysis.
As always, we are curious to find out what the Arduino professional community will come up with next!
Learn and innovate with the ACE-220 course
Ready to hit the ground running? Enroll in ACE-220: Portenta Proto Kit Certification Course on Arduino Academy. This 8-hour professional program is designed to provide embedded engineers, hardware designers, and firmware developers with hands-on modules that cover everything from hardware and software setup to cloud integration. By dedicating a few hours to the ACE-220 course, you’ll gain the expertise to leverage the kit’s capabilities fully, saving significant time and effort in your prototyping process and accelerating your path to innovation.
Get started on your greatest idea now!
Whether you’re building the next big thing in automation, smart cities, or IoT, the Arduino Pro Portenta Proto Kit offers the tools to make it happen. Explore the full kit online and take the first step toward redefining what’s possible in prototyping.
Willkommen zu unseren ersten Game Pass Ankündigungen in diesem Jahr! Und ein besonders herzliches Hallo an alle Gamer*innen, die sich über die Feiertage neue Gaming-Hardware zugelegt haben. Wir zeigen Dir, welche Spiele Du als nächstes zocken kannst. Lass uns direkt loslegen!
Ab sofort verfügbar
Road 96 (Cloud, Konsole und PC) – 7. Januar Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Mit Road 96 kehrt ein Roadtrip in die Game Pass-Bibliothek zurück, der auf jeden Fall in Erinnerung bleibt. Auf Deiner Reise zur Grenze triffst Du auf unglaubliche Charaktere. Dabei erfährst Du mehr über ihre ineinander verwobenen Geschichten und Geheimnisse, die das Abenteuer immer wieder in neue Bahnen lenken. Mit jeder Meile musst Du wichtige Entscheidungen treffen, die nicht nur Dein Abenteuer, sondern auch die Menschen und die Welt, in der Du Dich bewegst, verändern werden.
Bald verfügbar
Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview) (Xbox Series X|S) – 8. Januar Jetzt enthalten im Game Pass Standard
Errichte Dein interstellares Anwesen in diesem friedlichen Open-World-Farming-Abenteuer! Lege den Grundstein für eine nachhaltige Exofarm, baue außerirdische Nutzpflanzen an, verbessere Deinen Mech und erkunde mit bis zu drei Freund*innen eine Welt voller Geheimnisse.
My Time at Sandrock (Console) – 8. Januar Jetzt enthalten im Game Pass Standard
Genau wie My Time at Portia spielt My Time at Sandrock in einer wohltuenden postapokalyptischen Welt, 300 Jahre nachdem der Tag des Unheils die meisten modernen Technologien zerstört hat. Sammle Ressourcen, um Maschinen zu bauen, schließe Freundschaften mit Einheimischen, verteidige Sandrock vor Monstern – und rette die Stadt vor dem wirtschaftlichen Ruin!
Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders (Xbox Series X|S) – 8. Januar Jetzt enthalten Game Pass Standard
Begleite Robin Hood und seine unerschütterliche Bande von Geächteten im England des 12. Jahrhunderts auf ihrer Mission, Nottingham zu befreien. Reise durch verschiedene Regionen, errichte ein geheimes Dorf und hilf den Bewohner*innen der umliegenden Länder. Erfülle Quests, errichte verschiedene Gebäude, stelle eine Vielzahl von Gegenständen her und erkunde Orte, die historisch und mythologisch inspiriert sind, in diesem Open-World-Rollenspiel mit Basisbau-Funktionen.
Rolling Hills (Konsole) – 8. Januar Jetzt enthalten im Game Pass Standard
Du schlüpfst in die Rolle eines Roboters und leitest ein Restaurant in einem gemütlichen Dorf namens Rolling Hills. Finde neue Freund*innen, kaufe Zutaten, optimiere Deinen Laden und verbessere das Leben Deiner Nachbar*innen, während Du Dein Handwerk perfektionierst.
EA Sports UFC 5 (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) EA Play – 14. Januar Game Pass Ultimate
Entfessle Deine Energie und erhalte unbegrenzten Zugang zu EA Sports UFC 5, das über EA Play und den Game Pass Ultimate erhältlich ist. Als Mitglied kannst Du außerdem das Bruce Lee Bundle abstauben und mit dem geistigen Vater des Mixed Martial Ars in den Ring steigen. Das Bundle ist von 14. Januar bis 11. Februar als kostenlose Ergänzung im Vorteile-Bereich erhältlich.
Diablo (PC) – 14. Januar Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Kehre zurück in die legendäre Stadt Tristram von Diablo, dem bahnbrechenden Action-RPG, das das Genre geprägt hat und am 14. Januar im Game Pass erscheint! Mit seinem elektrisierenden Spielverlauf, umfangreichen Anpassungsmöglichkeiten für Deinen Charakter und intensiven Kämpfen bietet Diablo eine unvergessliche Reise durch eine düstere Gothic-Fantasy-Welt.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Vorteile
Neues Jahr, neue Vorteile! Schaue regelmäßig im Game Pass-Bereich auf Deiner Konsole, der Xbox Mobile App oder der Xbox App für PC vorbei, um neue Ingame-Inhalte, Konsumgüter und Angebote zu entdecken, die in Deiner Game Pass Ultimate-Mitgliedschaft enthalten sind.
First Descendant Season 2: Ancestors Bundle – ab sofort Spiele den Looter-Shooter der nächsten Generation, The First Descendant, und erweitere Dein Erlebnis mit dem exklusiven Season 2: Ancestors Bundle! Passe Deine Nachfahren und Waffen mit einzigartigen Stilen und Verbesserungen an!
Vigor: Coast Guardian Pack – ab sofort Unter den schimmernden Nordlichtern an der eisigen Küste von Anniken überblickt ein stiller Leuchtturm die Umgebung. Rüste Dich aus und trage das Vermächtnis dieses ikonischen Wahrzeichens in jede Schlacht mit dem Coast Guardian Pack.
Apex Legends: Feelin‘ Lucky? Waffen-Anhänger – 7. Januar Verleihe Deinem Waffenarsenal das gewisse Etwas mit dem Waffen-Anhänger „Feelin‘ Lucky?“. Bringe diesen an Deiner Lieblingswaffe an und kämpfe mit Stil um Ehre und Ruhm.
Metaball: Punk Pack – 7. Januar Metaball ist ein kostenloses, plattformübergreifendes Multiplayer-Sportspiel, das rasante Action bietet. Mit dem Punk Pack schaltest Du sieben legendäre Outfits frei!
Diese Spiele verlassen den Game Pass
Die folgenden Spiele werden die Game Pass-Bibliothek am 15. Januar verlassen. Doch es gibt noch mehr als genug Zeit, sie zu spielen, bevor sie verschwinden. Nutze Deinen Mitgliedschaftsrabatt von bis zu 20 Prozent, um sie in Deiner Sammlung zu behalten.
Common’Hood (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Escape Academy (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Exoprimal (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Figment (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Insurgency Sandstorm (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Those Who Remain (Cloud, Konsole und PC)
Wir werden uns nun wieder alle zwei Wochen mit neuen Ankündigungen melden, also behalte die sozialen Kanäle des Game Pass, des PC Game Pass, und Xbox im Blick, um keine News mehr zu verpassen. Wir sind bald wieder da!
Welcome to our first “Coming Soon” announcement for 2025! And special welcome to all you new friends that picked up gaming hardware the last few weeks. Let’s get you prepped for what to install or play next. To the games!
Available Today
Road 96 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 7 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Returning to the Game Pass library, Road 96 is a crazy, beautiful road-trip. On this risky road trip to the border, you’ll meet incredible characters and discover their intertwined stories and secrets in an ever-evolving adventure. But every mile opens a choice to make. Your decisions will change your adventure, change the people you meet, and maybe even change the world.
Coming Soon
Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview) (Xbox Series X|S) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Start your interstellar homestead in this peaceful open-world farming adventure! Build your sustainable exofarm, grow alien crops, customize your mech, and explore a new world full of mystery with up to three friends!
My Time at Sandrock (Console) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Just like My Time at Portia, My Time at Sandrock takes place in a wholesome post-apocalyptic world 300 years after the Day of Calamity destroyed most modern technologies. Gather resources to build machines, befriend locals, and defend Sandrock from monsters — all while saving the town from economic ruin!
Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders (Xbox Series X|S) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Join Robin Hood and his unwavering band of outlaws in 12th-century England on their mission to free Nottingham. Travel across various regions, build up a secret hideout village and help the denizens of the surrounding lands. Complete quests, construct various builds, craft a broad range of items, and freely explore locations inspired by both myth and history in this open-world RPG with base-building features.
Rolling Hills (Console) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Serve sushi as a robot chef in Rolling Hills, a life sim about running your own restaurant in a cozy village. Make new friends, purchase ingredients, enhance your shop, and improve the lives of your neighbors as you perfect your craft!
EA Sports UFC 5 (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) EA Play – January 14 Game Pass Ultimate
Unleash your fury and get unlimited access to EA Sports UFC 5, coming to Game Pass Ultimate via EA Play. Plus, members can score the Bruce Lee Bundle and play as alter egos of the father of mixed martial arts, available at no additional cost in the Perks section from January 14 to February 11.
Diablo (PC) – January 14 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Return to the legendary town of Tristram in Diablo, the groundbreaking action-RPG that defined the genre, coming to Game Pass on January 14! With its satisfying progression, deep character customization, and intense battles, Diablo delivers an unforgettable journey through a dark gothic fantasy world.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
New year, new Perks! Check the Game Pass section on your console, Xbox mobile app, or Xbox app on PC on a regular basis to find new in-game content, consumables, and offers included with your Game Pass Ultimate membership.
First Descendant Season 2: Ancestors Bundle – Available now Play the next-generation looter shooter, The First Descendant, and elevate your experience with the exclusive Season 2: Ancestors Bundle! Customize your Descendants and weapons with unique styles and enhancements!
Vigor: Coast Guardian Pack – Available now Beneath the shimmering northern lights on the frozen coast of Anniken, a silent lighthouse overlooks the Outlands. Gear up and carry the legacy of this iconic landmark into every battle with the Coast Guardian Pack.
Apex Legends: Feelin’ Lucky? Weapon Charm – Available now Add some flair to your arsenal with the Feelin’ Lucky? Weapon Charm. Equip this to your favorite weapon and battle for glory, fame, and fortune in style.
Metaball: Punk Pack – January 7 Metaball is a free-to-play, crossplay-enabled multiplayer sports game with fast-paced action. The Punk Pack unlocks seven colorful and cool legendary outfits!
Leaving January 15
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon, so be sure to show them some love and jump in before they go. Remember to use your membership discount to save up to 20% to keep them in your library.
Common’Hood (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Escape Academy (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Exoprimal (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Figment (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Insurgency Sandstorm (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Those Who Remain (Cloud, Console, and PC)
We’ll be back to our usual twice monthly announcements, so keep tuned here and to Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox on social for all the updates on when “coming soon” turns into “available today” to play. Be back soon!
Known by their characteristic mounting solution, Dobsonian telescopes are the standard in amateur astronomy due to their lower cost and ease-of-use. But after seeing how some of the larger, motorized telescopes at observatories can simply pivot to a target of interest, one member from the FabLab at Orange Digital Center Morocco wanted to add this functionality to his own hobbyist telescope.
The base of the telescope guidance system was made by cutting a large disk from a sheet of plexiglass on a laser cutter and then wrapping it in a timing belt for setting the azimuth (yaw). Once mounted, a 3D-printed set of gears, along with some bearings, were attached to one side in order to provide the altitude adjustments. Each axis is moved by a single stepper motor and accompanying A4988 stepper driver, and both plug into an Arduino Nano.
Over on the controls side of the project, an interface was added that gives the user two buttons, an analog joystick, and an LCD screen at the top. With it, they can select between three different modes. In offline mode, locations that have been preloaded into the other Nano can be chosen as the target, while any arbitrary location can be sent via serial from a host PC in online mode. Finally, the joystick can be used in manual mode to move anywhere.
Every decent stereo sold since the invention of sound has included a knob on the front for adjusting volume. There are influencers and entire communities dedicated to evaluating the feel of those wonderful knobs. So why would you settle for the mushy volume buttons on a remote? Eric Tischer didn’t think he should have to, so he built his own wireless rotary encoder device for controlling his DAC’s volume.
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is an important part of modern digital audio systems. Tischer’s DAC/preamp takes the digital signal from a TV or other device, turns it into an analog signal, and then pushes that out to an amplifier. The DAC has a rotary encoder on the device itself for adjusting volume, but the remote just has the standard buttons. Tischer measured that remote and found that it takes 25 seconds to go from zero to full volume. That’s almost as annoying as the horribly unsatisfying buttons.
Tisher’s solution was to construct a new wireless remote with only one job: controlling volume. It has a big CNC jog-wheel style rotary encoder that reportedly has a very nice feel, with 100 total detent “clicks” per revolution. That matches perfectly with the number of volume levels.
An Arduino Nano ESP32 board monitors the remote rotary encoder and communicates the detected position (via pulse-counting) to another ESP32 board by the DAC. That second board attaches to the DAC’s built-in rotary encoder pins and simulates pulses that match the remote. So as far as the DAC knows, Tischer is rotating the built-in encoder. In reality, he’s sitting comfortably on the couch spinning that handheld knob instead of pushing buttons dozens of times per commercial break.
We’re focused on bringing more games to more people around the world, on the devices you choose to play with. Millions of Game Pass Ultimate members are already using Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) to play great games from the Game Pass catalog on various devices.
Today, we’re excited to announce our collaboration with LG Electronics to bring the Xbox app to their new LG Smart TVs later this year. This means Game Pass Ultimate members will be able to play their games directly from the Xbox app on supported LG Smart TVs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. This gives players even more choice in how they enjoy their favorite games.
Soon, players with LG Smart TVs will be able to explore the Gaming Portal for direct access to hundreds of games in the Game Pass Ultimate catalog, including popular titles such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and upcoming releases like Avowed (launching February 18, 2025).
Stream Your Own Game
We also recently announced that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can stream select games they own, outside the Game Pass catalog. This feature will also be available on the Xbox app with LG Smart TVs, allowing Game Pass Ultimate members to stream over 50 games they own, including NBA 2K25, Hogwarts Legacy, and more.
We’ll share more details on the Xbox Cloud Gaming experience with LG TV in the coming months. To learn more about Xbox Cloud Gaming and how you can play across TVs and browsers on supported devices like smartphones, PCs, and tablets, visit xbox.com/cloudgaming.
Say hello to our newest Agent, Tejo, who’s joining our roster from Colombia.
As part of the Initiator class, Tejo specializes in flushing out enemies with a unique kit consisting of information gathering, explosions, and a concuss.
Those who have strategic game sense and understand how the enemy plays will be able to thrive on this Agent.
“This should be simple enough. I flush them out. You finish them.” This statement from Tejo perfectly encompasses our newest Initiator-class Agent, the well-dressed man of action.
Hailing from Colombia, Tejo will undoubtedly shake up the gameplay with his unique kit that flushes out enemies using a top-down approach. Tejo will require you to think proactively and strategically–analyzing the situation mid-round and using his abilities to help clear the way for your team.
Tejo’s abilities, which revolve around flushing out enemies, consist of 3 outputs: information gathering, damage, and concuss effects:
Stealth Drone: Throw and possess a stealthed drone that, upon activation, creates a small sonar pulse at its location.
Guided Salvo: Pull up a map to target one or more missiles towards a location. Upon reaching their location, the missiles explode twice, pushing enemies off of angles.
Special Delivery: Toss a grenade that bounces once (sticks to players immediately), sticks, then winds up and explodes. Explosion concusses.
Armageddon: Cast a wave of explosions, forcing enemies to move in the direction of your choosing.
The perfect teammates for Tejo will be those who can quickly follow up on the space he creates. Let’s take a closer look at how that’s done.
Stealth Drone
Whether your team is attacking and attempting to take a site or defending and playing retake, having a drone can be extremely impactful. Especially on maps where there are a lot of corners to clear, it allows your team to take space safely or be prepared to fight for that space. Since drones are great pieces of utility, the enemy team is often prepared to shoot down whatever you’re using to take space. Tejo’s Stealth Drone is unique in that it’s invisible at long range, giving you more time to grab information about where the enemy team could be.
“Drones typically give a lot of baseline value of information gathering, but we wanted to give this drone a little spin where the information is secondary, and the effect of suppressing an enemy is why you take this drone over others,” Game Designer Ryan Cousart tells us.
Guided Salvo
When we asked the devs, “Why rockets?”, Cousart smiles and says, “Because rockets are sweet.”
In addition to rockets being sweet, they made sense thematically for what the devs were trying to accomplish.
“When you start putting things like a map targeter or world placements on Agents, you force people to think about the game more proactively and more strategically. We wanted something to lead your team in and show you the effect of telling your team, ‘Hey something is going to happen.’ We could’ve used anything but we landed on rockets for these reasons,” Cousart adds.
Tejo’s abilities, which revolve around flushing out enemies, consist of 3 outputs: information gathering, damage, and concuss effects. “There’s a lot to consider and be careful about when deciding the output of an ability. Damage as an output is a lot more permanent than a concuss or a flash. It’s worthwhile to explore though and I think we’ve landed in a pretty good spot but that’s one we’ll need to keep a really sharp eye,” states Cousart.
Special Delivery
“With how naturally ‘guns down’ his other abilities are, Tejo really needed something that was just simple to understand and simple to cast but still captured that feeling of being explosive but directed. I wanted Special Delivery to be a quick, like, ‘Let’s fight’ button”, states Cousart.
Unlike the other abilities where Tejo needs time to set up the play, Special Delivery allows him to initiate a fight quickly in the moment. Whether or not an enemy is there for the concuss, using the ability there will give them the confidence they need to take that space. One thing is for certain – even if players can use the ability quickly, we won’t be surprised when players are making fancy lineups to get that perfect angle to land on that perfect circle.
Armageddon
“Tejo’s rockets are really only valuable if you’re following up on the pressure that’s created. But the sweet spot is when you fire your rockets and you force people to move and then while they’re moving, you’re able to capitalize on them having to reposition. Tejo would be great with another Agent that can go in very fast, like Neon, who can capitalize on the distance he casts his abilities from,” notes Character Producer, John Goscicki.
Tejo’s ult, Armageddon, is something enemies will need to be aware of round-to-round. Watch that scoreboard and check how many ult points he’s away from being able to use it, since it can heavily impact the flow of a round. The wave of explosions will force enemies to move in a direction of Tejo’s choosing or at least have players moving further back, since the site will be difficult to hold. This will give his team the perfect opportunity to follow up and take control of the space he just created.
Everyone can play Tejo but those with strategic game sense can make this new Agent really shine. All of Valorant’s Agents are unlocked for Game Pass members, so step up to the challenge and learn to use him to your advantage before everyone else.
In the words of Tejo, “We can stand around all day talking about killing them… or we just do it.” So what are you waiting for?
VALORANT
Riot Games
☆☆☆☆☆783
★★★★★
Xbox Game Pass
VALORANT is a character-based 5v5 tactical shooter set on the global stage. Outwit, outplay, and outshine your competition with tactical abilities, precise gunplay, and adaptive teamwork. DEFY THE LIMITS
Blend your style and experience on a global, competitive stage. You have 13 rounds to attack and defend your side using sharp gunplay and tactical abilities. And, with one life per-round, you’ll need to think faster than your opponent if you want to survive. Take on foes across Competitive and Unranked modes as well as Deathmatch and Spike Rush. CREATIVITY IS YOUR GREATEST WEAPON
More than guns and bullets, you’ll choose an Agent armed with adaptive, swift, and lethal abilities that create opportunities to let your gunplay shine. No two Agents play alike, just as no two highlight reels will look the same. FIGHT AROUND THE WORLD
Each map is a playground to showcase your creative thinking. Purpose-built for team strategies, spectacular plays, and clutch moments. Make the play others will imitate for years to come.
Rewards with Xbox are our way of, well, rewarding you for your love of gaming, and today we’re thrilled to announce new ways for players to earn points. From expanding Quests to PC Game Pass, to reimagining the Game Pass Quests you use to earn points, to weekly Rewards for all Xbox players 18 and older, there are lots of new ways to earn points through your play time.
Lastly, today we’re sharing an important update on earning Rewards with Xbox. This update aligns more closely with our continued commitment to foster positive, age-appropriate gaming experiences by making points earned through play activities available only to players 18 years and older.
Previously exclusive to Game Pass Ultimate members, Quests unlock opportunities to earn even more Rewards with Xbox. Starting to roll out on January 7, Quests are also available for PC Game Pass members in all regions where Rewards with Xbox is available. Now you have more ways to earn Rewards points on PC in addition to console and mobile. The new Game Pass Quests will also launch in Japan, bringing the region the full Rewards with Xbox experience.
If you’re an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass member 18 years or older, starting to earn is simple:
Explore the new Quests by navigating to your Xbox profile and accessing the Rewards Hub, which is available across console, the Xbox app on mobile, and the Xbox app on Windows PC.
Earn points by playing your favorite games with Game Pass.
Claim your points on the Rewards Hub.
Once you’ve earned enough, redeem your points for Xbox gift cards to use for games, in-game content, donations to your favorite causes, and more.
As part of these changes, minimum playtime is required to earn points through gameplay. For now, Quests are only available for titles in the Game Pass catalog, and this does not include PC games that require third party launchers or are played on Battle.net. Check Xbox.com/Rewards for more details.
We have reimagined Game Pass Quests, making them easier to use, and more fun to play – we’ve made it possible to earn even more points, simply by playing games you love and discovering your next favorite games. Quests offer daily, weekly, and monthly opportunities to add to your Rewards, and we’ve also brought back a player favorite: weekly streaks.
Here’s how Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members can now earn points (and remember, Rewards offers may vary by region and may change over time. Check terms and conditions here):
Daily Play – Earn 10 points a day by playing any game from the Game Pass catalog for at least 15 minutes.
Weekly Streaks – Play for at least five days a week to complete your streak. The more days you play, the more points you earn. Now comes the challenge: maintain your streak week over week to unlock bigger point multipliers. A 2-week streak will earn 2x the base streak points, a 3-week streak will earn 3x the base streak points, and anything beyond a 4-week streak will earn 4x the base streak points.
Monthly 4-Pack – Explore the Game Pass catalog by playing four different games (for at least 15 minutes each) every month.
Monthly 8-Pack – Push your gaming further and play eight different games (for at least 15 minutes each) every calendar month. Don’t worry, the 4 games from your 4-Pack count towards the 8-Pack, too.
New Ways to Earn Rewards for All
Beyond changes to the exclusive Quests for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members, we’re also bringing new ways to earn points for all players. Starting January 7, 2025, all Rewards members 18 years and older will be able to access the new PC Weekly Bonus, awarding them 150 points when playing (for at least 15 minutes) for 5 days or more.
With this update, we’re also rebalancing points from the current Console Weekly Bonus to 150 points and the Daily PC Play to 10 points.
Play and Earn Update
We are constantly evaluating the Xbox platform to ensure our continued commitment to foster positive, age-appropriate gaming experiences for our players to enjoy. Starting today, earning Rewards points via gameplay will only be available to Xbox players 18 years and older. With these changes, the Rewards Hub used for tracking and earning points on Xbox console, the Xbox app for Windows PC, and the Xbox app for mobile will no longer be available to players under 18 years old.
This update will not impact existing Rewards and points previously earned by players, and going forward players under 18 will still be able to earn Microsoft Rewards points via parentally approved purchases of eligible items on the Microsoft Store, eligible searches on Microsoft Bing and other non-gameplay activities, such as completing the Microsoft Rewards Daily Set. They can continue to track and redeem their available Microsoft Rewards at Rewards.Microsoft.com.
We can’t wait to see all the great Rewards you’ll redeem, simply by playing with Xbox. You’re already playing, so now start earning!
From crafting interactive stories to designing captivating games, the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s coding projects offer a hands-on approach to learning, igniting creativity and developing the skills young people need, like perseverance and problem-solving. In this blog, I explore two of my favourite projects that young coders will love.
Our projects are free and open to all. They are easy-to-follow, step-by-step guides that young people use to make their own games, animations, and websites using coding languages such as Scratch, HTML/CSS, and Python. The projects introduce coding concepts one by one and allow young people to build their knowledge progressively. As such, educators and volunteers running clubs don’t need to be experienced coders, and many volunteers in our community enjoy learning alongside their club members.
The power of remixing
One of the brilliant things about our projects is how easy it is to adapt them. This is called remixing, and it gives the learner the opportunity to create and modify a brand-new project that is personal to them.
“Remixing allows beginners to tinker with a pre-existing project and make increasingly complex modifications”
Do you have the reaction speeds of an astronaut?
My favourite project brings space into the classroom. Space is such an intriguing and mysterious thing, but aspects like the extremely high speeds that satellites and the International Space Station (ISS) travel at are difficult concepts for young people to understand.
The Astronaut Reaction Time Game in Scratch introduces young people to the fact that things happen very quickly at the speed the ISS travels. It includes links to maths and science (speed, distance, time, velocity, units, calculations, operators) and, for older learners, prompts discussions on computational abstractions and problem-solving.
The project tests reaction speeds, something that real astronauts have to do as part of their training. NASA has found that reaction speeds are slower on the ISS than on Earth, possibly as a result of the stress of zero gravity. It’s also a fun activity young people can share and play with their friends. Sharing is a key part of the club environment, and this project is ideal for generating a little bit of competition.
As with all projects, a scaffolded approach is taken, with challenges set for learners so that they can complete part of the project independently. If someone is stuck, they can get a hint in the form of an explanation or sentence, which then turns into the code blocks they need to solve the problems, finally giving them the solution if they really need it.
Remix: Exploring speed on planet Earth
Club volunteers can also introduce their learners to some of our physical computing projects, or they could design their own race track that measures the speed of a vehicle. They could even develop a program on a microcontroller like a Pico or micro:bit to measure the speed of young athletes on a running track. If learners are inspired to do more space-themed projects, we have that covered in our project collection.
Unleashing the creativity of coding through colour
My other go-to project is Colourful Creations. Coding is an excellent vehicle for self-expression, and this project showcases the ways programming can be used to create digital art. It uses the turtle library, which is an excellent tool for creating designs and patterns.
The name “turtle” stems from the Logo programming language created in the 1960s. Logo is mainly known for drawing lines, shapes and patterns on the screen and using a “turtle” on the floor to draw them on paper. The turtle library is, therefore, a selection of functions that can be used for drawing.
Part of the project’s appeal is that learners are given a blank canvas to which they can apply any theme. There are limited instructions, leaving lots of space for creativity. Whether it be climate change, a period in history, or some other topic, learners can work on their own poster or in pairs to create something bigger.
Remix: From project to presentation
The possibilities for remixing are almost endless, as learners can add more screens and turn their project into a mini presentation or unleash their artistic side and go wild with colours. The learning in this project leads perfectly to more complex turtle drawing projects like Robo-Trumps, providing a solid foundation in creative computing for you to build on later.
We want you to create your own versions of these projects. You could organise a themed day, which can give learners more freedom, or link with other projects such as Astro Pi. Try remixing the projects to start with, then building up to develop new and exciting projects based on the skills that have been learnt. Happy coding!
A version of this article also appears in Hello World issue 24.
Autonomous vehicles, and self-driving cars in particular, are probably one of the most enticing technologies of the 21st century. But despite a great deal of R&D and even more speculation, we have yet to see a self-driving car that can actually operate on real public roads without any human oversight at all. If, however, we remove that “real public roads” constraint, the challenge becomes a lot more approachable. All you need is a few Arduino boards and a webcam, as proven by Austin Blake’s self-driving go-kart.
Blake previously attempted a miniature self-driving Tesla project, which was supposed to drive around a park walking path. That was only a partial success, because the vehicle struggled to put its “behavioral cloning” machine learning algorithms into practice. Blake took those lessons and applied them here, with much better results.
Behavioral cloning, in this context, means that the machine learning algorithm watches what Blake does as he drives around the track, then attempts to replicate that while driving on its own. During training, it looks ahead of the kart through a webcam while monitoring the steering angle. Then, while driving on its own, it looks through the webcam at the track and tries to match the steering angle to what it saw during training.
The machine learning model runs on a laptop, but Blake needed a way for it to control the kart’s steering and throttle. He used three Arduino Nano boards to pull that off. The first just listens to the machine learning model’s serial output for a PWM signal representing the steering angle. It then sends that to the second, which uses that information and the real-time steering angle to control a Cytron motor driver for the steering. The third controls the throttle using an RC car-style circuit.
This proved to work quite well and the go-kart can navigate around a small track in Blake’s workshop. In theory, it could also handle new tracks — so long as they have similar clearly marked edges.
It’s been a big year for Google AI. It may seem as though features like Circle to Search and NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews have been around for as long as you can remember, but they only launched in 2024. Joining them were a slew of other product releases and updates meant to make your day-to-day life even a little bit easier. So, as we say goodbye to 2024 (and prepare for the exciting AI news that’s sure to come in 2025), take a look at some of the top Google AI news stories that resonated with readers this year.
January
2024 began, quite fittingly, with fresh updates across a host of products and tools, including Gemini, Chrome, Pixel and Search. The announcement of our Circle to Search feature made a particular splash with readers. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
February brought a new chapter of our Gemini era, including the debut of Gemini 1.5; the news that Bard was becoming Gemini; the launch of Gemini Advanced; and more. We also announced new generative AI tools in Labs and tech to help developers and researchers build AI responsibly. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
Health took center stage in March, with our annual Google Health Check Up event to show how AI is helping us connect people to health information and insights that matter to them. Stories about how we’re using AI for good also made the top-news cut, along with AI-based travel tools coverage as readers looked toward summer. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
Spring showers bring…generative AI? Many of April’s top stories focused on how helpful generative AI can be to different groups of people, including developers, business owners, advertisers and Google Photos users. It was also a big month for AI skills-building, thanks to our AI Opportunity Fund and AI Essentials course. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
May is synonymous with Google I/O around these parts, so it’s no wonder that much of the month’s top news was from our annual developer conference. At this year’s event, we shared how we’re building more helpful products and features with AI. But even amid all the I/O chatter, Googlers were working on other launches, like that of our AlphaFold 3 model, which holds big promise for science and medicine. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
In June, much of our AI news emphasized how this technology can help people in ways big and small. Stories covered both land (how Google Translate is helping people connect with one another all around the world, even if they don’t speak the same language) and sea (how a first-of-its-kind global map of ocean infrastructure is creating a better understanding of things like biodiversity). Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
July was one of those months that makes clear how many things Googlers are working on at once with major announcements for Gemini, Google AI features on Samsung devices, our focus on secure AI and our Olympics partnership with Team USA and NBCUniversal. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
August was a key moment for Google hardware, thanks to our Made by Google event, along with our Nest Learning Thermostat and Google TV Streamer releases. But software was in the mix, too — we’re looking at you, Chrome, Android and Gemini. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
Then came another month that underscored our mission to make AI helpful for everyone. Highlights included the launch of Audio Overviews in NotebookLM; the news of a new satellite constellation designed to detect wildfires more quickly; and tips on using Gemini features in Gmail. But that wasn’t all! Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
October saw a slate of additional AI updates across products including Pixel, NotebookLM, Search and Shopping. Plus, we announced updates to the Search ads experiences at Google Marketing Live — helping advertisers use AI to reach their customers. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
This month was a time for both work and play, with news including how developers are using Gemini API and how chess-lovers can use AI to reimagine their sets. Plus, holiday prep was afoot with new updates to Google Lens and Shopping. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
We celebrated the one-year anniversary of our Gemini era by introducing our next, agentic era in AI — brought to life by our newest, most capable model, Gemini 2.0. We also shared landmark quantum chip news, and a whole raft of new generative AI offerings in Android, Pixel, Gemini, and our developer platforms AI Studio and Vertex AI. It’s certainly been a December to remember. Here were some of the top Google AI news stories of the month:
There you have it! Twelve months of top Google AI news in a flash. And the best part: Teams at Google are hard at work to keep the momentum going in 2025.
Materials, when exposed to light, will reflect or absorb certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum that can give valuable information about their chemical or physical compositions. Traditional setups use a single lamp to emit white light before it is split apart into a spectrum of colors via a system of prisms, mirrors, and lenses. After hitting the substance being tested, a sensor will gather this spectral color data for analysis. YouTuber Marb’s Lab realized that by leveraging several discrete. LEDs, he could recreate this array of light without the need for the more expensive/complicated optics.
His project uses the AS7431 10-channel spectrometer sensor breakout board from Adafruit due to its adequate accuracy and compact footprint. Once it was attached to the clear sample chamber and wired to a connector, Marb got to work on the electromechanical portion of the system. Here, a stepper motor rotates a ring of six LEDs that are driven by a series of N-channel MOSFETs and a decade counter. Each component was then wired into a custom-designed control board, which acts as a shield when attached to the Arduino Mega 2560 below.
The sketch running on the Mega allows for the user to select between photometer (single wavelength) and spectrometer (multiple wavelengths) modes when sampling the substance. Once the data is captured, the user can then choose one of three interpolation modes to get a smooth curve, as seen here when measuring this chlorophyl.
The digital revolution has reshaped every facet of our lives, underscoring the need for robust computing education. At the Raspberry Pi Foundation our mission is to enable young people to realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies. Since starting out in 2008 as a UK-based educational charity, we’ve grown into a global leader in advancing computing literacy.
At the heart of our efforts lies a simple yet powerful vision: to ensure every young person develops the knowledge, skills, and confidence to use digital technologies effectively. This includes understanding societal and ethical issues, using technology for creative problem solving, and fostering a mindset of adaptability that will enable them to thrive amid rapid technological change.
A vision for global computing education
To realise this vision, we developed The Computing Curriculum (TCC). Launched in 2018 as part of the UK’s National Centre for Computing Education, TCC is a comprehensive set of free teaching resources tailored for students aged 5–16. Over the years, the curriculum has evolved through rigorous testing and teacher feedback, which has helped to make it one of the most effective and inclusive computing education tools globally.
Contextualising computing education for India
India’s vast diversity — in languages, social and economic contexts, and educational infrastructure — creates unique challenges and opportunities. As a result, we at the Raspberry Pi Foundation have adapted and localised our computing curriculum to meet the needs of Indian students. Collaborations with the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS) and the Odisha Mo School programme have been pivotal in this endeavour.
Modelling data using a spreadsheet (Grade 9)
Creating media — audio production (Grade 7)
In Telangana, we adapted TCC to create a 70+ hour computing curriculum designed for government schools with limited resources. Similarly, in Odisha, elements of this curriculum have been tailored to develop Kaushali, an IT and coding curriculum for over 8,000 state schools. This localised approach ensures that computing education becomes accessible and relevant for students across India.
A curriculum designed for impact
The computing curriculum for India spans Grades 6 to 10 (age group 11-16) and is structured to ensure progressive learning. Students revisit foundational concepts repeatedly, building on prior knowledge as they advance through the grades. The curriculum emphasises forming a strong understanding of concepts over rote learning and integrates research-informed pedagogical approaches.
We tested our localised curriculum resources in Telangana Coding Academy, and there was lots of positive feedback from educators and observers.Overall, the educators were happy with the content format, and the observers noted that students enjoyed learning and completing the activities. This was also evident from the student discussion notes and student survey responses.
“[…] this content is more than what we are expecting for the school years[…] this time they [are] having [a] practical session. So they are very happy to do it and whenever they are free[,] they will come and ask us. ‘[C]an you take [an] extra class for us?’” – Educator
“[…] They are very [appreciative of] the content and [t]hey [are] learning very well, and the response is very good.” – Educator
Key features of the curriculum:
Tailored content: Materials are customised to align with the proficiency levels and contexts of Indian students, ensuring accessibility
Localised examples: By incorporating culturally relevant examples, students find the learning experience relatable and engaging
Simplified language: Designed for students who may lack confidence in English, the curriculum employs clear and concise language for better comprehension
Hands-on learning: Practical activities, including projects and model creation, solidify understanding and foster creativity
Ready-to-use resources: Teachers are equipped with lesson plans, presentations, worksheets, and activity sheets, reducing preparation time and enhancing delivery
Learning objectives: The curriculum focuses on equipping students with:
An understanding of digital systems and their impact on people and society
Computational thinking and problem-solving skills for real-world applications
Confidence and knowledge to become creators and innovators
Awareness of digital citizenship and responsible technology use
Curriculum structure: Each academic year includes 30–34 sessions, each lasting 45–60 minutes. Lessons are structured into deliverable units comprising detailed plans, presentations, and worksheets. Both plugged (computer-based) and unplugged (activity-based) learning methods are used, with a 60:40 ratio, ensuring balanced and inclusive learning experiences.
Sample progression across grades:
Curriculum highlights
Grade 6: Building a foundation
Students develop foundational computer skills, learn basic text formatting, and explore introductory programming concepts using Scratch. They also begin to understand how to group and describe objects based on their properties.
Grade 7: Expanding horizons
Students delve into computer networks, the internet, and the World Wide Web. They learn to use loops in Scratch programming and explore data organisation using flat-file databases and spreadsheets.
Grade 8: Deepening understanding
Students gain a deeper understanding of how computer systems function and use spreadsheets for data analysis. They continue to build their programming skills in Scratch, focusing on sequences, variables, and selection. They are also introduced to HTML and CSS for basic web development.
Grade 9: Exploring advanced concepts
Students learn about data representation, including binary and character coding schemes. They design and create websites using HTML and CSS, incorporating accessibility and good web design principles. They also explore the layers of computing systems, including hardware, operating systems, and logic circuits.
Grade 10: Applying knowledge and skills
Students explore advanced data representation, including image and sound representation. They are introduced to cybersecurity concepts and delve deeper into Python programming, focusing on selection and iteration. They also learn about data science and how to create a blog to support a cause.
Assessment framework: To measure student progress effectively, the curriculum incorporates both formative and summative assessments:
Formative assessments: Embedded in lessons to monitor progress and identify misconceptions early.
Summative assessments: Provide a holistic overview of learning outcomes through tools like multiple-choice quizzes and rubrics. These assessments focus on understanding concepts and skills, moving beyond mere code writing.
Bridging the digital divide
Our localised computing curriculum is more than a technical education initiative — it is helping to bridge the digital divide. By empowering students with essential digital skills, it fosters innovation, enhances employability, and enables young people to participate actively in the global digital economy.
The road ahead
As technology continues to evolve, so does the need for adaptive and inclusive computing education. We remain committed to supporting governments, educators, and students in this journey. By fostering a generation of digitally literate and empowered individuals, we can create a future where technology serves as a force for good in society.
Through collaborations and localised efforts, the dream of making computing education accessible to every corner of India is steadily becoming a reality. Together, we can equip students with the skills and mindset needed to navigate the complexities of the digital age and shape a brighter, more inclusive future.
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