Two Point Hospital is Now Available on Steam and is 10% off!*
Design stunning hospitals, cure peculiar illnesses and manage troublesome staff as you spread your budding healthcare organisation across Two Point County.
*Offer ends September 5 at 10AM Pacific Time Website: LINK
We’ve seen many Raspberry Pi-powered music players over the years. But rarely are they as portable (and snazzy) as the PiPod by Hackaday user Bram.
My biggest regret in life? Convinced I wouldn’t need my 160GB iPod Classic anymore thanks to Spotify, I sold it to CEX for a painfully low price. But not only was I mistaken as to how handy it would have been to hold on to, the money I made doesn’t seem to justify parting ways with such an iconic piece of technology no longer available to purchase anew.
Which is why the PiPod project from Netherlands-based Hackaday user ‘Bram’ caught my attention instantly.
I made this music player because I wasn’t satisfied with the current playback methods that are available. The music streaming services available started to feel like radio stations with the same music repeating, they are also depended on an online internet connection while there might be offline functionality it is still limited by the available storage on your phone.
We hear ya, Bram.
With his mind set on creating a music player of their own to overcome the limitations on offer without having to pay hundreds of Euros for high-end portable devices, Bram got to work.
The PiPod, now in its third iteration, offers users a range of functionality and can be made fairly cheaply using Bram’s custom PCB.
For the display, Bram uses a 2.2″ TFT screen connected to a Raspberry Pi Zero. As can be seen above, the screen offers all the information you could ever require of your media player despite the low 320 by 240 resolution.
For music playback, the PCB also includes the PCM5102A a 24-bit I2S DAC that offers a high-quality audio output accessible via a 3.5mm jack. And for power, Bram has done his homework, incorporating a series of components to protect the device from overcurrent, thermal overload and various other power-related concerns.
The music interface itself uses VLC for backend playback and PyGame at the frontend, and all information and code for the project can be found on the Hackaday project page, including the 3D-printable files for the rather snazzy casing and its fantastic dock.
Such snazziness
We’re sure Bram’s PiPod isn’t the only portable music device with a Pi inside. What have we missed? Share yours with us in the comments or on social media so we may bathe in their glory and give them the attention they deserve.
Website: LINK
The Universim is Now Available on Steam Early Access and is 10% off!*
Jump straight into managing your own planets as you guide a civilization through the ages. Become the ultimate empire in The Universim, a new breed of God Game in development by Crytivo.
*Offer ends September 4 at 10AM Pacific Time Website: LINK
Beat them up Narita Boy! Here´s our alpha gameplay trailer for our upcoming game, Narita Boy! it comes with a little surprise we were holding, the 80´s game mechanic, a renewed classic arcade mode designed for your enjoyment Follow us @ www.studiokoba.com
Save up to 66% on Far Cry Franchise during this week’s Midweek Madness*!
*Offer ends Friday at 10AM Pacific Time Website: LINK
Today’s Spotlight Game: Heroes & Generals!*
The summer is almost over, so enjoy the finale of the Heroes & Generals „Golden Days“ event. Play Heroes & Generals now and get great discounts on in-game gold!
Website: LINK
The Lord of the Rings: Living Card Game is Now Available on Steam Early Access!
Build your deck and face Sauron in The Lord of the Rings: Living Card Game, a digital-only experience inspired by the tabletop LCG®. Lead your fellowship through quests that will test your Leadership, Tactics, Lore, and Spirit. Ready your weapons, gather your heroes, and create your own story.
Website: LINK
The Golf Club™ 2019 featuring PGA TOUR is Now Available on Steam!
Do you have what it takes to win PGA TOUR’s FedExCup? Compete in the all new officially licensed PGA TOUR Career mode. Play on famous courses like TPC Boston, TPC Sawgrass and more. Website: LINK
Recently shared by Bare Conductive, Hwan Yun‘s interactive installation, Intuition, uses a Raspberry Pi and Bare Conductive tech to transport you to the calm wonder of Icelandic nature.
Intuition (2017)
Interactive sound installation electric paint on paper Listhús Gallery
Bare Conductive’s water-based Electric Paint allows users to incorporate safe conductivity into their projects. With the use of a Raspberry Pi 3 and the brand’s Touch Board and Pi Cap, this conductivity can be upgraded to take distance, as well as touch, into consideration.
For his installation, Hwan created several patterns on paper using Electric Paint, with six patterns connected to the Touch Board and a further six to the Pi Cap.
This irregularity allows users to experiment, further exploring the sounds of nature that inspired the installation.
The sounds themselves are less actual recordings and more a tribute to the way in which Hwan believes the picturesque beauty of the island communicates within itself.
Getting done with #interactive #soundinstallation for #contemporaryart #exhibition. Using #bareconductive
7 Likes, 1 Comments – HWANYUN (@_hwanyun_) on Instagram: “Getting done with #interactive #soundinstallation for #contemporaryart #exhibition. Using…”
If you’d like to see more installations from Hwan Yun, including behind-the-scenes posts from the creation of Intuition, be sure to follow him on Instagram. You can also learn more about his past and future projects on his website.
Bare Conductive products are available through many of our Approved Resellers, as well as the Bare Conductive website. As mentioned, their Conductive paint is not only water-based but also non-toxic, making it an ideal addition to any maker cupboard. For more inspiration when using Bare Conductive products, check out their Make page.
And for more Bare Conductive products and Raspberry Pi makery, check out this low-tech Raspberry Pi robot by Clément Didier, previously covered on our blog.
Website: LINK
Save 33% on For The King during this week’s Midweek Madness*!
*Offer ends Friday at 10AM Pacific Time Website: LINK
Save 50 to 85% off on Tripware Interactive titles during their publisher Midweek*!
*Offer ends Friday at 10am Pacific Time
Website: LINK
Burning Man is the biggest party out there, combining music, art and culture together in a smorgasbord of human expression to create a truly memorable experience, all in the backdrop of a Nevada desert.
For those who are unable to make it to Black Rock City this year, we recommend these immersive experiences that channel the spirit and principles of The Burn.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq3MbboxLU4?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]
Filmed on location during 2017’s Burning Man, this app gives you a 360 degree view of the Playa in motion. Intuitive controls let you bounce around to experience the stunning art and exhibits on display, and a simple point and click towards the sky brings you to an overhead map to give you a better idea of what you want to experience next. Burning Man Art Discovery is a perfect archive of the swirling, energetic, beautifully chaotic week in the desert.
Burning Man Art Discovery is available as a free download on Viveport
An aesthetically driven interactive VR art collection, Galactic Gallery allows users to go inside the art itself in order to explore the connection between digital and traditional media. Featuring top visionary artists, it displays each piece with effects only possible in a virtual space, with the tactile elements of modern experiential art that are a staple of the Burning Man community. Music from artists such as David Starfire, CloZee and Kayla Scintilla accompany each work, further sweeping you away to a Playa-esque experience. (Galactic Gallery was featured in Black Rock City during Burning Man 2017).
Galactic Gallery is now available on Viveport and as part of Viveport Subscription
Billed as a ‘VR metaphor for life’, Museum of Symmetry depicts colorful 2D characters who spring to life in a myriad of elemental 3D environments. Produced by The National Film Board of Canada, Museum of Symmetry is more of an experimental interactive narrative than a traditional game or story, featuring wild and wacky Technicolor sights and sounds full of interactivity, but still remaining suitable for all ages.
Museum of Symmetry is available as a free download on Viveport
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuZHGyeX8Oo?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]
Explore the works of the immensely influential painter like never before in Dreams of Dali. A creation of The Dali Museum, this award-winning VR experience places you right in the middle of the famous 1935 painting “Archaeological Reminiscence of Millet’s Angelus”. You’ll be able to fully explore the sun parched desert set creation of the master of Surrealism in a whole new, immersive way that is reminiscent of wandering around during sunset on the Playa.
Dreams of Dali is available within Inception VR, a free download on Viveport
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG4VuR-8C2Y?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]
Space Dream is a trippy, psychedelic musical experience with a cosmic motif. Zip around miles of intergalactic territory as the universe shifts and pulses in reaction to the music of your choice. A truly vibrant, colorful auditory experience, you will completely lose yourself in a universe brought to life by the spirit of your favorite tunes.
Space Dream is available as a free download on Viveport
See the mind bending works of famous Fractal artist Julius Horsthius come to life in the most immersive way yet with the Surrealist VR experience Fractasia. You’ll explore trippy crystal caverns, shifting mountains of stone, or the chilling megastructures of alien origin, all accompanied by atmospheric digital music. It’s a visual feast that would make M.C. Escher proud, and a perfect experience for those in the Burning Man mood.
Fractasia is available as a free download on Viveport
Your Vive wands become powerful cosmic tools in this visually engaging, minimalist space art installation. Use your controls to manipulate colorful particulars and create your own living nebulas. Featuring simple and intuitive controls, you’ll spend tons of time twisting and swirling these cosmic entities to fully unwrap the possibilities.
Singularity is available as a free download on Viveport
No matter what kind of Burner you are at heart, you’ll find an experience on Viveport that you can be swept away.
What’s your favorite living art experience? Let us know in our Community Forums!
Website: LINK
Today’s Deal: Save 40% on Trailmakers!*
Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!
*Offer ends Wednesday at 10AM Pacific Time Website: LINK
Today is a bank holiday here in England, as well as for lucky people in Wales and Northern Ireland. Pi Towers UK is running on a skeleton crew of Babbage Bear, several automated Raspberry Pis, and Noel Fielding, who lives behind the red door we never open.
So, as a gift for you all while we’re busy doing bank holiday things, here’s a video that Helen Lynn just recorded of one of the baby hedgehogs who live in her garden.
Helen’s hoglet
Uploaded by Raspberry Pi on 2018-08-24.
You’re welcome. See you tomorrow!
Website: LINK
MU Legend is Now Available on Steam!
Following the footsteps of the successful titles MU Online and MU Origin, MU Legend offers an authentic alternative to the dungeon crawler gaming experience.
A game with its own unique signature, MU Legend blends the dark fantasy world of an MMO with the richness of hack ’n‘ slash gaming.
Website: LINK
Strange Brigade is Now Available on Steam!
Embark on an exotic journey into danger in this rip-roaring 1930s third person adventure for 1-4 players! Encounter pulse-pounding action, treacherous traps and tales of derring-do! Website: LINK
by Dan Ferguson
Installing a tankless water heater is easier than you think. Telling people that is one thing; proving it is something else entirely. Rinnai America knows it certainly seems like no easy task. That’s why they came up with a little something to help people overcome those fears: a virtual installation experience.
With the help of Groove Jones, an award-winning 360 content studio, they were able to create something special for the 2018 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Atlanta, Georgia. Professionals and DIYers alike got a first-hand experience—all with a crowd cheering them on—installing Rinnai America’s newest system through virtual reality.
Let’s take a closer look at the demo that had attendees (and qualified leads) raving.
Introducing Yank the Tank
Groove Jones worked with Hitchcock Fleming & Associates, Rinnai America’s agency, to land on a most appropriate name for the experience: Yank The Tank.
The premise was simple but delightful:
If you had to take apart an old, rusty water heater, what “tool” would you use? Yank The Tank made players choose between a lightsword, sledgehammer, and frying pan. (Choices, choices.)
The lightsword was a popular pick, but players who selected the sledgehammer were treated to a true-blue-collar workout. After about 30 seconds, the old water tank was totaled and ready to be removed.
After “yanking the tank,” the player then went through the step-by-step process of installing the Sensei™ tankless system. Players were faced with a practical set of challenges during the installation such as determining which gas line to run, as well as the size of venting needed for the job. The VR program walked them through the decision-making process, providing hints and suggestions as they learned by doing.
The result? Well, we’ll let Rinnai America speak for themselves.
“Feedback was phenomenal from both customers and employees. The VR platform added a new layer to our tradeshow presentation, improving lead generation by 50% over previous years.”
– David Federico, Senior Brand Manager, Rinnai America Corporation
The Production – Learn By Doing
There is significant research that shows that people learn by doing. By taking part in an experience that simulates the installation process, a person will gain more confidence in their capabilities then they would have, say, by watching a demo video.
As part of the production, Groove Jones visited Rinnai America’s headquarters to learn about the installation process and used actual product parts when creating the 3D objects in the VR experience. The team collaborated with Rinnai’s training teams to make sure the experience was as close as possible to what a person would experience when installing it themselves. To ensure that participants could fully interact with the virtual environment in a true-to-life fashion, Groove Jones and Rinnai America went with the HTC VIVE for its graphics, sound, and unparalleled tracking technology.
From Trade Show to Road Show
In 2018, Rinnai launched the #TryRinnai tour for game-changing new products, more hands-on virtual reality installations, new product rebates, exclusive gifts, and more.
With nearly 800 stops planned in 2018 alone, the #TryRinnai tour consists of eight vehicles outfitted with the fully portable HTC VIVE VR experience and external monitors so everyone can watch the action either on the road or at Rinnai’s trade shows.
To see the mobile Rinnai tour, visit https://www.rinnai.us/try-rinnai to find a location near you.
About Groove Jones
Groove Jones is an award-winning interactive and visual effects studio, specializing in the creation of 360º video commercial productions, immersive Virtual Reality experiences and Augmented Reality apps. Groove Jones partners with agencies and brands to connect with their audiences through the digital devices in their lives. Their client list includes AT&T, Amazon, Comcast, Fiat, Intel, McDonald’s, Nestle, and Under Armour.
For more information please visit www.groovejones.com
Website: LINK
Today’s Deal: Save 60% on LEGO City Undercover!*
Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!
*Offer ends Tuesday at 10AM Pacific Time Website: LINK
Today’s Deal: Save 70% on WRC 7 FIA World Rally Championship!*
Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!
*Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time Website: LINK
Play Pizza Connection 3 for FREE starting now through Monday at 10AM Pacific Time. You can also pickup Pizza Connection 3 at 35% off the regular price!*
If you already have Steam installed, click here to install or play Pizza Connection 3. If you don’t have Steam, you can download it here.
*Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time Website: LINK
