These Home Assistant Prime Day deals transformed my smart home, but one was the game-changer

A BIOS For Your ESP32-C6

Rompass đã phát triển một firmware tương tự BIOS cho vi điều khiển ESP32-C6, cung cấp bootloader và lớp API hỗ trợ tải động các chương trình từ RAM, thậm chí qua mạng. Dự án thể hiện xu hướng xóa nhòa ranh giới giữa vi điều khiển và bộ vi xử lý, xu hướng này sẽ tiếp tục khi các bộ xử lý ứng dụng mạnh mẽ như ESP32-P4 trở nên phổ biến.

Lập trình viên ESP32-C6 nên đọc để khám phá cách mở rộng khả năng quản lý khởi động và chạy ứng dụng động từ RAM hoặc mạng, giúp tối ưu hóa hiệu suất và linh hoạt cho các dự án yêu cầu tính linh hoạt cao hơn.

Microsoft significantly increases Xbox prices worldwide and withdraws 2TB model citing "components crisis"

Microsoft is raising Xbox console prices worldwide effective August 2, citing a components crisis driving up storage and memory costs by more than 2.5x. The Xbox Series S 512GB jumps from $399.99 to $499.99, the Series S 1TB from $449.99 to $599.99, the Series X Digital from $599.99 to $749.99, and the Series X from $649.99 to $799.99. The 2TB model is being discontinued. Microsoft notes consoles are sold below cost and points to buy-now-pay-later options and refurbished console programs to help with affordability. The announcement follows Valve's Steam Machine also launching at higher-than-expected prices due to similar hardware supply issues.

OpenC6 BIOS project brings PC-like firmware to ESP32-C6 MCU with network boot and OTA update support

OpenC6 BIOS is an open-source project that brings PC BIOS-like architecture to the ESP32-C6 microcontroller. Instead of combining hardware setup and application code into a single firmware image, it separates the base system from application payloads (2–10 KB). Key features include dynamic CPU frequency scaling, a System Call Interface (ABI) for Wi-Fi/crypto/math access without full ESP-IDF, PXE-like network boot over Wi-Fi, A/B OTA updates with rollback, a web-based BIOS setup interface, LP-Core health monitoring using the ESP32-C6's low-power RISC-V core, and Aura Sync RGB support. The project targets ESP32-C6 boards with at least 8MB flash and is available on GitHub under the MIT license.

Quectel FCM365X dual-band WiFi 6, BLE 5.4, 802.15.4 IoT module features NXP RW612 MCU, optional PSRAM

Quectel has officially launched the FCM365X, a compact 25.5×18mm IoT module built on the NXP RW612 wireless MCU. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4 LE, and 802.15.4 (Zigbee, Thread, Matter over Thread), with 8MB SPI flash and optional PSRAM — making it the only RW612-based module currently offering on-module PSRAM. The module exposes a wide range of interfaces (GPIO, UART, USB, I2C, I2S, ADC, LCD, PWM) via LCC+LGA packaging and operates from -40°C to +85°C. Development is SDK-based via QuecOpen; AT command firmware is not available. Two development boards are planned but details and pricing are not yet published.

4 apps I always remove from every Samsung Galaxy phone

A Samsung Galaxy user shares four preinstalled apps they always remove: Samsung Browser (replaced by Chrome for cross-device consistency), Samsung Notes (replaced by Google Keep for web accessibility), Samsung TV Plus (unused ad-supported streaming service), and Samsung Global Goals (a charity app they prefer not to use). The author clarifies these aren't truly bloatware — they're decent apps — but cross-platform compatibility with iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Windows PC makes Samsung's ecosystem apps redundant for their workflow.

Iridium Development Kit Accelerates Hybrid IoT Design

Iridium Communications has launched the 9604 module and development kit, a hybrid IoT platform combining satellite (SBD), LTE-M cellular, and GNSS into a single compact module (16×26×2.4 mm). Built on the u-blox SARA-R5 platform, it can reduce board space by over 60% versus discrete implementations. The module supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou, offers independent subsystem management for custom failover strategies, and provides a unified AT command interface with an SDK. It targets industrial monitoring, transportation, maritime, and remote asset tracking applications where terrestrial networks may be unavailable.

A More Convenient IButton Reader

Geoffrey Wells designed ChillPoint, a handheld iButton reader built around an ESP32-C6 microcontroller, aimed at modernizing cold chain logistics data retrieval. The device uses a 1-Wire probe to read iButton temperature data loggers on contact, stores data on internal flash, and hosts a web UI over its own WiFi access point for easy access from any smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Both hardware and software will be open source, with a CrowdSupply campaign planned for release.