You might have noticed the little Google Ad placed in the right column of fritzing.org, and we hope you don’t mind! We have started experimenting with embedding ads into our websites and you will likely see more of this over the coming weeks. Fritzing is in need of additional revenue streams to continue to serve you with the coolest electronics tool and keep it free-as-in-freedom.

In March we started to combine downloads with donations, a model pioneered by our friends at processing.org. More than 200 fine people have donated since then, thank you so much! It has shown us again that you are out there and continue to support us.

This is about 0.1% of the people who are downloading Fritzing, and we understand that not everyone can spare the money or sees a monetary value in using it. That’s where the ads come in. Turn off your ad blocker and remember that clicking ads effectively means supporting the website that displays it. (Disclaimer: Of course only do so if you are actually interested in the advertised product.)

And as always, let us know what you think. :)

https://vimeo.com/94026132

You can now very easily add touch and gesture control to your electronic projects! How? With Hover!

Hover is a development kit that lets you control your Arduino projects in a whole new way.  Wave goodbye to physical buttons.  Hover detects hand movements in the air for touch-less interaction.  It also features five touch-sensitive regions for even more options.

The little capacitive touch sensitive PCB fits a standard breadboard. The gesture detection range is up to 5 inches / 13 cm and it needs a 3.3V power supply. For $39 you can order it here.

Am 6. und 7. Juni 2014 findet das Photonikcamp 2014 im Fab Lab Berlin statt.

Bewirb Dich jetzt für eine unkomplizierte Unterstützung des BMBF für Dein Photonik Projekt: https://www.fablab-berlin.org/photonikcamp/

Der Schwerpunkt des diesjährigen Camps liegt auf Datenerfassung, als Auftakt für ein Citizen Science Sensornetzwerk.

Hey hackers, engineers and designers! Your chance to WIN A TRIP TO SPACE!

The Hackaday Prize from Hackaday on Vimeo.

The DIY page Hackaday.io offers a maker competition where you can actually win a trip to space (or take the cash option of nearly $200,000 instead)! Even if you don’t win the Grand Prize, to be left with a milling machine, 3D printer, a flight to Japan or or or is not too bad either.

But what do you actually have to do? The hackaday guys wondered about that too: „We’ve been vague up to this point on purpose, because spouting specific categorization stifles creativity. We want you to Build the Future — not fit inside of a tiny box made of disqualifying restraints.“ So your official task is to build the next evolution of hardware.

Heat up your soldering iron and start hacking!

Auf die Plätze, fertig, loooooos!

Yet another very interesting project is up on Kickstarter: The Printoo project consists of various modules with connections to join them together in order to “give intelligence to everyday objects”. Nothing new so far, but: the circuit boards are made of a very thin, flexible and therefore bendable, low power plastic plate with all the wiring printed on it with conductive ink. This now enables us to use Arduino & co in new areas that were not possible before. You can acquire an Atmel Atmega328 module, very thin sensors, batteries and internet modules… basically everything you need to bring your 3D objects to life.

https://youtu.be/Xgsp_xm08W8

Nice idea by Ynvisible.