Maybe you picked up a Raspberry Pi for the holidays, or you’ve been sitting on one of the super versatile, palm-sized computers for a while now. If you’ve been wondering how to get started with yours , or what you could build that’s worthwhile, here are ten great ideas.
Sure, sure, you could always just look out the window to see what the weather is like, but where’s the fun in that when you could have precise temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, and a forecast along with all of that? Look no further than your Raspberry Pi , and a few extra components .
Of course, if you want something a little more flexible, or a little more fun, consider building this color-changing lamp that will reveal the weather forecast based on the color and light pattern with your Pi, or this slightly simpler version that looks pretty good on a bookshelf if I do say so myself.
What’s more fun than taking lots of great photos with your friends when you’re all hanging out having a great time? Turn the Pi you’ve had sitting around for ages into a photo booth designed specifically to capture those awesome moments, and then share them with your friends.
You have choices too — the one above has a touchscreen and a little countdown timer, but if you don’t want to go through that much energy, try this simpler version (you don’t need the custom box, obviously) that auto-uploads the photos in animated GIF form to a Tumblr account you create for the event—or for your project.
The beauty of the Raspberry Pi is that it’s a pocket-sized computer. That means it can go virtually anywhere, like in the garage, near the front door, or anywhere else you need a pair of eyes and have a power outlet. This beginner project will turn your Pi into a home security system in no time.
When you’re ready to shoot for the moon, you could build a multiple-camera system with a Raspberry Pi , if you want eyes all over the house or yard. This project uses Windows IoT to do the same thing with your Pi if you’re looking for an alternative that might look a little more familiar.
By far one of the most popular Pi projects is an arcade machine, and we’ll get to that. We’re putting the cart before the horse a little bit and suggesting that you put your retro game console inside an arcade stick, so you can play your favorite old school games on the perfect controller for those games all at once.
The one above uses a classic arcade design, complete with beautiful acrylic, but if you want something a little easier for beginners—complete with a step-by-step instruction video that shows you how to make both the housing and the console itself, this one is perfect for you .
If ebooks are your thing, and carrying around tons of them—or even sharing them with others—is your jam, this mobile digital library is ideal for keeping, sharing, and trading books with your friends. Best of all, it’s completely powered by a Raspberry Pi. It’s portable, and turns your Pi into a Wi-Fi hotspot that others can connect to, find something to read, and grab it to take with them. Isn’t sharing wonderful?
Maybe you want to chronicle your life, or do one of those “day in the life” experimental videos where someone can walk a mile in your shoes. Maybe you’re just planning an awesome hike or bike ride and want to take a video of the whole trip. Well, if you have a Pi, you have a perfect project to capture all the fun. This wearable camera is powered by a Pi and a battery , and is small enough to tuck on a shirt or around your neck on a lanyard.
If you want to take it an extra mile, you could build this internet-connected model that live streams to YouTube in real time, but you might want to keep this one somewhere your Pi has either signal or Wi-Fi.
If you’re a little more tech-inclined, consider this whole-network ad blocker that’ll protect all the devices and systems on your network from ads, malvertising, and other annoying hover-over and pop-over ads, even on your mobile devices. It’s a little work, but it’s worth it.
For even more security and privacy, consider turning your Pi into a VPN and proxy that you can use when you’re away from the house, too. After all, a VPN is ideal for protecting your data from prying eyes when you’re on the go, and connecting back to your home network gives you a way to keep that traffic and data secure wherever you go. Plus, it’s not a super difficult project to accomplish. Want a little more privacy? Add Tor to the mix.
Using a Raspberry Pi to stream Spotify, Pandora, Google Music, and other streaming internet radio and podcasts is another super popular project. And why not? It’s easy, and depending on how much energy you want to put into the project you can have a touch-screen capable jukebox that anyone who wants to control the playlist can use , or you can have something beautiful that sits on a shelf and looks like a vintage Hi-Fi.
Plus, there are tons of variations on the project, like this one that looks modern and sharp , and this one that works like a multi-room Sonos clone , but they all start with this basic tutorial that’ll launch whatever project you choose.
Amazon practically wants you to turn your Raspberry Pis into Echo Dots. Seriously, they released the official instructions on how to do so (after people started doing it themselves , of course,) and then not too long ago they unlocked the only thing they held back in the first place— triggering it with a wake word.
Of course, you don’t need to go through all of that just to make one yourself. We have you covered in this complete, start to finish guide here —and once you do have one built, you can use it for everything you would normally use an Echo for, from trivia to web searches and more.
We’ve teased at it, and covered in the past, but by far our preferred suggestion for beginners is to build your own Raspberry Pi-powered retro game console and play the hell out of your favorite old school titles.
Of course, the shape and style of your console is up to you, so you can get a fancy 3D printed case and make yours look like an old school Nintendo , turn yours into a two-player arcade table with a little IKEA hacking, build a whole cabinet , or pack yours into a game cartridge , or even a busted controller .
When you get started though, you won’t be able to stop, so check out our advanced guide to your Pi-powered console when you’re ready, and check out our rundowns of the best retro console software to play all of those games.
Illustration by Sam Woolley. Photo by kkingsbury.
Lifehacker’s Weekend Roundup gathers our best guides, explainers, and other posts on a certain subject so you can tackle big projects with ease. For more, check out our Weekend Roundup and Top 10 tags.

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Two curved Samsung LED monitors , the Ninja Coffee Bar , a back-saving cushion and more lead Saturday’s best deals.
Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal.
Amazon’s one and only Gold Box today is a good one. Take your pick of two certified refurbished curved LED Samsung monitors. Choose between a 24″ for $160 or a 27″ for $224. But these prices are only for today, so don’t delay.
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Curved-LED-Monitor-Refurbished/dp/B01N4GYPQ0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484403438&sr=8-2&kinja_price=160
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Curved-LED-Monitor-Refurbished/dp/B01NAM5Q8R/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484403438&sr=8-1&kinja_price=224
Ninja’s new high-end coffee maker has all the bells and whistles you could want in a coffee machine, and you can pick up a refurb for $90 today, the best price we’ve ever seen.
The headlining feature here is Ninja’s Auto-iQ system, which automatically adjusts the water level based on the brew size and type you select, but you’ll also get a permanent filter, milk frother and tumbler in the box .
https://www.amazon.com/Ninja-Coffee-Carafe-Silver-Refurbished/dp/B01N41NQ53?kinja_price=90
If you’re not in need of a coffee brewer but still want to get in on something Ninja, how about the Ninja Master Prep Professional? Make smoothies or soups with the power of 450 Watts.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XK4N9C/?tag=kinjadeals-20&kinja_price=40
In my opinion, the most important accessory to bring camping is something to cook in. Grab this non-stick camping pan set for only $24 and get a mini flashlight, wire saw, and camping stove for free. It’s everything you could need to have a real meal in the woods.
https://www.amazon.com/Wolfyok-Backpacking-Cookware-Flashlight-Ignition/dp/B01985FDA4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
Sitting is killing you , but if a standing desk isn’t an option, this discounted foam cushion can at least take some of the strain off your lower back whether you’re at your desk, on a plane, or driving your car.
http://lifehacker.com/5800720/the-sitting-is-killing-you-infographic-illustrates-the-stress-of-prolonged-sitting-importance-of-getting-up#_ga=1.194642093.1467215137.1467756114
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Ant-Memory-Foam-Cushion/dp/B01FO45ID0/ref=gbps_img_s-3_bb19_1083d659?smid=A17PZT7D6KSRWI&pf_rd_p=41fd713f-6bfe-4299-a021-d2b94872bb19&pf_rd_s=slot-3&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_main&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=96GGXNR68AAC4KQW34EM&kinja_price=22
People still use pens and paper, who woulda thunk? If you cannot fathom where your pens keep disappearing to and need some replacements, this box of 12 BIC Velocity Bold black ball-point pens is only $5 , the lowest it’s ever been.
https://www.amazon.com/BIC-Velocity-Ballpoint-Retractable-BICVLGB11BK/dp/B004F9QBDC/ref=gbps_tit_s-3_bb19_5c8f3fcf?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=41fd713f-6bfe-4299-a021-d2b94872bb19&pf_rd_s=slot-3&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_main&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=96GGXNR68AAC4KQW34EM&kinja_price=5
Put 64GB of storage in the palm of your hand for only $15 with this SanDisk USB Type A flash drive. It’s still pretty crazy to think you can just walk around with 64GB of files on your key ring, if you ask me.
This pocket-sized USB battery pack from Jackery won’t win any price-per-mAh awards, but it basically the thinnest battery pack we’ve ever seen.
The $15 Jackery Pop Slim is barely thicker than your smartphone, despite packing in enough juice to give any phone a full charge. Just be sure to note the promo code below.
Sperry is marking down all their sale styles an extra 20% off when you use the code DEEPDIVE. Tons of cold weather styles are marked down, with their classic boat shoes and loafers hanging around too. Listen, the best time to stock up on seasonal staples is during the off-season , so don’t even think about rolling your eyes at the thought of ordering loafers.
This 350VA/200W APC UPS battery backup won’t be able to keep your gaming PC running at full throttle during a power outage, but it can provide a little extra juice to a NAS, external hard drives, or even your home networking gear, at least until you can get everything powered down safely.
This neck massager may look like a torture device, but let me tell you. I have a similar one from a different brand and it’s fantastic. The weird arm things help you regulate the pressure of the massager and it also heats up. It’s like the best straight jacket you’ve ever worn.
An endless supply of chips and cookies in my pantry is a dream, and it looks like Amazon wants to make that a reality. Use Subscribe & Save (you can always cancel) and grab massive variety packs on Frito-Lay products for 20% off. There are tons to choose from like Cheetos, Doritos, Sun Chips, Stacy’s and more.
Eneloops are the best rechargeable batteries , and since you can never have enough of them, here’s a dozen AAs for $31 , the best price since November.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member (and are financially responsible to a sufficient degree), there’s no reason not to have the new Amazon Prime Rewards credit card in your wallet.
The card gets you 1% cash back on all purchases, 2% at restaurants, gas stations, and drug stores, and most notably, a whopping 5% back on all Amazon.com purchases for Prime members. You won’t find a credit card that saves you more on Amazon, so if it’s your online store of choice, this is money in your pocket.
While the card isn’t going anywhere, the introductory $70 gift card offer likely will be. Amazon occasionally offers higher than usual sign-up bonuses on credit cards, and this appears to be one of those times (though Amazon isn’t completely clear on that point). All you have to do is sign up for the card, and you’ll have $70 loaded onto your Amazon account immediately after approval.
Don’t put up replacing those boots you’ve gotten resoled one too many times any longer. DSW is giving you up to 65% off literally thousands of boots in basically any style you could think of. Even if you don’t need boots, it’s worth look. You never know what you’ll find (and navigating the store IRL is just a huge pain).
These days, you probably charge as many things over USB as you do over standard AC outlets, so it only makes sense to add some semi-permanent USB ports to your home.
Today on Amazon, you can get highly-rated duplex receptacles with a pair of USB ports for $16 each , one of the best prices we’ve seen. These have proven very popular with readers in the past, even at higher prices, so be sure to secure a few before Amazon sells out.
Rain-X’s water repellency wiper blades don’t just push water off your windshield; they actively coat it with a water repelling formula that lasts for months. For a limited time, Amazon’s taking 15% off every size blade that they sell , with the discount shown at checkout.
Note : If you aren’t seeing the discount, make sure the listing is shipped and sold by Amazon.com directly, not a third party seller.
Anker’s SoundCore is your favorite Bluetooth speaker , but if you need something a little more portable, they don’t get much smaller than the SoundCore nano .
With a sole 3W driver and only four hours of battery life, the nano’s not going to blow you away, but it looks fantastic, and it’ll get the job done for quick listening sessions on the go.
The Humble Monthly subscription plan delivers you a selection of new games (to keep!) every month, gives you 10% off everything in the Humble Store, and donates 5% of each month’s proceeds to charity, but if all that wasn’t enough to get you to sign up, how about a copy of XCOM 2?
For a limited time, if you sign up for any subscription plan , you’ll get immediate access to one of 2016’s best strategy games , and it’s yours to keep even if you cancel your membership. Month-to-month subscriptions cost $12, and can be cancelled any time, but you can save more if you pre-pay for longer periods.
You know those cinematic time lapses where the camera slowly pans as the action speeds along? Now you can make them yourself for just $10. The Veho Muvi X-Lapse works with just about any compact camera, action cam, or smartphone, and can mount on top of a tripod for more control over your shot. Here’s a sample video to give you an idea of what you can pull off with this thing.
Between shedding fur on your seats and a seemingly physiological need to jump into the front seat while you’re passing an 18-wheeler on the freeway, it’s no secret that a lot of dogs don’t do particularly well in the car. So, if you’re planning on taking your dog to your parents’ house for the holidays, this hammock seat cover from AmazonBasics can help keep your backseat fur and slobber-free.
The cover hooks into the headrests on both the front and back seats, creating a kind of loosely enclosed room that will keep your dog safely in the backseat, and her fur a layer removed from your upholstery.
Aquaphor has been around forever and for good reason. This stuff works like magic on dry skin, especially come wintertime. I always have some around for tattoo aftercare, but also grab for it when my hands hurt from forgetting my gloves. Clip the coupon, sign up for Subscribe & Save (you can always cancel) and save 20% on this 14oz jar.
Cold brew coffee might not sound appealing in the winter, but that’s only if you conflate it with iced coffee, which is not the same thing. Cold brew is just a steeping process that results in less acidity, among other benefits, and you can enjoy it hot or cold all year ‘round. If you want to give it a shot, the Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker is the easiest way to get started, and it’s only $18 today.
This non-coffee drinker bought one of these last year, and I’m absolutely in love with it. All you have to do is fill the basket with ground coffee, fill the container with water, and let it steep overnight in the fridge. The resulting coffee concentrate needs to be watered down, so one batch should last you several days.
Amazon’s listed slightly lower prices on a few occasions, but $18 is still several dollars less than its usual going rate. This was one of our 16 most popular products of 2016 , so if you still haven’t tried one out, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon.

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Camera bags are great for protecting your gear, but if you aren’t a professional photographer spending cash on a dedicated bag can be excessive. Luckily, with the right accessories any bag can function as your camera bag.
In this video from photographer Caleb Pike, we see how he adapts a cheap canvas messenger bag. The secret is really in the accessories. Lens cases are an obvious choice, but you can also use those lens cases for any loose batteries, wires, and other gear that might be rattling around you bag. (And you can even make a rudimentary lens case yourself .) What’s more interesting, and new to me, is the Domke wrap. It’s a padded covering that you can wrap around anything that needs extra protection, from camera bodies to monitors and anything that will fit in your bag. (I’ve previously wrapped my camera in a sweater when carrying it in a bag… which worked, but left me chilly). Pike also suggests Porta Brace Stuff Sacks to store any extra cables or batteries; those look great but are pretty pricey, so I’d opt for any cheap pouch.
Toss it all in any bag and your gear should be safe and ready for shooting when you need it.
How to Turn Any Bag Into a Camera Bag | DSLR Video Shooter

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Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler testifies before a House subcommittee in March 2015 defending his agency’s controversial net neutrality rules.
Don’t mess with net neutrality. That was the message from departing FCC chairman Tom Wheeler Friday in his last speech as head of the agency.
Wheeler warned the incoming Republican administration against a hasty repeal of the controversial open internet rules. He said getting rid of the rules and taking a «hands-off approach» to regulating broadband and wireless networks would be a mistake and a move backward. He added that changing the rules would threaten innovation.
«The open internet is currently the law of the land,» he said. «Tampering with the rules means taking away protections consumers and the online world enjoy today. »
Net neutrality is the principle that all traffic on the Internet should be treated equally. Whether you’re checking Facebook, posting pictures to Instagram, shopping on Amazon, streaming Netflix movies or watching cat videos on YouTube, all the information traveling across the Internet to you and from you should be treated the same. This means that your Internet service provider — whether that’s a broadband company like Comcast or a wireless carrier like AT&T or Verizon — can’t block or slow down your access to that content. And it means that these companies shouldn’t favor their own content and services over their competitors’ offerings.
Supporters of net neutrality, like consumer advocates and internet companies like Google and Netflix, say these rules protect consumers and ensure smaller companies can access the internet to develop cool new services and applications. Wheeler, who has become net neutrality’s staunchest supporter since taking over as FCC chairman in 2013 , says that broadband companies are the gatekeepers to the internet and should not be allowed to abuse their power.
«Those who build and operate networks have both the incentive and the ability to use the power of the network to benefit themselves even if doing so hurts their own customers and the greater public interest,» Wheeler said.
Republicans along with internet service providers, like AT&T and Comcast, argue that the FCC’s rules are bad public policy because the agency now regulates broadband like the old-style telephone network. They say this discourages investment in network infrastructure.
But Wheeler refuted these claims in his speech. He recounted that AT&T’s CEO reportedly told President-elect Donald Trump in a meeting just yesterday that his company had been the country’s leading investor of capital for each of the last five years, which included the two years since the Open Internet rules were adopted.
«Network investment is up, investment in innovative services is up, and ISPs revenues — and stock prices — are at record levels,» he said. «So, where’s the fire? »
With that said, Wheeler’s warnings are likely falling on deaf ears. There’s not a lot that Wheeler or other Democrats can do to stop Republicans from striking down the foundation of the net neutrality rules. Once Wheeler steps down on January 20, the Republicans will hold a 2-1 majority. Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Ajit Pai, who will remain at the FCC, have already indicated they want to dismantle net neutrality. And Trump’s transition team is also full of opponents to the rules.

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