Few devices have hit the hacker/maker word with quite as large a bang as the ESP8266. [Brian] first reported a new $5 WiFi module back in August. Since then there have been an explosion of awesome ...

Support libraries, good application notes, and worked examples from a manufacturer can really help speed us on our way in making cool stuff with new parts. Espressif Systems has been doing a good job ...

Imagine turning your old, “dumb” appliances into intelligent, Wi-Fi-enabled devices that respond to your voice, phone, or automation rules. Sounds futuristic, right? With the ESP8266 microcontroller, ...

I recently won an Amazon Echo in a BBQ cooking competition and I was eager to get it set up in my house. As you may know, the Echo allows you to use voice commands to do things like order from Amazon, ...

Hardware with services lowers learning curve of adding cloud and app connections to devices. A while back, Ars took our first step into building the Internet of Extra Creepy Things (IoECT) with ...

Amir was looking for a fun project to do with his new ESP8266 version 12 and the MSGEQ7, one which can help him also to learn LUA script, the language that is used to program the ESP8266. Finally, He ...

As you all know by now, the Kinect is a pretty epic piece of kit. But did you know that you can use the Kinect to pause, rewind, or fast-forward any video you watch using your Xbox 360? It’s true–but ...