Technology
Hardware, software, networking, and development
#658: Beyond Peanut Brittle: The Search for the Toughest Laptops
Stop carrying a "sheet of peanut brittle." Herman and Corn break down the ruggedization spectrum to find laptops that actually survive the road.
#657: Silicon in the Sun: The Android Head Unit Survival Guide
Don't let your car's tech melt this summer. Herman and Corn reveal how to choose an Android head unit that survives the heat without lagging.
#656: The Future of Smart Home Hubs: Matter, MQTT, and Beyond
Herman and Corn dive into the shifting landscape of smart home protocols and why Ethernet coordinators are the future of home automation.
#649: The Ultimate Dashboard: DIY Information Radiators
Tired of expensive subscriptions and messy DIY screens? Discover the middle ground for the perfect home office information radiator.
#648: The Mystery of the Wet Wall: How Moisture Meters Work
Why does a bone-dry wall read 100% moisture? Herman and Corn demystify the physics of pinless meters and how to spot "ghost" leaks.
#644: From Code to Circuit: Mastering GPIO and SBCs
Discover how to use GPIO pins and breadboards to bridge the gap between software and the physical world in your smart home projects.
#642: From PC Building to Car Modding: DIY Electronics Guide
Think building a PC is hard? Try wiring a car. Herman and Corn explain how to upgrade your ride’s tech without frying the CAN bus.
#641: Tiny Gear, Big IDs: Professional Marking for Tech Assets
Discover how to label tiny tech gear and cables professionally using asthma-safe, low-odor methods for a perfect home inventory system.
#637: Beyond the CPU: The Hidden Science of Motherboards
Don't let your motherboard be an afterthought. Herman and Corn dive into VRMs, PCB layers, and the DDR5 debate for home servers.
#636: IPFS vs. The Cloud: The Quest for Ultimate Redundancy
Can a decentralized network replace Amazon and Google? Herman and Corn dive into IPFS, content-addressing, and the risks of "forever" data.
#621: Designing for Failure: The Architecture of High Availability
Discover how the world’s biggest platforms stay online when hardware fails. Herman and Corn break down the invisible systems of high availability.
#620: ZFS Decoded: Recovering Data After Hardware Failure
Your motherboard fried, but is your data safe? Discover the secrets of ZFS portability, forced imports, and professional recovery workflows.
#613: The Delicate Art of CPU Socket Repair
Bent a motherboard pin? Don’t panic. Herman and Corn discuss the tools and techniques needed to save your hardware from a gold-plated tragedy.
#610: The Data Center Trap: Is Enterprise Hardware Worth It?
Can a $5,000 server chip for the price of lunch power your home lab? Herman and Corn dive into the pros and cons of used enterprise hardware.
#609: Surviving the Rampocalypse: Pro Tech on a Budget
Learn how to beat rising RAM prices by sourcing professional data center hardware from the secondary market.
#606: The Unsung Hero: Why RAM Still Rules in 2026
Discover why RAM remains the essential high-speed "countertop" for your CPU and how to avoid common hardware traps when building your next server.
#605: Building a Unified Supercomputer: From SSI to CXL
Herman and Corn explore how to turn separate servers into a unified supercomputer using high-speed interlinks and resource pooling.
#594: Digital Dust: Can NFC Tags Survive for Decades?
Explore the science of NFC longevity, from EEPROM bitrot to physical durability, and learn how to future-proof your home inventory system.
#591: A Petabyte in Your Pocket? The Future of Micro SD Storage
From floppy disks to 4TB cards, how much data can we squeeze onto a fingernail before physics pushes back? Explore the future of storage density.
#590: Beyond the Hype: Real-World Smart Contracts in 2026
Forget the crypto hype. Herman and Corn explore how smart contracts are revolutionizing tenancy, insurance, and supply chains in 2026.
#589: Beyond Git: Taming the Chaos of AI and Large Media Assets
When AI agents and 4K video crash your repo, it’s time for better tools. Explore why Git fails and how Perforce and DVC save the day.
#588: Beyond the Joystick: The Reality of Satellite Operations
Think satellites are driven by joysticks? Herman and Corn dive into the complex, high-stakes world of mission control and orbital maintenance.
#587: The Command Center: Mastering Triple Monitor Ergonomics
Upgrade your workspace from "desk sag" to NASA-level precision with the science of gas-spring monitor arms and ergonomic alignment.
#586: The Heartbeat of Civilization: High-Precision Timekeeping
Why spend $1,000 on a clock? Herman and Corn explore the high-stakes world of NTP hardware and the precision timing keeping civilization in sync.
#577: Under the Surface: The High-Tech Future of Smart Sewers
Explore the hidden world of urban infrastructure, from Victorian brickwork to AI-powered robots and the battle against the "fatberg."