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A while ago, a friend asked me to help him buy components for a scrolling text display, which he wanted to use to spruce up his little shop. We'd only ever seen them at other places, so we started figuring out how to put one together. We picked what we wanted, I placed the order, got everything, and decided to try it out at home first. There'll be an inspection, a teardown, and some tinkering with various bits of hardware—as usual :)

Not long ago, I wrote a review of TrustFire 14500 and 18350 batteries. At the time, I also mentioned that I’d ordered another size, but it had gotten stuck somewhere in transit. The batteries I ordered arrived recently, so I decided to put together a quick mini-review of them.

Some time ago, a friend asked me to write a review of one of his products. Yes, don't be surprised, it happens :) And now I've finally gotten around to reviewing it. Unfortunately, links to some of the products are no longer active, but I think the review will still help you figure out what’s what.

I recently got some batteries from one of the “well-known” brands called TrustFire, so I decided to put together a short review. Inspection, tests, conclusions.

Last time, I explained how to properly convert a battery pack for a cordless power tool. I also mentioned that I’d cover the specifics of charging, and this time I’ll be reviewing a DC-DC converter board. If you’re interested, come on in.

I enjoy writing reviews of all kinds of DIY projects most of all, but small computers would come in second. I'm less interested in Android devices, but Windows is a different story. That's partly why today's review is of a small Windows 10 computer—and it's definitely not the familiar Atom-based kind. A look around, tests, teardown, more tests, and conclusions—all after the jump.

Comments on reviews of memory bought in China often say it's cheaper to buy it locally. And, to be fair, I've said that myself. But then I was offered the chance to review one of the products on AliExpress, and I chose a SO-DIMM DDR3 memory module, the so-called “laptop format,” for this computer. Since I'd already bought exactly the same memory module locally, I decided to do a comparison review—and got some very interesting results.

This review continues my experiments with step-down voltage converters. Along the way, I’ll also explain a little about what a synchronous rectifier converter is.

As part of the “move” project, which I started in these two reviews — 1, 2 — I bought a small computer. The computer itself is basic, but it has a few rather nice features. They won’t be useful to many people, but I’m sure some will appreciate them.

After buying an expensive multimeter, I thought I might move on from reviewing this kind of measuring instrument. But apparently, my fascination with tools got the better of me, and when I saw an instrument from the well-known Fluke brand, I decided to get it for a review.

Last month I reviewed the MP2359DJ chip for building a DC-DC converter, and in the comments people suggested a few other similar chips. A little while later, I ordered a couple of different ones for my “assortment,” and recently I received and tested another one.

I'm often asked to recommend a soldering iron that's reasonably priced, offers decent quality, and has temperature control. Recently, I ordered a mini soldering station that might well fit the bill. There are already a couple of reviews of this station on the site, so mine is more of a short addendum to the existing ones.

Some time ago, I posted a review of several types of batteries. This review is a short follow-up, since a couple of the batteries appear in both reviews, although they came from different sellers.

Some time ago—or, to be more precise, at the end of February—a seller from one of the AliExpress stores contacted me and asked me to write about his product. Writing about it wasn’t particularly difficult, and the device caught my interest in its own right. At least, at the time I had an idea for how I might use it. Anyway, if you’re interested in reading about a fairly well-known piece of hardware, read on :)

The idea of finding that perfect multimeter has been on my mind for quite a while. I've already reviewed several multimeters, and I'll link to those reviews here. One of them will also feature in this review. But I wanted something good, accurate, and relatively inexpensive. In this review, I'll show you the multimeter I liked and compare it with its smaller sibling.

I came across a mention of this PWM controller on one of the forums. Since I occasionally build various electronic devices, I decided to order one and give it a try. And since I did order it—and even received it (which doesn't always happen these days)—it seemed like a good idea to test it before confirming receipt. Description, testing, and results are all below the fold.

In my reviews, I often mention that I try to use plug-in connections. Of course, soldering is very reliable, but it’s not always convenient. Today’s review is about one type of connector. But since I can hardly claim to have anything new to say, this is more of a “look what just arrived” kind of review :)

I often work with small electronic components, and several people have told me that a USB microscope makes the job easier. I was curious, but also skeptical about the idea. Still, when I was offered a USB microscope to review, I decided to give it a try and see whether it really was more convenient.