You can read the whole article on the digital magazine (flash) or a HTML version.

Now get building your own Useless Machine!

Updating social networks

fizzPOP has a number of presences of social networks. Currently the blog posts are automatically synchronised to our Twitter, identi.ca and Facebook profiles, but we feel those areas could be more social. We require one or two people who can be more social on these networks.

Twitter is our main focus, and we require one or two people who can post about new hacks they’ve seen, notify people about new hack sessions and just generally tweet about hacking. Can you discuss hacking in 140 characters or less?

Mailing lists

fizzPOP has its own discussion group and will have its own mailing list too. On both of these we send notifications of our regular hack sessions a week before they happen and for larger events usually a few weeks before.

For larger events we also send notifications to other local tech groups including 2600, Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton Linux User Group and Perlmongers, in addition to any other groups that might be interested. This task involves writing a short text-only summary that includes the vital information i.e. What the event is, where and when it is, how much it is and where they can find out more information.

We require one person who can write this summary and send them out to mailing lists when needed. We’re also interested in the possibility of automating this process. One of our hackers is working on a script to automate this, but could you help to write this script?

Add events to directories

As well as mailing lists we often put our events on events listings websites including, Facebook, Digital Brum, the main fizzPOP website (including Calendar and blog posts) and the main page of our discussion group.

We require one person who can add events to these websites and update them with new information when required (change of time, change of theme etc). We’re also interested in the possibility of automating this process. One of our hackers is working on a script to automate this, but could you help write this?

Write about hacking

Have you made the most amazing contraption in the world? Tell everyone about it! We’re looking for multiple people who can write about hacks they’ve made, seen or want to make. Ideally we would like a tutorial or other piece about hacking every fortnight. Have a look at our past tutorials for an idea of what sort of thing we want

Write about our events

Can you write summaries of hack sessions and other events? It doesn’t have to be an essay, a few words accompanied with some photographs or video is great. Have a look at some of our past articles for examples.

Anything else you can offer

Are there any other ways that you can help spread the word? Can you print flyers, get sponsors or offer any other services? We’re interested in any help you can give!

If you’d like to help get in contact. Leave a comment here, come talk to us at our hack sessions or get in contact via e-mail

Thanks!

Drawdio is described as the pencil that lets you draw music. It’s really something that has to be seen (or heard) to be believed:

Fancy making one? Nottinghack will be selling the kits for £10 (payable on the door) and also showing you how to make them

Where:

The Edge, 79-81 Cheapside, Deritend, Birmingham, B12 0QH [map] [Street View]. Look for the red signs on the gate, and if you get really lost give the fizzPHONE (07754 634993) a call on the night of the hack session

When:

Wednesday 4th August 6pm-10pm. Regular subs of £3 applies. £10 for Drawdio kit and tuition. Please add your name here if you’re coming.

What:

Regular hack session activities plus a Drawdio workshop from Nottinghack.

Other details:

• Wifi Internet. Ask for the key.
• We’ve got a few soldering irons, so no need to bring your own.
• Tea, coffee and soft drinks are available for a small donation, although there’s not usually any milk unless someone remembers to bring some!
• There’s no food available at the venue, though it’s near to the city centre and Digbeth. There’s also a chippy just around the corner from the venue and there’s a basic kitchen if you want to bring your own food (no microwave).
• There is also the option to club together and order pizza

See you there!

Photo by Nikki Pugh

Where:

The Edge, 79-81 Cheapside, Deritend, Birmingham, B12 0QH [map] [Street View]. Look for the red signs on the gate, and if you get really lost give the fizzPHONE (07754 634993) a call on the night of the hack session

When:

Wednesday 21st July 6pm-10pm. Please add your name here if you’re coming. We ask for £3 per person as subs.

What:

Get hacking on whatever you want or work with others. Check out the wiki pages or disscussion group to see what people have been working on.

Other details:

• Wifi Internet. Ask for the key.
• We’ve got a few soldering irons, so no need to bring your own.
• Tea, coffee and soft drinks are available for a small donation, although there’s not usually any milk unless someone remembers to bring some!
• There’s no food available at the venue, though it’s near to the city centre and Digbeth. There’s also a chippy just around the corner from the venue and there’s a basic kitchen if you want to bring your own food (no microwave).
• There is also the option to club together and order pizza – let us know if you can recommend any good nearby pizza places.

See you there!

Photo by Nikki Pugh

Where:

The Edge, 79-81 Cheapside, Deritend, Birmingham, B12 0QH [map] [Street View]. Look for the red signs on the gate, and if you get really lost give the fizzPHONE (07754 634993) a call on the night of the hack session

When:

Wednesday 7th July 6pm-10pm. Please add your name here if you’re coming. We ask for £3 per person as subs.

What:

Get hacking on whatever you want or work with others. Check out the wiki pages or disscussion group to see what people have been working on.

Other details:

• Wifi Internet. Ask for the key.
• We’ve got a few soldering irons, so no need to bring your own.
• Tea, coffee and soft drinks are available for a small donation, although there’s not usually any milk unless someone remembers to bring some!
• There’s no food available at the venue, though it’s near to the city centre and Digbeth. There’s also a chippy just around the corner from the venue and there’s a basic kitchen if you want to bring your own food (no microwave).
• There is also the option to club together and order pizza – let us know if you can recommend any good nearby pizza places.
• As reported recently Digbeth now thankfully has a cashpoint! It’s located at Nisa Local convenience store, Digbeth High St, near the Coach Station. More details here

See you there!

Click to read the full article

If you’re still stuck on how to describe fizzPOP to your curious friends that might be a good starting point! It’s also a good read if you’re after something slightly different to the usual craft websites such as Make and Craft

Where:

The Edge, 79-81 Cheapside, Deritend, Birmingham, B12 0QH [map] [Street View]. Look for the red signs on the gate, and if you get really lost give the fizzPHONE (07754 634993) a call on the night of the hack session

When:

Wednesday 23rd June 6pm-10pm. Please add your name here if you’re coming. We ask for £3 per person as subs.

What:

Get hacking on whatever you want or work with others. Check out the wiki pages or disscussion group to see what people have been working on.

Other details:

• Wifi Internet. Ask for the key.
• We’ve got a few soldering irons, so no need to bring your own.
• Tea, coffee and soft drinks are available for a small donation, although there’s not usually any milk unless someone remembers to bring some!
• There’s no food available at the venue, though it’s near to the city centre and Digbeth. There’s also a chippy just around the corner from the venue and there’s a basic kitchen if you want to bring your own food (no microwave).
• There is also the option to club together and order pizza – let us know if you can recommend any good nearby pizza places.
• As reported recently Digbeth now thankfully has a cashpoint! It’s located at Nisa Local convenience store, Digbeth High St, near the Coach Station. More details here

See you there!

Furby’s still are still reigning supreme as the most popular circuit bending toy!

Some of the newer devices that we brought in didn’t seem to be very ‘bendable’. For example the Interactive Classroom toy that I brought in had so many chips and so there was little to play around with. Perhaps some toys have become so complex that it’s a lot more difficult to get them to work in odd ways. So, when looking for things to circuit bend be sure to hunt down the older stuff or simpler toys, unless you like a challenge.

a-b-c you at the next session!

Fancy a go at hacking it for yourself? Download the code and its variations
The original code
The ‘big cog and hyper dog’ code
The ‘it’s coming for you’ code

This way of working reminds me quite a lot the Processing workshop by Steph Thirion that Tigershungry showed us last year. In that workshop participants, who had little experience of coding, were given code to experiment with. The results of a few hours of experimentation are quite impressive!

We’re now planning the next Processing Anonymous and we’d like to know what code you would like to hack on. Initial ideas are that we have something that deals with sound, but we’d also like to know what skill level we should aim the workshop at. Are you a beginner or are you aching for a challenge? Leave a comment or even better join in the discussion on the mailing list

Micromouse maze. By osamu_iwasaki on flickr

Confused as to what it is? Here’s a description from their website:

Micromouse is a national robotics competition, held on an annual basis for independent robot ‘mice’ to battle against each other within a 16 by 16 maze in a race for the quickest time.

You can also watch a nifty video that we made from last year’s event.

Where:

Millenium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham B4 7XG [map] [Street View]. I’ll be waiting there from around 9am. Give the fizzPHONE (07754 634993) a call if you want to meet up

When:

Saturday 26th June 9pm-6pm. Spectators are required to register before they go. Online registration closes 18th June

What:

A day out to another local tech event. No formalities, just fun! We’ve blogged about their event last year, so if it’s your kind of thing come on down. Take a look at their schedule for a detailed breakdown of the events.

Other details:

• As it’s not our event, if you have any questions direct them to the Micromouse organisers

See you there!