Tech news, project updates and stories

Build your own private newsletter server on Raspberry Pi with Listmonk and Docker. Avoid SaaS subscription fees and retain 100% data ownership.

Discover how to transform your Raspberry Pi into a budget‑friendly NAS (Network Attached Storage) server for secure backups, centralized storage, and easy multimedia streaming.

We built Flashrock to batch-program up to seven Compute Modules at once. Discover how it works, why we built it, and how we use it to prepare Hive beenodes.

Learn how to connect remotely Raspberry Pi securely in minutes with our step-by-step Raspberry Pi Connect installation and setup guide.

Hive's latest prototype marks another important step in the evolution of our Raspberry Pi compute platform. In this article, we take you behind the scenes to explain the mechanical design decisions, industrial design improvements and…

We installed Ollama on our Pi Hack (Rasperry Pi CM5 8GB) and tested multiple local LLMs. Gemma3 (270M & 1B) proved the best tradeoff of speed and quality — full steps, metrics and recommendations inside.

Our second Hive Community Survey brought together feedback from 60 early supporters and revealed valuable insights into Raspberry Pi homelabs, Kubernetes, Kickstarter preferences and future HiveLab projects. Here's what we learned—and how…

Hive Lab is our new community hub for Raspberry Pi, homelab and self-hosting enthusiasts who want to build real projects with Hive. Learn how the first community call will work, how to apply through our upcoming Community Survey, and how…

A year after deploying our early Raspberry Pi compute cluster prototype, it came back to the workshop for maintenance before heading to a new datacenter. It was the perfect opportunity to revisit the design, inspect the hardware and…

We sent our first community survey to Hive early supporters to better understand who is joining the project, what they want to run, and what matters most before Kickstarter. Here's what we learned—and how that feedback is already…

Learn what the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 is, how it works, how operating systems are installed, and why it is widely used in industrial products, embedded systems and modular infrastructure platforms like Hive.

Building a Raspberry Pi cluster has never been easier. Operating one over the long term is a different challenge entirely. In this article, we explore the difference between assembling a cluster and maintaining real infrastructure, the…

In this article, we explain why we started building Hive: a modular ARM compute system designed around Raspberry Pi CM5 for homelabs, self-hosting, edge deployments and scalable low-power infrastructure. Not another DIY cluster — a system…

Hive is a modular ARM compute system built around Raspberry Pi CM5. Follow the project as we prepare for our Kickstarter launch: prototypes, engineering updates, hardware development and behind-the-scenes progress.

USBSafe is an active USB port protector with configurable current limiting, TVS clamping, and ESD protection on data lines. Built for makers who test their own hardware

The ioX is the latest evolution in blackdevice's carrier board development. From our first CM4-based mini PC, through the Pi Hack, to our most capable and fully featured board yet. Designed for professional and industrial deployments…

Give that old Raspberry Pi 3 a new purpose. This guide shows five lightweight, local services—Pi-hole, Watcharr, moOde Audio, Uptime Kuma and Netdata—that run smoothly on a Pi 3 and require no extra hardware or cloud subscriptions.

Learn how to run Google DeepMind’s TranslateGemma locally on a Raspberry Pi using Ollama and Open WebUI for fast, private AI translation.

A complete step-by-step guide to turning a Raspberry Pi device into a powerful, self-hosted, private multi-service home server using Docker and Portainer.

This guide shows you how to turn a Raspberry Pi into a fully self-hosted private cloud using ownCloud. We walk through the complete setup—from preparing the hardware and installing Docker to configuring storage, securing access, and…

Learn how to turn a Raspberry Pi 5 into a complete, fast, and reliable WordPress web server. This step-by-step guide shows you how to install a full LAMP stack, configure WordPress, and host your personal or small business website directly…

Set up a private photo and video server with Immich on your Raspberry Pi 5 or Orange Pi 5 Plus. This guide walks you through OS install, Docker setup, deploying Immich with Docker Compose, storage best practices and basic remote access —…

The open source mute button project was designed to notify you of your mic’s status and let you control the volume of any microphone connected to your computer. In this post, you’ll find everything you need to build your own mute button,…

Turn your Raspberry Pi 5 into a powerful smart home hub with Home Assistant OS. In this guide, we show you how to install it step by step and explore its main features.

Did you know that your Raspberry Pi can play a role in cutting-edge scientific research in fields like biology, astrophysics, mathematics, and medicine? Thanks to BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing), you can share…

Our ARM Cluster project is moving forward: we already have several “bee nodes” operational in a fully functional prototype. Here’s a suggested way to assign services across your 10-node Raspberry Pi CM5 cluster, leaving one free for future…

Learn how to run a language model locally on your Raspberry Pi 5. In this hands-on guide, we show how to install and run DeepSeek R1, compare model sizes, test response times and explore just how far your tiny Pi can go when it comes to…

Step-by-step guide to Docker on Raspberry Pi. Learn what it is, how to install it, and how to use it in real Pi projects.

Join us as we unveil the first working prototype of our ARM cluster, an innovative and compact computing solution built around the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 (CM5). Presented during a VMware/VMUG Galicia event at our parent company…

In this guide, you’ll learn how to transform a Raspberry Pi into a retro gaming platform using RetroPie or Recalbox. We’ll compare the two leading emulation platforms and cover everything from gathering hardware, flashing via Raspberry Pi…

Explore how ARM clusters with Raspberry Pi CM5 power distributed computing, edge solutions, and scalable servers. A perfect introduction for non-experts.

Discover the basics of the Raspberry Pi, its models, setup, and endless possibilities for creative projects. Perfect for beginners and tech enthusiasts alike!

In this article, we explain what an SMT line is and how it works. Explore our detailed process for rapid prototyping and limited-series production of circuits and PCBs, and learn why our SMT line is crucial at Blackdevice.

Learn what a USB port protector is, how it functions to shield your devices from electrical faults, and why it’s indispensable for anyone working with electronics. Discover blackdevice’s unique approach to safeguarding prototypes and…

Learn what it means for Blackdevice to be a Design Partner of Raspberry Pi. Explore our journey of collaboration, innovation, and commitment to promoting maker culture through groundbreaking projects.

In this post we are going to learn how to make a Smart relay using ESP32 and a relay board module. This is useful to control your apliances or lightning. Also in some websites like alixpress there are avaliable for purchase some boards…

Turn any amplifier or powered speakers into a smart audio system with Raspberry Pi & Volumio. Stream Spotify, YouTube, and more, all wirelessly from your phone. An easy, affordable DIY upgrade for your home audio!

Transform your Raspberry Pi into a robust network monitoring center with Nagios. This DIY project shows you how to monitor network services, query system parameters, and receive real-time alerts via email and SMS when thresholds are…

Discover how to build a low-cost Raspberry Pi cluster that offers full control over your own computing system and a hands-on introduction to distributed computing.

Explore the role of hostnames in Linux networks. Learn how to check your current hostname and generate dynamic, unique names using MAC addresses—with Raspberry Pi examples.

Learn how to extract data from the 7722AZ CO2 sensor in this DIY project. Build a custom RS232 adapter, use Python for sensor readings, and monitor indoor air quality with ease.

Dive into the essentials of ESP32—the versatile, affordable microcontroller with built-in WiFi and Bluetooth. This guide breaks down its hardware, key features, and the development tools you need to begin your DIY electronics projects.

The following article will show you how to set up and access any Raspberry Pi without the need of a screen, mouse and keyboard (headless)The main pre-requisite is to set up the SSH protocol and the network interface (WIFI or Ethernet) in…

Learn how to flash the eMMC on your Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 using an IO board. This guide walks you through both Windows and Linux setups, from installing drivers and building the rpiboot tool to troubleshooting common boot issues.

Explore how touchscreens work—from the basics of resistive, capacitive, and surface wave technologies to future innovations like flexible displays and transparent LEDs. Discover the tech behind intuitive interfaces and what's coming next…

Discover a complete DIY guide on setting up the Mosquitto MQTT Broker on Windows. This post covers everything from installation packages to SSL configuration and client certification, ensuring secure communication for your IoT projects.

Discover what MQTT is and why it's the go-to messaging protocol for IoT devices. This guide covers the basics of publish/subscribe communication, the roles of clients and brokers, and essential best practices for managing topics and…