🔧 Tool of the Week
ESP‑GenUI
A browser-based drag‑and‑drop UI builder that generates web dashboards for ESP32 devices (can export Arduino code or flash directly). Fast way to get a touchscreen or web-control panel on an ESP‑based project without hand‑coding the whole UI. 🔗 https://espgenui.com/. (hackaday.com)
---
🛒 Deals & Finds
- Waveshare ESP32‑S3 RLCD 4.2" dev board
– Reflective LCD + ESP32‑S3 makes a low‑power, fast‑refresh ‘e‑ink like’ display for portable UIs and handhelds. Good starting point for slabtop/cyberdeck builds. 🔗 https://www.waveshare.net/shop/ESP32-S3-RLCD-4.2.htm. (waveshare.net)
- M5Stack Dial v1.1 (1.28" round GC9A01)
– Small, integrated ESP32‑S3 dev board with a round GC9A01 display (useful if you want a compact round UI without wiring a raw module). 🔗 https://shop.m5stack.com/products/m5stack-dial-v1-1. (shop.m5stack.com)
- 1.28" GC9A01 round TFT modules (various sellers)
– Cheap, well-supported round displays used in many recent desk gadgets (plane radar, moon displays). Useful spare to keep in parts bin. (Search your favourite supplier for “GC9A01 1.28 round”). 🔗 https://eazytronic.com/gc9a01-with-arduino/. (eazytronic.com)
---
🧪 Cool Build
ESP32 Plane Radar (desk ADS‑B viewer)
A compact project that drives a 1.28" round GC9A01 display from an ESP32‑C3 and pulls live ADS‑B data from adsb.fi to render a sonar‑style radar of nearby aircraft—works as a neat desk gadget and a simple example of making a circular UI. Code + instructions are on GitHub. 🔗 https://github.com/MatixYo/ESP32-Plane-Radar. (hotgit.org)
---
📚 Worth Reading
- A BIOS For Your ESP32‑C6 – OpenC6 brings a PC‑like BIOS/payload model to the ESP32‑C6 so small payloads can be loaded and run over the network; worth reading if you do frequent OTA or want a runtime ABI. 🔗 https://hackaday.com/2026/06/23/a-bios-for-your-esp32-c6/. (hackaday.com)
- Fixing An Elgato Cam Link’s USB Current Draw Issue – practical teardown + repair writeup showing how a dying buck regulator can be replaced instead of tossing an expensive capture device. Good primer on thermal inspection and board‑level fixes. 🔗 https://hackaday.com/2026/06/26/fixing-an-elgato-cam-links-usb-current-draw-issue/. (hackaday.com)
---
⚡ Quick Hits
- OpenC6 BIOS (ESP32‑C6) — open‑source BIOS/payload platform (useful if you want network boot / RAM payloads). 🔗 https://github.com/Rompass/openc6-bios. (soylentnews.org)
- ESP32‑E22 (Wi‑Fi 6E co‑processor) news — Espressif’s tri‑band Wi‑Fi 6E part is moving toward GA with Linux driver support (good for host‑based wireless designs). 🔗 https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/06/13/espressif-esp32-e22-wifi-6e-module-gets-wi-fi-certified-certificate-an-open-source-wifi-and-bluetooth-linux-drivers/. (cnx-software.com)
- Schematik guide: How to build the ESP32 Plane Radar — step‑by‑step wiring and code if you want to replicate the build quickly. 🔗 https://www.schematik.io/guides/esp32/build-an-esp32-plane-radar. (schematik.io)
---
📺 Cool Videos
- Schematik — How to build an ESP32 Plane Radar (guide + demo)
– Compact walkthrough that covers wiring, display setup and flashing so you can replicate the desk radar fast. 🔗 https://www.schematik.io/guides/esp32/build-an-esp32-plane-radar. (schematik.io)
- Hackaday Podcast (recent episodes)
– Short episodes and interviews; useful for long‑form context on trends and recent hardware projects. Recent show notes and audio are on Hackaday. 🔗 https://hackaday.com/. (brutalist.report)
---