Regarding bump keys. In my neighborhood 4 keys would probably cover 90% of the houses as they were all made by the same contractor and if homeowners replaced them, they probably bought them at the local hardware store which only stocks the same two brands the construction company used. Just an educated guess: Quickset…

I'd qualify it by saying, yes it's a backup, but it's not a good one. It's a bit like saving two copies of an important file in the same folder on the same hard drive. Technically it's a copy, but it's unlikely to be of any use.

You are correct. Bump keys work better on pins that move freely. The author is referring to the fact that in exceptionally poor locks quality locks the springs sometimes don't push the key pins hard enough or the lock bible is so course that it gets stuck at the sheer line (where you pick it to to open it). I can't…

I'm pretty much doing that right now. It seems like it uploads the entire TC file each time.

Honestly, no, I don't think Whole disk is overkill.

Meant LifeCam Studio - got my models mixed up.

Microsoft LifeCam HD - We've got dozens of them at work, sharp, clear, about the right level of wide angle lens and the software isn't crap. As a major plus for mobile video conferencing needs, they have a standard camera mount so you can slap them on a tripod.

I'm probably an exception to the rule since I work in the IT Security area for a large university, but yes, my home system and work laptop and Android phone is whole disk encrypted. I use biometrics or two factor on any full workstations I use.

Just realized that the ATTiny may or may not work as I haven't tested it with the servo library. If it isn't compatible, rather than requiring a full fledged Uno, just plan on buying and dedicating a $10 Arduino Nano (china knockoff from eBay) instead of the $2 ATTiny chip.

If you are interested in a bit more involved DIY project, I designed something very similar to what you are discussing by using an Arduino with a servo (I use it to control my "sunrise" lamp, but it uses external clocks, so it's more complicated). If you have the design down, you can even use the Arduino to burn the…

"He then used his Arduino to interface with the ATtiny85 and provide the code powering the effect."

It works on Windows 8 just fine. Unless you are looking at buying a Surface RT version - in which case it won't.

Stats don't lie.

It's called Spear Phishing and Google has an amazing amount of information on how bad people can leverage it to breech nearly every aspect of your life and as an IT Security professional I can say from experience with my users that it can be incredibly convincing and effective if done properly. Imagine a spoofed email…

Star8: Yeah, just get it. If you are having issues with Metro in general it'll turn Win8 into the OS you wish it was - end of story. Sure it's $5 once the trial version expires, but it's a sanity saver for the cost of a Starbucks drink.

As a correction/clarification, it's worth noting that many point and shoots support extra filters and lenses, but often require an adapter to get the job done. Cannon isn't the only one, but they've had a removable ring on a great number of pocket / point and shoot cameras that allows for off-the-shelf filters and…

I can safely say that Arduino is a RAPID protyping environment. Many projects that would take me quite a while to write up and burn to a standard microcontroller are a lot more "down load this, run it, tweak software...." type of solution that only takes half an hour from start to finish.

Generally speaking, assuming you aren't interfacing with different voltages such as 110 or high amp power needs (motors) you have a very low chance of damaging the board itself. You are MUCH more likely to burn up external components on your project board (LEDs, capacitors, etc), but that is just part of the game and…

I'm a long time Arduino geek, while not specific to the Due, for anyone interested in learning how to use an Arduino, just DO IT. It's a lot of fun and well worth the investment.

It should be quite doable - but don't think it'll be dirt cheap once you have some time invested. To be honest, the Nest is probably more cost effective if you don't like tinkering on this stuff for fun.