Converting a Deprecated Nest Thermostat into a Photo Gallery

Before we dive in, I should let you know that I’m a designer. I have no business hacking firmware to make devices perform jobs they were never intended for, but I do love tinkering with physical hardware. A few years ago, I wrote about building an Arduino LED strip game and followed that post up with another about a Simon clone built with arcade buttons and a 3D printed case. I’ve also taken on some Raspberry Pi projects, a few simpler Arduino builds, and some home automation. All of those were based on existing code and project plans—no compiled binaries or firmware modifications. So, yes, I was way outside my skill set and comfort zone on this project, but that’s how we learn new things, right?

Stay Curious, Friends

As I kick off into the new year, I’ve been thinking about a panel discussion we hosted recently at Downtown Orlando UX with our friends from ProductTank Orlando. The conversation was a deep dive into how AI is redefining product and user experience roles and had an energy that made me optimistic about where our industry is headed.

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