Story
RIP software hackathons. Long live the hardware hackathon
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Overview
A team at a hackathon in Vilnius integrated a Raspberry Pi into an old rotary phone, allowing it to communicate with a server via a websocket connection. This setup enabled two-way audio, control of the bell ringer with custom audio patterns, and operation of the hangup switch.
Summary from blog.oscars.dev.
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Hacker News · blog.oscars.dev
Hacker News discussion ↗
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Based on 5 sampled comments from this thread. Analyzed 2026-06-10.
- Praise: The accessibility of software tools has empowered more creators, leading to innovative projects that can significantly benefit society.
- Praise: The rise of affordable hardware like 3D printers is fostering a new wave of creativity, allowing individuals to transform ideas into tangible products.
- Concern: Hackathons have shifted from collaborative building to competitive showcases, diminishing their original spirit of community and shared learning.
- Concern: Judging criteria in hackathons now prioritize polished presentations over functional ideas, which undermines the value of innovative concepts.