1.  $1000 Knitic [vimeo  http://vimeo.com/55512729]
2. $1000 logTHIS [embedplusvideo height=”350″ width=”430″standard=”http://www.youtube.com/v/6ybxMA-ujoM?fs=1″ vars=”ytid=6ybxMA-ujoM&width=430&height=350&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=” id=”ep8955″ /]

3. $250 Open Power Supply [embedplusvideo height=”356″ width=”584″ standard=”http://www.youtube.com/v/lnsSl1HXCi8?fs=1″ vars=”ytid=lnsSl1HXCi8&width=584&height=356&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=” id=”ep6014″ /]

4. $250 T-Board [vimeo http://vimeo.com/33787519]

5. $250 xser [embedplusvideo height=”465″ width=”584″ standard=”http://www.youtube.com/v/d7x_NQMOLJY?fs=1″ vars=”ytid=d7x_NQMOLJY&width=584&height=465&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=” id=”ep2871″ /]

6. $250 Innovation Board http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2112812006/sparkfun-national-tour

We have been dealing with our first product recall!  Oh, how exciting.  Why should Samsung and Sony have all the fun?

At issue is a reversed capacitor that has a tendency to explode when you do something silly, like power the unit.  We would like to extend a thank you to all the AlaMode customers that have stuck with us during this troubling hick up.  The vast, vast majority of you have been very understanding and we really appreciate that.

The even better news is that we have remedied the problem.  I just tested all of the replacements with 100% success!

Customer Feedback:

Fran (after receiving full refund): “Oh yeah right like I’m going to lift even a single finger to help you after this”

John: “No Problem!   Glad it was a nice “pick me up”.  As a fellow small business owner who’s been through a product recall, I applaud how you guys have handled it!  Looking forward to getting the AlaMode back ;)”

David: “Thanks Justin.  We look forward to getting it back.  Keep up the great work.”

We are pleased to announce the WyoLum Innovation Grant 2012 (#WIG2012) in which we hope to find 6 worthy open source projects to share $3000 in grants (two $1000 grants and 4 $250 Grants).  So dust off your camcorder and show us what you are working on.

Deadline for submission is December 14, 2012.  Good luck!

Our mission is to promote open hardware and we put our money where our mouth is.  Let’s accelerate the future in the best way possible!

Here are the official rules and judging guidelines.

Entries:

• Inventors Kit Lab Packs

I beg to disagree.

One of the unspoken rules of open hardware clearly stated by Phillip Torrone states that “Cloning Ain’t Cool”  While on the surface he is correct, I think we must embrace cloning as a natural consequence of openness, and be flattered by the mimicry.   Now I am not talking about trademark violation which is also called counterfeiting in another post by Phil and is not protected by open licences and is clearly despicable.

I’m talking about legally manufacturing a design that was released under a permissible license.

Recently Makerbot Industries moved away from openness when they announced that their Replicator 2 design would not be released as open source.  Cloning was cited as a major contributor to this decision.  In an attempt to placate the open hardware community, CEO Bre Pettis, pointed out that the (now closed source) extruder modifications were only made to ease mass production.  I have two responses: 1. with 3D imaging growing as fast as 3D printing, the designs cannot be protected for long and 2. more importantly, this confuses open source with DIY.  If open source means DIY, then why does the CERN community release hardware designs?  Are we all expected to start tunneling a super conducting super collider from our basements?

The far more serious threat to open hardware is stealing.  That happens when a company modifies an open design but does not release the modifications when the original license requires it.

WyoLum members will meet for the first time at the Open Hardware Summit in New York City on September 27.

Anool is coming from India, David is coming from Australia, Brian is already in Manhattan, Grandmama is coming from Wyoming, Amy, Emily, Elizabeth, and I are coming from Northern Virginia and Angus is coming from Southern Virginia.

We are so excited to meet the folks we have been spending all of our “free” time with over the last three years.

NYC, here we come!