One mad modder has massacred the Steam Deck, folding it into a 'Steam Brick' with 'no screen, no controller, and absolutely no sense'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Gaming handhelds are probably getting too big—the massive lad that is the Acer Nitro Blaze 2 being a perfect example—but how far would you be willing to go to make one fit in your backpack? DIYer crastinator-pro created the Steam Brick, a Steam Deck that has no mouth and it must scream, but I'm weirdly into it.
"The Steam Deck has been a game changer for travel," crastinator-pro wrote in a GitHub post documenting the project. "But I found myself leaving it behind more often than not, as it wouldn't fit in my backpack, took up a huge amount of carry-on space, and was a hassle to bring down from the overhead compartment when I wanted to use it."
Image 1 of 4
Image 2 of 4
Image 3 of 4
Image 4 of 4
Crastinator-pro also has the most niche use-case I've heard for Valve's handheld: Mostly keeping it plugged into a TV or a pair of AR glasses, the kind that can project a large screen in your field of view. "So I got to thinking," crastinator-pro wrote. "It could be so much smaller and lighter without the built-in controller and screen, but that would be ridiculous, right? …right?"
Ridiculous it may be, but by god, it works. The Steam Brick will still boot and connect to external peripherals with its screen and all controls save the power button removed. Tragically, crastinator-pro notes that the newer revision Steam Deck OLED is preferable for the mod—RIP to that beautiful screen us Steam Deck early adopters would kill for.
Crastinator-pro kept the motherboard, battery, WiFi antenna, storage, USB-C out, power button, and cooling fan only—say goodbye to the volume buttons and headphone jack in the final build in addition to the controls and the screen. Crastinator-pro trimmed down the Deck's internal aluminum frame and seated it in a simple 3D-printed enclosure, resulting in the final Steam Brick. Crastinator-pro cautions that this is really taking the life of the machine in your own hands, and there's no guarantee it won't cook itself or experience some other unforeseen failure down the line. But for the creator's very specific use case? It seems more or less perfect.
I love how crastinator-pro essentially reversed at 60 miles per hour into creating a Steam Machine, Valve's abortive first attempt at making its own console in the early 2010s, though being able to run off a battery certainly helps the Steam Brick run laps around its housebound predecessor. The process of making the Steam Brick also ironically shares a lot in common with console "portablizing" projects like those documented by GingerOfOz on YouTube. For years, enthusiasts have been finding ways to trim console motherboards to the minimum size where they'll still function, allowing them to slot into handheld enclosures and run games off a battery and internal storage, but still on original hardware.
Best laptop games: Low-spec lifeBest Steam Deck games: Handheld must-havesBest browser games: No install neededBest indie games: Independent excellenceBest co-op games: Better together
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Business News
an hour ago
- Time Business News
Budgeting for an Offshore Software Development Team: A Complete Guide
Hiring an offshore software development company is a smart way to reduce costs and access global talent. However, poor budgeting can lead to hidden costs and project delays. Planning the right budget helps you allocate resources wisely and avoid financial surprises. This guide outlines the key components to consider when budgeting for an offshore team. From team size to communication tools, we cover the essentials. Offshore software development can be a cost-effective strategy—only if you manage it properly. Let's break down the budgeting process to ensure a smooth and efficient development journey. Start by outlining clear project goals and requirements. Specify features, platforms, timelines, and deliverables. This helps estimate the budget accurately. Additionally, break down tasks into smaller milestones to track progress. The more precise your scope, the easier it is to predict costs. Avoid scope creep by freezing core functionalities early. Furthermore, maintain a change log to document any updates. A clear scope saves time and money. Select an engagement model that suits your project. Fixed-price works for short-term or well-defined tasks. Time and material is better for flexible and evolving projects. Dedicated team models work well for long-term collaborations. Each model impacts your budget differently. Furthermore, assess the pros and cons before deciding. A mismatch may lead to unexpected expenses. Stay aligned with your goals when choosing a model. Break down all potential expenses: hourly or monthly developer rates, project management fees, infrastructure, tools, and communication costs. Additionally, factor in taxes or legal compliance charges. Clarify billing structures upfront with your vendor. A transparent cost model avoids financial shocks later. Furthermore, keep a buffer of 10–15% for unexpected costs. Knowing where your money goes builds better control. Your team size and roles directly affect the budget. A basic team includes developers, a project manager, and QA testers. Larger projects may need UI/UX designers, DevOps, or solution architects. Furthermore, balance expertise with affordability. Avoid hiring overqualified resources for basic tasks. Additionally, ensure each team member adds value to the project. Choose team members based on skill fit, not just availability. List out tools needed for development, communication, and project management—GitHub, Slack, Jira, Zoom, etc. Some tools are free, while others require subscriptions. Additionally, consider costs for cloud hosting or third-party APIs. Align technology choices with your project requirements. Furthermore, confirm whether tools are provided by the vendor or billed separately. Tool expenses may appear small but add up over time. Time zone differences affect communication efficiency. Budget for overlapping hours, daily stand-ups, or travel (if needed). Additionally, include costs for hiring a local coordinator if time zones become a challenge. Use collaborative platforms to streamline discussions. Furthermore, miscommunication leads to rework, which increases costs. Effective communication is an indirect but essential budget element. Include costs for contracts, NDAs, IP rights, and legal counsel. Some countries may require you to pay local taxes or service fees. Additionally, ensure compliance with data protection laws like GDPR. Work with legal experts to draft clear service agreements. Furthermore, document deliverables, timelines, and penalties in contracts. Ignoring legal fees may cause problems later. Use budget tracking tools to monitor actual vs. planned spending. Additionally, review financial reports weekly or biweekly. Identify overspending early and take corrective steps. Furthermore, communicate budget status with stakeholders to maintain transparency. Adjust your budget if the project scope changes. Staying proactive keeps you in control and prevents financial surprises. Budgeting for an offshore software development team is more than estimating developer rates. It involves planning for tools, communication, legalities, and unexpected changes. Furthermore, the right engagement model and team structure shape your final costs. Keep your scope tight, review your budget often, and ensure all expenses are accounted for. Offshore software development offers cost savings and access to skilled talent—but only if your budgeting is detailed and flexible. A well-managed budget leads to successful project delivery and long-term partnerships. Plan smart, spend wisely, and build efficiently. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Starlink: what Elon Musk's satellite soft power means for the world
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The 7,000 or so satellites orbiting Earth as part of Elon Musk's Starlink network make up nearly two-thirds of the entire network of active satellites. And with thousands more planned for launch in the coming years, the rapid expansion of Musk's space internet service shows no sign of slowing down. It has already spread widely across the globe, reaching remote areas that fibre broadband cannot, and has afforded Musk "unprecedented geopolitical leverage for a private citizen", said The Atlantic. The aim of Starlink when it launched in 2019 was to "connect the globe with reliable and affordable high-speed broadband services". Its progression towards that goal has been rapid. While other satellite internet companies exist, Musk has been able to scale Starlink at a remarkable rate, thanks to huge uptake in countries and areas where traditional internet has been patchy or non-existent. That includes non-civilian arenas: Ukrainian soldiers have been using it to communicate on the front lines in their war against Russia, while Starlink is also one of the US government's biggest contractors. Musk was a very public backer of Donald Trump in his election campaign, and was subsequently appointed to head Trump's Department of Government Efficiency. There have been numerous reports already of Musk using his access to the president to gain advantages for Starlink. Leading Democrat senators complained in March amid reports that Starlink was in line to take over a lucrative air traffic control contract from Verizon worth billions of dollars, said The Independent, though that has yet to come to fruition. Trump's swingeing tariffs and foreign aid cuts have also put pressure on countries that have been hesitant in approving licences for Starlink, reportedly including India and a number of African countries. Musk spent "months trying to secure regulatory approval" in The Gambia, for example, but had "grown impatient" over delays, said ProPublica. He then looked to the US government's "foreign policy apparatus" to try to advance his interests, with an investigation by ProPublica suggesting there had been a "veiled threat" by US officials of withholding infrastructure money if licences weren't granted. There are signs that the "global wall of resistance" to Starlink is beginning to fall apart, said Bloomberg. Many authorities are "removing those obstacles" that had previously prevented Musk from operating there, "extending" his "global influence", including over delicate geopolitical areas. In Gaza, Starlink was last year able to provide service to a UAE-built hospital, with Israeli approval. Israel had been hesitant to restore any kind of internet connection to prevent use by Hamas, but now Musk is the only internet provider operational in the area. Ukrainian forces have become reliant on Starlink to evade Russian hackers and launch covert attacks, but they, too, are at the "mercy of the entrepreneur", said Politico: for instance, he refused to switch the service on over Russian-occupied Crimea for a drone attack by Ukraine on Russian ships. Access to Starlink was also reportedly used as a pressure point to get the US-Ukraine minerals deal over the line. Starlink's ability to rapidly expand its fleet of satellites gives it an advantage over every other company. It can manufacture four satellites a day and launch dozens of them at once into space via its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. With other companies struggling to catch up, Musk "could end up with more power over the human exchange of information than any previous person has ever enjoyed", said The Atlantic. He seems to be looking to a future where "neither his network nor his will can be restrained by the people of this world".
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why Elon Musk's satellites are 'dropping like flies'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Elon Musk has no shortage of targets for his animosity: the media, "woke" progressives, the trans "agenda" and, most recently, his former best buddy Donald Trump. But one less expected Musk adversary is more powerful than them all: the Sun. SpaceX's vast network of Starlink internet service satellites are "dropping like flies", due to an extraterrestrial weather phenomenon caused by the Sun, said Futurism. And it's only set to get worse. The thousands of Starlink satellites orbiting our planet have given space scientists a "golden opportunity to study the effects" of the Sun's activity on the lifespan of these "minimalist, constellation-based spacecraft", said Futurism. And it appears that Musk's "space internet constellation" is "particularly prone to the effect of geomagnetic storms", triggered by eruptions from the Sun, said The Independent. These "ferocious solar storms", Nasa scientists have found, are causing many of Musk's low-orbit satellites to fall to Earth "faster than expected". The impact is particularly significant at the moment because the Sun is approaching the peak of an 11-year activity cycle, "known as the solar maximum", which provokes "large amounts of extreme space weather". The earlier than predicted satellite "re-entries" could "increase the chances of them not burning up properly in the Earth's atmosphere". and debris reaching the Earth. However, so far, the "only known instance" of this happening was in August 2024, when a piece of a Starlink satellite was discovered on a farm in Canada. The solar storm problem threatens one of Musk's biggest power grabs to date. When his engineers "bundled a batch of prototype satellites into a rocket's nose cone six years ago, there were fewer than 2,000 functional satellites in Earth's orbit". Now more than 7,000 of his satellites now surround Earth, "like a cloud of gnats", said The Atlantic. This is the most dominant any individual has been in the "orbital realm" since the late 1950s, when Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, the Soviet engineer who developed Sputnik and its launch vehicle, was "the only guy in town" as far as satellites were concerned, space historian Jonathan McDowell told the magazine. But the Sun is an adversary not even Musk can overcome. Solar storm forecasting "has significantly improved over the past few years", Piyush Mehta, a US professor of aerospace engineering, wrote on The Conversation in 2022 but "there is only so much shielding that can be done in the face of a powerful geomagnetic storm". The Sun is "essential for life to go on," he said, but, like a child who often throws tantrums, "its ever-changing disposition make things challenging".
