Maciej Rutkowski
@macbirdie.net
I code for Apple platforms, build things that move and optionally push melted plastic through a hole. I like Star Treks and Missions Impossible. I made Headlines RSS for iOS (https://macbirdie.net/headlines). Señor iOS dev at @AppUnite.
Some time ago I bought a broken Playstation Vita (mangled charging port I replaced it with a USB-C adapter PCB, but that's beside the point). It amazed me how better the games are for that thing than the modern "mobile" ones - pure game, no lootboxes, no purchases, no brainrot single button slop. 😍
pl.aliexpress.com
January 28, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Some time ago I bought a broken Playstation Vita (mangled charging port I replaced it with a USB-C adapter PCB, but that's beside the point). It amazed me how better the games are for that thing than the modern "mobile" ones - pure game, no lootboxes, no purchases, no brainrot single button slop. 😍
On other note - given how homogenized many liquid app-ready apps now are, as if made from the same iOS 26 template, what are some good examples where liquid glass is present, but doesn't take over that app's design or style?
January 27, 2026 at 4:29 PM
On other note - given how homogenized many liquid app-ready apps now are, as if made from the same iOS 26 template, what are some good examples where liquid glass is present, but doesn't take over that app's design or style?
Checked out the ADP-400DR PS5 supply again. All critical components were measuring fine, and with the symptom being that there is no PFC at startup, so it wouldn’t output 12V at all in the end, I thought that replacing the DAP053T with a freshly arrived TEA2016AAT would fix it and it did. 😍
January 27, 2026 at 12:07 PM
Checked out the ADP-400DR PS5 supply again. All critical components were measuring fine, and with the symptom being that there is no PFC at startup, so it wouldn’t output 12V at all in the end, I thought that replacing the DAP053T with a freshly arrived TEA2016AAT would fix it and it did. 😍
If you ever bend one of the left (looking from the front of device) leaf spring contacts on the DualSense Charging Station, and you are not able to bend it back or it breaks in the process, don’t fret as the two right ones have no function in the charger so you can borrow one.
January 22, 2026 at 6:01 PM
If you ever bend one of the left (looking from the front of device) leaf spring contacts on the DualSense Charging Station, and you are not able to bend it back or it breaks in the process, don’t fret as the two right ones have no function in the charger so you can borrow one.
I love how our Prime Minister Tusk keeps talking how Poland is the 20th world economy, how we've overtaken Japan. I smile as I wake up to my polish Apple Watch every morning, drive my kids to school in a polish Volvo, then go to work and use a polish Apple laptop there.
January 15, 2026 at 2:47 PM
I love how our Prime Minister Tusk keeps talking how Poland is the 20th world economy, how we've overtaken Japan. I smile as I wake up to my polish Apple Watch every morning, drive my kids to school in a polish Volvo, then go to work and use a polish Apple laptop there.
And here is the cause of white light missing on a PS4 Pro. Already replaced the broken diode with a fresh one and I am left with a supply of white 0602 side LEDs for years to come. 🤷♂️
January 13, 2026 at 9:21 PM
And here is the cause of white light missing on a PS4 Pro. Already replaced the broken diode with a fresh one and I am left with a supply of white 0602 side LEDs for years to come. 🤷♂️
The Wife said "in sickness and in health". Well, this is my sickness.
January 12, 2026 at 7:37 PM
The Wife said "in sickness and in health". Well, this is my sickness.
This is a diode bridge or, as we sophisticated Poles like to call it, Graetz Bridge. It tried to ruin an otherwise perfectly fine, although extremely dusty, PS4 Fat. I bought the console in a „not working, no response” state, hoping it would mean a supply repair, and bingo!
January 8, 2026 at 8:31 PM
This is a diode bridge or, as we sophisticated Poles like to call it, Graetz Bridge. It tried to ruin an otherwise perfectly fine, although extremely dusty, PS4 Fat. I bought the console in a „not working, no response” state, hoping it would mean a supply repair, and bingo!
Bought a faulty PS4 Pro power supply to learn about those. This one would pop home breakers when turning on 12V. First check showed the PFC mosfet was shorted, just as the PFC IC’s pins - VCC and one driving that mosfet. That meant the DAP049 was most likely dead too since they share the VCC line.
January 3, 2026 at 12:13 AM
Bought a faulty PS4 Pro power supply to learn about those. This one would pop home breakers when turning on 12V. First check showed the PFC mosfet was shorted, just as the PFC IC’s pins - VCC and one driving that mosfet. That meant the DAP049 was most likely dead too since they share the VCC line.
This is the way
December 26, 2025 at 11:06 AM
This is the way
Encouraged by the recent success I found another „blows fuses when plugged in” Pro. This one is the first revision, slightly older, but the electronic’s been hit by more oxidation and its dirty inside. The power supply showed traces of some old spillage, two legs of the AC rectifier shorted.
December 17, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Encouraged by the recent success I found another „blows fuses when plugged in” Pro. This one is the first revision, slightly older, but the electronic’s been hit by more oxidation and its dirty inside. The power supply showed traces of some old spillage, two legs of the AC rectifier shorted.
Another satisfying not-yet-retro console save. I bought a broken PS4 Pro from a trusted merchant. This one was popping home fuses as soon as it was plugged in. Turns out a MOSFET was cooked. Replaced it with a temporary equivalent, replaced the main AC fuse and the console started up successfully!
December 14, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Another satisfying not-yet-retro console save. I bought a broken PS4 Pro from a trusted merchant. This one was popping home fuses as soon as it was plugged in. Turns out a MOSFET was cooked. Replaced it with a temporary equivalent, replaced the main AC fuse and the console started up successfully!
I haven’t been using my Arduino Nano clone-based stepper tester for a while now, but decided to mod its usb-mini into something more modern.
December 7, 2025 at 8:00 PM
I haven’t been using my Arduino Nano clone-based stepper tester for a while now, but decided to mod its usb-mini into something more modern.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Return the cart and pick up your dog's poop like everyone is.
Return the cart and pick up your dog's poop like everyone is.
December 1, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Dance like nobody's watching.
Return the cart and pick up your dog's poop like everyone is.
Return the cart and pick up your dog's poop like everyone is.
My 11yo got into Star Wars recently, and watching Rogue One reminded me how I love the entire Andor storyline. Much better than the Skywalker drama. Andor is the DS9 of Star Wars. Grounded, raw even, more relatable than stories about space wizards and perfect distant worlds we can aspire to inhabit.
November 25, 2025 at 10:13 PM
My 11yo got into Star Wars recently, and watching Rogue One reminded me how I love the entire Andor storyline. Much better than the Skywalker drama. Andor is the DS9 of Star Wars. Grounded, raw even, more relatable than stories about space wizards and perfect distant worlds we can aspire to inhabit.
Finally bought my first split keyboard (silakka54). Despite needing to learn to type again even though I've been preparing for this to not cross the split boundary with neither hand, it made sitting at my desk feel so much cooler.
November 19, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Finally bought my first split keyboard (silakka54). Despite needing to learn to type again even though I've been preparing for this to not cross the split boundary with neither hand, it made sitting at my desk feel so much cooler.
You can just mod things. Granted, some hot air and microscope work needed.
November 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM
You can just mod things. Granted, some hot air and microscope work needed.
Made a Pi Pico infinitely less annoying. Those microUSB to USB-C conversion boards are pretty cool!
November 13, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Made a Pi Pico infinitely less annoying. Those microUSB to USB-C conversion boards are pretty cool!
Apparently because I merely follow a certain American vice president here on Bluesky, I’m automatically blocked by hundreds of people based on a bunch of some stupid lists. This might surprise some, but interacting with stuff you don’t agree with does not make you agree with the stuff.
November 1, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Apparently because I merely follow a certain American vice president here on Bluesky, I’m automatically blocked by hundreds of people based on a bunch of some stupid lists. This might surprise some, but interacting with stuff you don’t agree with does not make you agree with the stuff.
Holy crap, Veritasium is killing it with this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxVX...
Exposing Why Farmers Can't Legally Replant Their Own Seeds
YouTube video by Veritasium
www.youtube.com
September 6, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Holy crap, Veritasium is killing it with this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxVX...
The masculine urge to fake one’s death to frame a young and upcoming agent into being a mole.
August 16, 2025 at 1:02 PM
The masculine urge to fake one’s death to frame a young and upcoming agent into being a mole.
I understand Cook's motives for sucking up to a wannabe dictator baby, it's his responsibility to the company and its shareholders, but the bearing gifts part is just disgusting. As much as I love Apple design ethos and the hardware-software stack, its business side is gross.
President Trump and Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, announced Wednesday that Apple would invest an additional $100 billion in the U.S., after Cook presented Trump with a 24-karat gold gift and lavished him with praise. Read more: nyti.ms/3J2VVue
August 11, 2025 at 12:24 PM
I understand Cook's motives for sucking up to a wannabe dictator baby, it's his responsibility to the company and its shareholders, but the bearing gifts part is just disgusting. As much as I love Apple design ethos and the hardware-software stack, its business side is gross.
Bought a "broken" PS4 Pro with no disk and a ripped off 5V connector. Rebuilt the pads, put a new socket back, cleaned it all up, and it works! On 8.50 firmware no less which is a win. Feels so satisfying to bring such a scarred device back to life.
July 17, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Bought a "broken" PS4 Pro with no disk and a ripped off 5V connector. Rebuilt the pads, put a new socket back, cleaned it all up, and it works! On 8.50 firmware no less which is a win. Feels so satisfying to bring such a scarred device back to life.
Oh my. The Switch Pro Controller 2 exemplifies everything wrong with modern, repair-hostile hardware design. Such a downgrade from the first one, which is a relative breeze to get into.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=awEY...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=awEY...
Switch 2 Pro Controller: Built to Break? Full Teardown
YouTube video by iFixit
www.youtube.com
July 10, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Oh my. The Switch Pro Controller 2 exemplifies everything wrong with modern, repair-hostile hardware design. Such a downgrade from the first one, which is a relative breeze to get into.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=awEY...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=awEY...