bluetooth News - Page 3 of 93 - CNX Software

May 26, 2026May 26, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

PolyCast5 – An ESP32-C5 multi-tool remote with dual-band WiFi 6, BLE, ESP-NOW, LoRa, and Infrared Tx/Rx (Crowdfunding)

PolyCast5 is a portable, hackable ESP32-C5-based multi-tool remote to control devices through five different core wireless technologies: WiFi 6, Bluetooth LE, ESP-NOW, LoRa, and infrared Tx/Rx. The all-in-one controller can be used for cybersecurity work, a standard IR learning remote control, a voice-enabled password manager, a robotic arm controller, an AI keyboard using the built-in microphone and Bluetooth connectivity, a long-range LoRa remote control, DIY electronics projects through a 4-pin GPIO header, and more. PolyCast5 specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-C5-WROOM-1 SoC – ESP32-C5 CPU Single-core 32-bit RISC-V processor @ up to 240 MHz Low-power RISC-V core @ 40 MHz acting as the main processor for power-sensitive applications Memory – 384 KB SRAM on-chip, 8MB PSRAM Storage – 320 KB ROM Wireless Connectivity Dual-band (2.4GHz/5 GHz) 802.11ax WiFi 6, with 802.11b/g/n WiFi 4 standard fallback Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy (LE) 802.15.4 radio for Zigbee 3.0 and Thread 1.3 (note: support not […]

May 26, 2026May 26, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

WCH BLE Analyzer Pro USB Bluetooth LE sniffer gains Linux software with Wireshark (pcap) support

Last November, we wrote about the WCH BLE Analyzer Pro, an inexpensive (~$20) USB Bluetooth LE sniffer and analyzer, which looked useful and good value for reverse engineering and debugging. One downside is that the WCH BLE Analyzer software was only made for Windows 7 to 11, but Xecaz decided to look into it and reverse-engineered the USB protocol to write Linux software using libusb that outputs a standard pcap compatible with popular tools such as Wireshark, or as he puts it: “WinChipHead forgot to ship a Linux driver. We forgot to ask permission.” As a reminder, the BLE Analyzer Pro features three CH582F Bluetooth LE RISC-V microcontrollers and a CH334 USB hub, supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 4.0/4.2/5.0, and connects to the host through its USB-C port. The Linux “driver” for the BLE Analyzer Pro tool can be found on GitHub. Building and installing the software is quick and […]

May 22, 2026May 25, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

ESP32-S31 development boards unveiled for IoT, Smart Audio, and HMI applications

Two ESP32-S31 development boards are currently in the works, and the documentation is already available. The ESP32-S31 was unveiled last March, and it’s the most feature-rich ESP32 wireless microcontroller so far with two RISC-V cores, Gigabit Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi 6, Bluetooth, and 802.15.4 connectivity, LCD and camera interfaces, and more. The ESP32-S31-Function-CoreBoard-1 development board is based on the ESP32-S31-WROOM-3 wireless module, and offers Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 OTG, and onboard audio peripherals for connected IoT applications. The ESP32-S31-Korvo-1 is a multimedia-focused development board based on the same ESP32-S31-WROOM-3 module, but featuring a dual-microphone array for speech recognition and near/far-field wake-up, two speaker connectors, a 4.3-inch LCD, a 3MP camera module, and a microSD card slot. It targets low-cost, low-power, connected audio/video and HMI applications. ESP32-S31-Function-CoreBoard-1 development board Specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-S31-WROOM-3 SoC – ESP32-S31NRV16 CPU RISC-V HP (High-performance) RV32IMAFCP CPU @ 320 MHz with FPU, SIMD, etc. RISC-V […]

May 22, 2026May 22, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

M5Stack StopWatch ESP32-S3 devkit offers 1.75-inch touch AMOLED, microphone, speaker, and GPIO expansion

M5Stack Core StopWatch is an ESP32-S3-powered WiFi and Bluetooth development board with a 1.75-inch round AMOLED touch display, 16MB flash, and 8MB PSRAM designed for portable IoT devices, electronic badges, and wearables. The device also features a 1W speaker and a MEMS microphone for voice interaction, two programmable buttons, a vibration motor, a 6-axis IMU sensor, an RTC, and expansion capabilities through a Grove connector and GPIO headers. It’s powered by a 450 mAh battery managed by an “M5PM1 multi-level power management” solution and charged over a USB-C port. M5Stack Core StopWatch specifications: SoC – Espressif ESP32-S3R8 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 microcontroller up to 240 MHz with vector instructions for AI acceleration Memory – 8MB PSRAM Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 LE + Mesh connectivity Storage – 16MB flash Display – 1.75-inch AMOLED round touch display with 466 x 466 resolution Audio 1W speaker MEMS microphone ES8311 […]

May 20, 2026May 20, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

Hacknect – A wireless hacking USB cable with a built-in microSD card slot (Crowdfunding)

Little Gadgets’ Hacknect is an ESP32-S3-powered wireless USB Type-A hacking cable with Wi-Fi control, HID automation for keyboard/mouse events, payload deployment, and a microSD card slot hidden in one of the Type-A connectors. The USB cable is designed for makers, developers, automation enthusiasts, and cybersecurity researchers and can be wirelessly controlled from your smartphone or computer. It just looks like a normal cable, so any free USB cable that comes your way may look suspicious in the future. Hacknect specifications: Wireless SoC – ESP32‑S3 with WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.x Storage – MicroSD card slot (inside one of the USB Type-A ports) USB – 2x USB Type-A male ports (Full-speed, 12 Mbps) Features: Keystroke injection – Automated keyboard payloads using HID emulation. Mouse injection – Simulated mouse movements and automated actions. Payload slots – Store and manage multiple payloads directly on the device. Wi‑Fi Triggers – Trigger actions wirelessly from […]

May 18, 2026May 18, 2026 by Debashis Das - 3 Comments

$13 Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK offers Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and 802.15.4 connectivity (Bouffalo Lab BL618 inside)

Back in November 2024, we wrote about Qualcomm’s QCC730M and QCC74xM modules for low-power IoT devices, but at the time, there was no evaluation board EVK for those SoCs. Fast forward to today, and the official development boards for the QCC74x series have finally been released, complete with a surprisingly affordable price tag. The Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK is a tri-radio evaluation board with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and IEEE 802.15.4 (Thread/Zigbee) with a price tag of just over $13. But what is interesting is that, while it carries the Qualcomm brand, documentation from the Zephyr Project clearly shows that the QCC74x series is actually based on and mostly equivalent to the Bouffalo Lab BL61x series, specifically the BL618. Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK specifications: Wireless Module – Qualcomm QCC74xM LGA Module (QCC743M, QCC744M, or QCC748M depending on the board variant) CPU – 32-bit RISC-V processor (RV32IMAFCP) @ up to 325 MHz with FPU […]

May 17, 2026May 17, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

ESP32-S3 boards feature WAGO connectors for LED strips, buttons, other swappable modules

Rev Adrian Kennard (RevK) has designed several open-source hardware ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth IoT boards with WAGO connectors for interfacing LED strips, buttons, and other GPIO modules. Initially developed for the gloves and the helmet of an Iron Man suit, the ESP32-S3 boards can be used for any relevant project that needs more flexibility than soldered modules and more reliability than GPIO headers or even screw terminals, which can be susceptible to vibrations. WAGO push-in connectors make the ESP32-S3 boards especially suitable for prototyping and wearables, where being able to quickly swap modules is beneficial. The first board designed for gloves is called “Battery powered controller development board” with the following specifications: Core module – ESP32-S3-MINI-1-N4-R2 SoC – ESP32-S3 dual-core Xtensa LX7 processor with WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity Memory – 2MB PSRAM Storage – 4MB QSPI flash PCB antenna USB – 1x USB-C for power and programming Expansion […]

May 16, 2026May 16, 2026 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

Anthropic’s open-source Claude Desktop Buddy turns ESP32-S3 devices into interactive AI desk companions

Anthropic has opened its Claude Hardware Interface (Bluetooth API) to developers, enabling an ESP32-S3-based desk companion to connect directly to the Claude desktop app over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). To demonstrate this new feature, the company released an open-source reference project called Claude Desktop Buddy. It currently runs on the M5StickC Plus (an ESP32-based board from M5Stack, about $30 on AliExpress and Amazon) and works as a small interactive hardware companion for Claude. Also, during the recent “Build with Claude” event, the company recommended the ESP32-S3-based M5Stack Cardputer as one of the best hardware options for developers who want to build physical devices that interact with AI agents. Designed as a physical companion device for Claude Cowork and Claude Code on macOS and Windows, it stays on your desk and provides real-time updates on the AI agent’s activity. It also lets you respond to permission requests directly using its buttons, so […]