TerminalBytes
A blog by a backend dev who keeps over-engineering things in the basement and writing them down. Solar-powered iPhone OCR servers, Kubernetes clusters on N100 mini PCs, Kindle 7th-gens turned into homelab status displays, an iOS audiobook client built from scratch because none of the existing ones do what I want. If you’ve ever asked “why would you even do this?” about a project, you’re in the right place.
The “best mini PC” posts are the ones I actually bought from. The setup guides include real electricity-bill numbers and real Amazon prices. Recent rabbit holes: Strix Halo mini PCs doubling in price in six months , the Mac Mini being the wrong default for OpenClaw , and running Minecraft servers on a $400 mini PC for two years .
Recent Posts
-
My Arduino spins faster when Claude burns more tokens
Repurposed a broken Stirling-engine chassis as a desk toy that spins when Claude Code is busy and dies when I lock my Mac. Arduino + Kasa + Python.
-
Kindle dashboard: 3 ways to build one in 2026
Turn an old Kindle into a low-power e-ink dashboard. Compare DIY jailbreak, TRMNL, and Home Assistant approaches with real hardware picks.
-
Best mini PC for local LLMs in 2026 (Strix Halo era)
Strix Halo mini PCs doubled in price in six months. Here's what's worth buying for local LLMs in 2026, what to skip, and the 120W gotcha nobody mentions.
-
You Don't Need a Mac Mini to Run OpenClaw
Skip the Mac Mini. Here are 4 mini PCs that run OpenClaw better, cheaper, and with upgradeable RAM — from $749 to $1,660. Verified specs and real review data.
-
The Self-Hosting Revolution Powered by Mini PCs
How mini PCs are enabling a quiet revolution in self-hosting, making it practical and affordable to own your digital life
-
SoundLeaf: Beautiful iOS Client App for Audiobookshelf
SoundLeaf is a native iOS client for Audiobookshelf. iPhone & iPad app with offline listening, smart downloads, and customizable themes.
-
My iPhone 8 Refuses to Die: Now It's a Solar-Powered Vision OCR Server
How I turned an old iPhone 8 into a solar-powered OCR server using Apple's Vision framework. Running 24/7 off-grid, processing thousands of images.
-
Homelab: Hosting multiple Game Servers on a Single Mini PC
Build a power-efficient homelab that runs DayZ, Project Zomboid, Valheim and more on a single mini PC without inflating your electricity bill.
-
Reviving an Old Kindle Paperwhite 7th Gen
Jailbreaking my old Kindle Paperwhite 7th Gen into a minimalist e-ink dashboard. How to repurpose outdated e-readers into low-power displays.
-
The Ultimate Guide to Running a Minecraft Server on a Mini PC
Everything you need to run a Minecraft server on a mini PC in 2025: hardware picks, performance tuning, and the cheap-electricity setup that works.