Large Man Looking At Co-Worker With A Magnifying Glass — Image by © Images.com/Corbis

An introductory seminar on how to protect your privacy online.

Todd, a systems administrator for a security training firm and an advocate for digital privacy, will help you identify some common risks to your basic privacy, walk you through keeping your everyday communications secure, and show you some easy-to-use top-notch tools recommended by experts in the field.

From Facebook to iMessage, we could be exposing private data through the software we use every day and Todd will show you how it happens, and how you can optimize your devices, both laptop and mobile, to protect your privacy through PowerPoint visuals and in-class practical examples.

There will a Q & A after the presentation. Students are encouraged to bring laptops and mobile devices for optimization, however Todd will not be available for tech support of infected devices.

Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/internet-privacy-basics-tickets-43024247683

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/163341417644579/

It’s everyone’s favourite time again: the first Junk Independence Day of 2018! Coming up on February 18th from 2pm-7pm (or later). Bring your e-waste and dig through other people’s for treasures. On previous Junk Independence Days, people have walked away with an iPod touch, a 1TB hard drive, working classic iMacs, bubblejet printers, a Sony mini-DV camcorder, stereo amps, speakers, a desktop computer and even walk/don’t walk streetlights! Not to be forgotten, there are always lots of little chips and bytes for random hacking, too.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1574038156049596/

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/junk-independence-day-tickets-43005470520

Anything left at the end will be picked up on Monday, 19th of February and responsibly recycled by Revolution Recycling, who has been participating in our Junk Independence Days since the first one. Thanks Revolution!!

Come hang out with some fellow hackers and search for hidden treasures! Tickets are not necessary but Eventbrite is a great way to sign up and get reminders. You can also RSVP via our Facebook event. See you at JID!

[edit: Monday the 19th is a holiday in Ontario so junk will be picked up on Tuesday morning, the 20th.]

The Repair Cafe for a second time has come and gone.
And with that the Repair cafe moves along to another community to aid where the can to repair wayward electronics. In the mean time here is some photos from today’s Repair Cafe.

Hacklab is excited to host Repair Café Toronto this February!

This is a mini-Repair Café for small appliances, electronics and clothing only.

When: Saturday, February 3, 2018 – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: HackLab.TO, 1266 Queen Street West, 2nd Floor (buzz Unit #12)
Cost: Free (Donations are welcome!)
Note: Visitor registration ends at 3:00 p.m.

Visit Repair Café’s website to learn more about how we can help each other extend the life of our belongings.
http://repaircafetoronto.ca/

Fusion 360 study group – for beginners, intermediate, and experienced users. Come and work on your projects, help others out learn new skills, or just get started with a super basic project. Learn workflows to 3d printers, the laser cutter, and engraver. Exchange ideas, and gain confidence to build your next projects.

Fusion 360TM is the first 3D CAD, CAM, and CAE tool of its kind. It connects your entire product development process in a single cloud-based platform that works on both Mac and PC. Beginners can download an educational version from https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-activate-start-up-or-educational-licensing-for-Fusion-360.html

Free workshop, suggested $5 donation to Hacklab.to. Bring snacks, pop for sale $1.

Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fusion-360-workshop-study-and-mentorship-group-tickets-41858290273

Hacklab goes analog with a study group for the 78 cards of the traditional tarot deck. Join Sonia as we learn the themes of numerology, Jungian archetypes, the Hero’s Journey, astrology, Kabbalah and elemental astrology using Rider-Waite-Smith as a framework.

The group is totally free, snacks provided, pop for sale $1 and tea will be served. Suggested $5 donation to Hacklab.

Tarot is the mystic art of reading energies that layers ancient systems of gnosis including astrology, numerology, Kabbalah, Jungian psychology and symbology. These days, card producers are interpreting the deep symbolism through so many cultural and artistic lenses it’s getting hard to keep track, and each lens offers us a new way of interpreting our cards and readings!

Let’s come together and share every month on the Wednesday closest the new moon so we can deepen our understanding and relationship with our own practice. Bring your cards, bring your books, bring your friends (furry ok on a leash). Tarot decks & books swap too! All levels of reader welcome. The format is loose, but suggestions are welcome.

January’s session we’ll be learning about the High Priestess and the twos of the minor arcana.

Eventbrite RSVP https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/familiar-a-tarot-readers-study-group-tickets-41775610977

Arduino Beginners Workshop for total beginners, all are welcome.

A-Train and Zach will show you how to get started with Arduino, the super-friendly microcontroller platform that even artists love. We’ll cover getting the software installed and going, hooking up the Arduino, and a little bit of basic programming, via explanation of the Examples. You too can cut and paste your way to a working project!

[edit: we’re all out of Arduino kits! Make sure you visit Creatron or your local electronics equipment store and buy one to bring or you won’t be able to participate in the workshop.]

You’ll need an Arduino kit and laptop on which you can install software. You can purchase an Arduino at Creatron at 349 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1S5 (or online, of course) and you’ll need the appropriate cables to connect it to your comptuer. The Arduino Uno is the recommended board for beginners, but any Arduino will do if you have a more specialized project in mind.

Register on EventBrite

It comes again! Our next Junk Independence Day at the Hacklab is Sunday, 19th November from 2pm-7pm (or later). Bring your e-waste or other electronics you want to get rid of, root around in other people e-waste, and walk home with a new treasure. On previous Junk Independence Days, people have gone home with wonderful treasures like a 1TB HD, an iPod touch, a decent desktop computer, a classic Macintosh, and lots of random electronic bits for hacking on. Come with your e-waste and have some fun socializing with other hackers!

Anything left at the end will be picked up on Monday, 20th November and responsibly recycled by Revolution Recycling, who has been participating in our Junk Independence Days since the first one.

Thanks Revolution!

Want to try some of DIYBio’s nitrogenous delicacies? We are having a party to celebrate the end of winter with some cryogenic fun!

When: April 29, 2017 at 6:30pm
Where: Hacklab Classroom
Why: Because science is awesome!

Please RSVP if you will be attending (but come anyway even if you don’t RSVP)

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/liquid-nitrogen-ice-cream-party-tickets-33720751676

Once more unto the Junk! Our next Junk Independence Day at the Hacklab is this coming Sunday October 23rd from 2pm-7pm (or later). Bring your e-waste or other electronics you want to get rid of, root around in other people e-waste, and walk home with new treasure. On previous Junk Independence Days people have gone home with wonderful treasures like a classic Macintosh, old but still good LCDs, Stereos and lots of random electronic bits for hacking on. Come with your e-waste and have some fun socializing with other hackers!

Anything left at the end will be picked up on Monday October 24th and responsibly recycled by Revolution Recycling, who has been participating in our Junk Independence Days since the first one. Thanks Revolution