The esp32 is a small 32 bit realtime microcontroller with 160mhz of processing power, several megs of flash and last but not least, bluetooth and wifi that’s available for about $6 a pop and can be programmed using both the Arduino language and MicroPython. Today we’ll be going through the setup procedures including how to flash firmware, getting your code onto it and the available peripherals and ecosystem. What esp32 should I buy?

So my office lamp is in an awkward location behind a sofa. Instead of re-arranging my office furniture like a sensible person, I decided instead to just install one of those cute $20 tp-link plug that let you toggle stuff via a smart app. Of course, it turns out that the smart app takes an eon to load and I only have my phone on me about half the time.