963: Hardware Hacking with Matt Brown

Scott and Wes chat with YouTuber and security consultant Matt Brown about breaking into IoT devices, extracting firmware, and decoding the hidden tech inside everyday gadgets. Matt shares his methods, the legal boundaries, and the wild stories behind his most interesting hacks. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:21 Curiosity in Hacking 03:28 Understanding IoT Devices 07:15 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 07:40 Linux vs Microcontrollers 10:11 UART Console Access 13:56 Firmware Extraction Techniques 14:19 Guessing Usernames and Passwords 19:22 Extracting Password Hashes 23:15 Legal Considerations in Hacking 30:06 Where does the inspiration come from? 31:20 Using Logic Analyzers 37:45 CAN Protocol in Automotive 45:42 Influence of Lewis Rossman 54:05 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs Sick Picks Matt: Key Person of Influence Shameless Plugs Matt:Matt Brown on YouTube, Brown Fine Security Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

Wes and Scott talk about their evolving home-server setups—Synology rigs, Mac minis, Docker vs. VMs, media servers, backups, Cloudflare Tunnels, and the real-world pros and cons of running your own hardware. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:35 Why use a home server? 07:29 Apps for home servers 16:23 Home server hardware 18:27 Brought to you by Sentry.io 20:45 VMs vs containers and choosing the right software 25:53 How to expose services to the internet safely 30:38 Securing access to your server Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

Scott and CJ go live from JS Nation NYC to talk about how developers can actually stay current without drowning in the constant churn of new tools and trends. They break down how to see through the fluff, focus on why tech exists before adopting it, and build a healthier, curiosity-driven approach to learning in 2025 and beyond. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:39 Scott delivering a non-technical talk at JS Nation. 03:24 Lamenting the frequency of change as developers. 03:46 Understanding why things exist before deciding to learn them. 05:11 Learning styles are a myth? 07:41 First dates and psychology exams. 10:39 Discovering is step one, playing is step two. 13:32 Learn with a project that you actually want. 18:16 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 18:34 Cutting through the noise of new tech. 21:40 Using AI as a learning tool 25:12 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs. Sick Picks Scott: dbrand Ghost Case 2.0 CJ: analog watches Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

Wes and Scott talk about the weird, creative corners of the web—from live-coded music with Strudel and wild Hydra visuals to shader wizardry, projection-mapping art, fully synced Christmas lights, and more. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:10 Strudel https://www.tiktok.com/@dj_dave__/video/7541104277234748685 https://www.tiktok.com/@switch.angel/video/7542776528057257229 03:45 Hydra https://www.tiktok.com/@spacetiger3000/video/7552354878635511095?q=hydra%20video%20synth&t=1762879433461 05:44 P5.js https://www.tiktok.com/@julian_hespenheide/video/7408511121323248929?q=p5.js%20&t=1762879954031 https://www.tiktok.com/@m171148385929472638284/video/7544793538496679190?q=p5.js%20&t=1762879954031 08:03 ShaderToy https://shaders.com/ https://www.shadertoy.com/view/ldlcRf https://www.tiktok.com/@phi.graphics/video/6927475445059292421?q=shadertoy&t=1762879566343 https://www.tiktok.com/@fifi_cgi/video/7255109146062687494?q=shadertoy&t=1762879566343 11:13 Brought to you by Sentry.io 11:37 MadMapper https://www.tiktok.com/@dfiftyd50/video/7556202990529563920 https://www.tiktok.com/@dfiftyd50/video/7569626387577965844?q=projection%20mapping&t=1762879388084 14:13 Touch Designer https://www.reddit.com/r/TouchDesigner/ https://www.tiktok.com/@bedareveryday/video/7558850186601172246?q=Touch%20Designer&t=1762879652502 https://www.tiktok.com/@maze88196/video/7521311510488943894?q=Touch%20Designer&t=1762879652502 https://www.tiktok.com/@valen.bertol/video/7475117172847562039?q=Touch%20Designer&t=1762879652502 16:45 xLights https://www.tiktok.com/@ravespotlight/video/7311729112425516320?q=lights%20christmas&t=1762879799384 https://www.tiktok.com/@thatlightguy_/video/7315199858338565418?q=xlights%20show&t=1762879927155 20:19 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs Sick Picks Scott: NeueCast Wes: 6 Port 2.5G Unmanaged Ethernet Switch UGREEN USB to Ethernet Adapter 2.5Gb Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

Scott and CJ sit down live at JSNation NYC with Iwo Plaza, creator of TypeGPU, to dig into how WebGPU is unlocking a new wave of graphics and compute power on the web. They chat about shader authoring in TypeScript, the future of GPU-powered AI in the browser, and what it takes to build a killer developer-friendly graphics library. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:32 What is TypeGPU? High-level overview and why it exists 01:20 WebGPU vs WebGL – the new era of GPU access on the web 01:47 Why shader languages are hard + making them accessible 02:24 Iwo’s background in C++, OpenGL, and discovering JS 03:06 Sharing graphics work on the web vs native platforms 03:29 WebGPU frustrations that inspired TypeGPU 04:17 Making GPU–CPU data exchange easier with Zod-like schemas 05:01 Writing shaders in JavaScript + the unified type system 05:38 How the “use_gpu” directive works under the hood 06:05 Building a compiler that turns TypeScript into shader code 07:00 Type inference, primitives, structs, and TypeScript magic 08:21 Leveraging existing tooling via Unplugin + bundler integration 09:15 How TypeGPU extracts ASTs and generates TinyEST metadata 10:10 Runtime shader generation vs build-time macros 11:07 How the AST is traversed + maintaining transparency in output 11:43 Example projects like Jelly Shader and community reception 12:05 Brought to you by Sentry.io 12:30 Does TypeGPU replace 3JS? How it fits the existing ecosystem 13:20 Low-level control vs high-level abstractions 14:04 Upcoming Three.js integration – plugging TypeGPU into materials compute shaders 15:34 Making GPU development more approachable 16:26 Docs, examples, and the philosophy behind TypeGPU documentation 17:03 Building features by building examples first 18:13 Using examples as a test suite + how docs shape API design 19:00 Docs as a forcing function for intuitive APIs 20:21 GPU for AI – browser inference and future abstractions 21:11 How AI examples inform new libraries (noise, inference, etc.) 21:57 Keeping the core package small and flexible 22:44 Building “TypeGPU AI”-style extensions without bloating the core 23:07 The cost of AI examples and building everything from scratch 23:41 Standard library design and future of the ecosystem 24:04 Closing thoughts from Iwo – OSS, GPU renaissance, and encouragement 24:34 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs Sick Picks Iwo: Perogies Shameless Plugs Iwo: Syntax Podcast Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

The Syntax team brings us their annual Holiday Gift Guide! They’ve curated the best gadgets, tools, food, and even kitchen essentials for the dev in your life — plus a few treats anyone would love to unwrap. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax 00:54 Our Favorite Things 01:03 Wes - Bambu Lab 3d Printers 01:50 Wes - Leatherman Arc Multi-tool 03:07 Kaitlin - Ruffwear Roamer Bungee Dog Leash 04:49 Niki - Magic Mirror Home Screen 06:42 Randy - Everything Presence Light 08:22 Randy - Henson Safety Razor 10:24 CJ - Viltrox 28mm Pancake Lens 11:17 Scott - 3D Printers 11:37 Scott - Anker 4-Port Charger 12:45 Randy - DJI Mic Mini 13:37 Randy - Velcro Cable Ties 14:22 Kaitlin - Prequel Skin Care 16:18 Kaitlin - Coros Pace 3 Running Watch 17:30 Niki - Steam Machine 18:02 Niki - VR Headset 18:18 Under $30 18:25 Wes - ESP32 18:45 Wes - WS2811 LED Strips 19:44 CJ - Precision Screw Driver Set 20:42 Scott - Magsafe Popsocket 21:23 Wes - Digital Calipers 22:45 CJ - Microfiber Device Cloth 23:33 Scott - Candle Warmer 25:30 Wes - Matte Screen Protectors 25:38 Desk Items 25:46 Wes - MX Master 4 Logitech Mouse 26:40 Scott - Elgato Stream Deck 29:12 CJ - Magsafe Phone Stand 30:13 Office Items 30:21 Wes - Heated Vest 31:33 CJ - USB Hand Warmers 32:23 Tech / Storage 32:32 Scott - MoCa Ethernet Adapter 33:41 CJ - 4TB Drive and 1TB SD Card 35:06 Wes - BenQ Programming Monitors 37:28 Food 37:37 Scott - Biena Edamame 38:08 Wes - Heartbeat Hot Sauce 39:11 Wes - Seoul Sisters Kimchi Mix 39:32 CJ - Clif Protein Bars 39:55 CJ - Z Energy Strips 40:51 Kitchen Gadgets 41:00 Wes - Carbon Steel Frying Pan 42:35 CJ - Air Fryer 44:45 Scott - Zojirushi Water Boiler 45:43 Scott - Teak Cutting Board 47:36 Clothes 48:26 Wes - Hooke / Naked and Famous 49:24 Scott - Octobre Clothing 50:31 Scott - Sezane Clothing 52:11 CJ - Blank Mineral Wash Shirts 53:10 Kids 53:17 Wes - Yoto Player 54:47 Scott - Tonie Box 56:06 CJ - Large Hedgehog Plush 56:43 CJ - Tortilla Blanket 57:04 Smarthome 57:08 Scott - Lutron Caseta 57:38 Wes - Meross and Refoss 01:00:41 Scott - Apollo Automation 01:01:29 CJ - Kauf Smart Home 01:02:52 CJ - Plant LED Bulb 01:04:03 Scott - Roland Electronic Drum Set 01:04:58 Thanks! Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

Scott and Wes face off in a CSS-themed round of STUMP’d, quizzing each other on shape functions, scroll snap types, obscure functions, and long-forgotten spec history. From ray() to cross-fade() to print-color quirks, this episode is packed with rapid-fire frontend trivia guaranteed to sharpen your CSS brain. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:54 Which of the following are valid CSS Shape Functions? 02:03 CSS Selectors 4 specification demo. 03:20 How many functions are there in CSS? 04:22 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 04:47 Explain the 3 CSS Scroll Snap types. 06:38 What does the xywh() do? 09:15 What about ray()? 11:25 What do CSS Namespaces do? 14:37 What year was CSS paint() bug tracker introduced in Firefox? 17:34 What does print-color-adjust do? 20:26 What is cross-fade()? 23:54 Name 3 reasons you might use CSS @property. 27:36 List all 10 CSS Filter Functions. 32:41 Name 5 font properties. Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

In this potluck episode, Wes and Scott answer your questions about paid vs. free SSL, the state of frontend jobs, headless WordPress trade-offs, organizing TypeScript types, and more! Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:51 Recapping the GitHub Meetup 05:14 Is there any real benefit to picking a paid SSL over Let's Encrypt? 08:03 Is the pure frontend role disappearing? 11:17 Is the gravy train over for software devs? 20:48 How Scott automates versioning with GitHub Actions changesets Intro to using changesets zero-svelte graffiti 25:16 Brought to you by Sentry.io 25:41 Thoughts on VS Code alternatives and the rise of Zed 33:01 Should I switch to headless WordPress or continue rolling my own PHP templates? 37:33 How do you organize TypeScript types in a frontend project? 40:55 How do I continue to level up as a developer? 45:36 Stay in a comfortable job or embrace new challenges? Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

Scott and Wes break down SvelteKit’s new remote functions and why they finally solve the long-standing pain of page-level data in Svelte. They cover queries, forms, batching, caching, and all the clever RPC ergonomics that make Svelte’s approach feel surprisingly powerful and refreshingly simple. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:45 Lots of RPC library options. 01:22 Svelte’s Page-Level Data Always Felt Off 02:12 Progress on the new Syntax site. 03:47 Remote functions explained. Svelte Remote Functions Docs. 04:15 Make a .remote.ts file. 05:07 Querying data. 07:52 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 08:17 Svelte’s leg up on React. 10:13 Query Arguments. 11:39 The benefits of Standard Schema. 13:13 Refreshing Queries. 13:29 query.batch 15:18 Form function. 21:13 Enhance. 22:31 Refresh. 23:16 Command query. 24:25 Prerender. 25:22 Caching. 27:44 My Local Cache Service Worker. 31:23 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs. Sick Picks Scott: CoffeeSock ColdBrew Filter, Chemex Filter. Wes: Bosch Dishwasher. Shameless Plugs Scott: Syntax on YouTube Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

Live from GitHub Universe, Wes and Scott talk with Tanner Linsley about the latest from TanStack, including TanStack DB’s local-first syncing, new routing ideas, and fresh perspectives on server components and “magic” directives. They explore performance, incremental adoption, and what’s next for the rapidly growing TanStack ecosystem — plus a few spicy takes along the way. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:12 What’s new in the TanStack universe? 01:57 Introducing TanStack DB: local-first sync engine 05:17 How syncing and transactions actually work in TanStack DB 07:03 Next.js 16 Workflows: durable functions and the directive debate 08:46 Brought to you by Sentry.io 09:41 Tanner’s case for fewer “magic directives” 12:36 TanStack’s approach to React Server Components 14:30 The momentum of leading an ecosystem 15:38 Top-secret TanStack project in the works Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads