i feel so empowered

i see stuff like this..

http://shopping.discovery.com/category-1_ELECTRONICSGADGETS/3_EG_CAT_GPS-25813.html

and go.. gee.. i could make something like that for less than half what they are selling it for and it would be a open platform that could optionally use fucking google for the maps!

the idea that a person in their house could freak'n make their own consumer electronics (minus safety certifications of course) is just so awesome. why did i not discover microcontrollers earlier? oh yeah.. cuz i dropped out of college. (not actually true because i was on the software track, but it sounds good)