Pages tagged microcontrollers:

SparkFun Electronics
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/tutorial_info.php?tutorials_id=119

Electronik
Controllable Power Outlet by Nate | December 2, 2008 | 22 comments Controlling Big, Mean, Devices Microcontrollers are a ton of fun. Once I got hooked, there was no turning back. Initially playing with sensors and LCDs, I quickly discovered the limits to what a microcontroller could control. A microcontroller's GPIO (general purpose input/output) pins cannot handle higher power requirements. An LED was easy enough, but large power items such as light bulbs, toaster ovens, and blenders required more sneaky circuitry. Something sneaky called a relay: http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorial/Outlet/Outlet-1.jpg In this tutorial we will discuss a small relay board to control the power to a normal AC outlet using 5VDC control.
The folks who brought bakelite cell phone!