Track Facebook Likes with Arduino

Using an Arduino Uno equipped with an Ethernet Shield and an LCD Keypad shield, MAKE reader Kedume demonstrates how to create a simple text display for the number of likes on any Facebook page. I think that this is a great project for an Arduino beginner because all you need to do is stack the Ethernet and LCD shields onto the Arduino, connect the cables, and customize the code to point to any Facebook page you want to monitor. And after you’ve uploaded the code, you’ll have a dedicated display to monitor your company/band/club’s popularity on Facebook. You can also start from this project and tweak it to create a counter for Twitter followers, unread email, or new items in your RSS feeds. We’ll have to get one of these going in MAKE Labs so that we can monitor the number of likes on the MAKE and Maker Faire Facebook pages.