I might make one of these myself with other bits of retro gear, it’s really clever. “These calendars showcase different classic computers on each page. It includes the Vic 20, Apple IIGS, CPC 464, TRS-80, Amiga, Atari 800XL, etc. It’s a perfect gift for any computer enthusiast or anyone who remembers those classic computers of the past.” Thanks Scotty! Link.
Excellent guide on procuring LEDs from a cheap and plentiful source – “They come disguised as “Christmas Lights” – the “Forever Bright” line is especially good. And they are the subject of this article. Why bother? Cost. A string of 75 BLUE LED lights costs $10 on sale – and up where I am there’s a $5 rebate per string for “Energy Saver” lights. So that’s five bucks for 75 LEDs – or about 7 cents per LED for the expensive BLUE ones. Cheap.” Link.
This week’s video on the Manufacturers’ Blog is how electricity is made “…it comes to us courtesy of the good people down at Mississippi Power (part of the Southern Company). It’s a video of their “Plant Daniel”, near Escatawpa, Mississippi. Here you’ll see machines that generate a million kilowatts of electricity, a plant that burns (cleanly) 500,000 pounds of coal per hour, heating water to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit to make energy for all of us to use. In all, this one plant produces 9 billion kilowatt hours of energy per year.” Link.
Great resource for wiring up your home for VoIP, in MAKE 03 we also have a guide “One obstacle to replacing traditional phone service with Voice over IP is that for your existing home phone jacks to work, it’s necessary to make a change to your inside telephone wiring. Fortunately, this change is very easy to make. In some cases it’s as simple as removing a plug from a jack. Still, a basic understanding of how telephone wiring works is useful before attempting to make such a switch.” Link.
Blue_Guy sent in this great collection of buses and trucks modded to RV’s. “Don’t look for any slick chrome-and-plastic Silver-Eagle RV’s converted by professional shops or retired backyard do-it-myselfers. All of the vehicles featured herein are original, one-of-a-kind creations which reflect the owner/builder’s lifestyle and architectural beliefs. True, some are little more than shanties on wheels, while others are an abrupt attempt to be liberated from stationary habitations, but at the upper end of the scale, you’ll find many which could be classified as genuine art.” Link.
You can boot off a flash drive with Linux, it’s super-handy but might not be your cup of geek, so here’s a way to do the same with Windows – “All it takes is a minor error in the Windows Registry or a virus infection, and your operating system can become unbootable. But with a properly configured USB flash drive on hand, you’ll always have a compatible replacement no further away than your pocket or keychain. In addition, the flash drive can also provide a secure browser and virus scanner, and lets you take your favorite DVD burning and Office software with you wherever you may go.” Link.
Macworld has a handy guide for iPod owners “…while visiting relatives a while back, I was showing pictures from a family event—thanks to the iPod photo’s handy present-on-the-TV feature—and got several requests to send one photo or another to various family members. I ended up writing down who wanted which photos and then grabbing them from iPhoto when I got home. But I wondered: How could I have pulled those photos off the iPod right then and there?” Here’s how – [via] Link. You can also check off a box in iTunes/iPhoto that says “include hi-res photos” too.
