This is really clever, it’s an all cardboard PC case, you pop out all the perforated sections, fold it up and install your PC parts. With millions of PCs thrown away each year, this could potentially be a great way to cut down on the waste. While this one from Japan looks a little dull, there is a lot of art projects that use cardboard boxes, it’s just a matter of time until these look extremely cool and perhaps will be artwork on their own. [via] Link.
Bob writes “Cornell student Levi Lorenzo wanted to do a project about MIDI music technology, so the project he came up with was to build a hamster controlled music generator. The hamster controller uses 6 hamsters to control 3 rythmic tones. One hamster controls the “rythmic qualities of the melodies”, and the other controls the note sequence. As the hamsters wander back and forth in their passages, the music created changes according to their position. The music is actually not bad!” [via] Link.
Brian writes “T-Mobile recently lit up EDGE on most of their network, including my neck of the woods. I picked up a $50 Sony Ericsson EDGE card on eBay, popped my SIM into it, and it works great. I’m getting unlimited EDGE for $20 a month (compare to Cingular’s $80). Here’s my HOWTO in pictures.” Link.
Here is an overview of MAKE 04 from Mark! “The major projects include an electric cigar box guitar, a kit to take high speed strobe photos (so you can capture a balloon or light bulb in mid-pop), and how to turn kids’ electronic toys into musical instruments. There’s also a guide to a bunch of different kinds of kits (electronic, beer making, robots, etc) and a how-to by Mr. Jalopy on converting a vintage hi-fi cabinet into an LP and CD ripper, burner, and player. David Pescovitz started a new column for the magazine called Proto, which profiles cool makers in corporate labs around the world, and Cory Doctorow weighs in on the Supreme Court’s unfortunate Grokster decision.” [via] Link.
Joe writes “So I was sitting around thinking of what our soon-to-be-born kid should be for Halloween this year. I thought that an R2D2 costume would look pretty cute, so I decided to make an iron-on for a onsie. It turned out pretty good, so I want to share it. Print this on an iron-on transfer. Iron it on a onsie. Bam! Cheap baby costume.” Link.
Jacob writes “Brew Prison Wine from oranges and ketchup, roll cheap cigarettes from spinach, render soap from bacon, and even more gloriously discouraged DIY projects for sarcastic, bitter Makers.” Link.
Monster-themed wreath for Halloween – “It’s made with fun fur, ping pong balls, a paint pen, stuffing, and lots of hot glue (I didn’t feel like sewing) It’s basically just a wreath-shaped pillow with a ribbon on the back to hang it on the door.” [