Nexus One custom LED trackball colors
Activity is picking up for the Nexus One. Among the hand full of hacks mentioned in this video is one that allows you to completely customize visual alerts using the LED trackball.
Computers & Mobile
The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for digital gadgetry, open code, smart hacks, and more. Processing power to the people!
Project Noah: Networked Organisms and Habitats
Project Noah is a free mobile application that nature lovers can use to explore and document local wildlife and a common technology platform that research groups can use to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere. Noah stands for networked organisms and habitats. Now available worldwide as an iPhone app in iTunes [iTunes link], Project […]
Power line 1, tree branch 0
In case you didn’t believe Louie the Lightening Bug when he said “ya gotta stay away from power lines,” consider the fate of this gentle tree branch, who apparently never got to watch Saturday morning PSAs, or at least wasn’t paying attention if it did. It screams, literally, for about 14 seconds before bursting into flames like a vampire in a tanning booth.
Book giveaway + project excerpt: 62 Projects to Make with a Dead Computer by Randy Sarafan
62 Projects to Make with a Dead Computer by Randy Sarafan Book site: deadcomputerbook.com Buy on Amazon We all have old, broken, or otherwise junk electronics stashed away in our closets. Randy Sarafan’s 62 Projects to Make with a Dead Computer is just what it sounds like and much more, inspiring makers to repurpose mice, […]
Professor destroys laptop with liquid nitrogen
Physics professor Kieran Mullen of OU apparently has a hard-and-fast rule against laptops in class. To drive the point home, he staged a public execution of one by freezing it in liquid nitrogen and smashing it against the floor, where its broken remains were left as a warning to others. Of course the whole thing is staged and the laptop in question was old and worthless, but hey, any excuse to freeze stuff with LN2 is OK with me.
Mouse usage visualization
Architect Alan Tansey of Brooklyn, NY traced his mouse movement for one day. Click the image to see it full-sized.
Twitter-enabled LED matrix end table
Jason Moungey of macetech dropped me an e-mail yesterday to let me know that the 9×9 RGB LED matrix table they were showing off at Maker Faire Bay Area 2009 (as shown above) has been upgraded with a Bluetooth shield that lets it receive tweets that control the display. Construction and programming details are available here, and there’s a live feed of the table here.