The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for digital gadgetry, open code, smart hacks, and more. Processing power to the people!
Could be a fun MAKE project…“Cuckoo IP is a voice messaging system. The clock’s answer phone can be dialled from mobile or landline. Leave a voice message, select a time for the delivery of it. At that time, the cuckoo will emerge from the clock and broadcast your message. The device uses networking protocols to communicate with a server. Every minute, the clock asks the server if there’s any message for that time-slot and request the sound file.” Link.
“The Bell Model 500 desk phone manufactured for decades by Western Electric is an icon of Twentieth Century product design. The evolution of the Model 500’s receiver begun with the first telephones produced in the late 19th Century and it’s longevity has taken it into the 21st. I have always found it to be ergonomically designed and comfortably to use, It is the embodiment of “form follows function”.” Here’s how to make it a cell phone handset. Thanks Jake! Link.
Wow, this will likely be commonplace in just a few years…“Build a low-cost, terabyte-sized backup server using Linux and back up your digital audio files, digital images and digital movie recordings. A terabyte-plus backup and storage system is now an affordable option for Linux users. This article discusses options for building and configuring an inexpensive, expandable, Linux-based backup server.” Link.
Bill writes “When I saw the retro-phone handset on thinkgeek I knew I wanted one. Then I realized they wanted $30+ for it, and I thought to myself — I can build that. So after some cutting, testing, and building I have finished my Retro-Cell phone handset, and I will show you how you can build your own for under $10.00″ Link.
The new version of the best browser in the world, Firefox, is out. I just installed it, it’s faster, seems snappier and everything works as far as extensions except GreaseMonkey, but you can download a version from here that does work with 1.5. You can also make old extensions work with this little trick too. Last up, check out this great discussion on what extensions folks are using over on our Radar blog.
Here’s a Flickr photo set of another laser etched Powerbook – this one looks like a really intricate scene with the Maker’s initials. I really like this design as it uses the light up Apple as the centerpiece. Nice work! Link.
“The $100 laptop designed by the Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT) and the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) association, previewed at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) conference in Tunisia last week, will be using a Redhat Linux variant as its operating system.” [via] Link. The article also mentions there might be $200 versions for the general public to purchase.
