The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for digital gadgetry, open code, smart hacks, and more. Processing power to the people!
Neat projects, using Macromedia Flash. InstantSOUP is a path into electronics using an approach of “learning by making”, introducing electronic prototyping in a playful, non-technical way. It was developed following the experience gained in teaching physical interaction design at Interaction-Ivrea. Link.
AizeMashu via the MAKE Flickr blog made the coolest OS switch (literally). “I bought a generic electrical switch from Radio Shack and wired it to switch my computer OS between Linux (left,) Windows (right) and boot disc (the off setting.) To get an idea of how macro this image is, the switch is mounted on a 3.5″ external drive plastic knockout”. Link.
Here’s a good resource for making an cell phone LCD in to a small display that gets its data from the parallel port. pcd8544-based displays can be found in some monochrome nokia-cellphones. With some technical skills, an independant, small display with background light can be gained out of these phones at hardly any costs. Link.
Some video card hacking…Firingsquad is running a story on how to unlock all 16 pipelines in nVidia’s GeForce 6800. By default the card only ships with 12 pixel pipelines enabled, but with a tool and a few mouse clicks, the card can be unlocked to run with all 16 pipes. Performance improvements are seen everywhere, so it’s a pretty nice free upgrade. These cards are currently selling for $200 online, so a 16-pipe GeForce 6800 delivers great bang for the buck. [via] Link.
Ask Slashdot has posed an interesting question looking for a cheap (under $50) word processor for banging out notes on the go. I think my favorite one is the $9 (Ebay) DreamWriter NTS 325. Seems like you can get the data off fairly easily too. Link.
If you’ve been using PCs for a while, you’re bound to have an old one you don’t use much, if at all. With 2-GHz computers available for well under $1,000, what good is an old 300-MHz Pentium II system? The answer depends on your willingness to experiment, have fun, learn, and prevent pollution. Here are ten things you can do with that old PC, starting with tasks for relatively “better” old PCs, and working our way down to the real junkers. [via] Link.
