The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for digital gadgetry, open code, smart hacks, and more. Processing power to the people!
SkypePTT from Usefulapps is a push to talk client for Skype to be used in conjunction with a Bluetooth enabled PC (the PC links to Skype, the phone is effectively used as a PTT headset). The obvious limitation ishat you need to remain within Bluetooth distance of your PC. Interesting, I’d like to see a client like this for all phones since it basically just makes your Bluetooth phone in to a headset. Link.
ExtremeTech has a good guide on setting up a Linux based home theater PC. The article details many of the ups and downs of setting up a system like this- they got everything working mostly (KnoppMyth distro) CDs, video, TV, guide viewing and show recording, weather and media libraries. In the end they have some good ideas for additions to the current distribution. Link.
Tom’s Hardware takes a look at the build-it-yourseld laptop systems. If you like building your own PC, this might appeal to you. It seems like it will always be a little more expensive, but you’ll get exactly what you want. The cool part is in the end you get to put it all together yourself, the article also includes a video. Thanks Spyder. Link.
Here’s a neat article on how to use keyboard LEDs to monitor the status of a linux server. MartyBug.net writes “I have a number of linux servers at home, and typically want to be able to monitor the status of them remotely. The servers are all located in a walk-in-cupboard in my office, and being able to see the status of some key parameters is very handy. In particular, I want to be able to see the status of my internet firewall, a Smoothwall box, ie, if my internet connection is up, and if traffic is being received and/or transmitted“. Link.
Wow, a Tablet Mac might be hitting the scene soon! Awhile back there were stories (2004) about a tablet Mac and today Mac Observer reports “Apple Computer was granted a patent for an enigmatically titled “Electronic device” Tuesday, May 10th, 2005. Illustrations for the device clearly indicate it to be a tablet-style Macintosh, and patent filings specifically compare it to the “HP Compaq Tablet PC” and several other tablet machines“. Of course if you’re jonesing for one now, you can always make your own.
Here’s a great step-by-step on using Firefox, Greasemonkey and Flickr to GeoTag your photos to use with GeoBloggers.com. Once you get the script installed, you browse to your Flickr image, add a new “geotag” and enter in a zip code. You’ll then use Google maps to locate a position and it saves the location data to the photo. Once that’s complete you can submit the image to Geobloggers. Link.
Electrist, from Red Binary Development (aka Patrick Griffin), is a $20 PalmOS app that helps anyone who’s building or modifying electronics. It plugs values into all the commonly-used formulas, as well as many obscure ones, and even shows resistor color codes. See a glowing review on page seven of the May issue of ESSN (Energy Self Sufficiency Newsletter). Link.
