MAKE pal and Maker faire attendee Mark Hoekstra has completed his hacked up iPod charge for bicycles, pedal your way to a fully charged iPod! He’s put together a how-to with everything you’ll need to attempt building your own, or just get inspired. I have a feeling we’ll see an iPod accessory in stores like this very soon! Link.
On this site you can view all the component symbols as well as download them, handy for all sorts of things.. “Circuit symbols are used in circuit diagrams which show how a circuit is connected together. The actual layout of the components is usually quite different from the circuit diagram. To build a circuit you need a different diagram showing the layout of the parts on stripboard or printed circuit board.” Link.
Raphael writes “Ah the NES! It’s old but still great. And with a few mods, hacks, and tweaks, it can get even better. This page resumes what I have done to restore my NES games and improve my NES console, such as adding stereo sound outputs, a remote reset button, disabling the lockout chip and cleaning cartridges.” Link.
DoctaBu” writes “Using some base code from PlasticBug’s DittyBot, I created VoxCaller, an Automator workflow that lets people send computerized voice messages to other people via e-mail. People might think they should just call the person, but I personally think that Zarvox delivers messages in a more… exciting way.” This is a lot of fun. Link.
I might make one of these myself with other bits of retro gear, it’s really clever. “These calendars showcase different classic computers on each page. It includes the Vic 20, Apple IIGS, CPC 464, TRS-80, Amiga, Atari 800XL, etc. It’s a perfect gift for any computer enthusiast or anyone who remembers those classic computers of the past.” Thanks Scotty! Link.
Excellent guide on procuring LEDs from a cheap and plentiful source – “They come disguised as “Christmas Lights” – the “Forever Bright” line is especially good. And they are the subject of this article. Why bother? Cost. A string of 75 BLUE LED lights costs $10 on sale – and up where I am there’s a $5 rebate per string for “Energy Saver” lights. So that’s five bucks for 75 LEDs – or about 7 cents per LED for the expensive BLUE ones. Cheap.” Link.
Very cool how-to, the Maker writes “I first thought electrostatic headphones were a joke. It didn’t sound safe to strap high voltage transducers to your head. But after my work with electrostatic loudspeakers I had the skill and knowledge to try building a pair and listening to them.” [