“Up until recently, Mac users didn’t have a similar Sleep mode which required no power. When Apple announced new PowerBooks in October 2005, it also introduced Safe Sleep to Mac OS X, an extention to Sleep mode that allows for hibernation without power.” The article details how to put other Macs to deep sleep with a clever hack – the comments also have a lot of useful information. [via] Link.
Here’s a pretty good how to on turbo-charging an iBook – All parts including the iBook have been purchased for 1,598 euros VAT included. To compare, the same iBook 80GB 5400rpm without the SuperDrive costs : 1,677.99 euros VAT included and the PB 12″ Superdrive 1.2 GB with 80 GB 5400rpm : 2,168 euros VAT included. [via] Link.
Today is iRobot’s first day of trading on the NASDAQ stock market under the symbol “IRBT.” iRobot’s PackBot Tactical Mobile Robot will be the first robot in history to ring the NASDAQ stock market opening bell (iRobot makes the Roomba as well as the PackBot Tactical Mobile Robots). Link.
“In today’s hectic and noisy world, we are all searching for a little peace and quiet. Well, you might not be able to slip off to a tranquil forest for an hour or two, but you can block out background noise with the Noise-Canceling Headphones. The theory behind this project is that by picking up ambient sound with a microphone and reproducing it out of phase, we can actively cancel or “null” out background noise. In fact, several commercially available devices perform the same function. However, by building your own headset, you can add features not otherwise available and have fun while doing it!” Thanks Nyte! Link.
“Comprising four 4 ft. x 8 ft. modules, the dance floor boasts 1,536 long-lasting and low-power-consuming LEDs that light to 4,096 different colors. Students are using substances as common as aluminum foil to achieve special effects. The dance floor, which makes use of one-half mile of environmentally friendly ribbon cable, can be controlled wirelessly by remote clients, thus facilitating visual interactions that were not possible in previous designs.” [via] Link.
MAKE Flickr photo pool member Pete Hidle posted up his amazing Etch-a-Sketch turntable project, he writes “Dualing Etch-a-sketch makes music by taking information from the Etch-a-sketch dials and translating it into digital information. That information could be used for anything, but in this example it turns it into techno music, using the Max/MSP software from www.cycling74.com. It was presented as part of Platform05, a review of live art in the North-East of England. Further information can be found [here] and some pictures from the opening night can be found at flickrmeets UK.” Link.
Some folks are using Apple’s new media application Front Row on non-iMac Macs and others might want to use their trusty Griffin USB Airclick (A RF transmitter/reciever, I use this for all my presentations). Here are some hacked up drivers for using the Airclick with front row over on MP3car.com. [via] Link.
