Peru has unveiled the world’s first train powered by environmentally friendly compressed natural gas (CNG). “With this technological development, Peru is taking a big step forward in terms of its energy independence,” De Dios Olaechea told an inauguration ceremony. Link.
New York’s Parsons School of Design unveils startling exhibition projects. Have you ever wanted to control a video game with a voodoo doll? Use a Nintendo DS to read and mark up a library book? Or play a game that lets you try your hand at spreading a corporation across a Third World country? [via] Link.
Front page! You’ve driven 50 miles into the deep woods, and snowy weather is expected within 10 hours. Your cell phone is out of range and out of juice. And “someone” left the parking lights on, so the car battery is dead, too. If you were MacGyver, or a Make magazine subscriber, you might think to crush a few aspirin from the first aid kit into the battery, add some water, wait awhile, maybe pray, then crank the engine and hope it works. Link.
Good beginner guide to running, installing and using a USB drive for just about anything you might need on the go. Encryption, Firefox browser, word processing, arcade games and yes even an operating system can be run off your USB hard drive… if you know how! Link.
Another POV project- this one is neat clock. A motor spins the “propeller”, and a small microprocessor keeps track of time and changes the pattern on seven LEDs with exact timing to simulate a 7 by 30 array of LEDs. It is an illusion, but it works nicely. Link.
An old how-to, but still useful- Laptops are different from desktops/towers. They use certain hardware such as PCMCIA cards, infrared ports, batteries, docking stations. Often their hardware is more limited (e.g. disk space, CPU speed), though the performance gap is becoming smaller. In many instances, laptops can become a desktop replacement. Hardware support for Linux (and other operating systems) on laptops is sometimes more limited (e.g. graphic chips, internal modems). Laptops often use specialized hardware, hence finding a driver can be more difficult. Link.
Stunning jewelry for guys and gals, made from all sorts of electronics parts. Cascading Diode Necklace and Earrings #NCD001, #ECD001
Created from 57 1-amp diodes intricately woven together, this elegant necklace with matching earrings is the perfect adornment for formal events. [