Steve Coast, founder of OpenStreetMap, is going to doing some authoring for us on this unique, editable world map project. Steve started OSM in 2004 and has been deeply involved in it ever since. He lives in Denver with his wife, where he also enjoys hang gliding and collecting hammers. – Gareth Branwyn OpenStreetMappers in […]
Hobbyists looking for an official LEGO app to control their project are in luck. LEGO just announced their official NXT control app for the Android operating system. Called MINDroid, the app is available from the Android Market and will allow you to communicate with your creation over BlueTooth from your Android handset.
Square, Inc. makes a magstripe reader that attaches to your smartphone’s minijack and allows you to process credit card transactions with their handy service. It’s a pretty cool setup if you’re interested in payment processing. When you’re not using it though, you’re stuck with this eraser-sized plastic fob that you really don’t know what to do with. It’s small enough to put in your pocket, but it’s a little too important to accidentally let go through the wash, yet you want to keep it handy for when you’ll need it.
MAKE subscriber Steve Cooley may be onto a suitable solution to this problem. Using a dab of Shapelock, a key ring, and a rubber band, he’s fashioned a custom key fob stash that fits the Square reader like a glove. It’s a little kludgy, but it’s a great proof of concept.
On of the big concerns with some of the low cost Android tablets hitting the streets recently is the lack of an Android Market app to browse and download other apps with. If you’re running an eighth generation Archos tablet, you now have an option of installing the Android Market app. After installing gApps4Archos.apk, it’s just a few clicks to install the Gmail app, Google Maps, Google Talk and Google Calendar.
Hackmeister Benjamin J. Heckendorn discovers that a cheapo hand powered light will crank out just enough juice to charge his HTC EVO. With Sprint bringing 4G to more cities recently, the usefulness of this hack will only increase.
The latest high altitude weather balloon video making the rounds is from the father and son team of Luke and Max Geisshuhler of Brooklyn, NY. Their setup included a 19-inch helium balloon with a payload consisting of a camcorder, GPS enabled phone, and a couple of hand warmers inside a styrofoam container.
Check out this clean MacBook tablet conversion by EnigmaPenguin. He’s re-used the case by cutting a hole large enough for the screen to show through and added a USB touch screen. The result is rather impressive for such a cheap mod.
