May 30

Modder turns candy canisters into gaming console, retro Pong paddles (video)

Posted in: arduino, console, diy, game, hack, Hacks, mod, mods, Retro, Today's Chili, video
This is the second time this week we’ve covered a modder getting an old-school game to run with the help of some unexpected hardware. And arguably, it’s the simpler of the two tales. A fellow named John Graham-Cumming fashioned a game console out of little more than a pair of metal canisters, an Arduino Pro board, and a potentiometer — all so he could play Pong on his TV. The rig (cutely dubbed the Cansole) actually consists of two controllers, with the secondary one housing just a potentiometer. The first has one, too, but also houses the Arduino Pro, along with a battery, A/V controls, and a button for selecting and firing in the game. Et voilà! 1970s arcade-style tennis for two. For a 90-second nostalgia break, head on past the break to see these vintage-looking paddles in action.

Continue reading Modder turns candy canisters into gaming console, retro Pong paddles (video)

Modder turns candy canisters into gaming console, retro Pong paddles (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 May 2011 17:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 29

Water-cooled, luggable PS3 offers semi-convenient gaming for your on-the-go lifestyle

Posted in: console, diy, hack, Hacks, mod, mods, playstation 3, Playstation3, ps3, Today's Chili, video
We’ve seen plenty of handheld console mods, but only a few laptops — most impressively, Ben Heck’s sleek PlayStation 3 — and PS3Hax admin Pirate recently finished his water-cooled take on the notebook PS3. The cooling system replaces the stock heatsinks, allowing for a slimmer design, and one much more polished than the last water-cooled version we saw. Weighing in at 15 pounds, it’s also got a built-in keyboard and speakers, a 500GB hard drive, and a 720p / 1080i screen. If this sounds like your type of machine, Pirate’s put it on eBay, where it’s currently heading north of $1,500. He’s not looking to make a profit, promising that after costs a portion of the selling price will go to server expenses at PS3Hax, with another portion dedicated to tornado relief efforts in Joplin, Missouri. Check out the video after the break to see this beast in action.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Water-cooled, luggable PS3 offers semi-convenient gaming for your on-the-go lifestyle

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Water-cooled, luggable PS3 offers semi-convenient gaming for your on-the-go lifestyle originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 May 2011 18:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 27

Arduino, magnet wire, and Android combine to create poor man’s NFC (video)

Posted in: Android, arduino, diy, Google, hack, Hacks, mod, nfc, Today's Chili, video
Poor Man's NFC

Jealous of your Nexus S-owning friends and their fancy NFC chips after yesterday’s Google Wallet announcement? Well tech tinkerer Joe Desbonnet has whipped up what he dubs “poor man’s NFC” using an Arduino, some magnet wire, and any compass-equipped Android smartphone (which is almost all of them). By placing a coil of wire on the phone and connecting it to the DIYer’s favorite microcontroller, Desbonnet was able to send data, albeit very slowly, to his HTC Desire running a special app to decode the signals. Granted, you’re probably not going to see American Eagle mod their point of sale systems to talk to your phone’s magnetometer, but it’s still a neat trick. In fact, we’d break out our Arduino right now to give it a try, but our secret lair is strangely devoid of enameled copper wire. Check out the source link for instructions, and don’t miss the video after the break.

Continue reading Arduino, magnet wire, and Android combine to create poor man’s NFC (video)

Arduino, magnet wire, and Android combine to create poor man’s NFC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 18:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 25

Add GPS to your Viewsonic G-Tablet and test your soldering skills

Posted in: Android, diy, gps, hack, Hacks, mod, tablet, Today's Chili, viewsonic
GPS module in Viewsonic G-Table

If you picked up one of those G-Tablets, but are now suffering from buyer’s remorse after realizing how much you miss GPS, there’s a solution — provided you have a strong DIY streak. It turns out Viewsonic set space aside on the Froyo-powered slate’s motherboard to place a GPS receiver. Of course, if you even have to ask what flux is or what SMD stands for this is not the hack for you. And while apps that rely on 3G, such as Google Maps, won’t work properly, offline navigators like Navigon and CoPilot should be just fine. If you’re comfortable tearing open your device and poking at it with a hot iron, hit up the source link for a complete list of parts and some very detailed instructions… or, you could just buy a tablet that already has GPS.

[Thanks, Andrew F.]

Add GPS to your Viewsonic G-Tablet and test your soldering skills originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 13:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceXDA Developers Forum  | Email this | Comments

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May 17

Android-based Cellular printer writes text messages on your wall (your real-life one)

Posted in: diy, hack, Hacks, printer, Today's Chili, video

Ever wish you could write on people’s walls in real life? Behold the Cellular Wall Printer, a collection of felt markers that receives messages via Facebook, Twitter, and SMS, and then transcribes them across any flat surface. Here’s how it works: seven individually controlled servo motors push the felt pens up and down to leave dots and dashes in their wake. The contraption is manually operated, and Liat Segal, the inventor, adds that there’s a timing system to ensure the printer transcribes neatly, even if you are in motion. Most interesting, perhaps, is the fact that the rig is controlled by an Android application, and uses an IOIO board to connect the electronic components to an Android device. (Our resident mobile expert Myriam Joire is pretty sure we’re looking at a skinned Nexus One.) Check out a whimsical video demonstration after the break, with a couple more at the source link.

Continue reading Android-based Cellular printer writes text messages on your wall (your real-life one)

Android-based Cellular printer writes text messages on your wall (your real-life one) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 May 2011 23:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Makezine  |  sourceLiat Segal  | Email this | Comments

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May 06

Fanscooter is the world’s slowest extreme sport (video)

Posted in: diy, mit, Today's Chili, video

What do you get when you get when you combine a fan and a scooter? If you said “Scooterfan,” you should be ashamed. Really ashamed. The correct answer, clearly, is Fanscooter, the latest project from fighting robot builder / MIT engineering student Charles Guan, the guy who brought the world the similarly named and equally breezy Fankart last summer. What this new DIY vehicle lacks in the ominous ever-forward creep of its predecessor, it makes up in actual vehicular rideability, marking the return of Guan’s HFF propeller — the “h” stands for “holy” and the second “f” stands for “fan” — which is positioned between two Razor Scooter decks. The whole things is topped off by a power source taped on in a manner that would surely put Homeland Security on high alert. Checkout of some slow-motion Jackass-style video of the project, after the break.

Continue reading Fanscooter is the world’s slowest extreme sport (video)

Fanscooter is the world’s slowest extreme sport (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 10:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Adafruit  |  sourceEquals Zero  | Email this | Comments

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May 04

POLYRO humanoid robot can be built by you, looks more like K-9 than C-3PO

Posted in: diy, kinect, Linux, robot, Today's Chili, ubuntu


It may bear closer resemblance to an upright dog than a human (check out those ears!), but POLYRO here is the least frightening example of a do-it-yourself robot that we’ve seen to date. We’re not sold on the humanoid’s name as an acronym (oPen sOurce friendLY RObot), and the instructions and assembly photos are rather hit or miss, but this rollin’ rover definitely scores some points for looks. Prepare to get down and dirty with a jigsaw, drill press, and “safety equipment,” before the latest addition to your family is ready to roll across the living room floor on its iRobot base. Instructables has posted a full shopping list, including a 10.1-inch netbook, ROS (Robot OS), and a Kinect. If you’re feeling brave, clear some time in the schedule and space in the garage after heading over to our source link.

POLYRO humanoid robot can be built by you, looks more like K-9 than C-3PO originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 May 2011 20:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CrunchGear, Plastic Pals  |  sourceInstructables  | Email this | Comments

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May 04

World’s smallest Donkey Kong cabinet delivers authentic arcade experience for tiny fingers (video)

Posted in: diy, hack, Hacks, mod, modding, mods, Retro, Today's Chili, video
Tiny Donkey Kong Cab

This, friends, is a work of art. Above is a stunning, fully-functional recreation of the original Donkey Kong arcade cabinet — and it’s only 8.25 inches tall. The accomplished modder Bender posted his handiwork on the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum and it’s sure to wow even the most cynical of folks. At the heart of this build is a hacked up GamePark GP2X Wiz running MAME, but it’s the attention to detail, including the printed vinyl decals and light-up marquee, that really pull this (supposedly world’s smallest) 1/8 scale project together. Check out the gallery below and the pair of lengthy demo videos after the break. En garde Mr. Heck!

Gallery: World’s Smallest Donkey Kong Cabinet

[Thanks, Brian]

Continue reading World’s smallest Donkey Kong cabinet delivers authentic arcade experience for tiny fingers (video)

World’s smallest Donkey Kong cabinet delivers authentic arcade experience for tiny fingers (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 May 2011 15:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 17

RC car runs on soda can rings, Doc Brown approves (video)

Posted in: car, diy, green, remote control, RemoteControl, Today's Chili
Many a future engineer was inspired by Back to the Future‘s Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown, and not just because he proved that unkempt eccentrics could truly change the world. No, he also pioneered Mr. Fusion, the coffee maker/cold fusion reactor that turned garbage into energy. And while we’re still waiting for cold fusion and time travel to become a reality, today we’re all one step closer to waste-powered cars. A pair of Spanish engineers have recently unveiled the dAlH2Orean (see what they did there?), a R/C car that runs on aluminum. Dropping a few soda can tabs into a tank of sodium hydroxide produces enough hydrogen to power the little speedster for 40 minutes – at almost 20mph. Hit the video above to see it in action, along with your daily helping of the Chemical Brothers. Fitting.

RC car runs on soda can rings, Doc Brown approves (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 10

Sony’s Move.me database used to create gesture-enabled mouse driver (video)

Posted in: controller, diy, hack, Hacks, mod, mods, mouse, playstation, sony, Today's Chili

Unless you’re into weird promotional mascots, video games, or measuring the rotation of the earth, the PlayStation Move probably hasn’t caught your eye. Here’s an idea: what if you could wave it about to control your PC? Earlier this week, electronics hobbyist Jacob Pennock used the Move.me C library to build a gesture-controlled mouse driver, and we’ve got the project’s tech demo after the break. Watch as Pennock launches Facebook by drawing an “F,” starts a video with a jaunty “V,” and closes a few items with a quick “X” motion over the offending windows. Control motions are loaded through the creator’s own gesture recognition library, called hyperglyph, which he claims can record motions with 98 percent accuracy. As Move.me is currently a closed beta, Pennock is keeping the source code under wraps, but he hopes to eventually put the driver to use controlling a gesture-based Linux media center. Pretty neat, but not quite enough to stave off our Kinect hack envy.

[Thanks, Robert]

Continue reading Sony’s Move.me database used to create gesture-enabled mouse driver (video)

Sony’s Move.me database used to create gesture-enabled mouse driver (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 09:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceJacob Pennock  | Email this | Comments

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