DIY: The LED Picnic Blanket

Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Misc. Tech, Mods / Hacks,

We at Gear Live rarely cater to the craftsy, DIY, “Maker Faire”-types (you know who you are), so here’s a little something for you: The LED Picnic Blanket. It’s a water-resistant blanket that glows with romantic lights, perfect for an evening date with that special someone. Plus, it has a hard center, so that sangria won’t spill all over the grass and ruin the mood. Being more gadgety than craftsy, we wish we could just buy this blanket, but until someone patents it, click below to learn how to make it.

Read More | Instructables via Craftzine

How To: Use IRC On The iPhone With Colloquy

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Internet, Mods / Hacks, Software,

Since the iPhone launched, we have been on the lookout for all the cool web apps that we were sure would begin to show up. We have had quite a few come along, but just a few minutes ago we were able to log in to IRC on our iPhone, and thought that was pretty nifty. So much so, in fact, that I thought we’d share the process on how to do it yourself. Do note, though, that we used Colloquy to help us out here - that is an OS X application, so you do need a Mac to use this method.

So, here are the steps you want to take:

Click to continue reading How To: Use IRC On The iPhone With Colloquy

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Make Your Own Green Lantern Ring

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech, Mods / Hacks,

Green Lantern devotee “Honus” has built his own versions of the original ring, including one that glows. Posting on Instructables, he shows every step but cautions that the ring cannot be sold, even by him (copyright issues, don’t you know.) Still, if you have a smidgen of talent in the area of jewelry-making and access to silver or resin casting supplies, you might give it a shot and make DC Comics glow with happiness because you honored one of their own.

Read More | Instructables

Guess Who? Gets Personal

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Mods / Hacks, Toys,

If you still have a copy of “Guess Who?” and it is gathering dust in your attic, do what Randy did and replace character cards with images of friends or relatives. Plan on playing someone you know really well or it might be a very dull afternoon. The blogger shares his plans with you on Instructables if you can’t wait to get started. Even stranger than substituting people and pets in the game is the thought that Hasbro still manufactures and sells it.

Read More | Coolest Gadgets

Belkin’s In-Desk Dock for iPod Saves Desk Space

Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Apple, Misc. Tech, Mods / Hacks, Portable Audio / Video,

We’re endlessly fascinated by the growing—and often wacky—universe of iPod-related products. From iPod cases that reflect to a belt buckle that houses your Nano, to a bed that’s really a giant iPod dock, the possibilities seem endless. Now, from Belkin comes the In-Desk Dock, designed to fits in those 3” wide circular holes in your desk often used for wiring (or, Belkin suggests you can make your own hole using 3-inch hole saw, a move guaranteed to land you in HR if you try this at work). Once installed, the In-Desk Dock allows you to easily charge and play your iPod once synced to your computer, and also includes a stereo-output jack for speakers or headphones—all while saving precious desk space. A 5G iPod is shown in the photo, however we do not know if it holds other kinds of iPods. Coming soon for $40 USD.

Read More | Belkin

Change the iTunes Icon on Your Mac with DockArt

Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop, Software,

Face it. You get all giddy when it comes to customizing your desktop: screensavers, wallpapers, icons and our favorite…themes. Well, Mac owners, we’ve found a cool one for you. It’s called DockArt, a plugin that changes the iTunes icon in your dock to the album cover of the song currently playing. Developed by Greg Watson, it’s even updated for the newly released version of iTunes 7. DockArt is a free download, however feel free to show some love by donating to the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation.

Read More | .Mac

T-SAN Laptop Batteries and Electronic Components

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Hot Deals, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop,

This is a ReviewMe sponsored post, but the thoughts and opinions are our own.

For those of you out there who would rather stick to your current computer setup rather than upgrading to something more recent (like, say, Windows Vista), you may want to check out T-SAN Electronics for future reference. Based in Southern California, the company is an Electronic Component Distributor that stocks an extensive inventory of semiconductors, integrated circuits, batteries, and the like - even if they are otherwise hard to find or obsolete. As they put it in their message to us, “If you need a diode for a 1997 ASUS motherboard, we got it.”

Click to continue reading T-SAN Laptop Batteries and Electronic Components

iFixit Mac and iPod Parts & Upgrades

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Internet, Mods / Hacks, Portable Audio / Video,

The following is a ReviewMe Sponsored Post:

I am sure many of us have experienced the horror (or heartache, if you want to look at it that way) of a dropped, smashed, or otherwise broken gadget. The folks at iFixit aim to soften the blow somewhat, at least if your destroyed gadget is an iPod or Mac computer. They sell just about every part imaginable for almost all iPods that have ever been released, from the 1st generation model all the way up to the newest iPod 5th generation. In fact, the only iPod parts they don’t sell are for the second generation iPod shuffle. We expect that will change soon enough.

Click to continue reading iFixit Mac and iPod Parts & Upgrades

Gamer Builds xBot to Level Up

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Mods / Hacks, Science, Video Games,

Gamer/car mechanic David Harr got a tad frustrated at topping off a remaining 60 points on Perfect Dark Zero, which would enable him to unlock more game matches. Investing $60.00, 10 hours, and a lot of ingenuity, he created the xBot to push the two buttons needed on his Xbox to finish off the final 40 hours of play. While we admire his talent and find this a better alternative to game sweatshops, we would have to concede that we find this just another, albeit kinder, deception.

Read More | BBC News

Play Wii “Virtual Console” Games with an NES Controller

Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, Mods / Hacks, Video Games,

Just look at all the merchandise regarding retro video games (T-shirts, toys and the games themselves) and you’ll know that gamers are one nostalgic bunch. Now from Retrozone comes the Retroport, a device that plugs into your beloved Wii and lets you use your old-school NES controller to play its Virtual Console and GameCube games. Yes, now you can play NES games with an NES controller…on your Wii. Heaven! We’re also hyped for the SNES version, coming soon. Both are $19 USD, and if you buy a second controller (for multiplayer games), it ships free.

Read More | Retrozone