Optimized Version Of Firefox For Intel Macs

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

Remember that G5-optimized Firefox build we told you about a couple of months ago? We have received emails here and there since Stevie-J announced the Intel powered Macs, asking if there might be an updated version specifically optimized for the Intel Macs. We are happy to say that the wait is over. The guys over at BeatnikPad have released the Intel version of DeerPark (what they call their Firefox builds), and it is damn fast. Head on over to their site to grab the download.

Read More | MacIntel Firefox

Mac mini With Front Row Hacked Into Toyota Prius

Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Apple, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop, Transportation,

No, that’s not a go-kart sized version of the Prius, it’s a Mac mini running through the on-board display of a Toyota Prius!  Nice hack by a post from a member of the MacVroom forums. Dr. FrankenMac has almost brought this beast to life, but still has a few bugs to iron out…

So my goal was to get a mac working on my Prius’s MFD display, and be able to use it’s touch screen to control the front end (currently Front Row)

I don’t have audio hooked up, figured the video would be the hardest part.

I’m going through a Can-View which normally is just used for display the car’s CAN data http://hybridinterfaces.ca/, but has RGB+S in and outputs the MFD’s touchscreen through a serial cable.

I tried using SwitchResX to output the 640x480 at 15.75khz with no luck (got it working with powerstrip on a pc) Ended up buying a used scan converter off of ebay that outputs RGB+S.

Wrote a perl script to listen to the serial port (keyspan USB->serial converter) and sends Front Row commands through apple script. Broke the screen up into a 3x3 grid (9 boxes) Up, Down, Left, Right, center for enter/play/pause, and left top for menu/escape.

Here is what I have so far. This is just the prototype phase. I need to figure out audio, and then I’ll actually get a mac mini and try to hide all the components.

You can check out some of the images on his website.  For the full scoop, check out the post on MacVroom.com.

Read More | MacVroom.com

Daystar Technology Announces MAChSpeed G4 Powerbook CPU Upgrades

Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Apple, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop,

Today Daystar Technology announced their XLR8 MAChSpeed G4 PowerBook Aluminum Upgrades.  Daystar claims that the low-power 7447 G4 CPU’s are 100% compatible with everything you run today on Panther or Tiger.  According to Daystar:

The XLR8 MAChSpeed G4 Aluminum CPU upgrade, will energize your PowerBook with new life. With real-world performance, you’re getting a completely different user experience!
This upgrade not only delivers from 1.92 to 2.0 GHz PowerPC performance, but operates with everything you have now - that translates to more performance in half the time. That’s half the time to create, to view, to work… and twice the time to play!.

Those are some pretty hefty claims.  The most interesting claim is that these new CPU upgrades are FASTER than even the new MacBook Pro!  We find that one a little hard to swallow, but without definitive 3rd party benchmarking tests, we won’t know for sure if these claims are real.  Daystar says that their Apple Certified Technicians will install all new components (CPU w/512 KB cache and mobo mods), as well as run a 21 point diagnostic test on your system at no charge.

For those of you that just can’t seem to part with your laptop for more than a couple days, or need it for production on a daily basis, Daystar even has a week-ender program for nearly zero down-time. 

This program includes overnight shipping of your iMac (USA only), and 12 hour conversion of your system. So, you ship your system on Thursday, then start working at G4 speeds Monday! Yes, it is expensive, but if downtime is an issue, this is your answer.

If all of Daystar’s claims turn out to be legit, then this seems like a great way to squeeze a little more performance out of your current PowerBooks, while you wait for the 2nd gen. MacBook Pro which should have all the bugs ironed out by then.  One thing we can’t seem to figure out is why the heck Daystar offers upgrades for Titanium PowerBooks from 400-550MHz, then jumps right to the Aluminum Powerbooks.  They completely left those of us with 800MHz TiBooks out in the cold.  What gives Daystar?  Pricing and additional details for their all products are available on their site.

Read More | Daystar Technologies

DIY Macro Ring Light

Posted by John Goulden Categories: Cameras, Mods / Hacks,

If you’ve ever done any kind of macro photography, then you can appreciate the need for consistent, even lighting for your subject matter.  Normal flashes typically don’t work too well as the subject is too close to the camera and you end up over-exposing the picture.  Even if you are able to diffuse the flash, the camera body/lens typically shadows the subject and you’ve got the opposite problem.  There are other ways around the problem - a light tent for example or high zoom macro lens but each has it’s pros and cons.  What easily does the trick though is a macro ring light.  A macro ring light is a series of small lights, typically LED’s, that are arranged in a circular fashion, and are fitted to the end of your camera lens.  With a ring light you get good lighting for your subject, but…well…there’s a problem - cost.  A good ring light is not an inexpensive purchase.  Thankfully, for those of you who are not mechanically challenged, there’s a DIY article on how to create your own ring light.  The article is a touch old, but it’s well done and quite thorough.  A slight difference from a normal ring light is that it typically operates as a flash, whereas the DIY version is constantly on.

Read More | Brain Error via bit-tech.net

Segmenting Your Network For Optimal Xbox 360 Media Center Performance

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, Mods / Hacks, Video Games,

I have always admired the prowess that my friend Jake Ludington has when it comes to digital media. This guy knows his stuff. After fiddling around with my network to get my Xbox 360 running off of it’s own segment along with the Media Center PC, and separating all other network traffic onto it’s own segment, I found that things were much improved as it pertained to streaming high-definition content from my Media Center PC to the Xbox 360. Jake put together a nice tutorial on how to do this, and he isn’t even using 802.11a:

802.11a is the standard Microsoft is recommending, but it’s not necessary. My own home network is segmented with an Xbox 360 on one 802.11g access point and all other wireless devices are on a second 802.11g access point. My wired Media Center successfully streams the 1080p HD content available from Microsoft’s WMV HD Showcase without any hiccups.

Hardcore. Head on over to Jake’s tutorial for the full article.

Read More | MediaBlab

Mac mini NOC - Ghetto Style

Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Apple, Misc. Tech, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop,

For those of us on a Mac Mini computing budget with Xserve level taste, if you want to make your own Network Operations Center at a fraction of the cost, you should check out the how-to guide on MetaSkills. Ken does a great job detailing the steps he took to create his own homebrew ghetto-style version of a NOC for his home computing pleasure.  Beware though, this guide does get into a little bit of high-level network admin stuff, so it’s not for the uninitiated.  If you want to set up a killer little rig at home, and on a budget, this is a great read.

Read More | MetaSkills

Set Up Your Own PBX Using Asterisk

Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Smart Home, Mods / Hacks,

So you don’t feel like paying those high prices for “real” PBX systems?  Maybe your just an uber nerd like most of us, and want a totally kick-ass wicked phone system for your crib.  We’ve got the answer for you.  Ward Mundy over at Nerd Vittles has been writing about geeky things like this for quite some time.  I’d say it’s safe to say he has perfected the art of installing and tweaking Asterisk, the PBX system for nerds.  He has written the most comprehensive guide to installing Asterisk@Home that I have seen anywhere on the net.  Head over to Nerd Vittles and get your uber geek fix for the day.

Read More | Nerd Vittles

GIDUT: Getting It Done Using Technology

Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Mods / Hacks,

There’s a new video blog site making the rounds on the net: GIDUT.  Seems to have some great content and nicely done using Quicktime.  PC folks beware, the site is heavy on Mac goodness.  Content is similar to Systm, except that this is actually updated on a regular basis. Go figure.

Read More | GIDUT

PSP Homebrew Goodness For All

Posted by Frank Bisono Categories: Mods / Hacks, Video Games,

For those of you PSP homebrew peeps, the day you have been waiting for has arrived.  Homebrew is now compatible with all Sony PSP’s, including v2.60 firmware models.  All the juicy details and downloads are availalable at PSPupdates.qj.net.

Reveal Firefox Extension Reviewed

Posted by Edwin Soto Categories: Internet, Mods / Hacks, Product Reviews, Software,

Reveal is a Firefox extension that allows you to view your current tabs as thumbnails directly on your screen - as shown with my favorite websites above. So I thought that this might prove pretty useless to me considering that I’m already using tabbed browsing.  Why would I need to have mini pictures of these and what purpose would they serve?  What’s really great about this extension is the ease of use.  Once installed, you just press F2 to bring up the interface.  Not only is it that simple, but its pretty too.  Your screenshot comes zooming in from the side of your screen and places itself in the middle of your screen with the current tab highlighted.

Click to continue reading Reveal Firefox Extension Reviewed