Apple’s Front Row Hacked for General Consumption

Posted by Mark Harrison Categories: Home Entertainment, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop, Software,

It appears that some enterprising folks have managed to hack Apple’s Front Row onto Macs other than the new iMac G5.  I do not advocate piracy, but I can say that it was fun to play with on my Power Mac and 20” display! Hopefully, Apple will get the message and update Mac OS X to include Front Row on all Tiger capable machines.  Can we say Universal Dock + Apple Remote + Front Row = Hours and hours of good old fashioned family fun? For those who doubt, TUAW is hosting a great video of Front Row running on a Mac mini.

Read More | TUAW

This Robot Makes Waffles!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smart Home, Mods / Hacks,

So you got me - I am a waffle lover. While they don’t come close to French toast, they do destroy the pancake in overall tasty goodness. That being said, combining waffles with technology certainly does get my attention. Jesse Klein, from right here in Washington State, has shown his waffle making robot to Arlington High School (from where he recently graduated.) What’s more, in addition to cooking the waffles up, the robot will slather on butter, pour on the syrup, and spray on the whipped cream as well. And people wonder why I love technology…

Read More | HeraldNet

Dremel Pumpkin Carving Kit

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smart Home, Mods / Hacks,

While we haven’t been at the pumpkin carving forefront over the past few years, we certainly welcome the opportunity to use a Dremel tool on something that, if ruined, we won’t cry about. That is what makes the Dremel Pumpkin Carving Kit such a draw. Complete with detailed instructions for carving elaborate designs into the squash, the Dremel tool sells for $30. Is there a happier way to get into Halloween? We think not.

Read More | Dremel via OhGizmo!

The 200GB iPod nano

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

You gotta love cool mods that are both interesting and useless. We love seeing people rip things apart just to put them together in a different way just t prove that it can be done. For example, how about an iPod nano that is impossibly huge, putting 50,000 songs in your pocket

backpack? Yeah, a fully charged battery will only provide you with six minutes of play time, but is that really the point?

Read More | iPod nano 200GB Instructions via Gizmodo

Xbox, PS2, Gamecube All-in-One = Ultimate Gaming Mod

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

Okay, so about a year ago a friend of mine showed me some of the great work he was doing as far as modding game machines go. No, I am not talking about stealing software, but rather just really cool ways to take the gaming technology we love and do some cool things with it. So many out there spend a lot of time customizing their PC boxes with cold cathode, etching, colored fans, and the like - why not do it with our gaming devices? Well, I can’t think of a good reason not to either. Behold the ultimate gaming mod - an Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube all fit into one box with a flatscreen display built right in. Just by looking at the images, you can tell it took a hell of a lot of work - but it’s freaking cool. You rock, Bird.

Click to continue reading Xbox, PS2, Gamecube All-in-One = Ultimate Gaming Mod

Joao Sabino’s Keyboard Bag Mod

Posted by Sparky Categories: Accessories, Wearables, Misc. Tech, Mods / Hacks,

The creative artist Joao Sabino has announced his creative recycling hack of this unique and creative ladies handbag decorated with keys from old keyboards. The design is attractive, environmentally friendly, and makes a great geek statement for the chic girl on the go. The bag is available in both white and black keys, and no two are the same.

Read More | João Sabino via Treehugger

iPod + iTrip + Sony Ericsson W800i = Makeshift ROKR

Posted by Rob Stevens Categories: Smartphones, Mods / Hacks, Portable Audio / Video,

We just discovered a neat little hack for the Sony Ericsson W800i. I’ve found that having an FM radio built-in to your phone can be fun. Hell, other than trying to take out the Memory Stick, there’s little about the Walkman that isn’t fun. Still, I was having a bit of ROKR envy when I realized that the answer is there, plain as day. I proceeded to tune the radio in the phone to my iTrip (the FM transmitter for the iPod) station, and bingo - all 20GB of my iPod tracks were ready to be played on the W800i. I must have sat there slackjawed for a minute or two as I marvelled at the little surprise. Sure, it’s a hack, and not the same as the real thing, but the phone does cut off the radio when a call comes in. It won’t pause the song, obviously, but otherwise, the functionality is just about the same. The quality is also not as good as a native MP3 player, but it’s more than tolerable - especially knowing that I am not limited to 100 songs.

It’s pretty clear now that the ROKR is a still-born platform. Sadly, it’s still going to sell, because people just don’t realize that there are better, less crippled options available.

NES Bluetooth Handset For VOIP

Posted by Edwin Soto Categories: Smartphones, Mods / Hacks, Video Games,

This is awesome for the retro gamer in you. The NES Bluetooth Handset connects to your Bluetooth phone or VoIP application, like Skype.  The Start button picks up and ends calls while the A and B buttons control volume.  Pretty cool, but I’d like to see some Caller ID on the back, and with a How To as well. Here are the details:

Here’s how it works with cell phones:
• Keep the NES Bluetooth Handset in your pocket.
• Keep you Bluetooth phone in your bag or backpack.
• When a call comes in, press ‘Start’ on the NES Bluetooth Handset.
• Talk.
• When done, press ‘Start’ again to end the call.

Here’s how it works with Skype:
• Keep the NES Bluetooth Handset on your desk.
• When a call comes in on your Bluetooth-enabled PC, press ‘Start’ on the NES Bluetooth Handset.
• Talk.
• When done, press ‘Start’ again to end the call.

Read More | Kamalot via Slashphone

Power (Nearly) Anything With USB

Posted by Chris Cardinal Categories: Mods / Hacks, Peripherals,

For those of you long pining for a way to power your favorite low-voltage household appliances through your computer’s USB port, your dream of USB-powered toast may soon enough be realized. (If you possess a low-voltage toaster, natch.) MAKEblog links us to a fantastic little tutorial showing us how to use Dimension Engineering’s AnyVolt unit in conjunction with a standard breadboard to power just about anything under 5 volts and 500 mA. And, although it warns that attempting to power higher draw devices may “make your motherboard cry,” we figure you’re the strong, stoic type who’ll throw caution to the wind in the name of a USB-heated breakfast. Please let us know how it goes, won’t you?

Read More | Dimension Engineering via MAKEBlog

Put an iTrip Into Your PSP

Posted by Jesse Easley Categories: Mods / Hacks, Portable Audio / Video, Video Games,

Although the PSP has seen its share of software hacks, not many have been brave enough to mess with the PSP hardware - until now. Someone has managed to take an iTrip Mini and place it inside of the PSP. This enables one to broadcast their audio through the radio without the need of a standard FM modulator which would dangle from the PSP.

Read More | BadAceTechShow.com