Gadget Hacks: Page 331

Learn how to build an environmentally friendly directional WiFi antenna with this simple video guide. To follow along at home, you'll need the following things: a copper wedge, an N-type connector, some screws, a clamp-on N plug, a pigtail, and a wireless card. You'll also need a drill, screwdriver, and soldering iron. For comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on hacking your own directional WiFi antenna from a tin can, watch this video tutorial.

Check out this video tutorial on how to make a cheap multi-touch pad like in the MacBook Air. Yes, that's right... you can make your very own multitouch, finger-sensitive touch pad for your computer. This is definitely the cheap way to go to make a Multitouch Mini (MTmini), with a maximum of fifty bucks down the drain. This multitouch touchpad (or trackpad) is easy!

Want AAA batteries for cheap? Learn how to hack a 9-volt battery with this money-saving video tutorial from Make Magazine's Kip Kay. All you'll need to replicate this hack at home is a pair of needle-nosed pliers and one or more Energizer 9-volt batteries. For instructions on how to extract quadruple A batteries from an Energizer 9-volt, watch this how-to video.

There are many ways to recycle a satellite dish and this is one of them. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to hack an old satellite dish into a biquad WiFi antenna. For detailed, step-by-step instructions on building your own audio signal booster, take a look!

Want to light the skies with your own flying saucer? Here's a quick way to add lights to an ordinary fribee using a cheap light-up yo-yo. It's so easy, anyone can do it.

Want to bug a room on the cheap? This video how-to demonstrates how to make a simple eavesdropping device using a cell phone with auto-answer support and conventional plug-in type headset. For detailed advice on setting up this expedient spy bugging device, consult this friendly how-to.

Soldering isn't hard as you might think. This video will cover the basic soldering techniques for electronics and electrical wiring. It presents a comprehensive look at the soldering process, covering everything from choosing a soldering iron and solder to proper soldering technique. Get started soldering with this electronics how-to.

New to soldering? This how-to video answers the questions for these common beginner soldering questions: what is flux? what tip should be used? do solder fumes contain dangerous amounts of lead? why regularly clean and tin the iron tip? Watch this video computer-circuitry tutorial and learn how to solder correctly.

Learn how to connect your Bluetooth wireless headset to a BlackBerry smartphone with this how-to, which presents simple, step-by-step instructions on the pairing process:

Learn how to pair your Bluetooth wireless headset to a Samsung Blast cell phone with this how-to, which presents simple, step-by-step instructions on the pairing process. For more information, as well as to get started using your own wireless headset with your Samsung Blast phone, take a look.

Looking for a way to set yourself apart from the hoi polloi of Apple iPhone users? If so, you're in luck: This video tutorial from MacComm.tv presents 17 Hidden Features for the iPhone and iPhone 3G, features only on the new iPhone Firmware 2.0. Become a more effective user of your Apple iPhone with this how-to.

Learn how to update your iPhone firmware from 1.1.1 to 1.1.4 using ZiPhone 2.5c with this video tutorial. To get started updating your own Apple iPhone, follow these steps:

If you've recently updated to firmware 2.1 (click here for undocumented 2.1 features) and lost your jailbroken status, you've most likely heard that the Dev Team has released QuickPwn 2.1 for Windows users! Some of you have already jailbroken your iPhone 3G on 2.1 firmware when QuickPwn and Pwnage Tool for Mac was released.

In this five-part video tutorial series, you'll learn the fundamentals of working with electronics. To follow along, you'll need a 28-280 Electronics kit from RadioShack.

If you've recently updated your Apple iPhone to firmware 2.1 and lost your jailbroken status, you've most likely heard that the Dev Team has released QuickPwn 2.1 for Windows users! Some of you have already jailbroken your iPhone 3G on 2.1 firmware when QuickPwn and Pwnage Tool for Mac was released.

Take your old electronics and make them scream with glitchy goodness. This an extremely easy project and makes a great project for first-time solderers. Circuit bending involves taking electronic devices that make multiple sounds and wiring in switches to set off glitches or loops. Using an out-of-tune toy, the first part of this video series demonstrates how to apply a basic pitch bend using a potentiometer. In the second part, you'll learn how to bend the same toy by applying body contact. In...

This video tutorial shows how to make a homemade air conditioner with cool/hot function. No need to buy both a heater and an a/c, this home-made device does both jobs. Watch this video circuitry tutorial and learn how to modify and build a full functioning air-conditioning and heating combo device.

Microsoft Popfly is a fun, easy way to build and share mashups, gadgets, games, Web pages, and applications. Popfly consists of two parts: Popfly Creator is a set of online visual tools for building Web pages and mashups; Popfly Space is an online community of creators where you can post, share, rate, comment and even remix creations from other Popfly users. This how-to demonstrates how to use both. Take a look.

This how-to video shows, close-up, the steps to soldering an XLR connector onto an Audio cable. You will need a knife, wire strippers, a soldering iron, in addition to whatever is being soldered. Watch this video circuitry tutorial and learn how to solder an XLR connector to an audio mic cable.

This how-to video shows a powerful and effective hack to turn any dust vacuum into a water vacuum. You will need a rubber band, tissue paper, a set of four straws, a pen knife, a soft drink bottle, and a vacuum cleaner. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to modify a regular vacuum into a water vacuum.

Some cell phones have so many functions, they're almost more like mini-computers and can thus, be somewhat tricky to use. This instructional video slide show explains the different functions and features on a Palm Centro mobile phone. Click around this tutorial and learn how to optimize your experience with the handy Palm Centro.

Some cell phones have so many functions, they're almost more like mini-computers and can thus, be somewhat tricky to use. This instructional video slide show explains the different functions and features on a Palm Treo 650 mobile phone. Click around this tutorial and learn how to optimize your experience with the handy Palm Treo 650.

Check out this electronics tutorial video that provides step by step instructions on how you can create your own ringtones. Learn how to make ring tones from your personal music files. Surprise your friends when they ask where you downloaded your ringtones by telling them you made them yourself.

Wondering how to set up Mozilla Thunderbird? Follow these simple steps:

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to exploit weak security questions to take control of a given Yahoo! Mail account in much the same way Sarah Palin's Yahoo! account was recently "hacked." (To access Sarah Palin's account you will need, in addition to the tutorial, some manner of time travel device.) For a detailed, step-by-step reenactment of the "hack" (scare quotes very much intended), take a look.

An RSS feed is a dynamically generated XML summary of information or news published on a website. The Feed2JS tool provides an easy way to display RSS feeds on your website, all without knowing the least bit about XML. All you need to enter is the URL for the RSS source and decide how you'd like it to be formatted. For more on using the Feed2JS tool, watch this video tutorial.

In this video tutorial dedicated to the Google's Gmail, you'll learn how to set up Gmail to retrieve mail from a second email account. This tutorial also looks at how to set up labels and filters, and explains the Gmail Archive function and Gmail Conversations. Become an advanced Gmail user with this video tutorial!

Why let all the photos you've taken over the years with your digital camera sit on your computer in loose piles, forsaken? In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to use Roxio's free photoshow application to create impressive photographic slideshows. For more information on photoshow, or to get started creating your own slideshows, watch this Internet how-to!

Those of you who switched to Mozilla Firefox from Internet Explorer, may find that you miss the IE print icon as well as the history and bookmarks buttons. In this video, you'll learn how to enable similar buttons in the Mozilla Firefox in a matter of a few seconds. Restore your favorite buttons with this Firefox how-to!

Life is too short to go hunting for information all the time. Fortunately, you can have Mozilla Firefox bring information by using extensions and simple search box hacks. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to use both. For more, and to get started using extensions and search box hacks in Mozilla Firefox yourself, take a look!

eBay has been around for over ten years yet there are many people out there who are afraid to use it, or haven't had a chance to use it, due to negative hearsay. This video tutorial presents a guide to buying items successfully—and safely! There's a lot of things to consider when buying an item in an eBay auction, so make sure to pay attention to all of these four tips.

If you visit the same pages over and over, you may want to consider setting multiple start pages. While you may not have even known such a thing was possible, the set-up procedure is simple in both Mozilla Firefox and Windows Internet Explorer 7. Learn how to use browser tabs to open up multiple websites when you launch your browser with this how-to.

While all Web 2.0 applications are by no means equal, certain among them can save you time, money, and frustration–one such web app is the Zoho Creator database utility, which is comparable to Access from the Microsoft Office suite. For more information, or to get started using the Zoho Creator online database application for yourself, take a look!

While all Web 2.0 applications are by no means equal, certain among them can save you time, money, and frustration–one such web app is the Zoho Sheet spreadsheet utility, which is comparable to Excel from the Microsoft Office suite. For more information, or to get started using the Zoho Sheet online spreadsheet application for yourself, take a look!

Change a normal 9v battery into a life saver. If you have ever run out of juice on your phone and could really use a quick charge then you need a USB battery.

An emergency battery charger for your mobile phone comes in handy, but it's not the ultimate solution; once it's dead it's useless (what a waste). If you want to really get off the metaphorical grid, you can follow the steps in this video to construct a more robust circuit that will not only bail you out of an inconvenient situation but also recharge in between uses. The simple addition of a low voltage solar panel and rechargeable batteries makes this possible. Enjoy!

This data management tutorial shows you how to take a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and import it into a MySQL Database using CSV files and PHPMyAdmin in cPanel. Being able to move data from Excel to MySQL is an important part of database content management, so if you use cPanel to manage your databases, you'll want to watch and learn how to import Excel spreadsheets into your MysQL databases.

In this tutorial we show you where to download MySQL Query Browser and how to access and edit your databases. MySQL Query Browser is an easy way to access database information remotely from your desktop without having to log in to your server. Learn where to get MySQL Query Browser, and how to use it to access and edit your databases.

New Gmail users often have trouble figuring out how to create, manage and send email to "groups." This video tutorial demystifies the process, presenting simple, easy-to-follow instructions for using Gmail's endlessly useful group management features. For more on using groups in Gmail, take a look!

This how-to offers a tip for computer users with slower Internet connections who experience jerky video, or stop-and-start audio, playback on the web. Learn how to tweak and optimize player settings for your connection speed, as well as a number of other simple tricks and techniques for smooth streaming, with this video tutorial.