Computers & Mobile

The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for digital gadgetry, open code, smart hacks, and more. Processing power to the people!

Quick and Dirty Lav Mic from iPhone Headset

Quick and Dirty Lav Mic from iPhone Headset

In a pinch, you can clip the earbuds off an iPhone headset to get a quick and dirty lav mic. Add a safety pin with a little hot glue and camouflage it with a smattering of sharpie and you’re good to go. If you’re curious about the quality of the audio produced with such a setup, check out the above video from maker Levi Allen, where he runs through a build while capturing the audio with his iPhone. It won’t win any awards, however it’ll get the job done.

Continue Reading Adam Flaherty10
Steelie Mobile Device Holder

Steelie Mobile Device Holder

If you’ve ever used a tablet in the kitchen, you know there’s a uniquely optimum viewing angle that’s just right for you. And you’re likely going to want to get it out of the cooking area, yet still keep it viewable, right? You’re set if you have one of those cookbook stands to prop it up against, but if you don’t, you might want to check out the Steelie Mobile Device Holder from makers Frank Vogel and Paul Turner.

Continue Reading Adam Flaherty12
CNC Milling a Spherical Ice Mold

CNC Milling a Spherical Ice Mold

We have covered these spherical ice molds before. I have used one, myself, and they work pretty well. A chunk of ice is sandwiched between two halves of a metal mold, and fast conduction of heat away from the ice, through the metal, causes it to melt wherever the mold makes contact. The mold halves slide on rods to maintain their alignment, and gravity does the rest. With a mold that starts at room temperature, it only takes a few minutes to make a nice shiny ice sphere.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan8
iPhone Cord-On-Board Case

iPhone Cord-On-Board Case

Don’t you just hate it when your smartphone runs out of juice? If you’re like me, you’re probably not far from an open USB port, so you’re set if you’re the type that always carries around a spare cord. But that rarely happens, right? Not if makers Lucky, Nate, and Mark have anything to do about it. Their Cord-On-Board case for the iPhone 4 takes care of the need to always carry around a cord because it keeps one handy inside its durable PVC shell.

Continue Reading Adam Flaherty14
Homemade Full Color DVD Laser Projector

Homemade Full Color DVD Laser Projector

I love video projectors, and have used one instead of a traditional TV for almost 6 years now. The only serious drawback, in my experience, is the expense of the bulbs, and I expect that it will not be very long before full-color laser diode projector technology overcomes it. Red, green, and blue laser diodes are already accessible; the trick seems to be in scanning the beams in an economical and reliable way.

Continue Reading Sean Michael Ragan22