Rob has a great Mac mod – He turned an old hifi system he got from a prop clearance from the local actor’s workshop for $10 bucks in to a rocking Mac stereo system complete with the Sonic Impact Portable T-Amp. If you like this project, in MAKE 04 we also have Mr. Jalopy’s LP-to-MP3 convertor cabinet. Link.
The project section has a lot of great things to check out…Craft technology refers to the interweaving of computation with craft materials both new and old. This blending can take many forms, including the application of specialized software to aid in the design and construction of crafts (such as mechanical toys and paper sculpture) and in the creation of craft objects with embedded intelligence. Thanks Paul! Link.
Excellent resource – A small collection of electronic circuits for the hobbyist or student. Site includes over 100 circuit diagrams, links to related sites, commercial kits and projects, newsgroups and educational areas. Most of the circuits can be built with common components available from Radio Shack or salvaged from scrap electronic equipment. Most all of the circuits have been built and tested and believed to perform as described, however possible mistakes may be found. Link.
$3,000, but it’s tempting…E Ink’s Active Matrix Electronic Paper Display (EPD) Prototyping Kit is designed for product designers, engineers and technologists who want hands-on access to a high-resolution paper-like display. The kit includes a production sample of a 6″ SVGA (800 X 600) active matrix display made using E Ink Imaging Film, along with all of the hardware and software necessary to produce a fully functional portable device. The prototyping kit is based around the Gumstix single-board computer, which combines a 400 MHz Intel XScale® PXA255 processor with a Bluetooth transceiver, USB, a serial port and an MMC card reader. For mobile prototyping, the kit also includes two Li-ion batteries with a total capacity of over 4000 mW-h, and an integrated battery charger. [via] Link.
This is really clever, it’s an all cardboard PC case, you pop out all the perforated sections, fold it up and install your PC parts. With millions of PCs thrown away each year, this could potentially be a great way to cut down on the waste. While this one from Japan looks a little dull, there is a lot of art projects that use cardboard boxes, it’s just a matter of time until these look extremely cool and perhaps will be artwork on their own. [via] Link.
Adam writes “I cut out a tackle box, attached two breadboards to the lid, and spaced them .6 inches apart, allowing proper spacing for a DIP40. I attached some binding posts, and now I have a great way to transport projects to and from the lab.” [