GPS
Pretec compactGPS serial modification – a description of how to modify the compactGPS to work with a standard serial port. This mod will allow you to use the device using your PDA serial port, a PC serial port, and a PDA/GPS car kit. [
A followup to 
HOW TO make a low cost GPS
Great HOW TO from Tomas Kindahl. “This is a short description on how I spent some hours this summer building a simple GPS device. For some time now I have been wondering about the possibility to build such a device from mostly scavenged and old parts, the most important being (of course) a GPS receiver module, and an LCD display. And indeed it was possible”. [via] Link.
GPS for the Nintendo DS
Nice hack! I have connected a Lassen iQ GPS module to my serial interface. Maps are downloaded from Google Maps servers with a small script. Google maps consist of 128×128 pixel tiles. You have to specify your address, so that map tiles around your area are downloaded. There is also a parameter for number of tiles you want. Zoom levels are possible but require to have a few tile-sets, one for each zoom level. Link.
Make Wallpaper from Google Maps…
Here’s a quick and easy way to make wallpaper/desktops for your computer from Google maps…gMerge is a python script that merges Google Maps satellite “tiles” in order to produce a wallpaper (or even a poster!). For some reason the town I grew up in continues to not be visible on Google maps, ah well. [via] Link.
RocketBoom Happenings!
A couple interesting thing on my fav DIY news channel, RocketBoom. On today’s show they previewed a clip for a new video blog with John Edwards. Looks like anyone will be able to video in questions too. I think we’re about to see vlogs hit like podcasting late last year. . RocketBoom also launched a new site called Apollo Pony that has a lot of video clips from around the web.
Media-Sensitive Glasses
As part of her Social Defense Mechanisms: Tools for Reclaiming our Personal Space research, Limor Fried (creator of the Wave Bubble and the Minty MP3) developed the Media-Sensitive Glasses that automatically darken whenever a television is in view, so as to protect the wearer from television’s “hypnotic” effect. Link.
