Here's another fun summertime craft for your budding engineer - make a spinning paper pinwheel or fan! You'll need a C-battery, a toy motor, two soda caps, a popsicle stick, foil paper, copper wire, a small sheet of foam, a sharp pencil, a hot glue gun and some safety scissors.
Isn't the whole point of those battery-operated automatic fresheners to make things smell good? Normally, yes. But with a simple mod, it could be the world's best stink prank. Simply changing the liquid aromatic cleanliness of the freshener to something not so sterile and swee ...more
Christmas decorations aren't cheap. From outdoor lighting to fir trees, decorating for the holidays can break the bank. That's where ingenuity comes into play, like hacking battery-operated Christmas lights, modifying lighting patterns and building Christmas tree ornaments fro ...more
Learn how to decorate your graduation cap. Customizing your graduation cap is a way to stand out among the sea of identical, ill-fitting graduation robes. You Will Need * Time * A crafts store * Money * A needle and thread * And artistic flair * Battery-operated lights Step ...more
Make your clothing really light up! This tutorial shows you how to properly and carefully sew a connection to an arduino to some fabric, so you can incorporate some lightweight electronics into your next fashion project or battery operated costume piece.
MAKE and Collin Cunningham brings the do-it-yourself mindset to all the technology in your life. Make Magazine celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your own will. In this Make video tutorial, you'll see how to calibrate and play the Gakken Premium ...more
The battery-operated, Bluetooth-controlled pieces use downward-facing sensors to read grids built into the individual squares on the board. They then communicate with the controlling computer to keep track of their location in relation to other pieces. The computer tells each ...more
Need an electric outlet and don't have one? No batteries on hand, either? Well, then you should use the next best thing - potatoes! In this tutorial, learn how to make that old science fair staple - the potato powered calculator! Check it out, it really works! You Will Need: * ...more
Save money on prom transportation by turning your parents’ station wagon into a one-of-a-kind limousine. Step 1: Attach the rope lights to the ceiling Attach the battery-operated rope lights to the inside edges of the car’s ceiling using clear packing tape. TIP: Tape the li ...more
Mobile devices can do just about anything these days, thanks to third-party developers. iPhones and Android devices have been known to do some pretty wild things. Need a dupe key made? Scan and order one with your iPhone. Want to know if you're hotter than Justin Bieber? Compa ...more
Is your power drill making a funky high pitched noise when you try to use it? Or why your chuck on your drill doesn't spin? You first reaction may be to throw it on the ground in anger, but this could actually be simple fix. Sometimes, the gear switch can get stuck in-between ...more
Depending on where you live, you will have to prepare for the hazards from different types of natural disasters. You can sleep easy if you have a secure location, stalked with food and supplied you might need if there is an emergency. Don’t panic when the skies turn dark – th ...more
The Paslode Framing Gun is operated by a gas cartridge and battery so an air compressor is not needed. The tool also has a large range of nails available for different job requirements from 50mm To 75mm. Watch this video tutorial for a demonstration on how to use a Paslode imp ...more
The battery icon in your iPhone's status bar gives you a visual idea of how much power is left, and there's a battery percentage option you can switch to or view in the Control Center, depending on your model. But what you may not know is that there's a way to view the battery ...more
Once upon a time in America, there was coffee and there was decaf. That's it. No capuccinos. No espressos. And certainly no Starbucks. Coffee was just coffee, something that you bought at a gas station or donut shop. If you made it at home, it was either in a metal pot or inst ...more
Pumpkin carving and decorating is a favorite October pastime. After you've carved an amazing design or face into a pumpkin or two, you want to show it off through your window or set it out on your porch for the neighbors to see. But, without knowing the tricks to save your ho ...more
I spend practically all day surfing the web and writing on my laptop, and just as much time texting and checking emails on my smartphone. So, it's only natural for me to charge my iPhone using the USB port on my MacBook Pro. Since that USB port is located on the left side of ...more
It's that time a year when winter storms begin causing havoc across the United States, and when "rotating outages" are common to help sustain the electrical grid during intense cold periods. That means pretty much anybody with snow and ice in their backyard can succumb to powe ...more
While the iPhone 4G claims to have vastly improved battery life, some are still not impressed. If you are not convinced of your battery's longevity and wish to replace it, check out this clip. Apple won't do this for you and a repair shop will be pricey, but if you follow thes ...more
Watch this instructional video brought to you by Nikon's Digitutor to learn how to operate the Nikon D80. This Nikon D80 video tutorial demonstrates how to use different solutions for various shooting situations, search from control panel, search from viewfinder, use the caerm ...more
Monitoring your blood glucose level is absolutely essential to your health if you suffer from diabetes. You need to keep track of your blood sugar or you could be in danger. This video tutorial will show you the proper way to use a blood glucose meter and give you helpful tips ...more
This video gives a step by step tutorial how to service a Porsche 944. The service is demonstrated on an S2, but most steps are very similar for other versions. The video has a German soundtrack but English subtitles are available at YouTube. Working under the car Remove engi ...more
I like to grow vegetables all year round, and I couldn't afford the big gas bulbs, or the power to run them. The big gas bulbs: can explode can burn you and your plants cost upwards of $50 a month to operate raise the temperature in your home, causing the air conditioning to ...more
Join the Pilot program and learn how to fly! But you're not going to be flying airplanes in this Pilot program, you'll be trying your hands at Google's first laptop computer. It's called the Cr-48, a black notebook wh ich runs an extraordinary operating system— Google Chrome. ...more
Flash video. It's what all smartphone users have been waiting for. Why has it taken sooo long? And why is Apple still resistant? Here's the scoop, via Wired: "Adobe is releasing Flash Player 10.1 for mobile phones and desktops today. And it is piggy-backing on Google’s fast ...more
Learn how to operate the latest Blackberry 8330 in simple steps. Follow the steps below to overview the Blackberry 8330: 1. First switch on your Blackberry by pressing the power button on its top. 2. Use the 'Trackball' to navigate around the menu options and press it to selec ...more
There are several safety precautions and steps that you must take before you attempt to start or use a portable generator. Take a look at this guide to learn how to check the oil levels, connect the battery to the generator, and start the generator.
If you're lucky, your digital camera has a built-in intervalometer that lets you operate the shutter regularly at set intervals over a period of time. Why would you be lucky? Because you can create some very awesome time-lapse videos, like the horribly beautiful eruption of a ...more
R/C car manufacturer Losi just recently released the LOSI 1/10 TEN-T TRUGGY RTR, which is apparently the world's most advanced radio controlled car. The Ten-T is 18 inches long and 6.2 pounds, and operates like a real race car (but at 1/10 of the size). Check out these specs ...more
Not only does this solar-powered cinema have all the trimmings of a great movie theater — ticket booth, brick façade, Ionic columns, popcorn machine, fancy art deco signage —, it is itself remarkably trim: The Sol Cinema was commissioned by media arts charity Undercurrents an ...more
This video tutorial is in the Sports category which will show you how to reset a Mavic Wintech. After you have installed the battery and you notice you have a blank screen, use the reset button inside the computer to reset it. This is not mentioned in the Mavic Wintech operati ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to operate the solar powered vent system in a 2010 Prius. Prius models that come with a moon roof also have a solar powered roof. The control switch is on the left hand side of the steering wheel. With the ignition on and the switch turned on, yo ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to choose which driving mode to use in the 2010 Prius. The Prius offers four drive modes: normal, eco, power, and ev mode. To activate the mode, press the appropriate button the center console and the light will appear in the center console. Now, ...more
Picture this: the infrared sensor on your TV is not working and you are blaming it on your remote control batteries. Well, to make sure exactly what is going on, try testing TV remote to be sure. To the naked eye, you might not be able to see the infrared light, so you could t ...more
The Panasonic HVX-200 video camera is capable of high definition recording, but how do you even use it? This how-to video demonstrates the basic functions you'll need to master to operate this advanced piece of electronic equipment. Follow along and learn how to change and cha ...more
Watch this video from This Old House to learn how to choose a carbon monoxide detector. Steps: 1 Simplest, most affordable carbon-monoxide detector plugs into an electrical outlet. 2 Battery-powered plug-in models continue to operate during power outages. 3 Combination units ...more
Fujitsu Limited has developed what they call the world's smallest Windows 7 PC, which will become available shortly on NTT DoCoMo, Japan's predominant mobile phone operator. The dual-boot device acts as both a smartphone and a portable personal computer that runs the Windows 7 ...more
EL Wire is a bit tricky if all you want to do is glow. But there's a lot to know about the technology, as well as helpful information to get you addicted to it. EL Wire is a thin copper wire that gives off a beautiful glow when an electric charge is applied. There are 10 color ...more
I have an absolutely wonderful time making projects and writing articles for all of you mad scientists! Today, I will bring you behind the scenes for a look at the workbench, tools, and software that make the Mad Science World possible. Above is my beautiful workbench! My who ...more
I'm back with the third part to my laser weapon series (see part one and two), and I'll be explaining the function, application, and potential of semiconductor lasers, aka laser diodes. Surely, most of you have used a laser pointer at some point. Whether purchased at a dollar ...more
Microcontrollers are great. You can do anything from water your garden to catch wildlife trash diggers in the act—and on the cheap. I prefer to use the Arduino microcontroller because of the large and helpful community built around the website. Though it is my favorite, there ...more
In this article, I'll show you how to create a simple yet effective way of scaring off intruders. Of course, there are methods around this approach, but it's great for office pranks and general fun. The project requires a little background knowledge in electronics and circuitr ...more
Yes it’s the 21st century and yes, everyone’s busy, everyone’s connected. Accept it. Move on. Be happy. DON’T BUY INTO THE HYPE—literally and figuratively. I’m here to tell you that YOU do not need all the ‘stuff’ that bogs you down or all the unnecessary information that doe ...more
Spent the weekend with Sprint's new phone, the HTC Evo G4. Specification wise, it's better than Verizon's Incredible and T-Mobile's HD2. Apple will be announcing the new version of their phone this week. If it's comparable to leaked phone shown over at Gizmodo, then to say whi ...more
Creating any object you want is as simple as point and click if you have a 3D printer at home. If you don't have one handy, there are a few companies that offer printing services online. But to help services realize your design in extruded plastic, you have to make a 3D comput ...more
It may not be your number one spot for finding cool apps for your Android device, but the Amazon Appstore for Android is running a new promotion this week called "Geek Week," where eight of the most popular productivity and utility apps are now on sale for 48 percent off or mo ...more
It's no secret that Apple has retail stores in China, along with a large amount of Premium and Authorized Resellers. But a recent post by blogger BirdAbroad has caused quite a commotion in the world of all things Apple, claiming that in her home city of Kunming, there is anoth ...more
Written by JD Coverly of WonderHowTo World, LoadSave:We've spent the last week with Sprint's new phone, the HTC Evo 4G. Specification wise, it's better than Verizon's Incredible and T-Mobile's HD2. Apple has unveiled the new version of their phone this week and thankfully it's ...more
Computer viruses are terrifying. They are undetectable, dangerous, and operate constantly right under your nose. For the average computer user, there are only a few repair options. You could buy expensive antivirus software that causes more problems than it fixes, you can wipe ...more
Remember what life was like before your iPhone? Before there were palm-sized smartphones with seemingly endless features, there were phones like Motorola's RAZR that peaked with its embedded camera. Before that, there were simple flip phones with texting capabilities, bulky tw ...more
INTRODUCTION The everyday PC user doesn't think much about its PC and problems that can cause critical damage to their data or other stuffs stored on Hard drive and other electronic parts until the problem actually occurs. Once a failure happens, the repairs can be costly and ...more
Making your own circuit boards can be a daunting challenge. You have to design a schematic, test it on a breadboard, design the board layout, and then after all of that, you still have to print and etch a board! Luckily, we have Fritzing. Fritzing is a free open-source PCB d ...more
For a car to operate normally, it must have some basic care and maintenance. In this automotive video series, learn what your car needs to stay in good working condition. Our expert ASE Certified Master Technician and mechanic will show you the proper techniques for do-it-your ...more
Android comprises an entire ecosystem of apps, games, functions, and features, so it would only make sense that it has its own lexicon. Words, phrases, and acronyms that didn't exist ten years ago are now used in an off-the-cuff style by developers and support technicians acro ...more
A good smartphone can be the perfect workout companion. You have music for motivation, videos for pushing through boring cardio sessions, GPS to keep you on course, and even an array of sensors for gathering data about your workout. But not all phones are created equal when it ...more
For many of us, our work phone and our personal phone are one and the same. Just any old phone isn't going to cut it when you need to meet a deadline — a phone with built-in features that make it easier to get things done is almost a must. For this article, we defined product ...more
OnePlus, whose phones always challenge for the title of best spec-to-price ratio, releases two main devices every year. There's the primary flagship in late spring, then an iterative update with the "T" suffix in fall. Typically, there's not much difference between the two, bu ...more
The OnePlus 7 Pro is definitely a beast on paper. With a specs page that ticks virtually every box and a price point that undercuts the competition by hundreds of dollars, it's hard to overlook this phone. But before you get too excited, know that OnePlus has repeatedly shown ...more
After months of back and forth, ZTE is finally making their return to the United States. The last phone the Chinese company released here was the Axon 7 Pro, a low priced flagship phone that competed well against the OnePlus 3 and 3T at the time. Its successor is the Axon 10 P ...more
|Choose Your View: Quick Bullet Points | Detailed Descriptions Android's newest major update is a special one — it's the tenth full version of the world's most commonly used operating system. The latest release, dubbed simply Android 10 (codename Android Q), was first showcas ...more