When the power goes out, having the ability to contact others becomes extremely important, and your cell phone can be one of the most important tools to have. But if the power is out for an extended period of time, battery life becomes a constant problem. Without the ability ...more
With over 1.5 billion people on this planet without electricity, it's hard for those of us in developed nations to even fathom how anyone can read, write, repair, or do anything else that we take for granted without any lights. While some of our First World problems pale in co ...more
Unlike traditional backlit LCD technology, OLED screens don't use any power to display black pixels. Many manufacturers have taken advantage of this by implementing an always-on display, which only lights up a few pixels here and there to show relevant info when your phone is ...more
Inverting colors on your mobile device not only saves battery life, but also helps prevent straining your eyes, especially during the nighttime. Bright white screens interfere not only with your eyes, but with your sleeping patterns, as well. The bright lights greatly reduce y ...more
You can find a ton of live wallpapers for your Android device on Google Play, but the more alluring interactive ones are a harder to come by, which can bring your home screen to life using a few finger swipes and taps. Since these elusive wallpapers are few and far between, i ...more
When you need to subtly glance at the time or check your workout metrics without raising your wrist, the always-on display (AOD) on your Apple Watch comes in handy. However, Apple makes it seem impossible to disable it temporarily. You either choose to leave it on or off, with ...more
Following on from Edison's first lightblub moment back in 1879, the OU's Stephen Serjeant experiments with an alternative power source - the humble potato. Create a potato batter with a couple of screws and a light bulb.
Christmas has arrived early for ARCore app developers, as Google just unwrapped a few iterative improvements to the augmented reality toolkit in version 1.6. The first improvement comes in the form of improved lighting in Sceneform, Google's 3D rendering library for Javascrip ...more
Samsung began offering Android 7.0 Nougat to users in its beta program on November 10, 2016. The beta came to a close last month after the fifth and final version was pushed out to users under the build number ending in 1ZPLN. This update was released a couple of days after Ch ...more
The cell phone may have replaced the pocket watch, but thanks to some clever mods and hacks, "old-fashioned" time telling is making a comeback. Smart watches that connect to your mobile device cannot only tell you what time it is, but also change the song you're listening to a ...more
The year 2018 was a rough one for Snap, the company behind the Snapchat app and the Spectacles wearable camera device. From executive departures to reports of slowed user growth, the company that once spurned Facebook's multibillion-dollar advances is now facing a moment of tr ...more
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to buy that special hacker in your life a perfect holiday gift. That's why we've taken out the guesswork and curated a list of the top 20 most popular items our readers are buying. Whether you're buying a gift for a friend or have been ...more
Hak5's products get a lot of attention. Popping up in popular shows like Mr. Robot, their hacking tools are bold proof of concepts with space built into the design for the community to add their own tweaks and modifications. On Friday, Oct. 27, Null Byte attended the Hak5 rele ...more
With smartphone cameras and software getting better and better every year, more and more users are getting passionate about photography. So when you're shopping for a gift to get someone, if they have a smartphone, chances are they'll more than appreciate some tools and access ...more
Fire. It’s everywhere— always has been. From the Ordovician Period where the first fossil record of fire appears to the present day everyday uses of the Holocene. Today, we abundantly create flames (intentionally or unintentionally) in power plants, extractive metallurgy, i ...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
You're lost. You're cold, thirsty— you're hungry. What if you're not much of a hunter? Maybe you're a gatherer. So, then you'll eat plants. But what if you eat something poisonous? What if you're allergic to it? Okay, so not many people will find themselves in a situati ...more
You are stuck in the middle of nowhere and can't see a thing. Luckily you have pencil and your car battery. You can create 20 minutes of bright light using the graphite from a regular pencil, wired to the positive and negative of your car battery. Basically, the graphite serve ...more
In this video, we learn how to fix and iPod touch LCD screen that is too dim/won't light up. First, open up the back case of the device and take out the battery. Make sure not to disconnect the battery that is attached to the battery. After this, take a tool, which you can pur ...more
Check out this video tutorial to show you how to use the Sony DSR-PD170 MiniDV camcorder. This video was made by the equipment room at CUNY Journalism School in New York. The DSR-PD170 is a high quality video camera well suited to a broad range of applications -- from event v ...more
Light shows are one of the best parts of raves, bringing people together to participate in a whole new type of social interaction. Gloves have become the most popular tools of the lightshow trade, and this video will teach you how to make your own custom set exactly how you wa ...more
On Last One Out...Turn Out the Lights in Halo: Reach, you will be able to earn the I Didn't Train To Be A Pilot achievement which requires you to at least be on Normal difficulty and you have to destroy three of the anti-aircraft batteries. If you're hunting around for a strag ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make a lithium thionyl chloride battery, which is capable of generating 2.8v with enough current to power a LED. Warning: Thionyl Chloride is EXTREMELY toxic and this experiment must be performed in a fumehood by an e ...more
Warning: this video does not demonstrate the actual instructions for making this spooky Halloween LED light up pumpkin that blasts a truck horn. Check out http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/10/howto_tuesday_scariest_pu.html for more information and a complete build process. ...more
If you're tired of replacing the batteries on your remote control and you would rather have the TV remote charge by itself, grab a few solar cells, rechargable batteries, and a few extra odds and ends. With this mod to your remote, you can let light charge your remote and neve ...more
Stars are symbols of hope and light during the holiday season, probably the reason why lots of folks dress the top of their trees with this single most important holiday emblem. So what better origami project to fold this Christmas than an origami star? Take a gander at this ...more
Triboluminescence is the quality that makes a substance emit light when you crush, smash, hit, or otherwise break it's molecular bonds. If you want some triboluminescent (smash-glow) crystals, watch this video to learn how to make some out of a battery, glowpaint, and fire.
The alternator in your car is a vital part of your electrical system. If your battery is draining quickly or your battery light comes on for no reason, you probably have a bad alternator. Watch this video to learn how to assess problems with the alternator and fix them yourself.
Light up your world with these beautiful and easy-to-make illuminated LED balloons. You will need: 1 ten mm non-diffused LED balloon duct tape two CR2032 3v Lithium coin batteries optional: helium These LED balloons are awesome. Cool for parties.
This week, Windell Oskay of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories joins me to teach you how to make a super clever little circuit called the Joule Thief! The Joule Thief allows you to squeeze the life out of what most people think of as "dead" batteries! We were inspired by Big Cliv ...more
Watch this science video tutorial from Nurd Rage on how to make silver different colors by electrochemical anodizing. Without using paint, you can give a silver surface various colors by anodizing it. WARNING: Anodizing solution is corrosive, so wear gloves at all times when ...more
When Christians are out celebrating Christmas this year, Judaists will be out celebrating Hanukkah, or Chanukah, which is a lesser Jewish festival that lasts eight days from the 25th day of Kislev (December), and commemorating the rededication of the Temple; it is marked by th ...more
Watch as Novastar and Gundamaniac demonstrate detailed wiring for a crystal focus board for Star Wars Lightsabers! Making your very own Jedi Light Saber may be a daunting task if you don't know what you're doing, but this four-part video tutorial will save the day from evil fo ...more
This detailed video series shows you everything you need to do to install an LED lighting gauge cluster in your Volkswagen MK4 (Jetta, Gulf, or GTI). Part 1 starts with disconnecting the battery, Part 2 has you remove the interior cluster, Part 3 you disassemble the instrument ...more
Love folding origami? Then what better shape to fold for Christmas and the New Year than a star? A symbol of divinity as well as light and life during the dark days of winter, a star also makes great decor for Christmas trees and garlands. Take a look at this video to see how ...more
There's no better symbol for Christmas than the evergreen Christmas tree. A symbol of the preserverance of life and light during the dark and short winter days when everything else is dead, the tree is a beacon of hope. Check out this crafting video to learn how to craft an o ...more
When it comes to Christmas gifts, stuff that comes from the heart and is handmade is nice, but often times we really DO want that new iPad. But it's a little bit different when it comes to Christmas cards. There's nothing better to light up your day than a personalized, handm ...more
We know that Thanksgiving isn't the likeliest of holidays on which to send greeting cards. With Christmas in such close promixity, Thanksgiving usually gets relagated to being solely a food holiday where the turkey is the main attraction. But why not light up your friend's fa ...more
The only thing better than eating a cupcake is eating two cupcakes, and the only thing better than eating two cupcakes is, as it follows, eating three. So imagine the way your kids' faces will light up when you bake them these gigantic Christmas tree cupcakes! Made of not one ...more
Remember baby Maggie from "The Simpsons" and the adorable Christmas tree-shaped star bodysuit to Lisa's sax recital? Babies look cute in almost anything but somehow wrapping them up in star-shaped blankets/costumes puts them at their cutest. Watch this video to learn how to c ...more
How to make sparks without matches or a lighter If you camp a lot there is a good trick for making sparks without matches or a lighter. The biggest key to making a fire is to be able to do it when stuff is damp and wet. Lighting a fire in damp circumstances can be hard. You ca ...more
Simple yet effective, capacitors come in a dizzying array of forms and materials, vital to so many circuits for storage, timing, and filtration - the mighty capacitor! In this installment of the MAKE presents series, Collin Cunningham explains - how to build a Leyden jar, how ...more
Watch as Kipkay from MAKE Magazine shows you how to make something really cool for your music skills, with parts from RadioShack. Everybody's heard of them, but nobody has one or knows how to play one... a theremin. You could be the exception as you see how to build your very ...more
What's an LED Throwie? Watch this video and find out how to light up your neighborhood using colorful LED's and magnets! Yet another great idea for creating neighborhood art from Graffiti Research Lab. LED Throwies are an inexpensive way to add color to any ferromagnetic surf ...more
First off, don't be frustrated. YOU CAN DO IT! Contrary to the message in the image above, it's NOT over. It's just beginning. And when it comes to solving the New York Times crossword puzzle, the old cliche does apply: practice makes perfect. I've read quite a few books and ...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
It isn't a new gadget, but the EyeClops Mini Projector still makes a great stocking stuffer for Christmas Day. It's great for kids to play with, but for techies— it's sure to be something fun to hack and mod this holiday season. The EyeClops Mini Projector looks more like Wal ...more
If you're lucky enough to have a large, winding staircase, there's no reason not to dress it to the nines for this holiday season. Make sure that your party guests' jaws drop to the floor once you open the door by decorating your staircase with this gorgeous golden splendor th ...more
In this video tutorial you will learn how to make a pair of high tech night vision sunglasses. You will first need a pair of 100% clear sunglasses with nothing but UV protection. Then two sheets of theatrical photo gels, one congo blue and one primary red. Using the gasses as ...more
This is a recording of a class lecture on Voltage Sources. The first part describes how mechanical friction can generate voltages. The second describes how current can be generated using magnetism and from the energy of light. The third part describes how current can be gene ...more
According to Amazon.com, Kindle was their best-selling item this year, which means many, if not all of you are playing with a brand new Kindle on Christmas Day. Of all of Amazon's Kindle models, the Kindle 3 (6") will be the most common eReader in everyone's hands, either the ...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
All you science and astronomy nuts out there, pay attention, this detailed video tutorial series will tell you everything you need to know about using the Meade EXT-80-TC Telescope to ogle the universe. Meade’s new, larger 80mm diameter ETX-80-TC delivers more light-gathering ...more
I am writing this quick post in response to the recent earthquakes and tsunamis that are affecting Japan. As soon as the news broke, and we began to hear of tsunami warning for our area, I immediately realized how under prepared I was for a natural disaster. The thing that dro ...more
Graffiti is a great way of getting your message out to the masses. The earliest known graffiti dates back to 30,000 years ago and used the traditional apply-paint-to-wall technique. Though our paint now comes in cans and not from scavenged berries, the actual graffiti process ...more
Cars require maintenance no doubt, but it needs pampering even with the change of weather. Like in summer rainy and winter your vehicle is suppose to be looked after differently. It’s always wise to take measures before the onset of the winter season, to save you from the peri ...more
When I was attending college, my friends had a phantom thief in their dormitory. Almost every night, a different item of food would go missing, never to be seen again. There was constant speculation as to whom the thief was and how to catch them. Security cameras were deemed t ...more
Austin from 'Best Buy Tips and Tricks' give out a mobile tip on how to extend the battery life of your Blackberry by using the Blackberry's built-in function called the automatic black light dimmer. This function changes the brightness of the back light automatically depending ...more
So, you've made the change to fluorescent light bulbs? What should you do with those old energy wasting bulbs? Decorate your tree with it! Learn how to turn lightbulbs into Christmas ornaments with GiannyL! Create beautiful Christmas ornaments and decorations with old recycle ...more
Since the invention of the mechanical clock, enclosure of the commons, and proletarianization of labor, the alarm clock has been the bane of our existence. While not actually evil, it does represent the constant and uncompromising glare of our owners shaking a patronizing fing ...more
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The Cheap USB Kill Stick That Destroys Any Computer You Want
