It's been a long time coming, but Microsoft has finally released a software development kit (SDK) for the Kinect on Windows 7 PCs. The word "hacking" is no longer needed, thanks to the free beta download available at Microsoft Research that allows anyone with a Windows compute ...more
The year 2020 was a pivotal span of time during which the word "virtual" took on a brand new meaning. Instead of referring to VR or augmented reality, the term was hijacked to describe meeting across long distances through a variety of software tools, most often through video. ...more
Coming soon to an Android device near you: Diminished Reality! What's Diminished Reality? A lot like Augmented Reality, really, but with one big difference: Where AR giveth, insinuating virtual elements into a live representation of the real world, Diminished Reality taketh aw ...more
While the heyday of the Slinky may have been a few decades ago, I still think it's one of the coolest toys to ever go to market. Not to mention it probably has the best commercial ever created. Video: . If you still have an old Slinky lying around, you can make this pretty coo ...more
In 2017, after purchasing a majority of the 600 MHz frequency, T-Mobile began a massive rollout of the new LTE Bands across the US. However, there are currently only two devices that support the frequency, also known as LTE Band 71. Thanks to a recent FCC listing, we've learne ...more
In our media-enriched world, past and present, SCRABBLE has made a name for itself, whether deliberately, subconsciously, or influentially. You may have a read a book that had the popular word game within a chapter, watched a movie that showed your favorite characters bringing ...more
Welcome back, my novice hackers! One of the most common questions that Null Byte readers ask is: "How can I evade detection by antivirus software on the target?" I have already talked about how AV software works, but to obtain a deeper understanding, what better way is there ...more
Luci Lock shows you how to avoid the heavy price tag and unhealthy processing of commercial flavored olive oils. You'll love this simple and delicious recipe for garlic chili olive oil.
The world of spices can be bewildering. They promise to make your food more flavorful if you know how to make the most of them. Unless you know a couple of essential tricks, however, it just seems like you're adding bits of colored powder to your food. Most cooks buy a few bo ...more
You can take some absolutely gorgeous photos using the natural reflection that appears in people's and animals' eyes. With the right angle and lighting, you can even see a detailed picture of what the subject was looking at when the photo was taken. Photo by Martin Cathrae Th ...more
With so many cloud storage services out there, many people are starting to keep their important documents online, especially when they know they'll need to view them when they're away from their computer. That's all well and good, but I'm still human, and I forget things. Som ...more
This method is easy, intuitive and requires very little math. You will need: Any flat flexible sheet material (ex. paper plates for this how-to) Pencil or pen Scissors Stapler, tape, glue or fasteners Ruler or straight edge Protractor Flatten Plates Flatten the paper plate ...more
True innovation tends to come from the places we least expect as developers. The Microsoft HoloLens is still a very new product, and some of the other headsets are still just ideas, so the rules for mixed reality are not set in stone. That means all the real problems to be sol ...more
As practically the entire Steampunk world knows by now, IBM has predicted that Steampunk will be the big new trend from 2013 to 2015. They based this prediction on their computers, which sift through broad swathes of the internet in order to see patterns that may help commerci ...more
It might be time to move those Instagram photos to another service. It seems that Instagram has never heard of the phrase, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." In a very big WTF moment, the extremely popular photo sharing and editing app decided that it has the right to sell its ...more
While using Google+, it's been apparent that there are two types of posters. There are the people who post thoughtful, serious posts about everything from tech to dealing with cancer. And then there are the meme propagators, the people who decide to rick roll others (ahem, +Br ...more
Even if you're not a hipster with your own self-sufficient garden, making your own edibles at home can be pretty cool. And while it's obviously easier to pick up a bottle of 7-Up at the store, there's something undoubtedly fun about making your own. For those addicted to their ...more
What is it about the fantasy of the treehouse? Escapism. Other worldly, bird-like elevation. Beauty and peacefulness. Backwoods simplicity (although in some cases, truly elaborate works of fine architecture). Whatever the draw is, I'm dying to have my own treehouse in the wood ...more
Modern warfare takes on a more literal translation with the advent of new augmented reality displays revealed recently by the US Army to improve soldiers' situational awareness on the battlefield. A new helmet-mounted displays, named Tactical Augmented Reality (TAR), integrat ...more
You Want White Teeth Without Expensive Over-The-Counter Products? Here's An Inexpensive, Effective Solution. Everywhere you look there are products for whitening teeth. You could spend a fortune on products you have to use everyday. This tutorial will show you a natural, inex ...more
Time-lapse videos are a recent phenomenon to the mainstream audience—in movies, on television shows, and even in commercial ads. These sped-up and blurred images are a microcosm of many of our lives in which we're constantly in a hurry to get somewhere. We like everything fast ...more
An iPhone-controlled drone unveiled at the recently held CES is expected to revolutionize the world of video gaming. Called the AR.Drone (AR stands for augmented reality), this new product will literally bring video games to the streets. Via Daily Mail, "The flying saucer-li ...more
3D printing has been around for a while, but until recently it was used mostly for prototyping and research. Now, with technological advancements, it seems like everyone is using 3D printers, from crime scene investigators to garage hobbyists and hackers. Below are some of the ...more
We all remember the controversy of SCRABBLE Trickster back in April. SCRABBLE + Mattel + Proper Nouns = BLASPHEMY! Some thought it was just a PR hoax, something to rattle the bones of diehard SCRABBLE players, like myself. Others thought it was an April Fools' Day joke. But ...more
The price of TLC plates can add up. See how to make thin-layer chromatography plates (TLC plates) for a few cents each that are as good as commercial TLC plates that sell for a dollar or two each. You can use these home-made TLC plates the same way you'd use chromatography pap ...more
In recent weeks, some people have been shunned from the Null Byte community because they expressed "black hat" aspirations. This is because Null Byte is the "white hat" hacker training/playground. Although most of us think we know what that means, it does beg the question; "Wh ...more
If you've been to a farmer's market during tomato season, chances are you know that heirloom tomatoes are pricier (and funnier-looking) than their hybrid counterparts. Heirloom tomatoes, bursting at the seams.. These eccentric tomatoes have become a sought-after alternative to ...more
If you're on the hunt for a profitable side-gig, or even a completely new way to to make money, you'll want to take a look at Upwork, a leading freelancing platform that connects skilled freelancers with clients from all over the world. Upwork allows you to build your own onl ...more
It's been about five months since Google first unveiled their prototype future computers running Chrome OS, and the time is nearly here for the Chromebooks to be unleashed on the public. But there are a lot of qualms over the release of Chromebooks, with most criticism coming ...more
I was working on a different Google+ Insider's Guide post when suddenly, my Google+ stream started filling up with news of Steve Jobs' death. Since that moment, many people in the tech industry have paused to reflect on the legacy that Steve Jobs left behind, and talk about wh ...more
Bobbers are great fishing tools. Not only do bobbers keep your line above water, they also bob up and down in the water when you've caught something, so you know when to reel it in. In this tutorial, you will learn how to attach and use a bobber. Bobbers, or floats, have butto ...more
Scrabble has invaded just about every medium out there. It started as a mere board game, but has since spawned numerous board game spinoffs and variations, an electronic version, mobile apps for just about anything (Android, iPhone, iPhone, iPad and Kindle), games for both PC ...more
There are so many hackers around these days, and they are becoming very smart. So smart that they have successfully taken down many government websites. The most recent attack was on the Department of Justice (DOJ). To read about the history of these hackers, check out Wikiped ...more
For the days when you don't want to, or don't have time to wash your hair, dry shampoo can be a lifesaver. There are tons of commercial brands that make them, but personally, I've always had better luck with homemade ones. Read on to learn how to make your own dry shampoo for ...more
Marijuana is legal to use for medical purposes in 28 states and the District of Columbia, but the quick development of this new industry could have left some regulation issues in the lurch. Recently, a California man died of a fungal infection after using marijuana to help al ...more
Natural remedies used through the ages abound, especially in Asian medicine. The willow-leaved justicia plant, found throughout Southeast Asia, has traditionally been used to treat arthritis, but scientists have just discovered it contains an anti-HIVcompound more potent than ...more
Nintendo's Wii Remote came close, but never has a video game peripheral garnered such adoration from the hacker community than the Kinect. Since the release of Microsoft's controller-free gaming device last November, there has literally been thousands of fun and useful projec ...more
Blue corn is a special variety of corn which can be differentiated by the majority of the corn species by looking at the unusual top growth of the corn. It is a hybrid and grows very uniformly throughout. Now take a corn from the field and peel it off. You shall notice that it ...more
The Google Nexus S smartphone is finally here! Well… almost. Nexus S is the first smartphone based on the Gingerbread OS (Android 2.3) and will be available for purchase online and at Best Buy store locations everywhere, come December 16th, with T-Mobile service. Aah… just ...more
You've seen it in action before, but now it's finally got a solid release date, well... release month. The newest version of the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY was unveiled at MWC 2011 today and will be available for purchase globally in March 2011 (in selected markets), which is ...more
This gem, an extensive cinematography video tutorial on Motion Control systems by Mark Roberts Motion Control. In some ways this video is an advertisement for the systems they create, but there is a lot of useful knowledge shared that transfers to planning, shooting, and compo ...more
Trimble is integrating its mixed reality applications into the DAQRI Smart Helmet to enable outdoor and on-site support for design, construction, and heavy industry as part of a collaboration the companies announced today. A provider of advanced solutions for industrial compa ...more
This is a great instructional video on how to set up a fishing pole for bass fishing. If you want to set up a fishing pole for bass fishing, you have to use a 6 1/2-foot, medium-action spinning rod with a medium-sized reel. You can discover why it's important not to overpower ...more
You don't need to pay filet mignon prices to get melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. You just need to know a few tricks. Learn how to make less expensive cuts of meat tender. No need to spend the big bucks on fancy steak. Step 1: Rub with papaya Briskly rub the inside skin of a fr ...more
To say Steven Purugganan is fast is an understatement. The twelve-year-old from Longmeadow, Massachusetts has won two Cup Stacking world championships, and appeared in commercials for McDonald's and Firefox. According to Steven's Wikipedia page, he has been featured in "...a ...more
The reveal of Magic Leap One: Creator Edition brought with it some insight into the path the device took from prototype to "final" design. By comparing notes with the Rolling Stone article on Magic Leap with other reports on comparable milestones, we get a clearer picture of ...more
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill that began on April 20, 2010, was the largest maritime oil spill in history. Killing 11 people and discharging 4.1 million barrels of oil and natural gas into the Gulf of Mexico, the event was an unparalleled personal, environmental, and busines ...more
Video games have been a purely digital medium for some decades now. They exist in the electronic nether, embedded on discs and projected on screens. Since digital distribution has gained popularity, even the physical manifestation of the game disc is going away, leaving games ...more
If you're only fighting with foam, you don't want a professional hunting weapon. But you can refit a commercial crossobw and make it larp safe. Starting with the Cobra crossbow, you can modify it to safely shoot foam tipped arrows at a boffer larp.
Composting is said to be every gardener’s gold, but making compost and getting it ready could take up to a year. Professional growers have discovered that compost activators can help speed up composting quickly…sometimes to as little as 30 days! 6 Steps to Speed Up Composting ...more
We've all been waiting for it, and now it's finally here— Video Skype for the iPhone 4. It's no longer just a voice over the phone, now you can finally see those rosy-red cheeks of your fellow Skyper, and maybe even their underwear. Check out the official Skype for iPhone - no ...more
The resolution, or sharpness, of a lens is vital to creating and reproducing quality photographs. Watch as this video breaks down how to diagnose the sharpness of your SLR lenses. Lens sharpness is a simple, but necessary, tool for producing great images. Lens sharpnes issues ...more
The interactive displays of the future as visualized in Steven Spielberg's science fiction classic Minority Report, as well as the augmented reality interfaces used by millionaire playboy Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, are now closer to becoming reality in the mi ...more
Celebrating Mother's Day just got more exploitative with Apple's Mother's Day ad. Their original Mother's Day ad shows photos and videos of mothers shot on an iPhone and uses the “Shot on iPhone” marketing line: Video: . In a perhaps misguided marketing campaign, you can inse ...more
The relationship between developers and publishers in the video game industry has always been awkward. Many great game developers such as Bizzare Creations, Clover Studio, and Bullfrog Productions have been disbanded due to corporate shenanigans involving their publishers and ...more
Unfortunately, I'm a little behind schedule on my pizza dough making mission, but I promise - more experiments coming soon! In the meantime, here's a beautiful video about the nuance that goes into bread making, as demonstrated by famed San Francisco baker Chad Robertson of Ta ...more
It’s easy to make those telltale sweat spots disappear if you know what to use on them. Don't throw away those white shirts, learn how to get rid of sweat stains instead. You Will Need * Liquid laundry detergent * White vinegar or ammonia * Clean sponges * A clean, white clot ...more
Check out this detailed beekeeping video tutorial on how to construct a wooden commercial frame with wax foundation for use in a honey bee hive by beekeepers. Also, learn how to use a plastic frame.
In the mid '90s, there was no such thing as a widely available indie video game. Brick-and-mortar stores were the only places for consumers to buy games, and magazines were the only outlets to hear about them. For video game creators, the need for a publisher to market and dis ...more
Pygame! And what you can accomplish with it. Another python article... (Blame Alex for getting me hooked on yet another coding language...) This little article will cover "Pygame", the set of modules that were designed with game developers in mind. Specifically ones who code ...more