Christmas is the time to splurge— not just with presents and food— we're talking decorations. It's that time of year when verdurous fir trees take up half of your living room, when waving elf figurines silhouette your front windows, when Rudolph flies from the rooftops, Santa ...more
Interested in getting 1.5-volt button cell batteries for pennies on the dollar? Kip Kay, of Make Magazine, is here to show you how. The trick is to buy Energizer A23s, each of which contains 8 1.5-volt button cells. For detailed instructions on this straightforward money-savin ...more
Want AAA batteries for cheap? Learn how to hack a 9-volt battery with this money-saving video tutorial from Make Magazine's Kip Kay. All you'll need to replicate this hack at home is a pair of needle-nosed pliers and one or more Energizer 9-volt batteries. For instructions on ...more
Is your laptop not holding a charge anymore? Don't buy a new one, hack the old one! Laptop batteries can cost upwards of a hundred dollars, but with new lithium batteries and some soldering tools, the new one works just as well. Watch this video computer circuitry tutorial and ...more
This video is revelatory. Here is the good news. If you have devices that rely on 1.5 volt button cell batteries, this tutorial from KipKay will save you $40.00. Here is the bad news. Now, I am just angry at big business. Duracell. Energizer. You really suck. Hack a 12-volt ...more
Find out how to use a six volt lantern battery to really save you money. This is no con, or prank, or joke that involves 32 AA batteries; this is the real deal. Just watch this money saving video tutorial to see how to hack a six volt battery. You can easily replace a few of t ...more
Hacking the PSP requires some unique tools and procedures, including the infamous Pandora Batteries and Magic Memory Sticks. This video will show you how to hack both the fat and slim versions of the PSP with firmware version 5.03 and below. This will allow you to play all sor ...more
Battery life is often a big problem with new smart phones. In this tutorial, learn how to change the settings on your brand new HTC EVO 4G so that the battery lives longer on the 4G network. Don't get stuck with a dead phone- check out this clip and keep it alive!
Does making Pandora's battery seem too challenging to you? Or outright dangerous? You aren't alone. In this video one like-minded DIY'er demonstrates how to use a product called the Datel Battery Service Tool to make the whole hacking process much easier. It sets your PSP's ba ...more
Find the ins and outs to UPS hacking in this video from Systm! And were not talking about the parcel service here—we're talking about your UPS system—your uninterruptible power supply, which can be pretty weak. That's why you should hack the tiny battery out of it and replace ...more
This is part 1 of 2 on how to hack a PSP without a Pandoras Battery using ChickHEN. You will need to ensure that you have firmware version 5.03 ChickHEN R2 in order for this hack to work. Perform these steps at your own risk, as there is a potential risk of bricking your PSP. ...more
My least favorite aspect of the winter season is how my fingers always turn into stiff, numb digits, unfeeling and seemingly incapable of making even the slightest movement. Yes, that might sound overdramatic, but if you hate wearing gloves like I do, you probably know exactly ...more
The build.prop file in an Android device is home to many system-level values and settings. Everything from screen density to video recording quality is covered in this file, and people have been editing these entries to get new functionality and better performance since Androi ...more
For most people, the battery life on a DSLR is more than sufficient, but if you want to do a really long exposure or time-lapse, one charge might not last long enough to get the shot you want. You can always connect it to an extension cord to charge while you shoot, but that c ...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
What's a penny worth these days? Not much. But could there be some free energy hidden inside your spare pennies? You'd be surprised! See how I hack together stacks of pennies into makeshift batteries that can drive small-current devices like LEDs and calculators. Video: . You' ...more
Do you have one of those jobs where the minutes seems to stretch by like hours? Then shaving off an extra twelve might make all the difference. All you need is cunning (to kidnap the workplace clock for the night) and hacking skills (not to worry, creator Randy Sarafan will he ...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
See how to make a guerilla battery pack for your camera! For this quick battery hack from ChappyShowcase, all you need is some gaffing tape and two batteries from your camcorder. Simply tape the two batteries together so that the contact terminals are facing away from each oth ...more
What if you could have a secret hard drive connected to your computer that only you could activate? You can! Samimy shows you how to hack a remote controlled toy car and make a super secret hard disk drive in your computer, accessed via a secret activation key. This hidden eme ...more
Create a miniature hover craft from the fan, polystrene or Styrofoam plate, batteries and double-sided scotch tape. It really works. Powered by two 9 volt batteries you can use paper plates for the body of the hovercraft if need be. This is a cool cat toy or just a household h ...more
Make your very own hydrogen (and oxygen) generator with a 9V battery, copper wire, and baking soda (or salt). Why? Who knows. Make sure to check your connections. For more information on this hack, including detailed, step-by-step instructions on assembling your own HHO genera ...more
This how-to video will show you how to zap charge a non-rechargeable battery with only two wires and a car. Sounds cool, and fun, unless of course you zap yourself. Watch this video circuitry tutorial for more information on this simple, money-saving hack.
TOUCHPAD HACK - This video tutorial shows how to transform a touchpad into a useful mini graphics tablet with some simple, everyday items. You will need a 1.5V battery, a small ball bearing, and a Philips head screwdriver. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to transform a ...more
As far as the world of consumer electronics goes, it doesn't get much greener than recycling solar panels. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to solder together broken solar panels, giving them new life as a functional AA battery charger, which produces about 6 volts in ...more
Want to know how to check the battery life on a Nexus One smartphone? Whether you're the owner of a Nexus One Android phone or just covet one, you're sure to enjoy this Nexus One owner's guide from Nexus One Hacks, which presents a complete, step-by-step walkthrough of how to ...more
Nintendo 64. It's the classic video game console and probably houses a bunch of your fond childhood memories. Well, now you can relive those tender moments AND play Super Mario Brothers on the go by hacking your Nintendo 64 just a wee bit. Check out this video to learn how to ...more
While breadboarding may seem like some odd combination of snowboarding and consuming the fluffy pastry at the same time, it's actually just the technical term for using a construction base to build a prototype electric circuit. Breadboards are solderless so they're great for c ...more
Build your very own Trek-style Blu-Ray laser phaser with this hacker's how-to video from Kip Kay of Make Magazine. To replicate this hack at home, you'll need the following materials: (1) a PS3 Blu-Ray laser assembly (which can be had on eBay for roughly $45), (2) an original ...more
Check out this step-by-step video tutorial on how to take the back off and take apart the new iPhone 3G (2nd generation). The directions here also include how to replace the LCD, touchscreen, battery, and motherboard in Apple's iPhone 3G. It also includes any information that ...more
The PSP has never had the software support that it needed to be a really commercially successful system. Since Sony blew it already, you may as well go the extra mile to make this expensive little thing you bought more useful right? This video will teach you how to hack a PSP ...more
The Evo 4G does a lot of fancy things. Unfortunately, a lot of those fancy things are power-intensive. Interested in getting the most out of the HTC Evo 4G's battery? Whether you're the owner of an HTC Evo 4G Android smartphone or just covet one, you're sure to enjoy this Evo ...more
Hacking the PSP is a complicated process, and there has been some demand for a software tool that would make the process easier. This video has that solution. It explains how to use a program called PSPtool to create the magic memory stick and Pandora's battery much more easil ...more
Systm is the Do It Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. We will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. Search Systm on WonderHowTo for more DIY episod ...more
The Kinect is sure to swarm the homes of Xbox 360 gamers this holiday season. Even though some of us are amazed at the hands-free gaming capabilities it offers, others feel it to be frustratingly limited. Adafruit Industries is one of them. They recently held a competition wi ...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
Update: If you're running iOS 7 or higher, you'll want to check out the new way to fully close your background applications. With the newest version of iPhone firmware, you will be able to multitask. Finally, Apple has given us the ability to access more than one program at o ...more
Systm is the Do It Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. We will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. Search Systm on WonderHowTo for more DIY episod ...more
Every day we pass bridges, whether it's a foot bridge, a highway overpass, a span over water, or a viaduct over a valley. We pass on these structures without even thinking of the engineering genius that went into their design and construction, let alone the science behind thei ...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
Hack the PSP or Playstation portable handheld game console. You need a Pandora battery, a 2 GB memory stick and a PSP. You are hacking the firmware of the PSP. You will turn the official firmware from the 3.80 into M335. You can downgrade if you have v 4.0 or higher firmware. ...more
Kip "Kipkay" Kedersha is known for his intriguing and clever how-to and prank videos, even when he teams up with MAKE Magazine. He will show you how to tweak, hack, mod, and bend any technology to your hacking needs. No electronic device, gadget, or household item can stand th ...more
This Weekend Project is the USBattery from MAKE Magazine Volume 16. Conceal a flash drive in a AA battery! This is a way cool USB battery mod or hack project. It makes a cool secret storage space for your spy projects. Wear gloves, safety goggles and a non alkaline battery.
Do you want to hack your PS3? Are you tired of different videos sending you all over the place to find all of the necessary steps? Look no further. This three-part video offers detailed, step-by-step instructions for hacking your PSP, including making a Pandora's battery, a ma ...more
Hack your remote control so you only need one battery to run it! All you need is one paper clip to let you complete the circuit between the battery and the hardware on your remote control. It'll run at a lower voltage, so you'll have to be closer to the TV, but it will still w ...more
This confectionery hacking how-to video demonstrates that, with an electric motor, juice lids, battery and sugar, you can make your own cotton candy machine. Don't wait for a carnival or fair to get your next taste of sweet, sweet cotton candy. Watch this video tutorial to see ...more
Grab your thinking caps and get your hack on. Null Byte is officially seeking contributors on a weekly basis who are willing to take the time to educate the Null Byte community on anything, from hardware hacks to life hacks. Contributors that write tutorials will be featured o ...more
Hack a car photo to be a really awesome decorative object for your home or office at a very low cost. It's also really fun to make! All it takes is a few LED lights and a 9V battery.
Feeling ambitious in the hack department? Try taking on the DIY Pong Clock. Via Core77, "Hardware hacker Ladyada has released an open source retro arcade style table tennis for two clock called the MONOCHRON. According to MONCHRON project page they 'wanted to make a clock th ...more
This is hardcore, serious hacking at its best. So it goes without saying that you probably shouldn't be attempting this computer hack unless you've successfully shut down your friend's computer at school using Command Prompt and sent out a fake virus to loved ones. This tutor ...more
Dreams are like an internal human holodeck. Inside your mind, anything is possible, from your grandest wishes to your worst nightmares. This is all well and good, but what if you could control your dreams and become the omniscient god of a handpicked reality whenever you go to ...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
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
Turn a 'toy' radar gun into the real thing! Cops don't even have one like this! While this is a completely new and different design, the inspiration for this video is from an article by Ken Delahoussaye in MAKE Magazine. Just watch this video tutorial on how to hack a toy rada ...more
Can you really make an explosive from salt, sugar and weed killer? Does glycerol and water actually recover text from burnt paper? Is it possible to develop film with a first aid kit and some orange juice? MacGyver says yes. Want to know more of MacGyver's ingenious household ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to create a Pandora battery for the fat PSP. A Pandora battery allows the user the process of using exploits and hacks to execute unsigned code on the PSP. Before beginning, users are advised to completely drain the battery. Begin by t ...more
Hacked Gadgets recently featured Csaba Bleuer's LED wave display, a device that projects LED messages midair. Bleuer had also previously created a similar device that spins on a fan motor. "Csaba Bleuer sent in some pictures and a video of his new creation. It is a LED Wave D ...more
Hak5 isn't your ordinary tech show. It's hacking in the old-school sense, covering everything from network security, open source and forensics, to DIY modding and the homebrew scene. Damn the warranties, it's time to Trust your Technolust. In this episode, see how to break dow ...more
So, your children have the same old boring Fisher-Price Power Wheels that all the other kids on the block have. Do you really want your child to be like all of the rest? No, I didn't think so. Turn those miniature Power Wheels, Dumar or Peg Perego vehicles into a little bit of ...more
The biggest struggle with flashing DVD drives on Xbox 360s has been the price tag of the probe to extract keys on some drives. The probe and kit is required to extract the DVD key, which is needed to perform a drive repair, flash, or backup of any kind. Who wants to pay big bu ...more