Wireless headphones can be a wonderful way to help clear up the clutter inherent in most desktop PC systems. However, after plugging a wall wart in, and the headphone jack into the computer, the number of wires used has actually doubled. After [Parker] found an old set of JVC 900 Mhz wireless headphones (and a generic 900MHz transmitter), he cracked open the case to see what he could do with them. Realizing that the transmitter used a 12V DC source, he powered it with an unused floppy connector (which provides +12V, +5V, and two ground lines). He also wired…
Hack
Internal Wireless Headphones
Hack
With Zipit, who needs a netbook?
[Hunter Davis] keeps rolling out the hacks for the Zipit. In the past he showed us how to run DOSbox, and then how to get NES emulation working on this tiny device. Now he’s got Linux kernel 2.6.29 running Fluxbox with mouse (newly added), audio, and WiFi functionality. Follow his step-by-step flashing instructions to load the kernel into the Zipit. Once flashed, a partitioned microSD card servers as the filesystem and swap.
Who needs a 10.1 inch screen or an Atom processor when you can get this 2.8″ QVGA beauty with an XScale processor for around $40?
[Thanks Matt]…
Hack
Twitter, talking fish, and more
[Dan Ros] sent in his hack of a twitter talking Big Mouth Billy Bass. Originally he simply had an mbed micrcontroller and an SD card with some wav files allowing Billy to say classic quotes. Wanting to go further however, they used the mbed’s HTTPClient library to grab Twitter updates, and then have Billy say them out loud! Check out some other cool projects the mbed team has in the cookbook.
But wait, whats an mbed? We didn’t have a clue either!
Some researched reveals it is a powerful new microcontroller and prototyping board. With some features such as…
Hack
Universal credit card in the palm of your hand
Do you remember the magnetic card spoofer in Terminator 2? It was a bit farfetched because apparently the device could be swiped through a reader and magically come up with working account numbers and pin numbers. We’re getting close to that kind of magic with [Jaroslaw's] card spoofer that is button-programmable.
Building off of a project that allows spoofing via an iPod and electromagnet, [Jaroslaw] wanted something that doesn’t require a computer to put together the card code. He accomplished this by interfacing a 20-button keyboard and a character LCD with an AVR ATmega168 microcontroller. Card codes can be…
Hack
New Wii drive hardware emulation
The Wii-Optical-Drive-Emulator (WODE) makes it possible to load Wii and GameCube ISO files from an SD card or USB storage device. This hack uses the ribbon cable for the optical drive to connect to the Wii, requiring no soldering. The WODE is based on an ARM9 processor, runs Linux, and features a backlit LCD screen and 4-way center click joystick. Storage can be hot plugged and then an ISO selected using the stick and LCD display. Selected ISO files appear in the game channel as if an original disc had just been inserted into the drive.
The developers claim…
Internet
Gus Hansen Opens Online Poker website Pokerchamps.Com
Top poker player Gus Hansen "The Great Dane" has launched anonline poker room he has called "PokerChamps".A unique feature of www.pokerchamps.com is that you can play atfour hands simultaneously on a single screen. You can selectOneScreen, EnlargedScreen, DuoScreen or FourScreen windows.PokerChamps is the only Internet poker room in the world thatoffers players this facility.In addition, the double World Poker Tour winner gives tips andhints on the website – and frequently plays there himself.Another interesting new feature is the site’s affiliate system.Users can invite their friends to join and receive a bonus.Games include Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card Studand…
Hack
Six monitors, one video card
With most of us utilizing at least two monitors these days in our day to day operations, six monitors, while an awesome thought, might seem a little too excessive. After all, do we really have space for multiple video cards?
AMD has a new setup in their testing lab that is running six Dell 30inch displays at 7680×3200 through a video card holding six DisplayPort connectors.
Maximum PC has the scoop on the setup, and they say that this single GPU will be coming out on AMD’s DirectX 11 capable chips. Details are slim with the amount of video…
Finance
Bankruptcy: Tips To Avoid It
Although it may seem like an easy solution to major financial difficulties, it is best to avoid bankruptcy at all cost. There are many reasons for avoiding bankruptcy and many tips for helping those in financial difficulty avoid resorting to bankruptcy. Before beginning to consider bankruptcy, it is best to weigh the negative consequences.
Although it may seem like an easy solution to major financial difficulties, it is best to avoid bankruptcy at all cost. There are many reasons for avoiding bankruptcy and many tips for helping those in financial difficulty avoid resorting to bankruptcy. Before beginning to consider bankruptcy,…
Tech Support
Unlocked Mobile Phone Deals
The benefits of unlocked cell phones are numerous. They are great for people seeking flexibility and freedom to use any SIM card that they want. Whether someone is planning on vacationing abroad or just need more flexibility for cell phone carriers domestically, there are many reasons why you should buy an unlocked wireless phone. Discount cell phones can be bought both new and used. However, the best deals for cell phones will always be buying “used”.
The most beneficial reason for being a discount unlocked cell phone is that you’re able to keep the phone whenever you switch mobile phone…
Hack
Homing pigeon email
Yes, you read that correctly: electronic mail carried by birds. [Ferdinand] tipped us off to this story, which involves combining new and old methods in transferring data. The Unlimited Group, a firm in a remote section of South Africa, transfers loads of encrypted documents to a second office 50 miles away. A pricey broadband connection would take between 6 hours and two days to transfer a standard load (4GB) of data between these locations. On the other hand, Winston (seen above) can complete an equivalent flight within 45 minutes. A memory card is strapped to his leg, and using his wit and instinct, Winston…
Business
How to choose the right insurance policy
With the increasingly uncertain times, what with terrorist attacks and tumultuous financial markets, getting an insurance cover for you and your family has become imperative. However, many of us do not take decisions because of it being such a big ball of wax.Choosing the right kind of insurance cover not only determines the care that we receive should our health take a wrong turn, but it can be the wild card in your financial plan.There are many benefits of an insurance cover; however, topping the list of benefits is the financial support that a family gets in the event of…
Business
No depreciation on bourse membership card value, rules HC
MUMBAI: In A judgement that could have a bearing on the tax outgo of many stock brokers, the Bombay High Court on Friday ruled that depreciation cannot be claimed on stock exchange membership cards, while calculating tax liabilities. The I-T Department’s contention was that a membership card is not capable of diminishing in value due to its use, wear and tear and obsolescence. Counsel Vimal Gupta, assisted by advocate Suresh Kumar, who argued for the department, submitted that the card was a personal privilege, and not a licence or a commercial right. The stock broking firms, they said, were not…
