modding
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Microsoft Research's .NET Gadgeteer steps out into the light, shoots daggers at Arduino (video)
Arduino, meet .NET Gadgeteer -- your newest homebrew hacking rival. Born from Microsoft Research engineers' desire to build prototypes quickly and easily, the two-and-a-half-years in the making ARM7-powered mainboard packs 4MB Flash, 16MB RAM, Ethernet, WiFi, an SD card interface and USB ports. Novice mods might wanna put the Netduino down because this homespun alternative also runs atop MS' .NET Micro Framework, and thanks to its IntelliSense feature, makes auto-coding a breeze for first-timers. If you're interested in what Ballmer & co. are offering, you can head to the project's site now to pre-order its GHI-made hardware: a $250 Spider Starter Kit and the $120 Spider Mainboard. Both will be available by the end of September, but if you need a preview of what this burgeoning open source community has to offer, peep the stop-motion making mod after the break.
Bluetooth keyboard mod resurrects Morse code, offers a helping click to disabled (video)
Morse code may have been pushed aside in the pursuit of higher-tech cryptography, but the old dits and dahs of yore are now finding a repurposed life helping the disabled. Modding outfit Zunkworks has cobbled together an Arduino hack that pairs a Bluetooth-based, dots and dashes approach with wallet-friendly parts. Using the keyboard's two inbuilt push-buttons, users' clicks are decoded by the integrated Arduino and then transmitted via Bluetooth to a nearby computer. And thanks to the mod's HID profile support, you can also enjoy this access solution on smartphones and tablets -- useful for those who can "send code at 25-50 words per minute." Yeah, that's definitely not us. Still, we applaud the group's efforts to make 21st century tech accessible to the handicapped and geek alike. Jump past the break for a video demo of this on / off hackjob.
CyanogenMod 7 hits 500,000 installs, eclipses previous milestone
Looks like another round of roman candles are in order. After already setting off the celebratory fireworks for its previous user install milestone, CyanogenMod 7's done it again -- this time reaching past the half a million mark. The highly customizable Android homebrew is arguably the biggest aftermarket OS in the ROM-flashing campus, and it has the numbers to back it up. According to the site's stats, the official release of 7.0.3 saw the biggest spike in handset installations -- at 76,897 -- with unofficial nightly builds almost doubling that figure. Sure, it sometimes seems like the rooting community is a vast, silent majority, but it's actually a wafer-thin slice of Google's mobile pie. Still, congratulations are in order for this open-source hackdom triumph. [Thanks, Chris]
Ben Heck creates automatic Xbox 360 disc changer
Ben Heck is truly a master of manipulating manufactured goods, and nothing proves his mechanical prowess more than his latest creation: an Xbox 360 disc changer. Heck has taken the 360's DVD drive and placed it inside a heavily modified Sony CD changer. He then uses an Arduino microcontroller to control disc selection, and solders the whole kit-and-caboodle onto the 360's motherboard. For all us lazy slobs at Joystiq, it's a beautiful dream to behold. We doubt we'll ever have the opportunity to actually buy one, but modding community element14 is giving away Ben's prototype, if signing up for forums to win homemade Xbox disc-changers is your scene.
Mini Space Invaders arcade cabinet big on nostalgia, small in size
Always wanted an 80's arcade cabinet for your living room, but the square footage in your studio apartment won't cooperate with your gaming plans? Well, a master mini craftsman has created a seven-inch replica of Space Invaders that can fit on your desktop, coffee table, or bedside stand. It was cobbled together using the guts of a Game Boy Advance, some lilliputian controls, and a custom cabinet coated in shrunken decals that's made of medium density fiberboard. Best of all, thanks to those Nintendo internals, there's an entire arcade's worth of games at your tiny fingertips. Between this and its diminutive Donkey Kong cousin, perhaps mini arcade cabinets are the future of gaming. Video of the little gem in action is after the break.
Game Gear mod has five-inch screen, rechargable batteries, two pounds worth of memories
Are Nintendo and Sony's portable gaming offerings not doing anything for you? Yearn for the days of Hedgehog-based adventure? You're not alone -- though, unless you're as crafty as "lovablechevy," you're going to have to settle for whatever you can find on eBay or in a dusty shoebox under a bed at your parents' house. The modder resurrected a Game Gear with a custom case created using the beloved Sega portable, a Master Gear converter, a screen from a PS One, and assorted other bits and pieces. The franken-portable can play Game Gear and Master System titles, has a rechargeable battery, and weighs a hefty two-plus pounds. Video after the break and lots more jealousy-inducing images in the Source link below.
EVE Evolved: Building a better UI
It's no secret that EVE Online has a poor user interface. With its drop-down menus for interacting with objects and text lists to show information like market orders and nearby objects in space, EVE has thoroughly earned the nickname "spreadsheets in space." The UI has changed drastically since I started playing in 2004, but in recent years, it's fallen behind the development curve. In a new devblog this week, CCP Snowlax suggested that the UI developers at CCP have lacked the framework necessary to do what they wanted with it. The existing framework had become bloated with eight years of development, and the underlying rendering engine wasn't even capable of using custom shaders. With Incursion 1.6, CCP pushed live a completely new UI framework that makes cool features like holographic UI elements possible. With the new Carbon UI framework in place, developers are taking another look at redesigning the EVE user interface. Screenshots of the new features being used in the upcoming Incarna expansion are impressive, but that's all taking place inside stations. I can't help but wonder how these new technologies could be applied to the space-faring portion of EVE and whether there are more fundamental challenges to overcome in UI design than adding flashy graphics. In this week's EVE Evolved, I give some thoughts on the development of EVE's UI, from the necessary evil of the overview to some things I'd like to see change.
Thermaltake Level 10 GT modded to the high heavens, shows off spacious interior (hands-on)
We'll readily admit that Thermaltake's Level 10 GT case isn't for everyone. Its exeskeleton-emulating protrusions don't exactly blend in well with living room decors, and the company seems to like it that way. Computex 2011 has been the victim host to a whole bevy of customized Level 10 GTs, which exhibit a love for all colors in the rainbow and a fascination with the humble LED light. Underneath the aesthetic excesses, however, you'll find a practical and very roomy case that'll happily serve as the fashion-challenged home to your next super rig. 200mm fans spin almost inaudibly, individual hard drive enclosures make hot-swapping storage a doddle, and as you'll see in the gallery below, all the mods feature retractable headphone hangers. What will they think of next? %Gallery-124852%
Dutchman integrates a 4.5GHz water-cooled rig into his d3sk
Cooler Master's 2011 Case Mod Competition looks to be the gift that keeps on giving. After serving up a Tron lightcycle and an architectural marvel, it's now playing host to a mod that redefines the idea of an all-in-one PC. Peter from the Netherlands has managed to fit a pretty bombastic set of components -- 4.5GHz Core i7-980X, two ASUS GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards in SLI, over 12TB of storage with an SSD boot disk, and two PSUs providing 1,500W of power in total -- together with a water-cooling setup and the inevitable glowing lights inside one enclosure, which just so happens to also serve as his desk. The three-piece monitor setup is also a custom arrangement, with a 27-inch U2711 IPS panel being flanked by two 17-inchers. Admittedly, this isn't the first water-cooled and over-powered desk we've laid eyes on, but that shouldn't prevent you from giving the links below a bash and checking out the amazingly neat design of Peter's l3p d3sk.
PC modding takes an architectural twist with Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Usonian
We admit, we're pretty jaded when it comes to PC casemods, having seen everything from the inscrutable Edelweiss to Russian Ark of the Covenant-like monstrosities. Jeffrey Stephenson, though, charmed us with his wood-carved Level Eleven case, and now he's back with Usonian, inspired by the work of famed Fallingwater architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Split-level cantilevered roofs made of teak, mahogany highlights, all that Cherokee Red and Covered Wagon coloring – it's enough to make an architecture nerd swoon. Beneath all that fine styling it sports an Intel Core i7-875K on a Gigabyte Mini-ITX motherboard, with 8GB system memory. There's a 256GB SSD along with a 2TB hard drive, so it's not just built for looks; Wright, after all, emphasized utility over pointless fashion. Still, it's very pretty to look at. More pics in the source link and after the break.
Portal 2 Authoring Tools now available in beta for PC gamers
Finished Portal 2 but haven't had your fill of Aperture Science testing chambers? Aside from handing out a slew of free content in the coming months, Valve is releasing the Portal 2 Authoring Tools -- essentially giving PC users access to some of the nuts and bolts behind the developer's critical hit. The tools are free for owners of the game on PC, and can be found in the Tools tab of Steam accounts. As with previous Source Engine mod kits released by Valve, you'll be able to employ all of the game's assets: single player and co-op levels, character skins, sound effects, music, and 3D models are all at your disposal. Beyond the basics, Valve is including an updated version of Faceposer (facial animation software), some "examples maps and instances to help build new maps," and an "updated suite of command-line compiling utilities." That last part sounds dangerous, so we'll leave it up to you to figure out what it does.
CyanogenMod 7 tops 200,000 downloads, celebrations erupt as development goes forward
Congratulations to the fine developers of CyanogenMod, whose latest aftermarket Android OS, CyanogenMod 7, has surpassed 200,000 downloads -- a huge milestone for this homebrew community. Now supported on 26 devices, the hallmark of this custom ROM comes from its flexible user interface, greater customization options, bonus features and worthwhile performance improvements. While the project gained early notoriety from its dispute with Google, it's become an increasingly popular solution for those wanting to command their phone (or tablet) as they see fit. The latest revision, 7.0.3, includes numerous fixes and refinements since its 7.0 release, so there's never been a better time to check it out -- in fact, we're pretty sure the group would love to bring you aboard. Well done everyone, and keep up the good work.
World's smallest Donkey Kong cabinet delivers authentic arcade experience for tiny fingers (video)
This, friends, is a work of art. Above is a stunning, fully-functional recreation of the original Donkey Kong arcade cabinet -- and it's only 8.25 inches tall. The accomplished modder Bender posted his handiwork on the Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum and it's sure to wow even the most cynical of folks. At the heart of this build is a hacked up GamePark GP2X Wiz running MAME, but it's the attention to detail, including the printed vinyl decals and light-up marquee, that really pull this (supposedly world's smallest) 1/8 scale project together. Check out the gallery below and the pair of lengthy demo videos after the break. En garde Mr. Heck! %Gallery-122811% [Thanks, Brian]
Desire HD tries on Sensation's Sense 3.0 suit, needs some tailoring for it to fit
So you got all excited after seeing HTC's latest UI on the Sensation, but were dismayed to discover your hoary handset wouldn't be getting the same Sense 3.0 love? As usual, the folks at xda-developers have just the tonic for what ails you... as long as you own a Desire HD. Yup, a clever fellow by the name of capychimp took the Sensation's ROM and ported it to yesteryear's HTC European flagship phone. The port isn't perfect -- those who dive in will lose camera support and the images need some resizing to properly fit on the HD's 800 x 480 display -- but brave souls who hit the source link for the download still get all those mellifluous movements that Sense 3.0 provides. See all the smooth scrolling in action after the break. Update: XDA-developers have also given the HTC HD2 a quick Sense 3.0 hug, along with Android 2.3.3 in a similarly incomplete custom ROM. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Call of Duty: Black Ops mod tools launching in May
Tired of all that silly "paying" for new Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer maps? We know, we know -- money is so 2010. Good thing for you, then, that Treyarch announced plans this week (via Twitter) to officially release the promised mod tools for Black Ops sometime this May. The tools will, of course, only end up on the PC version of Blops, though considering that they never ended up in any version of Modern Warfare 2, we're looking at this as a pretty major improvement. Also, now we can finally live out that dream of recreating Super Mario Bros. stage 1-1 in Call of Duty. Wait ... what?!
CyanogenMod 7.0 is now final, ready for your consumption
Is your phone manufacturer's Android ROM not treating you quite the way it should? Worry not, Cyanogen's got your back as usual and has just released the final v7.0 of the CyanogenMod, now based on Android 2.3.3. There's an extensive list of supported Android handsets, which is now also augmented with a couple of tablets: the B&N Nook Color and the Viewsonic G Tablet. As usual with custom ROMs, we advise reading up and making sure you know what you're doing before you do it, but if you're already up to speed on the latest in homebrewed Android, this is the moment you've been eagerly waiting for. Full details of the changes made in version 7 plus instructions on how to get it set up on your Android device can be found below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
The Awesome button is...
Ever struggled to find the perfect adjective to articulate your admiration for a given article of awesomeness? Matt Richardson over at Make felt exactly the same way, so he perfected himself an Awesome button, designed specifically to spit out synonyms for his favorite descriptive word. To accomplish the task, he had to gut a Staples "easy" button and arrange a Teensy USB microcontroller inside it, before making the resulting mini-thesaurus compatible with his computer. Don't worry, full instructions are contained in the video above. Just mash the play button.
Bacteria's disciple improves upon technique, crafts N64 handheld capable of GoldenEye split-screen
This isn't the smallest portable Nintendo 64 we've seen, nor the most elegant, creative or complete -- in fact, it's pretty much a straight clone of Bacteria's iNto64, but with a spiffier paint job and one critical improvement. Yes, that is an extra controller port you see in the foreground of the image above, and if you click your way below, you will indeed be able to watch its creator engage in some wonderfully retro split-screen Mario Kart 64 and F-Zero X races, not to mention the obligatory GoldenEye death match and a wee bit of Quake 2. Ahhh, memories. [Thanks, Alon T.]
iPad 2 installed in Ford F-150 truck, does FaceTime while you roll over stuff (video)
SoundMan Car Audio's done it again, and this time on day one -- they've stuffed an iPad 2 into the dashboard of an unsuspecting vehicle, in this case a 2010 Ford F-150 pickup. While that doesn't sound like the most exciting hack in the world, we have to give credit where it's due -- Doug and company now have a truck that can make FaceTime video calls, browse to world-class technology websites (we're blushing) and play Pandora too. See the SoundMan crew show off the fruits of their labors in a video after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Microsoft's Surface becomes the world's biggest remote control for the AR.Drone (video)
Whether it's sheer boredom or the pursuit for something awesome, we really don't care -- the motivation behind writing software to allow Microsoft's Surface to control Parrot's AR.Drone is as immaterial as the wireless connection between the two devices. Jump past the break for video of this pair of much-loved niche machines getting their groove on.
