Author: John

MAKE 04

Make vol4

The latest issue of the tech DIY magazine is soon to be hitting my mail box, if you don’t have a subscription already you can buy from Amazon (and a nice discount I might add). The editor, Mark Frauenfelder has this to say about the latest issue:

The fourth volume of Make magazine, which I edit, is now available on Amazon.
The major projects include an electric cigar box guitar, a kit to take high speed strobe photos (so you can capture a balloon or light bulb in mid-pop), and how to turn kids’ electronic toys into musical instruments. There’s also a guide to a bunch of different kinds of kits (electronic, beer making, robots, etc) and a how-to by Mr. Jalopy on converting a vintage hi-fi cabinet into an LP and CD ripper, burner, and player.
David Pescovitz started a new column for the magazine called Proto, which profiles cool makers in corporate labs around the world, and Cory Doctorow weighs in on the Supreme Court’s unfortunate Grokster decision.
I’m especially excited about the do-it-yourself section with ways to hack your coffee and espresso makers.

I can’t wait to read this!

Buy MAKE 04 from Amazon here
MAKE site
[spotted over at BoingBoing]

The Paparazzi Costume

Paparazzi Costume

Rob over at Cockeyed.com is just brilliant. A few years ago he built this paparazzi costume for Halloween. Quite an inspiring rig he came up with. Not to be outdone by himself, he went on to build a Dr. Octopus Costume in 2004. These are a must see if your going to be making your own costume.

Cockeyed Presents: The Paparazzi Costume and Lucasfilm Costume party, 2000

IC-chip Posters

Whee! Just what the world needs, a poster that transmits info to your cell phone when you get near it.

Dainippon Printing is updating the IC-chip based transmitter they’d developed for use in advertising posters to make it compatible with the FeliCa chips that now have a home in some 5 mn pockets thanks to their inclusion in DoCoMo cellphones. The idea is simple: swiping your phone near the poster gets you access to some kind of more detailed content, special-offer tokens, etc.

Dainippon Printing’s IC-chip posters

Flying Dinosaurs Used ‘Flaps’?

Dino flaps

From the position of them in the illustration and in the article I’m going to call them ‘slats‘. Flaps are at the trailing edge of a wing surface.
Scientists have discovered that the flying dinos might have used a thumb like bone on their wings as a slat to provide more control over their flying. Some birds do this today and as more and more research shows that their ancestors share a commonality I’m sure that more of these parallels will be found.

[via Flight Nest]
Airplane Elements Found in Pterosaurs

Windshield Shade Solar Oven

Windshield Shade Solar Oven

I’d use binder clips in place of the Velcro, but that’s just me. I have once of these sun shades in my car’s trunk (yeah, it keeps the trunk cool…). I think I’ll pull it out and have a go at this on my next camping trip.

Take a $3 reflective car windshield sunshade, sew some Velcro tabs along one edge, then fold the shade into a funnel shape. Viola!

Here’s the list of needed materials…

A reflective accordion-folding car sunshade – a cake rack (or wire frame or grill) – 12cm (4 ½ in) of Velcro – black pot – bucket or plastic wastebasket – a plastic baking bag.

[via Unplugged Living]
Windshield Shade Solar Oven