Visions of Nixie Tubes dancing Around My head

Nixie tubes

I was doing research for an LED project and I ran across this site that sells all sorts of LEDs, fluorescent lamps, and very cool nixie tubes. Just thought I’d mention this because nixie tubes look real cool. So if you need some for a project you know where to go now.

LEDsales. LEDs, nixies and other cool stuff. – Nixie tubes and accessories

Improvised iPod Holder

A few months ago a co-worker received an iPod as a gift. I observed that he was propping up his new status symbol, er, I mean his MP3 player on some papers. It kept sliding off and he couldn’t read the screen. Generally he didn’t like it. He was talking about buying a over the counter holder and was lamenting the fact that all of them were a bit expensive. I said give me a second and I’ll build him one. So I pulled out a few binder clips and some Post-it notes and built this

Improvised Ipod Holder Improvised Ipod Holder

Improvised Ipod Holder Improvised Ipod Holder

I just pinched two large clips together to for a back rest and used a small clip at a foot so the iPod won’t slide off.
The Post-it notes are on there to keep the finish on the Ipod looking good, I hear they scratch pretty easy.

So with just stuff around the office I saved my friend a few bucks and let him view his iPod in true hacker style. 

Fisheye Lens for Your Webcam / Digital Camera

Cheap fisheye webcam lens

If you every play with webcams you quickly discover that the field of view just isn’t what is should be. These guys have put together a nice little hacking tutorial on how to mate a door peephole lens with an ordinary low end digital camera. Now I’ve been doing this for some time, either with peepholes like these guys or with some random lenses that I happen to have in my junk box (meniscus, plano convex, convex, etc.). Years ago I used to have a web cam pointed at a TV with a plano concave lens taped in front of it to expand the field of view. Worked great, it was fun to mess with. Adding a super wide angle lens to a low end camera will yield some pretty cool results, I suggest that you run out and pick a few peepholes up, they don’t cost much. I got mine and Home Depot for around $5USD. Heat up the hot glue gun and have fun!

[via Hack-a-day

The Aggregate: Fisheye Digital Imaging For Under Twenty Dollars

Red Bull Flugtag Arizona 2006

Red Bull Flutag 

Looks like there will be no shortage of crazy people here in Phoenix (ok, Tempe if your going to split hairs) this weekend. Loads of people will be trying to go the farthest off a ramp into a lake in their human powered flying machine. Leave all your science and physics behind, it’s not needed here. The stranger the better is the basic rule for this event.

More than 200 teams from around the country applied for the chance to launch into aviation history as a part of Red Bull Flugtag Arizona. After carefully reviewing the applications, 33 outstanding teams were selected to soar or swan dive into the Tempe Town Lake on April 29, 2006. “Flugtag” means “flying day” in German, but don’t expect to see anything resembling a plane on the flight deck – instead the skies above Tempe will be filled with a flying toilet, a trailer home, a giant taco, a flying fish and a Shaggin’ Waggin’…anyone remember Dumb & Dumber? That’s what we’re talking about people.

[via Metroblog Phoenix

Red Bull Flugtag Arizona 2006

Another World For Windows

Another World

Back in the day (1991) this was the most cinematic game on the market, many of my friends still mention it when talking about how games should be made. But if you were to tray and load a copy of Another World on an up to date PC chances are that it just wouldn’t run. That’s too bad, you would be missing out on quite a game. Good thing that an updated version of the game, complete with higher quality images, has been released for your gaming pleasure.

[via waxy

Another day. Another dollar. Another World. – Idle Forums