Hot Gadget Hacks Posts

How To: Add a cellular data tab to the Settings page on a jailbroken iPhone 4

Want to keep track of how much data you use on your iPhone 4, 3G or 3GS? With a jailbroken phone, it's easy! This iPhone owner's guide from EveryThingApplePro can present a complete overview of the process in about three minutes. Fire up Cydia & take a look!

How To: Build a simple analog self-balancing robot with basic electronics

Analog robots might seem a little backwards conceptually, but they are still really fun to make if you're into robotics and electronics. This video will teach you how to make a simple self-balancing analog robot. It's basically a small, robotic, analog Segway.

How To: Build a DIY Segway-like self-balancing scooter

The Segway is one of the oddest inventions of the last decade, but they've captured the imaginations of many. If you don't have $5000 to spend on one, but have $4000 and some heavy robotics skills, watch this video. It will teach you how to build your own DIY self-balancing Segway-style scooter, in either steampunk wooden barstool form or a more modern bicycle-handled model.

How To: Build a perfect replica of a lightsaber for cheap or expensive

The lightsaber is one of the coolest weapons in the history of cinema, and the original props came from a junkyard. Funny how that works right? If you want a lightsaber for your own film, costume, or just because they're awesome, watch this video for a guide to making three types of lightsabers: a cheap one, a medium one, and very expensive professional-quality one.

How To: Hack a radio-controlled car into a secret computer hard drive

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 emergency HDD can only be controlled by your key, regardless of how many people use your computer.

How To: Fix a 1600 error when restoring an iPhone to custom firmware with iReb 4.1

Faced with a 1600, 1601, 1602, 1603 or 1604 error when loading custom firmware on your Apple iPhone with iReb 4.1? Take heart: this jailbreaker's guide will teach you how to fix it. It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this tutorial can present a complete walkthrough of the process in just two minutes.

HowTo: Hack Together Your Own TSA Scanner

TSA agents are having a little too much fun, it's time for the rest of us to join in. More complicated (and more promising) than the see-thru video trick, Jeri Elsworth gives instructions for building your own hand-held TSA see-thru scanner with a $3 feed horn and some (admittedly hefty) technical know-how.

How To: Use the Nexus S smartphone from Google & Samsung with Gingerbread (Android 2.3)

The Google Nexus S smartphone is finally here! Well… almost.

How To: Use Near Field Communication (NFC) in Gingerbread on the Nexus S

NFC. It stands from Near Field Communication. And it's invading the world, one small step at a time.

How To: Use the new Google Maps in Gingerbread on the Nexus S

Google Maps is much improved in Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). And even better on the Nexus S. This smartphone can do many things, but the best feature is still Google Maps, which will appear shortly on all Android devices when Gingerbread is officially released.

How To: Get directions with Google Maps Navigation in Gingerbread on the Nexus S

With the Nexus S by Google coming out soon, we're all waiting to see what Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) can do. One of the improved features in this Android update is Google Maps.

How To: Use the liquid from a compressed air can as a solvent for cleaning

If you own a vintage pinball machine or other old cranky piece of electronics you know the pain of cleaning it's many hard-to-reach parts. Fortunately, there's a cheap solvent you can use to clean them that come from an unusual source: the compressed air can. This video will show you how it works.

How To: Use the Google Voice app in Gingerbread on the Nexus S

Thankfully, the wait for the much desired Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) update from Google is upon us. And the first Android device to take advantage of this new firmware is their Nexus S. This smartphone is going to be a killer. But the thing to look out for here is Google Voice.

News: New Facebook Profile Page Released

While the new Facebook redesign doesn't include many usability changes, the visual tweaks are a definite improvement to the old design. Perhaps the best feature is the ability to scroll photo collections infinitely, as well as the new visual prominence given to your personal stats and photos (job, dating status, location, etc.).

How To: Switch between applications using the Home button on a Google Nexus S

With the new Nexus S from Google, multitasking is easier than ever before. In this brief, official guide from the folks at Google, we learn how to switch between multiple applications by holding down the Home button. Soon all smartphones running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) will be able to take advantage of the newest multitasking features!

How To: Use the new YouTube 2.0 app on a Google Nexus S smartphone

The new Nexus S from Google comes preloaded with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), which itself includes the latest iteration of Google's official YouTube app.

How To: Get the Newly Updated Facebook User Profile Page Today

On CBS Sunday night, Mark Zuckerberg talked with Lesley Stahl on "60 Minutes" about his life as the CEO of mega-social media site Facebook.

How To: Build a handheld version of the TSA's microwave-based body scanner

With the TSA's full-body scanners occupying a great deal of airports nationwide, the debate remains as to whether air travelers should continue to be subject to immoral security techniques and possible health risks due to the x-ray scanning devices. The "advanced imaging technology" may help keep obvious weapons out of major airports, but scanning naked bodies seems more voyeuristic than crucial to national security. But while the argument continues, one woman is taking a stand… well, not rea...

How To: Find Google eBooks in the New Google eBookstore (+ Find Free Books to Download)

Google's much anticipated eBook Store has finally opened. As of today, the digital bookselling enterprise is awaiting your needs, with over 3 million eBooks to read directly on the web or on other platforms, like Android, iPhone, iPad, Sony and Nook devices.

How To: Sync the PlayStation Phone by Sony Ericsson with Your iTunes Library

The PlayStation Phone is almost here, and the hybrid device from Sony Ericsson is rumored to have Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) as its mobile OS. YouTube user xxmajstor managed to get his hands on what is said to be the Sony Ericsson Zeus - Z1 PlayStation Phone. Below is the spy video of the device in action.

How To: Hack Christmas Lights for Custom Holiday Lighting Patterns

General Electric isn't known for their Christmas lights, but maybe they should be, because their GE Color Effects are pretty awesome. Especially the LED Color Effects G-35 String sets. And especially when someone named Darco hacks them.

How To: Change Your Facebook Profile Picture to Your Favorite Cartoon Character

Cartoon characters are invading Facebook this weekend, with members quickly switching out their normal profile pictures with that of their favorite animated childhood memory, but why?

How To: Use The DROID 2 Smartphone From Motorola (25 Video Tips)

The DROID 2 from Motorola came out last August, but it's just now exploding— literally. The 33 News reported yesterday that a Motorola DROID 2 smartphone exploded in the hands of Aron Embry from Cedar Hills, Texas. He was making a phone call outside his home when he heard a POP sound— blood was dripping down his face and the glass was broken around the phone's speaker— his DROID 2 cell phone actually exploded against his ear. He ended up getting 4 stitches and a CAT scan, but thankfully, he d...

How To: Create a simple waterproof case for your iPad or eReader

Are you one of those people who likes to take their books into the bathtub? If you've got an eReader or an Apple iPad, you may be weeping at the inability to soak without junking your reading device. Here's a great and cheap solution for you! All you need is a Ziploc bag.

HowTo: Make Google Translate Beatbox

A clever redditor named harrichr recently discovered a simple method for making Google Translate generate beatbox sounds.

How To: Use folders on an iOS 4.2 or 4.2.1 Apple iPad

Learn how to use organizational folders on an Apple iPad running iOS 4.2.1 or 4.2! The 4.2 release of Apple's iOS 4 mobile operating system for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch brings with it a host of new features. While that's certainly a cause for celebration, there's also, believe it or not, a downside: learning how to take advantage of them. Happily, the web is awash in helpful video tutorials like this one which make the process a pleasure (and a simple one at that).

How To: Install Google's Android mobile operating system on an Apple iPhone

To some, it's sacrilege. To others, just a bit of good fun. In this clip from the folks at Lifehacker, we learn how to install and use Google's Android OS on an iPhone 4 using iDroid. Learn how to run Android on your Apple mobile device with this hacker's how-to.

How To: Export your friends' email addresses from Facebook

Facebook doesn't make it easy to export your contacts' email addresses from their site. But you can totally do it. And this clip will teach you everything you need to know. (Note: To follow along at home, you'll need to create a new Yahoo! Mail email account.)

How To: Get rid of the extra whitespace in Skype 5 for Mac

While Skype 5 for Mac has distinct advantages over past versions of Skype, some find all of the extra empty space to be something of any eyesore. Fortunately, if you want to get rid of it, you can. And this video will show you how to do it.

How To: Disable & Uninstall Mozilla Firefox Add-ons (Plug-ins, Extensions & Themes)

There's a whole lot of brouhaha going on right now about the hidden plug-ins being installed unknowingly in the Mozilla Firefox web browser, with companies like Apple, Microsoft and even Google being named top offenders.

HowTo: Turn Your iPad Into a Violin

You can now become quite the accomplished violinist (on your iPad) for just $2.99 with the release of Smule's Magic Fiddle app. You may be a little rusty at first, but Smule will walk you through it, and with a little practice, you'll be as fantastic as this group in no time at all:

How To: Make an OLED demonstration cell with blue glow stick juice

Glow sticks are one of the few things used commonly by ravers and military personnel, but their uses extend far beyond dancing and illuminating. The juice contained in blue glow sticks can be used to make an organic LED (OLED) test board, and this video will show you how to do it.

How To: Create a contact shortcut on the home screen of an HTC 7 Trophy

If you're not unlike most people, you probably find yourself the same people over and over again. In this clip, you'll learn how to create a custom contact shortcut on the home screen of your HTC 7 Trophy Windows Phone 7 smartphone.

How To: Use voice commands on an HTC 7 Trophy WP7 smartphone

Go hands free by using voice commands on your HTC 7 Trophy! This Windows Phone 7 owner's guide will teach you everything you'll need to know. For all of the details, and to get started using voice commands on your own HTC 7 Trophy, watch the clip!

How To: View your signal strength on an HTC 7 Trophy Windows Phone 7 smartphone

Want to know how many bars you're getting on your HTC 7 Trophy? Though not immediately intuitive, it isn't so hard as you might fear. This quick, unofficial HTC 7 Trophy owner's guide will walk you through the process. Learn how to see your HTC 7 Trophy's signal strength with this helpful tutorial.

How To: Change the color of your homescreen icons on an HTC 7 Trophy WP7 smartphone

Customize the colors of your homescreen icons on your HTC 7 Trophy Windows 7 smartphone! It's easy and only takes a few seconds. This WP7 user's guide will walk you step-by-step through the process. For more information, and to learn how to set up custom-colored icons on your own HTC 7, watch the clip!

How To: Use voice search & speech recognition on an HTC 7 Trophy WP7 smartphone

Like its Google-branded Android counterparts, the HTC 7 Trophy Windows Phone 7 smartphone supports voice searching and speech recognition. Interested in using voice searching on your own HTC WP7 smartphone? This HTC 7 Trophy owner's guide will walk you through the entire process.

How To: Use Bing Local Search on an HTC 7 Trophy Windows Phone 7 smartphone

One of the upsides to having a Windows-branded phone is that, if you're Google averse, it's a piece of cake to access Microsoft's official internet search engine, Bing. In this clip, you'll learn how to use Bing Local Search on your HTC 7 Trophy WP7 cell phone.

How To: Buy a new eBook on an Amazon Kindle 2 eReader

Interested in adding a new book to your digital collection? It's easy! And this brief video tutorial from the folks at Butterscotch will teach you everything you need to know. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started buying and downloading eBooks from the Amazon bookstore to your own Kindle 2 or Kindle 3 eReader, take a look.

News: The Facebook "Super-Logoff" Method (for the Privacy Paranoid)

If you would like to restrict what appears on your Facebook page, here's a novel way to retain ultimate control, coined the "super-logoff" method: