Hot Gadget Hacks Posts
How To: Control your Android phone using voice actions
Send text messages, conduct Google searches, play music, get directions and even send emails (complete with emoticons!) using the voice actions function available on your Android phone. This tutorial demonstrates this awesome new voice input functionality for your Google Phone.
How To: Turn a 9-volt battery into a small safe
Hide your money, small candies or other tiny items you want to keep hidden! Pry off the top of the battery, take out the innards and then rebuild the casing to re-camoflauge the battery. Then you're ready to hide your goodies!
How To: Make a remote control work with only one battery
Hack your remote control so you only need one battery to run it! All you need is one paper clip to let you complete the circuit between the battery and the hardware on your remote control. It'll run at a lower voltage, so you'll have to be closer to the TV, but it will still work!
How To: Erase all the content and restore your iPad to the factory settings
If you're having problems with your iPad, sometimes restoring it to factory settings is enough to get it working again. This will erase all your data, so make sure you back up everything. Then you can use these two separate methods to restore your iPad.
How To: Read an epub-format digital book on your iPad
This tutorial will work on any Apple device running iOS 4. Besides finding books through the Apple store, you can also find unlocked epub-format books (such as through Google Books or the Gutenberg Project) and use the iBooks application to read them on your iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone. Even customize your covers!
How To: Use the iScore Baseball application on iPhone to keep track of baseball games
Keeping score for a baseball game? Yup, there's an app for that. You don't even need to be a sports fanatic to use this app. Create your own rosters of players and teams for neighborhod games, or keep track at stadium games!
How To: Turn your G1 phone into a wireless router
Not only can your T-Mobile G1 phone get Internet access by itself, you can also use it as a router or modem for your home wifi network. All you need is to download a single app from the market, install it, and you're ready to set up your home wifi network!
How To: Jailbreak your T-Mobile G1 cell phone
Jailbreaking isn't just for Apple devices anymore! You can jailbreak your G1 phone as well, which will give you access to third party apps outside the regular market store. After you've connected your phone to your computer, download the software, and you'll have a freshly jailbroken G1 phone! Make sure you have everything backed up before doing the jailbreak.
How To: Extend the battery life of your T-Mobile cell phone
Tired of always having to charge your phone? Don't want to pay for an expensive upgrade? This tutorial shows you how to get the most out of your phone's battery life. Make sure your data and Internet features are under control, those will suck the most juice.
How To: Use your iPad as a second monitor for your Mac computer
Get an inexpensive second monitor for your Mac computer! Well, assuming you already have an iPad. If you do, then all you need is the Air Desk app from the Apple store (it only costs $9.99), and then set it up for dual screen computing!
How To: Make a working motor out of a magnet
You can make a very simple homopolar motor using just a basic clamp, two strong magnets, a battery and a little bit of wire. Once you've completed the circuit, you'll be able to suspend a drywall screw between the battery and the magnet. Then watch it go!
How To: Change the outgoing email signature line on your iPad
Want to add a cute tagline to the end of your emails? Or are you just tired of sending out ads for Apple everytime you send an email? Changing your email signature is easy, just watch this tutorial which shows you how!
How To: Get a refund from the Apple store for apps you don't want
Purchased an app for your iPhone that was actually designed for an iPad? Apple provides for purchasers to get a refund for apps you don't want or you bought in the wrong format. Make sure not to abuse this feature!
How To: Make a Gauss gun out of magnets and a steel bar
To make a Gauss gun, all you need is a piece of metal rail, two magnets and steel ball bearings that fit on the rail. Then rig it up, and you have your own magnet-powered gun that shoots ball bearings!
How To: Conserve the data usage on your iPad
Thirty dollars a month may be a little steep for an unlimited data plan for iPad users. To cut down on your data usage, you can download the Offline Pages app to browse articles or blogs offline. InstaPaper is another account you can use as well, and both will cut down on your data usage per month.
How To: Play computer games on your PC with a PS3 controller
Here's a quick tutorial on how to set up a connection which will let your computer talk to a PS3 controller, so you can use it as an input device to play games on! All you need is to download the software and then update the driver!
How To: Use the free hard disk space on your computer as virtual memory
Turn unused hard disk space on your computer into RAM! This will optimize the performance of your computer and give it more processing speed (useful for playing games). You can achieve this through Control Panel and settings, and this tutorial shows you how!
How To: Set up a team for scoring with the ESPN iScore Baseball Scorekeeper iPad app
In this quick clip, you'll learn how to create a new team with the ESPN iScore Baseball Scorekeeper application for the Apple iPad. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started using ESPN iSCore Baseball Scorekeeper yourself, take a look.
How To: Score baseball games with ESPN iScore Baseball Scorekeeper for the iPad
In this quick clip, you'll learn how to score a baseball game with the ESPN iScore Baseball Scorekeeper application for the Apple iPad. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started using ESPN iSCore Baseball Scorekeeper yourself, take a look.
News: 11 Dirty Tricks Played by Crooked Web Designers
Ever been Privacy Zuckered? Roach Moteled? Friend Spammed? If you've been on the net long, odds are you have — and worse! Fortunately, there's a new resource for keeping track of the web's worst design practices; it's called "Dark Patterns" and it aims to "name and shame" sites that employ "user interfaces that have been designed to trick users into doing things they wouldn't otherwise have done."
News: The Future of the Book Might Work Something Like This...
There are endless possibilities for eReaders, and lots of amazing things are already happening. But wow-worthy visual tricks aside, how can technology really change the way we consume books? In the video below design company IDEO presents three separate concepts for virtual consumption: Nelson, Coupland and Alice. IDEO groups their virtual experiences into three separate concepts: Nelson, Coupland and Alice. Core77 breaks down each concept:
How To: Add stops and customize directions when using MapQuest Maps
In this clip, you'll learn how to add stops and customize directions when using the MapQuest Maps web app. Happily, those things are easy to do. So easy, in fact, that this home-computing how-to can present a complete overview of the process in just two and a half minutes. Take a look.
How To: Order MySQL record sets with the PHP SQL ORDER BY command
In this clip, you'll learn how to adjust database parameters using phpMyAdmin and order MySQL pages with SQL ORDER BY. Whether you're new to the PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor scripting language or are a seasoned web developer merely looking to improve your chops, you're sure to find benefit in this free video programming lesson. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.
How To: Make a VOIP phone call from your Google Gmail inbox
In this clip, you'll learn how to use Google's new VOIP (voice over IP) feature to make domestic and international phone calls from your Gmail inbox. For more information, including a complete demonstration of the process and detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started making calls from your own Gmail account, take a look.
How To: Save digital pictures from the web to an Apple iPad
In this clip, you'll learn how to use the Safari web browser app to view, download and store digital pictures on an Apple iPad. For more information, including a complete demonstration of the process and detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started downloading digital images to your own iPad, take a look.
How To: Anonymize your Google Search queries and protect your privacy
Looking for an easy way to protect your privacy when using Google Search? With the right habits, it's easy. So easy, in fact, that this home-computing how-to from the folks at CNET can present a complete overview of the process in just over a minute. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.
How To: Enable and use parental controls on an Apple iPad
Learn how to enable restrictions on the Apple iPad to prevent your kids from seeing or hearing inappropriate content. For more information, including a detailed demonstration and complete step-by-step instructions, and to get started childproofing your own iPad, watch this handy iPad users' guide from the folks at CNET.
How To: Force your web browser to start up in private browsing mode
Google calls it "Incognito," Microsoft says "InPrivate," the other browsers call it "Private Mode," and colloquially it's known as "porn mode." Whatever you call the tracks-free way to browse, here's a trick to force your favorite browser to always start with its privacy protocols activated.
How To: Share a Kindle eBook with a close friend or family member
Looking for an easy way to get around Kindle's sharing limitations? With the right technique, it's easy. So easy, in fact, that this how-to from the folks at CNET can present a complete overview of the process in just over a minute. For more information, including a complete demonstration detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.
How To: Use keyboard shortcuts on a Google Android smartphone
Sure, the touchscreens are convenient — but are they the fastest way to get around your Google Android smartphone? Not always. This video guide from CNET will teach a number of especially ones that are certain to save you time when navigating around your phone.
How To: Turn off HTC Sense on a HTC Evo 4G Google Android smartphone
In this clip, you'll learn how to complete disable HTC Sense on an HTC Evo 4G Google Android smartphone. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started turning off HTC Sense on your own Evo 4G, take a look.
How To: Send, receive and read SMS text messages on a Verizon Salute cell phone
In this clip, you'll learn how to use the SMS and MMS text messaging features on a Verizon Wireless Salute. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started messaging on your own Salute, watch this helpful video guide.
How To: Set a lock-screen security pattern on an LG Droid Ally smartphone
In this clip, you'll learn how to quickly set a security pattern on an LG Droid Ally Google Android smartphone. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started setting up your own security secreen, watch this helpful video guide.
How To: Browse and play the ringtones on an LG Droid Ally smartphone
Whether you're a proud owner of the LG Droid Ally smartphone or are merely considering picking one up, you're sure to benefit from this video tutorial, which presents a reasonably thorough overview of the device's stock ringtones. For more information, take a look.
How To: Hack a toy EEG into a working brain-computer interface
In this clip, you'll learn how to extract serial data from the $80 Mattel Mindflex or Star Wars Force Trainer. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started creating your own working EEG/BCI, watch this very-neat hacker's how-to.
How To: Connecting a cell phone to a wireless headset using Bluetooth
This clip presents an overview of the general technique required for pairing a mobile phone with a headset via the Bluetooth wireless protocol. For detailed instructions, and to get started pairing your own cell phone with Bluetooth-enabled devices, take a look.
How To: Enable USB tethering on a Palm Pre smartphone
In this clip, you'll learn how to set up and use USB Internet tethering on a Palm Pre mobile phone. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started using USB tethering on your own Palm Pre, watch this hacker's how-to.
How To: Unlock NAND protection and install a custom recovery on an HTC Evo 4G
In this clip, you'll learn how to unlock NAND and install a recovery menu on a rooted HTC Evo 4G. Whether you're the proud owner of an HTC Evo 4G Google Android smartphone or are merely considering picking one up, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.
How To: Install a Sega Genesis emulator on a Samsung Epic 4G Google Android smartphone
In this clip, you'll learn how to install and use a Sega emulator on an Epic 4G phone. Whether you're the proud owner of a Samsung Epic 4G Google Android smartphone or are merely considering picking one up, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to see what it takes to play Sega ROMs on an Epic 4G cell phone, take a look.
How To: Get started using a Samsung Epic 4G Google Android smartphone
In this clip, you'll learn how to navigate and use the basic features and functions of a Samsung Epic 4G mobile phone. Whether you're the proud owner of a Sprint Epic 4G Google Android smartphone or are merely considering picking one up, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including a complete demonstration of the rooting process and detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started using your own new Epic 4G phone, watch this helpful how-to.