Gadget Hacks How-Tos
How To: Use authentication in Axosoft OnTime
There are two different methods of Authentication in OnTime, and each method has two different ways that the authentication can take place. In this installment from Axosoft's own series of video tutorials on the OnTime Project Management Suite you'll learn about these forms of authentication.
How To: Backup and restore OnTime databases
Did you know that OnTime includes tools to help you backup and restore your OnTime database? This installment from Axosoft's own series of video tutorials on the OnTime Project Management Suite covers the basics of restoring and backing up a database through the OnTime system. Take a look.
How To: Use worklogs in Axosoft OnTime
Worklogs are the time sheets of OnTime. They help track the time your developers spend working on bugs and features, or the time that tech support staff work on incidents. There are several ways to interact with worklogs and this installment from Axosoft's own series of video tutorials on the OnTime Project Management Suite covers them in detail.
How To: Use field templates in Axosoft OnTime
Did you know that field templates can be applied two different ways? And that the two "edit" buttons on the main interface tie directly into how these field templates are used? This installment from Axosoft's own series of video tutorials on the OnTime Project Management Suite discusses these topics and how to control such permissions through security roles.
How To: Use the reporting features in AxoSoft OnTime
Need some help getting started running reports? This installment from Axosoft's own series of video tutorials on the OnTime Project Management Suite covers the basics of running reports and sending data to those reports. Did you know there are four ways you can manipulate what data is sent to a report without any direct report customization? Take a look!
How To: Use custom fields in Axosoft OnTime
This installment from Axosoft's own series of video turoials on the OnTime Project Management Suite is for new users who want to see custom fields in action. Watch this video to see the usage of custom fields inside field templates.
How To: Use filters in Axosoft OnTime
Filters are a powerful mechanism in OnTime used for searches and other forms of data manipulations. In this installment from Axosoft's own series of OnTime Project Management Suite video tutorials, you'll focus on the simplest application of filters: searching data in your main grid in OnTime 2008.
How To: Archive in Axosoft OnTime 2008
This installment from Axosoft's own series of OnTime Project Management Suite video tutorials is about the basics of archiving in OnTime 2008. How do you "remove" items from the system so they are out of your way, yet keep from deleting them completely? How do you find items that have been archived? What options do you have when it comes to archiving? How do you perform mass archiving using logical parameters? All these questions are answered in this how-to. Take a look.
How To: Use notifications and alerts in Axosoft OnSite
This first installment from Axosoft's own series of video tutorials on the OnTime Project Management Suite is about Notifications and Alerts—the way OnTime communicates with your employees, your customers, and you about events that occur in your database. Get started using notifications and alerts in your own OnSite projects with this how-to.
How To: Solder a pair of headphones
Find yourself faced with a dead channel on your headphones? Before them out, you might take the opportunity to see what you can learn from trying to fix them yourself with a soldering iron. The repair can often be straightforward. For detailed step-by-step instructions on resoldering a broken connection on your own cans, watch this headphone repair tutorial. Take a look.
How To: Turn a flatbed scanner into a camera
Want to take an ordinary flatbed scanner and turn it into a camera (that takes some pretty wild photos)? You can and, with the help of this video tutorial from MAKE, you will. For detailed, but simple, step-by-step instructions on assembling your own flatbed scanner camera, take a look at this how-to video!
How To: Hack payphones and SIM cards
Citizen Engineer is an online video series about open source hardware, electronics, art and hacking by Limor (`Ladyada') Fried of Adafruit Industries & Phillip (`pt') Torrone of MAKE magazine.
How To: Build an eco-friendly directional WiFi antenna
Learn how to build an environmentally friendly directional WiFi antenna with this simple video guide. To follow along at home, you'll need the following things: a copper wedge, an N-type connector, some screws, a clamp-on N plug, a pigtail, and a wireless card. You'll also need a drill, screwdriver, and soldering iron. For comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on hacking your own directional WiFi antenna from a tin can, watch this video tutorial.
How To: Make a cheap multi-touch pad like in the MacBook Air
Check out this video tutorial on how to make a cheap multi-touch pad like in the MacBook Air. Yes, that's right... you can make your very own multitouch, finger-sensitive touch pad for your computer. This is definitely the cheap way to go to make a Multitouch Mini (MTmini), with a maximum of fifty bucks down the drain. This multitouch touchpad (or trackpad) is easy!
How To: Build a simple MIDI controller
Do you need just a few more controls? Perhaps your wondering how hard it is to make your own controller? Then follow the steps in this 2 part series and build your first MIDI controller in about an hour for very little cash. Using only 8 electronics parts, a pre-made case and a DIY midi interface that is USB powered- you can build a controller and it wont require a degree in electrical engineering. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, on building your own DIY MIDI controller watch this vi...
How To: Hack a 9-volt battery
Want AAA batteries for cheap? Learn how to hack a 9-volt battery with this money-saving video tutorial from Make Magazine's Kip Kay. All you'll need to replicate this hack at home is a pair of needle-nosed pliers and one or more Energizer 9-volt batteries. For instructions on how to extract quadruple A batteries from an Energizer 9-volt, watch this how-to video.
How To: Hack a satellite dish into a WiFi signal booster
There are many ways to recycle a satellite dish and this is one of them. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to hack an old satellite dish into a biquad WiFi antenna. For detailed, step-by-step instructions on building your own audio signal booster, take a look!
How To: Make a hard drive speaker system
Looking to make use—if not necessarily good use—of your old hard drives? This how-to presents instructions for creating a hard drive speaker system to use in conjunction with an MP3 player. To follow along, you'll need an MP3 player (e.g., the Samsung YP-S3), at least one spare hard disk, wire, a soldering iron, and a screwdriver. For step-by-step instructions on hacking together your own hard drive sound system, take a look.
How To: Make a light-up frisbee with components from a yo-yo
Want to light the skies with your own flying saucer? Here's a quick way to add lights to an ordinary fribee using a cheap light-up yo-yo. It's so easy, anyone can do it.
How To: Eavesdrop with a cell phone
Want to bug a room on the cheap? This video how-to demonstrates how to make a simple eavesdropping device using a cell phone with auto-answer support and conventional plug-in type headset. For detailed advice on setting up this expedient spy bugging device, consult this friendly how-to. Eavesdrop with a cell phone.
How To: Build a simple Van de Graaff generator
Want to build a Van de Graaf electrostatic generator? Who doesn't! This video tutorial will show you how. To follow along at home, you'll need the following items: a rubber band–the longer the better–, a small motor, a small glass object like a Christmas tree light, and some type of plastic roller. For simple, step-by-step instructions, watch this Van de Graaf-buildin' how-to.
How To: Solder the basics
Soldering isn't hard as you might think. This video will cover the basic soldering techniques for electronics and electrical wiring. It presents a comprehensive look at the soldering process, covering everything from choosing a soldering iron and solder to proper soldering technique. Get started soldering with this electronics how-to.
How To: Solder electronics the right way
New to soldering? This how-to video answers the questions for these common beginner soldering questions: what is flux? what tip should be used? do solder fumes contain dangerous amounts of lead? why regularly clean and tin the iron tip? Watch this video computer-circuitry tutorial and learn how to solder correctly.
How To: Solder Deans connectors
If you're a hardcore RC hobbyist, odds are you may have occasion to solder a Deans connector from time to time. This two-part video tutorial will show you how. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to build an adapter to fit two batteries into a single female output using deans connectors. For more information, take a look.
How To: Connect a Bluetooth headset to a BlackBerry
Learn how to connect your Bluetooth wireless headset to a BlackBerry smartphone with this how-to, which presents simple, step-by-step instructions on the pairing process:
How To: Pair a Bluetooth headset with a Samsung Blast phone
Learn how to pair your Bluetooth wireless headset to a Samsung Blast cell phone with this how-to, which presents simple, step-by-step instructions on the pairing process. For more information, as well as to get started using your own wireless headset with your Samsung Blast phone, take a look.
How To: Put an unresponsive iPhone into DFU mode
iPhone not booting up? This video shows how to recover your iPhone if it is unresponsive or even getting ready to Jailbreak it, by putting it into DFU Mode. DFU, device firmware upgrade, mode bypasses the current OS and allows you to upgrade or downgrade. Watch this video cell phone repair tutorial and learn how to restore a crashed iPhone by putting it into DFU mode.
How To: Use 17 hidden features on the iPhone 2.0 firmware
Looking for a way to set yourself apart from the hoi polloi of Apple iPhone users? If so, you're in luck: This video tutorial from MacComm.tv presents 17 Hidden Features for the iPhone and iPhone 3G, features only on the new iPhone Firmware 2.0. Become a more effective user of your Apple iPhone with this how-to.
How To: Update iPhone firmware 1.1.1 to 1.1.4 with ZiPhone
Learn how to update your iPhone firmware from 1.1.1 to 1.1.4 using ZiPhone 2.5c with this video tutorial. To get started updating your own Apple iPhone, follow these steps:
How To: Play the Tetris theme on a Samsung flip phone
Have a Samsung flip phone and an affinity for Slavic video games? You're in luck! This how-to presents complete, step-by-step instructions for playing the Tetris theme song on most any Samsung flip-form cell phone. For easy reference, the keypad tab is as follows: 6 345 432 236 543 457 4 222. Play the Tetris themesong on your own Samsung phone with this video tutorial.
How To: Jailbreak an iPhone 3G on 2.0.1 with WinPwn 2.0
If you’ve recently updated to firmware 2.1 (click here for undocumented 2.1 features) and lost your jailbroken status, you’ve most likely heard that the Dev Team has released QuickPwn 2.1 for Windows users! Some of you have already jailbroken your iPhone 3G on 2.1 firmware when QuickPwn and Pwnage Tool for Mac was released.
How To: Understand the basics of electronics with a 28-280 kit
In this five-part video tutorial series, you'll learn the fundamentals of working with electronics. To follow along, you'll need a 28-280 Electronics kit from RadioShack.
How To: Hack an Apple iPhone running 2.0.2 firmware
There is a security flaw with any Apple iPhone running firmware version 2.0.2. This flaw potentially gives a person access to your email account and contacts when you have your iPhone locked. This video demonstrates a simple, but impermanent, fix for stopping others from accessing your private information. To protect your own Apple iPhone, watch this tutorial.
How To: Jailbreak the iPhone 3G 2.1 firmware with QuickPwn
If you’ve recently updated your Apple iPhone to firmware 2.1 and lost your jailbroken status, you’ve most likely heard that the Dev Team has released QuickPwn 2.1 for Windows users! Some of you have already jailbroken your iPhone 3G on 2.1 firmware when QuickPwn and Pwnage Tool for Mac was released.
How To: Circuit bend a battery-powered toy
Take your old electronics and make them scream with glitchy goodness. This an extremely easy project and makes a great project for first-time solderers. Circuit bending involves taking electronic devices that make multiple sounds and wiring in switches to set off glitches or loops. Using an out-of-tune toy, the first part of this video series demonstrates how to apply a basic pitch bend using a potentiometer. In the second part, you'll learn how to bend the same toy by applying body contact. ...
How To: Beat Crimson Room
Does playing Crimson Room leave you feeling vexed and flummoxed? Whether you're stuck or after the easy satisfaction of having someone else play the game for you, you'll like this video, which presents a complete walkthrough. For step-by-step instructions on escaping from the Crimson Room, take a look. Beat Crimson Room.
How To: Make a full functioning A/C and heater
This video tutorial shows how to make a homemade air conditioner with cool/hot function. No need to buy both a heater and an a/c, this home-made device does both jobs. Watch this video circuitry tutorial and learn how to modify and build a full functioning air-conditioning and heating combo device. Make a full functioning A/C and heater.
How To: Use the Microsoft Popfly Web application creator
Microsoft Popfly is a fun, easy way to build and share mashups, gadgets, games, Web pages, and applications. Popfly consists of two parts: Popfly Creator is a set of online visual tools for building Web pages and mashups; Popfly Space is an online community of creators where you can post, share, rate, comment and even remix creations from other Popfly users. This how-to demonstrates how to use both. Take a look. Use the Microsoft Popfly Web application creator.
How To: Record conversations secretly
Surveillance expert Julia Adams offers the different ways to secretly record a conversation in this how-to video.
How To: Solder an XLR connector to an audio mic cable
This how-to video shows, close-up, the steps to soldering an XLR connector onto an Audio cable. You will need a knife, wire strippers, a soldering iron, in addition to whatever is being soldered. Watch this video circuitry tutorial and learn how to solder an XLR connector to an audio mic cable.