Gadget Hacks Features

How To: Charge a Lumia 920 or Nexus 4 with No Cables or Wireless Charging Stations in Sight

Most of us have a designated spot where we like to charge our devices, but no one likes to look at a giant, tangled mess of cords. That's why inductive chargers are so awesome. They allow for wireless charging, and are a lot easier on the eyes. But what if you don't even want to leave the charging module sitting out? This relatively simple hack by YouTube user lobbamobba lets you hide the charging module inside a nightstand or other piece of furniture so that you can juice up your device with...

How To: Make an infrared heart sensor

This video shows how to create an infrared heart sensor using an Arduino controller, a couple of resistors, and an infrared light emitter and detector. This device will be used on the subject's finger, detecting the amount of blood which is flowing through the subject's finger. The amount of oxygenation of the blood is shown in the finger, which will cause the infrared light to reflect off the skin and to the transmitter which is close by. The fluctuations of oxygenation are picked up by the ...

How To: Root the New Sony Xperia Z Android Phone

Sony's Xperia Z, which has generated quite a deal of excitement since its launch at the CES in Las Vegas last month, is already sold out in France with its expected U.S. release to be sometime in March. It's 5-inch, 1080p display puts it up there with some of the best smartphones in the market. It runs on Jelly Bean 4.1.2 and comes with expandable storage. Also, the Z comes with an incredible 13MP rear camera with the capability to dish out 9MP photos at 14fps, shooting roughly 999 stills in ...

Coming Soon: Share Instagram Comments in Direct Messages, Stories, or Other Apps

Sometimes, you'll see a comment on Instagram that you really need to share. Maybe it's something funny, possibly offensive. Whatever the case, the only thing to do is screenshot it and share that, right? Hopefully, not for long. Instagram is currently testing a feature that would allow you to share comments with others via a direct message and maybe even to stories and other apps.

How To: Install APK files on your Motorola Droid

APK files are the EXE files of the Android phone, the executables that mark the point of entry to most programs and Apps. If you have rooted your Motorola Droid or other Android phone, you're probably come in contact of an APK file in or around your custom ROM. This video will show you how to install APK files on a rooted Motorola Droid, which will allow you to find Apps without going to the App Market and take advantage of all of the features of your custom ROM.

How To: Play Retro Atari 2600 Games on Your Nexus 7 Tablet

If any gamer knows their gaming history, one name is synonymous with starting the gaming revolution—Atari. Founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell, Bushnell helped kickstart the home video game market with their line of Video Computer Systems, or what we would call video game consoles. Old time favorites like Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and Pitfall made the system a success among the public and cemented itself as a worldwide cultural phenomenon. Despite two updated consoles released (Atari 5200 and 78...

How To: Make an electrophorus and use it to create electricity from your cat

An electrophorus is a type of capacitor that generates electrostatic energy. Most of you probably know this force as static electricity, the domain of door handles and polyester shirts. It can be used for all sorts of other fun science experiments though, and this video will show you how an old hard drive, some plastic, Styrofoam, foil, a cat, and other simple materials can be used to make a a simple functioning electrophorus.

Spotify 101: How to Easily Share Music to Friends from Android & iPhone

If you're anything like me, when you first find a good song, album, or playlist on Spotify, your initial reaction may be to share it with your family and friends. While there are the usual share methods available in Spotify that are available in other streaming music services such as Apple Music and Google Play Music, Spotify goes one step further with QR-like codes users can easily scan.