Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, August 01, 2008

DIY Wireless Network Printer [DIY]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/351983215/diy-wireless-network-printer

Handy do-it-yourselfer computerguru365 turned a network-capable laser printer into a wireless printer by mounting a small Wi-Fi router inside its case. This is a really cool mod: After installing a network card, he found space inside the printer to mount a small router (running the DD-WRT router firmware, no less), wired up and mounted LED lights, and tucked both the power and Ethernet cable hook-ups inside. This project's not for the timid, and not really necessary, as you can just set the router on top or near the printer—but the result looks really good. (Of course you'll get better bandwidth by keeping the antenna outside the printer.)

DIY computers and electronics: DIY Wireless Network Printer [DIY computers and electronics via]

Real Liquid Display Makes Mac OS X Aqua Look Like Crayolas [Water Display]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/351679361/real-liquid-display-makes-mac-os-x-aqua-look-like-crayolas

Giz reader Nicholas Buechi created this real liquid display that really doesn't display anything but bubbles. And that's enough, because it is mesmerizing enough as it is. The liquid display is driven by an Arduino processor, and the events are triggered by a water keyboard. Sounds crazy, but in action it looks very pretty and soothing:

Nicholas explains how it works:

It's based on an Arduino processor and a board I did myself. There are 16 valves controlled by transistors. The interface [where you put your fingers to trigger events] uses 3 Q-Prox QT110E chips. With them I measure the voltage in the water. If anyone touches the water, electrons flow to the person, which gives the system feedback.

The whole effect is quite relaxing and cool. I need this as a Mac OS X screensaver. Pronto. [The Liquid Display]

Mob Takes Over Office Lighting To Transform Tower Into Giant Frosty Pint [Great Moments In Advertising]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/351711855/mob-takes-over-office-lighting-to-transform-tower-into-giant-frosty-pint

Sure it's an ad, but taking over your office building's lighting system en masse with an army of thirsty friends as an homage to every Irishman's favorite stout is a pretty refreshing dream while you're pinned inside your cubicle. Now if we could just do this with a massive INSTEON installation—then we'd be set. Check out the flashmob-inspired ad after the jump. Now I'm thirsty and it's barely even noon.

[Space Invaders via Not Cot]

The Leaf AFi 10 Camera Delivers 56 Megapixels [Digital Cameras]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/351842517/the-leaf-afi-10-camera-delivers-56-megapixels

This has been a big month for big-time cameras. First we we first saw the Hasselblad H3DII-50 and its whopping 50-megapixel sensor, which was topped the following week by the Phase One's P65+. The Leaf AFi 10 medium format camera falls in the middle of the war over sensor-size with a 56x36mm TWF sensor that cranks out a 56 megapixel resolution across the entire width of the 6x6 sensor area.

Unlike the other cameras, it also features proprietary "Verto" technology that rotates the sensor internally, so you don't have to turn the camera when you want to take a portrait shot. Other than that, the AFi 10 captures images at about 1 second per frame and it can shoot up to ISO800. Oh, and it's even more expensive than the Phase One P65+ at $43,700. [Leaf via Photography Blog via DVICE]

Judge Rules Early Termination Fees Are Illegal and Violate California Law [ETF Fees]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/351932712/judge-rules-early-termination-fees-are-illegal-and-violate-california-law

A California County Superior Court judge has just ruled that early termination fees from cellphone companies violates California state law and are illegal. What's this mean to you? Sprint Nextel has been ordered to pay $18.2 million in reimbursements to customers who already paid their ETF, and to stop trying to collect $54.7 million from customers who canceled and refused to pay. But if ETF fees are illegal, does that mean 2-year contracts—which in turn give you subsidized price on your cellphones—will be a thing of the past? Tough to say, but we're headed towards some change. [Mercury News via Yahoo]