The Nexus Killer: OnePlus One Phone Review
A month ago, we showed you what I, and many around the web, dubbed the "Nexus Killer". That device is the OnePlus One, a low-priced, high-powered, CyanogenMod-run Android device.
Brain Power Search Results
How To: Control Your Samsung Galaxy S5 Using Gestures When the Screen Is Off
Amongst the trove of high-end features on the Galaxy S5, the display may be the most impressive. Sporting a 5.1-inch Full HD Super AMOLED (Samsung's version of OLED) display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and 432 pixels per inch, Samsung's flagship has one of the best smartphone screens currently on the market.
How To: Trick Out Your Nexus 7's Lock Screen with a Custom Lockring Icon
If you're as bad at locking your Nexus up as I am, you have the "slide" option set for your screen lock. It may not be the most secure option, but it's definitely the easiest way to unlock your device while being able to utilize lock screen widgets.
How To: Turn Your Galaxy S4 into a TV-Pranking Machine with a Universal Power Button
April Fools may be over, but any day is a good day to prank someone, and the best time to do it is when everyone's eyes are glued to the television.
How To: Get the HTC One M8's All New BlinkFeed Launcher on Your Nexus 5
HTC's recent release of a new flagship phone brought tons of fanfare along with it. Dubbed The All New HTC One, the M8 edition of the popular One series phone also marked an update to the HTC Sense UI. Manufacturer skins like Sense can be a bit of a polarizing subject, especially amongst Nexus owners who are used to experiencing Android's interface exactly as Google envisioned it.
How To: Your Nexus 5 Has a Real Pedometer Built In—Here's How You Use It
Seemingly lost in the fanfare of the numerous features and specs of the Nexus 5 were a few highly innovative and handy add-ons—a low-power step detector and step-counting sensor—useful for tracking fitness data.
News: Everything You Need to Know About the New Samsung Galaxy S5
The Samsung Galaxy S5 was just officially announced at Mobile World Congress. The new flagship device will be available worldwide beginning April 11, 2014, including all major U.S. and international carriers. With over 200 million Galaxy devices sold to date, the S5 doesn't stray too far from the trend, at least not aesthetically. We've still got a high-grade plastic shell with perforated back covers, and four color choices at launch. Our highlights of the release event are as follows.
How To: How Diet Soda Actually Makes Some People Gain Weight (And How to Prevent It)
Whether you call 'em soda, pop, fizz, or coke, carbonated soft drinks are among the least healthy beverages out there, yet they're consumed by millions of Americans every day. For those of you worried about your health, there are diet and zero-calorie options available, but are they really better for you?
How To: Back Up & Restore Your Nexus 5 with a Custom Recovery
A rooted Android device means we're on our way to some truly amazing customization options. But there may be a few steps left to completing that journey, and a major one is installing a custom recovery.
How To: Make a Gel Liner with Rallye Balm and Eyeshadow.
In this video you will learn how to make a gel like liner using Rallye Balm and Eyeshadow. Just swipe some Rallye Balm on the back of your hand, mix some eyeshadow into the Rallye Balm with a liner brush and then line your eyes. It's super simple to do, longer lasting and moisturizing at the same time!
How To: Karate Chop a Paint Stick with Help from Air Pressure and a Plastic Bag
How heavy is a plastic bag? Not very heavy at all, but in order to use a plastic bag to help me karate chop a thin wooden stick, I don't need weight—I need air pressure. Below, the "Quick Clip" demonstrates the power of air pressure via the vacuum created between a plastic bag and the countertop.
How To: Stop Android Lag in Its Tracks on Your Nexus 7 for a Super Smooth Tablet
Lag has been a serious issue on Android devices since the very beginning. Even the Nexus 7's quad-core processor can't stop it from happening. That's because the pauses and long responses are coming straight from the Android OS itself, not the hardware.
How To: Root Your HTC EVO 4G LTE Using TWRP & SuperSU
Your HTC EVO 4G LTE has been lying to you. It will tell you when you're connected to a 4G network, but it will say 3G even if you're connected on 1X, which is a 2G CDMA network!
How To: Turn a Hard Drive into a Desktop LED Penholder & Hidden Drive
This is a illuminated pen holder that I made out of a couple recycled hard drives. The LEDs receive power from the standard USB cable connected to a computer. The stand for the penholder is taken from a clip light, and the penholder itself is made from 3 hard disk drive platters. Also, I hid a small 4GB flash drive inside the base hard drive for some hidden storage.
How To: Use a Foam Canon Pressure Washer to Clean a Boat or Car
We'll show you how to use an attachment for a power washer called a "Foamer" - you'll never hand wash a car or boat again!
How To: Hack Your Nexus 7 into a Hybrid Android Tablet That Looks & Feels Like Both iOS & TouchWiz
Do you like Samsung's TouchWiz and the iPhone's user interface, but wish you could bring the best of both worlds together onto your device? You can! MIUI (pronounced me-you-eye) is a heavily modded custom ROM that brings a different UI experience never before seen on stock Android devices. Over in the Nexus 7 SoftModder forum, Shashou Jian mentioned MIUI as a ROM every user should try out. The interface is a fresh mix of Apple’s iOS and Samsung’s TouchWiz elements—with a large dose of customi...
How To: What Side of Your Car Is the Gas Tank on? This Easy Trick Will Tell You Every Time
Ever drive a friend's car? Maybe a rental? Then you've probably found yourself in a very frustrating situation when you realize you need some gas. Heck, it probably even happens to you in your own car sometimes.
How To: "FROST" Sensitive Data Out of a Samsung Galaxy Nexus or Other Android Device
We go to such great lengths to secure our smartphones. We put passwords on our lock screens, encrypt our data, and install anti-theft programs, but it's never enough—someone, somewhere, will find a way around any protective measure you use, no matter how sophisticated.
How To: Find Out If Facebook Owes You Ten Bucks
For the most part, nobody makes money off of Facebook. Sure, some people make a living by updating pages for businesses and celebrities, but hardly anyone gets a dime from the site itself.
How To: DIY Alcohol Monitoring Ice Cubes, Plus How to Make Tetris-Shaped Ones That'll Make You Drink More
If you're like me (and everybody else probably), you probably have a few nights of reckless drinking that you wish your could take back, or at least turn down a notch.
How To: The Complete Guide on How to Build a Crystal Radio—Plus How They Work
There's a lot that goes into making a nice crystal radio set, so this is going to have to be broken down into two parts. The first part is the actual making of a functional radio, and the second part is making the whole arrangement look nice. In this part, I'm actually going to tell you more than just how to make a crystal radio, but I'm also going to explain how and why they work. Crystal radios are pretty Steampunk in and of themselves, since they were first developed in the late 19th centu...
How To: Find the Thor's Hammer (MjöLnir) Easter Egg in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Like in the original Black Ops, there are a bunch of funny and cool Easter eggs built into Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Most have been discovered, like the Atari arcade invincibility on Nuketown 2025, but perhaps you didn't know about Thor's hammer?
How To: Invert the Colors on Your Apple or Android Device for Better Sleep
Inverting colors on your mobile device not only saves battery life, but also helps prevent straining your eyes, especially during the nighttime. Bright white screens interfere not only with your eyes, but with your sleeping patterns, as well. The bright lights greatly reduce your melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain that helps you go to sleep. Thus, the onset of sleep is delayed and the possibility of deep sleep is reduced greatly.
How To: Make a Spot Welder for Cheap!
A typical resistance spot welder can range in price from about $200-$800, but with a little resourcefulness and a bit of free time, you can make one like this for about $10 or less.
iPhone Tip: Cut Back on Unnecessary Data Usage by Moving Podcasts Back to the Music App
Since iOS 6 has been released, it's had its fair share of problems. From battery drainage, to photo uploading errors, to the Maps debacle, lots of users have been less than pleased. So much so that some are even downgrading.
How To: Unstick Your Stuck Lightning Cable from a USB Port
As if there weren't already enough problems with the iPhone 5, now the new Lightning USB cable is reportedly getting stuck in USB power adapters and computer ports. The newer Lightning cables have deeper divots and a slightly thinner mouth on the USB plug than the old 30-pin cables did, so the cable can get stuck inside your USB port.
How To: Deal with Broken Hardware Buttons on Your Android Device
When the hardware buttons on your smartphone aren't working right, it can be a real pain to do almost anything. Simple tasks like accessing your home screen, opening the menu, and powering your phone on and off—normal functions you use every day—become chores, if you're even able to do them at all.
News: This DIY Walking Paper Robot Shoots Rubber Bands from Its High-Powered Gatling Gun Arms
One amazing Japanese papercraft enthusiast has built a walking 'robot' that's made of nothing more than paper, rubber bands, and a few wooden shafts for stability. It's been dubbed the 'Paper Robot III,' and even the cogs and gears are made of paper. The creator made a video detailing his entire process, and he's selling kits to make your own for about $40 US, if you're too lazy to do everything from scratch.
How To: This DIY Baby Monitor Uses Lasers and a Wiimote to Detect Your Child's Breathing
Proud new papa Gjoci wanted to make sure he never had to worry about whether or not his baby girl was breathing, so he built this amazing breath-detecting baby monitor using a Wii remote, a printed circuit, and a laser. First, he opened up the Wiimote and took out the camera, then used an Atmel Atmega88 microcontroller to make a printed circuit. Low-power infrared lasers shine on the baby's clothing and the Wii camera detects the motion of the baby's breath, activating an alarm if the motion ...
How To: How Do You Balance 14 Nails on a Single Nailhead? Find Out with This DIY Gravity Puzzle
This little brain game is all about engineering a lower center of gravity. The idea has been around forever, but most people still don't know how to do it. Trying to stack nails above the balance point will raise the CG and make the structure unstable. Here's how you can lower the CG to make a very stable structure and impress your friends.
How To: Unlock Any Master Lock Combination Padlock
Let's say you forgot the code to your Master Lock combination padlock. What can you do besides buy another one? Well, there's a surprising abundance of ways to open a combination lock other than with just the combination, some of which will even let you reset the code. Of course, these hacks aren't limited to folks just looking to open their own locks, but let's just assume that's what you're here for.
How To: Make a Soda Can Stirling Engine
Ever wonder how to make an engine out of soda cans? Not even sure if it's possible? These videos will show you how to build a working Stirling engine out of cans and other general materials. Here it is in action:
News: This LEGO Mindstorms Submersible Can Be Piloted by Your Xbox Controller
Making little robots with a LEGO Mindstorms NXT set is already cool, but putting one underwater? Now that's just crazy. That didn't stop this engineer, who built a LEGO submarine that can not only maneuver around his fish tank, but can also be remotely controlled with his Xbox controller. The craft has a sealed battery compartment, exposed Power Functions motors, and features real-time communication between it and a laptop using a NXTbee wireless module.
News: NASA's Curiosity Just Got Bricked! Working LEGO Mars Rover Ready for Exploration
Using a LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit, a pair of awesome engineers put together this fully functional replica of the Curiosity Mars rover. Not only is it built completely out of LEGOs, it's motorized, programmable, and ready to explore the far reaches of your living room. The rover was built for the Build the Future in Space event at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Four of the six wheels are powered, allowing it to make 360 degree turns, and the arm and mast are both fully controllable. The entire con...
How To: 3 Minecart Station Designs to Get Your Minecraft Railway Rolling
Sometimes the hardest part about getting your minecart rolling is the beginning takeoff. Have you ever started a minecart on a hill, and then tried to jump into it as it started moving, only to fail and watch it slowly dwindle into the distance?
Advanced Redstone Explained: Why You Need to Use Monostable Circuits
If you're like me, the words 'monostable circuit' mean nothing to you. Until just recently, I had no idea what a monostable circuit did, or why anyone would ever need to use one.
Minecraft Melodies: How to Recreate the Zelda Secret Chime
As I said before in my earlier post on how to make a two-tone doorbell, sound is more than just music. Note blocks can create a wide variety of notes and sounds, and those can be used for more than just making a stirring rendition of "Still Alive" from Portal.
How To: Build a Deadly (But Practical) Minecraft Machine Gun
Have you ever felt like you wanted to totally annihilate someone in Minecraft with a machine gun? Yeah, me, too. Thankfully, you can!
How To: Draw a Zombie
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How To: Make Your Solar-Powered Projects More Efficient with This DIY Sun Tracker
Omniscience is not required to make some really cool shit happen. Yes, it took a while, but we can make fuel from the Sun! Solar panels are basically our answer to God. And now that we can make solar electricity, finding the most efficient way to harvest it is tricky.